OVERVIEW
What Is an IT Consultant?
IT consultants implement technological systems that help companies address unique needs as they arise. With a comprehensive understanding of technology solutions, IT consultants serve as the liaison between a company and the technology that keeps them both safe and effective.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does an IT Consultant Do?
IT consultants fulfill a variety of duties on a day-to-day basis. Most of their daily tasks involve communication with regular clients, assessments of their ongoing technology needs, or the installation of new processes that help them better serve customers.
The individual responsibilities of an IT consultant can include:
- Analyzing a company’s needs and pairing them with technological solutions.
- Identifying issues with existing technology in the workplace and working toward expedient solutions.
- Troubleshooting technology performance and behavior on a client’s behalf.
- Training staff on the correct use of any new hardware or software.
- Working alongside fellow IT specialists and clients.
- Monitoring IT systems after they have been installed in order to gauge ongoing performance and correct client use.
- Researching potential new solutions for a wide variety of issues that a client might be facing.
These and other responsibilities define the daily career of an IT consultant, an individual well-versed in both communication with clients and the implementation of any necessary technological solutions.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
What Education Does an IT Consultant Need?
The career of an IT consultant is characterized by several educational requirements. These first include an IT degree in computer science, software engineering, or cybersecurity. These types of degree programs will have specific focus on software programs, scripting, networking, and security. All of these areas are crucial for IT consultants to be successful in their roles. A bachelor’s degree that offers top industry certifications can also help you demonstrate specific skills and knowledge that employers may be looking for.
What Certifications Does an IT Consultant Need?
In addition to the educational components of the job description, successful IT consultants typically maintain active certifications.
Appropriate IT consulting certifications can include:
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
- A+ (CompTIA)
- Cybersecurity Analyst Certification, CySA+ (CompTIA)
- Network+ (CompTIA)
- Network Vulnerability Assessment Professional (CompTIA)
- Security Analytics Professional (CompTIA)
- Security+ (CompTIA)
- Project+ (CompTIA)
- PenTest+ (CompTIA)
- IT Operations Specialist (CompTIA)
- Secure Infrastructure Specialist (CompTIA)
- ITIL®1 Foundation
- Network Security Professional (CompTIA)
These certifications can hone an individual’s understanding of specific technology and the IT consulting field in general.
Best Degrees for an IT Consultant
Technology
Computer Science – B.S.
Problem solvers and math lovers needed! Your task:...
Problem solvers and math lovers needed! Your task:
Lay the groundwork for the computing breakthroughs that will enable tomorrow's technologies. Utilize your previous college courses or IT experience to help you complete your degree faster.
- Time: 60% of graduates in similar programs finish within 24 months.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 37 total courses in this program.
You'll have the opportunity to earn these certifications:
- Linux Essentials
- Axelos ITIL Foundation
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Artifical Intelligence (AI)
- Machine Learning
- Logic
- Architecture and systems
- Data structures
- Computer theory
- Version Control
- Linux
Technology
Software Engineering – B.S.
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities....
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish similar programs within 35 months.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 36 or 38 total courses in this program depending on your track.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost are:
- CompTIA Project +
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®1 Foundation Certification
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Scripting and programming
- Web development
- Mobile application development
- User experience design
- Software quality assurance
Technology
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – B.S.
Protect your career and earning potential with this degree....
Protect your career and earning potential with this degree.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish within 29 months.
- Tuition: $4,365 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 34 total courses in this program.
Certifications included in this program at no extra cost include:
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- ITIL® Foundation Certification
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CySA+)
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Network Vulnerability Assessment Professional
- CompTIA Network Security Professional
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Security Analytics Professional
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Secure Systems Analysis & Design
- Data Management
- Web and Cloud Security
- Hacking Countermeasures and Techniques
- Digital Forensics and Incident Response
Technology
Web Application Deployment and Support Certificate – School of Technology
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the...
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the help of the Web Application Deployment and Support Certificate from the School of Technology.
- Time: 5 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $2,950 for the certificate.
- Courses: 4 courses total in this program.
This certificate also offers two industry certifications, Linux Essentials and AWS Cloud, which will add extra power to your portfolio of experience. You are also guaranteed admission into a WGU School of Technology degree program. This certificate will prepare you for the next step in your career.
This program is ideal for individuals who have 3-5 years of IT experience and a basic understanding of scripting languages and SQL. Prerequisites include: Experience with either Python or Java or another high-order OO (object-oriented) programming language along with Git, experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and experience with a major DBMS (database management system) - MySQL (preferred), SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, etc.
How Much Does an IT Consultant Make?
$83,559
The exact income of an IT consultant will vary depending on the nature of their hire, their years of experience, their employer’s location, their active certifications, and other factors.
The average salary of an IT consultant is $83,559 per year, where the lowest 10% of earners make $53,000 and the top 10% of earners take home $135,000 yearly.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
11%
As companies continue to seek methods to reduce costs and improve output through more efficient workplace practices, the outlook of IT consultants is a favorable one. Employment of management analysts is expected to see an 11% increase in projected growth from 2019 to 2029, good for roughly 87,100 additional job openings each year.
A drive for increased cybersecurity is also a main driving force behind the heightened need for qualified IT consultants. Larger companies, in particular, will seek the services of IT consultants—one of the best-ranking jobs after military service—with regularity, given their ability to keep a company’s platforms, devices, and data safe.
SKILLS
What Skills Does an IT Consultant Need?
IT consultants use a variety of technology-based skills daily to successfully pair company needs with technological solutions. These skills can include:
- Interpersonal communication: The ability to effectively communicate with team members, clients, and executives in order to discern a company’s technological needs and implement creative solutions.
- Technological proficiency: The ability to understand and install hardware and software programs that promote smooth corporate operations.
- Data analytics: The ability to analyze a company’s data, drawing conclusions that influence an IT consultant’s recommendations.
- Ongoing research: The ability to continually identify new technological solutions that can improve a company’s operations and output.
- Time management: The ability to meet active deadlines, especially when managing more than one project at once.
- Problem-solving: The ability to identify and solve any of the unique problems that a client has, either before or after the technology has been implemented.
These and other skills make for successful IT consultantswho can hear a client’s concerns, recommend solutions, and work to implement them without overly disrupting their normal operations.
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