I don’t know how to code and I’m not an IT person, so there’s nothing for me in IT.” We hear this statement quite often. At first glance, it even makes sense. But it’s not entirely true.
It’s true that in the software part of the IT world, developers are certainly the most well-known players.
However, project teams are usually made up of multiple roles with different focuses and responsibilities.
One of them is the role of a consultant. For those unfamiliar with the field, this position is often the biggest unknown, and they don’t even pay attention to similar job offers. Paradoxically, that’s the biggest mistake. These roles are often a perfect fit for people who haven’t previously had direct contact with IT work.
If you don’t want to make the same mistake, this article is for you.
When You Want to Help
Let’s start by lifting the veil a little and explaining who a consultant actually is. In short, it’s someone whose job is to help.
A consultant is essentially a human bridge between software and its users. They configure systems, test them, teach people how to work with new software, and help them get used to it.
Programmer
Consultant
User
- A connecting link between the user and the technical world of software.
- Analyzes customer requirements and looks for the best ways to set up and customize the system.
- Handles special requests and more complex adjustments together with a programmer.
In other words, consultants help users solve the problems that trouble them and make their working lives easier.
Communication and logical thinking play the main role here. For configurations that require source code modifications, consultants rely on programmers for support.
Who Are Our Consultants?
There is currently no university degree specifically tailored to the consultant profession. That makes it difficult to define a typical starting point, and our current consultants have come to us from truly diverse backgrounds.
The common denominator is mainly the nature of our work. Since the beginning, we have been helping Slovak and Czech companies digitalize their HR processes. As a result, people who had worked with such software on a user level gradually started joining us.
They all wanted something more—to understand individual processes in depth and to see beyond what regular users see on the screen.
What Else Does a Consultant Do?
Tests and verifies
whether the software and its modifications meet the customer’s expectations and needs
Trains users
and helps them get used to the new system and its features
Uses creativity,
especially when dealing with specific requirements for which no “recipe” yet exists
As a result, former payroll accountants have become our payroll consultants. People who previously worked in education or recruiting have developed into consultants specializing in those types of software.
And it’s not unusual to find graduates who are still discovering what they enjoy and what fulfills them.
The Biggest Advantage Is Also the Biggest Disadvantage
This job has several specific features. The most significant is that there is essentially no routine, and the problems consultants solve rarely repeat themselves.
The good news is that they never get bored. The less comfortable truth is that, by nature, they will never be completely perfect at it. On the contrary, it’s all about continuous learning and improvement.
A consultant is always one step ahead. They know the theory and trends in the area they cover and have clicked through hundreds of hours in their software.
What Does the Work Breakdown Look Like?
- Analyzing customer requirements and identified software issues
- System configuration and customization of existing solutions
- Communication with customers(including training sessions and on-site analyses)
- Testing
- Administrative tasks
Thanks to this, consultants are always able to help, advise, and find unexpected solutions. That’s also why uniquely warm relationships often develop between consultants and users—something not very common in other industries.
That’s why, in our view, an HR consultant is the most human position in the most human part of the IT world. And all it really takes is responsibility, a willingness to learn, and the courage to take ownership. We’re always looking for such people—and we’re always happy to welcome them to our team.
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