Hiring an IT consultant: Check IT List

In order to find and hire the right consultant for your SMB, you just need to know what questions to ask and what qualities to look for. Keep in mind that you can find great consultants who work for themselves and others who work for larger systems integration firms. The best fit for your SMB will likely come from an independent consultant who has experience with smaller businesses. However, don't eliminate others who appear to be a good fit. You can ask your current or prospective IT consultants the following 10 questions to help ensure that you're getting the most value for the money you're spending on outside expertise:

1. How long have you been in the IT field? Experience doesn't mean everything, but it certainly helps. Someone with two to three years of experience would be considered new to the field. After five to 10 years, they should know quite a bit. You should expect a lot of expertise from consultants with more than 10 years of experience, but don't expect them to know everything. If they claim to, look elsewhere. A consultant with IT experience in the SMB market would be ideal.

2. Do you have references and customer testimonials? References and customer testimonials are great for assessing a consultant's abilities. You don't necessarily have to check references, just the fact that a consultant has a list of them says a lot. That said, I would recommend you check up on them if you can. Any IT consultant serious about building a new business will possess at least a couple of testimonials. If your prospective consultant doesn't have a list of ready references or testimonials, ask him to collect them for you. Be wary if it takes a while to hear back, though; it could mean that he's having trouble finding people who are willing to say positive things about his work.

3. Can I see samples of past work you've done? There are certain things that IT consultants have developed over the years and can share with you, such as network diagrams, vulnerability assessment reports, IT procedures and so on. Ask to see this type of work and look for quality workmanship. Note if the consultant removes names and confidential information before he lets you see it -- no matter how large or small the customer. If he doesn't, you may not want to work with this person -- he could expose your private information, too.

4. Do you have liability insurance? Any good IT consultant should have both general liability and professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance, not because he does shoddy work, but because it is simply a good business practice. Ask for a certificate of insurance verifying coverage. A consultant should be able to have his agent or underwriter fax you a copy easily. I've seen where consultants focusing on the SMB market carry less insurance coverage, usually to keep their costs down. If someone has $250,000 of coverage compared with a million dollars or more, don't let that be a deal breaker. If the consultant does good work in good faith, it's highly unlikely insurance will ever be needed anyway.

5. Do you require a contract? Similar to insurance coverage, any IT consultant who understands the business side of things will have a contract, regardless of the size of your organization. The contract will likely spell out who does what, nondisclosure terms, limitations of liability, payment terms and so on, but it shouldn't be completely one-sided. Look for (or demand) verbiage that keeps your best interests in mind.

6. What kind of ongoing training do you receive? We demand doctors, lawyers and other professionals to keep up in their field, so why shouldn't IT consultants do the same? Don't expect an IT consultant to know everything about the latest and greatest software, but do expect to hear answers to the training question like "I'm a member of XYZ professional association," "I read trade magazines" and "I attend seminars and conferences on an ongoing basis." IT has to be one of the most difficult fields to keep up with, but it's a necessary evil, so look for it.

7. What certifications do you have? Certifications certainly don't mean everything, so don't base your hiring decision on the number of certifications a consultant has or if he has none at all. Work experience is much more important. Certifications do, however, show initiative and the desire to stay on top and meet the ongoing demands of the field. Common certifications for SMB IT consultants are A+, MCSE, Security+ and CCNA.

8. What is your availability? And what will you do if you get in over your head? This is perhaps the most often overlooked and miscommunicated area when hiring a consultant. The contract should outline hours of availability and charges for after-hours work. Response time requirements for SMBs tend to vary, so look for response time guarantees if you think you'll need them -- just be prepared to pay a little extra. Also, make sure the consultant has a fallback plan to bring in someone else if he gets in over his head. There's no shame in this -- we IT consultants certainly don't know it all -- but the true professionals will know when it's time to get help. Most consultants in the SMB market have a network of several other consultants they can call on or subcontract when necessary.

9. What kind of tools will you be using? Just like a craftsman, a skilled and experienced IT professional is going to have a certain set of tools he uses to get his work done. It depends on what needs to be accomplished, but look for things like a network analyzer to troubleshoot network problems, a password cracker to test the strength of passwords, a network vulnerability assessment tool to check for security weaknesses and a laptop with a wireless card for testing wireless network issues. Some computer and network tools are very expensive and have to be licensed per computer or per project, so expect to have to pay a little extra if the work you need done requires specialized tools that an SMB consultant might not otherwise own. Another sign of a true professional is someone who has a portable collection of CDs, DVDs and even floppy disks containing applications, software tools and patches they need for quick and easy access.

10. What is your rate? Too many deals go sour due to issues over hourly rates. Based on geography and expertise required, an experienced IT consultant may demand up to $200 or more per hour. More general desktop-focused work may cost anywhere from $50 to $125 an hour plus or minus a few dollars. As an SMB, you should expect to pay somewhere in the middle of this range. Rate is not the only factor, though; look at the overall value the person brings to the table. Be wary of someone with substantially lower rates and, likewise, if someone seems to be really expensive but doesn't have the credentials to back it up. Like most other things of value, when it comes to IT expertise, you definitely get what you pay for.