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Graphic Artists: Academic Software Can Save You Money
If you are a graphic artist, you probably have several different graphic programs gathering dust and taking up disk space on your computer because you probably have one or two basic programs that you use all the time. These will either be the ones...
INSTALLING NEW SOFTWARE IS RISKY
When you get a new computer, you'll want to install your favorite software and get everything running just the way you want it to. Then you'll likely add some new stuff, possibly over a period of the next couple of months. Beyond this point,...
Microsoft Great Plains - typical problems and fixes – overview for IT Administrator
If you have Microsoft Great Plains and support it for your company then you need to know typical set of problems you have in Great Plains and their fixes to have Great Plains run smoothly in your company. We'll describe techniques applicable to...
Security: Firewalls
If you spend a lot of time on the internet and you are not behind a firewall, then you are living on borrowed time. Putting some protection between you and the internet is probably the third most important thing that you can do (after getting virus...
Working With the Registry
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Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 1 of 2)
Does your business need the services of a computer consulting firm? Before you rush out and hire the first techie or slick-salesperson that knocks on your door, be sure to consider these favorite Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips for screening and interviewing local computer consulting firms. In this first in a two-part series, we’ll look the root of the problem, as well as the four most basic criteria that you’ll need to ask about when searching for computer consulting vendors.
Computer Consulting 101 Preventative Medicine
Many small business owners have a tough time knowing how to deal with difficult computer consultants. However, if you're able to uncover potential problems at the start of your computer consultant/client relationship, you can avoid many of these unpleasant issues altogether.
Root of the Problem
While most entrepreneurs and small business managers know exactly what to ask when it comes to hiring for internal staff positions, hiring a computer consulting firm can be more difficult.
So on top of dealing with the myriad legal issues surrounding how you retain the services of contractors (best advice: consult with your attorney), as opposed to hiring employees on your payroll, you'll need to know how to ask the "right" questions. Don't make the ultra-common common mistake of focusing on the wrong things. Use these Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips as your checklist for doing your homework before you sign on the dotted line.
Part-time or Full-time Computer Consulting
Do you have a "day job"? Are you moonlighting?
Solo Practitioner or True Computer Consulting Business
What do you mean by the "we"? Are there any other people who work at your company?
Are they employees or contractors? What are their names, specialties and backgrounds? How long have they been with the company? Will they be involved with this account?
(Tip: The more pointed questions you ask, the more you’ll flush out the B.S. and hyperbole.)
Small Business or Large Company Computer Consulting Experience
What "size" is your typical consulting client, in terms of number of
PCs, employees and annual revenue?
Generalist or Specialist Consulting Company
What industries or vertical markets have you worked with? And in what particular aspects and software applications?
What kinds of products, services, and platforms does your company shy away from? Do you work with any specialty hardware, software or services vendors?
The Bottom Line
In this first of a two-part series of these Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we looked at why small business owners and managers find that computer consulting companies are so difficult to hire, as well as four basic issues that you must confront when searching for a new computer consulting vendor. In the second installment of this two part series on Computer Consulting 101 hiring tips, we’ll look at how you can get your hands around the true costs of using a computer consulting firm, as well as how you can more objectively evaluate the computer consulting firm’s suitability for the task of servicing your company’s technology needs.
About the Author
Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, is a 15-year veteran of computer consulting and has appeared in CRN, VARBusiness, Microsoft Direct Access, TechRepublic, American Express OPEN Platinum Ventures, Entrepreneur, Inc, SCORE, Small Business Computing, and USA Today. To get Joshua’s proven sales and marketing strategies for growing your profits, sign up now for the free training at http://www.computer-consulting-101.com
Copyright MMI-MMV, Computer-Consulting-101.com, All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}
About the Author
Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, is a 15-year veteran of computer consulting and has appeared in CRN, VARBusiness, Microsoft Direct Access, TechRepublic, American Express OPEN Platinum Ventures, Entrepreneur, Inc, SCORE, Small Business Computing, and USA Today. To get Joshua’s proven sales and marketing strategies for growing your profits, sign up now for the free training at http://www.computer-consulting-101.com
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| Tucows Downloads - Download Freeware and Shareware Software |
| Download freeware, shareware, and demos. Maintains over 45000 software titles that are tested, rated, reviewed and ready to download. |
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| Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com |
| Download shareware, freeware and Demo software for PC, Mac, Linux, and Handhelds categorized into categories, plus software reviews. |
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| Computer software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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| Computer Software in the Yahoo! Directory |
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| IEEE Software |
| IEEE Computer Society's magazine covering all aspects of software, including software engineering. |
| www.computer.org |
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| Free Downloads on ZDNet | Shareware, Trialware, Evaluation Software |
| ZDNet's Software Directory is the Web's largest library of software downloads. Covering software for Windows, Mac, and Mobile systems, ZDNet's Software ... |
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| FSF - The Free Software Foundation |
| Free software is a matter of liberty not price. Think of "free" as in "free speech". |
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| Apple - Software |
| Software products for your digital life. ... The perfect addition for professional review. QuickTime Broadcaster. Encoding software for live events. ... |
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| In Partnership with AOL Search. about dmoz | report abuse/spam | help. the entire directory, only in Computers/Software. Top: Computers: Software (38471) ... |
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| Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF) |
| Listing of the GNU software packages. |
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| Joel on Software |
| A weblog by Joel Spolsky, a programmer working in New York City, about software and software companies. |
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| Online shopping for computer & video games, business & office productivity software, software from Microsoft, Apple, Adobe & more; accounting, antivirus, ... |
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| IBM Software - Home Page |
| IBM home page for all of its software products, including Lotus and Tivoli, with keyword search, category browse and AZ product names. |
| www.ibm.com |
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| Opera web browser: Homepage |
| Copyright © 2006 Opera Software ASA. All rights reserved. Skip navigation. Opera Software ... Copyright Opera Software ASA . All rights reserved. ... |
| www.opera.com |
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| Google Directory - Computers > Software |
| Search only in Software Search the Web ... Software Categorized by Letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ... |
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