Identifying skills for entry-level IT consultants

Abstract

In this paper, we present preliminary research into the skills that entry-level IT Consultants need. Our data sources are senior-level IT consultants from six different companies and senior IS students who had just completed an IT consulting class where they were mentored by 12 different consulting firms. We used focus groups and open-ended surveys to get rich detailed data and then analyzed the results. Based upon this, we expand the identified skills for an entry-level IT Consultant to include being able to cope with changes, taking a holistic view of a problem, knowing when to ask for help, being a self-starter and having good time management skills. We found that both written and oral communication skills were important and that senior consultants looked for entry level personnel who were well-rounded.