What Is Technology Consulting? 5 Attributes of Great Consultants

If you’re a software or data engineer, chances are you have explored career paths in the technology industry or in consulting. If so, you’ve probably asked yourself, what does it really mean to be a technology consultant?  

At Credera, consulting means partnering with others to make an impact. Our technology consultants leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver custom software solutions to our clients, while effectively communicating recommendations to non-technical clients and teams. Over the years, we have identified five key attributes that build the foundation of a successful consultant: coding experience, client-facing skills, critical thinking, affinity for growth, and values alignment.

1. Experience With Coding

To succeed in technology consulting, it is important to have a passion for building solutions. Whether you are looking to develop custom applications or architect data pipelines, a solid foundation in coding is the key to keep honing your craft. Quality candidates can be entry level with limited experience, but they have the key ability to learn and pick up technical concepts quickly. Quality hires can also come from industry, startups, or freelance experiences. The important part is that you have a breadth of coding skills that we can build upon.

2. Client-Facing Skills

As a technology consultant, you will have to effectively communicate and manage vastly different and unique personalities. Your role is to bridge the gap between IT and the business, effectively report requirements, communicate status updates, lead or assist your team in demos, and manage client concerns with integrity. Being a technology consultant requires you to be more than technical. Our team searches for engineers who collaborate well with others, practice active listening, excel in public speaking, and demonstrate leadership qualities.

3. Critical Thinking

Technology consultants advise clients on how to best use IT practices to achieve premier business results. You will often have to use innovative thinking and overcome ambiguity by asking the right questions and challenging the status quo. Our team searches for engineers who are analytical, comfortable with making assumptions, and ask thoughtful questions to partner with our team and our clients to deliver remarkable solutions.

4. Affinity for Growth

The one consistent thing about consulting is there is always something new to learn. Projects are rarely the same and there are few restrictions on the breadth of technologies used. The most successful consultants are those who constantly seek opportunities to learn and can learn quickly. Credera hires talent from various educational backgrounds, bachelor's degrees, boot camps, or self-taught. These differences are what make us successful and innovative. We also promote and encourage our consultants to embrace the ever-changing technology landscape by earning new certifications and stepping out of their technology comfort zone in new projects.

5. Values Alignment

Our core values, professionalism, excellence, integrity, and humility make us special and set us apart from competitors. Clients see our commitment to these values demonstrated in our daily work. When you are determining if a company is a good fit for you, their values must align with your own. When we speak with candidates, we look to see how they’ve practiced these values in the past and present.

Another trait we appreciate and believe is unique to every Credera team member is grit! Every hire at Credera has demonstrated drive, work ethic, and perseverance in some way or another throughout the interview process that leads them to provide quality work to our clients.

Interested in Working at Credera?

Credera is committed to making an extraordinary impact on our clients, while striving to create a work environment that is challenging and fulfilling.  If you’re a servant leader looking to take the next bold step in your career, we encourage you to check out our open opportunities. Additionally, we hope you will explore what our employees are saying candidly on Glassdoor.com.

• What is Technology Consulting
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