It’s a bright new world for IT consultants

June 2, 2011 posted by Bethany

Being an IT consultant can be the perfect long-term career path. There are a wealth of reasons why one should consider it as an alternative to traditional employment.

Working as an IT consultant is often seen as a temporary bridge, a stopgap someone does between fulltime jobs. There is a growing shift in this view as of late. To many, the pursuit of traditional permanent positions and climbing a predetermined career ladder has lost its luster. More and more find that consulting is the exciting career path they are looking for, and in this economy, a rather attractive one.

“Flexibility” does not necessarily mean “instability” or “insecurity.” The only thing constant in the IT industry is change. And because of this, working as a consultant is to an IT professional’s advantage. IT staffing companies with knowledgeable recruiters are often very well connected and can help consultants find the right company and projects to suit their goals while providing full-benefits. Furthermore, an IT staffing company allows individuals to work on versatile projects many times working with leading edge technology while growing new, lucrative and marketable skills.  Or, consultants can take time off between assignments to pursue advanced education or further their training.

According to John Owens, CEO of Cohesion Business Technology, a growing IT consulting firm headquartered in Cincinnati, “We try to be a partner in our consultant’s career development. We don’t just throw them haphazardly from one project to another. We align consultants with new and challenging opportunities that help them grow as IT professionals, and position them for even better opportunities down the road.”

IT consultants can take on many types of projects where their expertise is field tested within multiple environments and company cultures. This gives them exposure to new technology, work environments and company cultures, making them well rounded and in demand. Working on multiple projects gives them in-depth hands-on experience they could never gain in a classroom.  So, IT consultants can bring tremendous value to any organization, ultimately giving them more earning potential and job satisfaction than a more traditional career path. 

“We don’t offer just another assignment. Our goal is to provide opportunities to partner with great companies that appreciate and need what the consultant has to offer,” Owens added.