To become a consultant, you need several sets of skills, not just your subject matter expertise.
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<br>Of course, you need to "know your stuff" in your own consulting field. You need to be a subject matter expert. If you're an information technology consultant, you need the technical knowledge and problem-solving savvy to give the client the expected result. Same for other business consultants, such as financial and marketing consultants. Same for consumer consultants, such as image, beauty or health consultants. If you don't know your stuff, you need to learn it at a job, or work with a more experienced consultant until you do.
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<br>Some consultants work in professions that are regulated by the law. These include lawyers, architects, and doctors, among many others. Obviously, if you need a license or certificate to do the work that will give the client the expected result, then by all means get it. Other certifications are optional. You take a test from a private company and become a Certified Network Engineer, for example. Certifications often help increase your credibility, and give an independent view of your training and knowledge. In addition, you can network with others who hold that certification.
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<br>As a consultant, you also will need interpersonal and communications skills:
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<br>* Interpersonal skills in order to close sales, and even to persuade your client to act on your advice!
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<br>* Communications skills such as making presentations and writing documents so that you can convey your value and your results to the client, in other words, so that the client can see what they've bought.
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<br>The good news is that these skills can be learned. And, you can be yourself. Some consultants are known for being difficult to deal with. That's OK - as long as they bring in the results for the client.
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<br>Finally, as a consultant, you need business management skills. You are not tying up funds in inventory or equipment, so in all honesty, the needed business skills are modest. You must keep track of your assets, cash, accounts receivable and bills. Inexpensive and readily available small business accounting and billing software can help you do this.
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<br>You need a basic level of organization to deal with a few repetitive tasks (such as getting bills out every month). This can be more complicated if you have several partners or operate in several locations, or if you delegate tasks to a staff. In The E-Myth Revisited, author and business consultant Michael E. Gerber explains how to think of your business like a "franchise" and develop procedures that can be easily applied by your personnel.
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<br>Apart from watching your cash, you must plan to focus on marketing. Far too many consultants put too much time into their technical skills and not enough into marketing. Or, even if they do think about marketing, it's haphazard and erratic. To be a real success, that won't work. Your marketing needs to be systematic and repeatable.
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<br>Know your subject matter, get needed certifications, develop your interpersonal and communications skills as well as business management, organizational and marketing skills. Master these and you should be well on your way to success in consulting.
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<br>About the Author: For more details, get a copy of our <a href="http://www.becomeaconsultant101.com" rel="nofollow">Free Report to Become a Consultant</a>, The Fast Start Guide to Becoming a Highly Paid Independent Consultant. We offer that and more at our website, <a href="http://www.becomeaconsultant101.com" rel="nofollow">www.BecomeaConsultant101.com</a>
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Windows 7 - A Quick Feature Roundup of the New Microsoft Operating System
Eagerly awaited and anticipated by Windows fans around the world, Windows 7 is about to be launched and is full of new features. The Windows operating system is the most widely used computer software in the world, with almost every business, personal computer, laptop and even mobile phone incorporating it into its operations. Notorious for bugs, early systems often caused considerable consternation and much tearing of hair, so the top people at Windows have been working away to smooth out the wrinkles, include new and more user-friendly features and generally bring Windows into the 21st Century.
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<br>Improved taskbar
<br>The taskbar at the bottom of your screen is used to launch programs and move between them without having to continually open them during your operation. Before, icons were limited to your usual running programs such as Internet Explorer, email and other primary programs. With Windows 7, you will now be able to 'pin' any program to the taskbar so that it is always just one click away, rather than having to search through your C drive to find it. You will also be able to rearrange the icons just by clicking and dragging. The icons themselves have been made larger, making them much easier to use. By moving your cursor over the icon you will be able to see a thumbnail of every file or window open in that particular program, including a full-screen preview of that window.
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<br>Desktop enhancements
<br>Windows 7 has been specifically designed to make it easier to do repetitive tasks and cut down on the amount of effort it takes. One of the most common problems is having two windows open at once and switching between them. Previously, when you wanted to compare two open windows you had to manually resize your open windows to show them side by side. Windows 7 has a new system called Snaps, which allows you to grab a window and pull it to one side of the screen. It will then automatically take up only half the screen, allowing you to see the other window and compare the two at a glance.
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<br>Windows 7 is much more interactive. Another thing you may want to do is quickly see your gadgets or grab a file from your desktop. To see your desktop just move your mouse to the lower right corner of your desktop. That'll make all the open Windows transparent-so your desktop is immediately visible. If you want to get all but one window out of your way, you simply grab the top of that window, shake it and all the other open windows will minimise to the taskbar. Shake the window again, and they'll all come back.
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<br>Windows Search
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<br>If you use the web a lot, you probably start by looking around for a search box. Now you can use the same system to find files on your computer. Originally introduced with Windows Vista, Windows Search helps you find virtually anything on your PC quickly and easily. Windows 7 also makes search results more relevant and easier to understand. If you're looking for a file, email or application, a simple click on the start button will reveal a search box at the bottom of the start menu. By entering a word or file name, you will then get an organised list of results.
<br>
<br>Better device management
<br>
<br>Windows 7 incorporates a new package called Device Stage, which takes device management a step further. Device Stage helps you interact with any compatible device connected to your computer. From Device Stage you can see device status and run common tasks from a single window. There are even pictures of the devices which makes it really easy to see what's there, so you can see exactly what photos are on your camera, what music you have on your MP3 player and if your printer is active.
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<br>HomeGroup
<br>This package makes connecting more than one computer to your home network easy. HomeGroup is set up automatically when you add the first PC running Windows 7 to your home network. Adding more PCs running Windows 7 to the HomeGroup is then an easy process. You can specify exactly what you want to share from each PC with all the PCs in the HomeGroup. This makes sharing files across the various PCs in your home as easy as if all your data were on a single hard drive.
<br>
<br>View Available Network (VAN)
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<br>Windows 7 makes viewing and connecting to all of your networks simple and consistent. You'll always have one-click access to available networks, regardless of whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or your corporate VPN. It's particularly useful for those using laptops away from their usual network source.
<br>
<br>So Windows 7 aims to make life much simpler and your programs easier to navigate. The advancements in technology have meant that the advent of a far more user-friendly system is finally here - bug-free and very 21st Century.
<br>
<br>About the Author: IT247.com has one of the UK's largest catalogues of IT, consumer electronics and related accessories, at highly competitive prices and best availability. <a href="http://www.it247.com/category/Computers_Laptops_Desktops_Laptops_Tablets.html" rel="nofollow">Buy Laptop Computers</a> online at http://www.it247.com
<br>
<br>
<br>Improved taskbar
<br>The taskbar at the bottom of your screen is used to launch programs and move between them without having to continually open them during your operation. Before, icons were limited to your usual running programs such as Internet Explorer, email and other primary programs. With Windows 7, you will now be able to 'pin' any program to the taskbar so that it is always just one click away, rather than having to search through your C drive to find it. You will also be able to rearrange the icons just by clicking and dragging. The icons themselves have been made larger, making them much easier to use. By moving your cursor over the icon you will be able to see a thumbnail of every file or window open in that particular program, including a full-screen preview of that window.
<br>
<br>Desktop enhancements
<br>Windows 7 has been specifically designed to make it easier to do repetitive tasks and cut down on the amount of effort it takes. One of the most common problems is having two windows open at once and switching between them. Previously, when you wanted to compare two open windows you had to manually resize your open windows to show them side by side. Windows 7 has a new system called Snaps, which allows you to grab a window and pull it to one side of the screen. It will then automatically take up only half the screen, allowing you to see the other window and compare the two at a glance.
<br>
<br>Windows 7 is much more interactive. Another thing you may want to do is quickly see your gadgets or grab a file from your desktop. To see your desktop just move your mouse to the lower right corner of your desktop. That'll make all the open Windows transparent-so your desktop is immediately visible. If you want to get all but one window out of your way, you simply grab the top of that window, shake it and all the other open windows will minimise to the taskbar. Shake the window again, and they'll all come back.
<br>
<br>Windows Search
<br>
<br>If you use the web a lot, you probably start by looking around for a search box. Now you can use the same system to find files on your computer. Originally introduced with Windows Vista, Windows Search helps you find virtually anything on your PC quickly and easily. Windows 7 also makes search results more relevant and easier to understand. If you're looking for a file, email or application, a simple click on the start button will reveal a search box at the bottom of the start menu. By entering a word or file name, you will then get an organised list of results.
<br>
<br>Better device management
<br>
<br>Windows 7 incorporates a new package called Device Stage, which takes device management a step further. Device Stage helps you interact with any compatible device connected to your computer. From Device Stage you can see device status and run common tasks from a single window. There are even pictures of the devices which makes it really easy to see what's there, so you can see exactly what photos are on your camera, what music you have on your MP3 player and if your printer is active.
<br>
<br>HomeGroup
<br>This package makes connecting more than one computer to your home network easy. HomeGroup is set up automatically when you add the first PC running Windows 7 to your home network. Adding more PCs running Windows 7 to the HomeGroup is then an easy process. You can specify exactly what you want to share from each PC with all the PCs in the HomeGroup. This makes sharing files across the various PCs in your home as easy as if all your data were on a single hard drive.
<br>
<br>View Available Network (VAN)
<br>
<br>Windows 7 makes viewing and connecting to all of your networks simple and consistent. You'll always have one-click access to available networks, regardless of whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or your corporate VPN. It's particularly useful for those using laptops away from their usual network source.
<br>
<br>So Windows 7 aims to make life much simpler and your programs easier to navigate. The advancements in technology have meant that the advent of a far more user-friendly system is finally here - bug-free and very 21st Century.
<br>
<br>About the Author: IT247.com has one of the UK's largest catalogues of IT, consumer electronics and related accessories, at highly competitive prices and best availability. <a href="http://www.it247.com/category/Computers_Laptops_Desktops_Laptops_Tablets.html" rel="nofollow">Buy Laptop Computers</a> online at http://www.it247.com
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