The Computer Consultant's Guide: Real-Life Strategies for Building a Successful Consulting Career Review

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The Computer Consultant's Guide: Real-Life Strategies for Building a Successful Consulting Career ReviewThis book has some excellent information, but it also has whole chunks that are completely out of date and were probably out of date when the 1997 second editions was pubished.
To begin with the kind of "computer consultant" that the book is primarily focused on is the contract mainframe programmer. Even in 1997 that was not the dominant form of consulting, as she suggests it is. Also take into account that one of her favorite resources to recommend is CompuServe. For those of you under 35, that was the thing that AOL put out of business by being easier to use (though not better.)
In fact most of the information in the book is gathered from CompuServe and it's members. Ruhl actually bemoans this new upstart "the internet" because it isn't as good as the bulletin boards people are used to, since it's all static pages, after all.
Not that there aren't great pieces of information in here. It would just be nice to do a soft cover third edition that's about a third less pages. Just include the "timeless" stuff about dealing with clients and not the stuff about how you could earn as much as $35K as a consultant.
I enjoyed the book, and it's extremely well written, but the fact that it's so out of date and sold only in a $20 hard cover edition left a bad taste in my mouth.The Computer Consultant's Guide: Real-Life Strategies for Building a Successful Consulting Career OverviewTHE COMPUTER CONSULTANT'S GUIDEIf you're serious about striking out on your own as a computer consultant, you don't need a pep talk. You need reliable, authoritative information that will prepare you for the realities of independent consulting. You need to meet experienced consultants who have learned from their own successes and failures and who can teach you what it takes to develop a consultant mentality, attract and hold clients, set realistic prices, collect your money, run a business on your own, avoid tax problems, and much more.In this Second Edition of The Computer Consultant's Guide, Janet Ruhl introduces you to more than 150 practicing computer consultants. In their own words, these professionals tell you how they feel about their work, what problems they commonly encounter, which real-world solutions worked for them, and which didn't. You'll even get to listen in on disagreements over touchy subjects such as when to discount rates and whether to insist on a written contract. You'll hear both sides of every question and decide for yourself which approach is right for you.The Computer Consultant's Guide doesn't stop there. In excerpts from in-depth interviews with leading consultants, Ruhl addresses a host of important issues that will affect your day-to-day life as a consultant and could make or break your future: insurance requirements, effective image building, marketing techniques that work, and managing the client relationship.New information in this Second Edition includes tax requirements and standard business practices for Canadian, U.K., and European consultants; and new tips and tricks from working consultants as well as ideas on how to use the Internet and World Wide Web to support and enhance your business. This practical, down-to-earth handbook also includes updated resource lists, extensive up-to-date information based on Janet Ruhl's popular Web-based Real Rate Survey, IRS rules for establishing independent contractor status, and the ICCA's model consulting contract.If you're serious about becoming a computer consultant, or even if you're just thinking about it, this book gives you a clear picture of what you're up against, prepares you to meet the challenges of launching your business, and helps you avoid the common errors that most fledgling consultants make. No, you don't need a pep talk. You need The Computer Consultant's Guide, Second Edition."Read it twice and heed every word." -- CompuServe Magazine"Belongs on the reading list of all prospective and current computer consultants." -- Library Journal"250 pages of solid advice for anyone considering the consulting life." -- Software Development"I took the leap [into consulting] 11 years ago, and I wish I had had The Computer Consultant's Guide for advice. . . . Janet Ruhl's recommendations fit my experience right down the line." -- Harry Green, President Pacific Netcom Inc."An excellent reference for the newcomer. . . 'old pros' will want a copy as well." --Deborah Sampson, President Independent Computer Consultants AssociationThe Computer Consultant's Guide, Second Edition, offers valuable guidance on every aspect of starting and managing a successful computer consulting business. It points out potential problems, solid solutions, and valuable resources, and covers everything you need to know to: Set up your business and establish your image * Master essential business and marketing skills * Find and manage the highest paying clients * Set fees and bid on the big jobs * Handle important tax and accounting issues * Work through brokers with confidence

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