Implementing Internet security measures can be a very daunting task for a non-technical person. Most Internet security solutions are complex to set up and require regular attention, maintenance, and upgrades.

Unfortunately, not all businesses can afford a full-time onsite Information Technology (IT) specialist. There are, however, IT consultants you can hire on a part-time basis to help you choose what type of Internet security measures match your business needs, who can walk you through the set-up and outline a maintenance plan. You can also agree to have the consultant come in every few weeks or months to make sure that things are still in perfect working order.

You can also hire an IT consultant even if you already have a full-time IT staff. IT consultants can often provide expertise in areas that may be unfamiliar to your own IT team. This is particularly useful when you have a specific IT project to implement.

Any consultant you hire should have an immediate rapport with your own IT staff. This is important because the consultant and your team will work together to come up with solutions that will work best for your company and to establish and ongoing maintenance plan.

How do I hire a consultant?

If you've never used consultants before, you can ask an IT consulting agency for a referral. Give the agency as much detail as possible on the type of project you have in mind so you can get the best match.

Or, if you're a small firm, you may have some partnerships or client/customer relationships with larger, higher-profile companies that use a lot of IT consultants. Get in touch with the head of their IT department and ask for a referral -- at best, names of specific individuals.

Getting names is useful since there is a lot of turnover in the IT consulting industry, and it may in fact have been a particular person that made a consulting job so successful, not necessarily the firm itself.

Cost

Some consultants will prefer to bill by the hour while others will set flat fees for specific projects with concrete start and finish dates. Ideally, you should find a firm that really wants your business and is willing to customize a price plan based on both your budget and the project's scope.

The price of IT consulting can be exorbitant. You can expect to pay upwards of $80 an hour for consulting services. If you are a start-up, especially an Internet one, and are seeking funding, it's best to factor in the cost of IT consultants into your financial needs.

Whether you opt to pay by the hour or a flat fee, to help ensure you are only paying for exactly what you want, it's absolutely necessary to have your goals and expectations fully outlined for your IT consultants.

See also:
   IT Consulting Buyer's Guide
   Server Buyer's Guide
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   privacy policy
   Related article: Protect your business against computer
   viruses