IT Consultant wanted in SE England (to review c**p IT in great school)

[t20racerman]

Hi All

Not sure if this posting is allowed, or even in the right part of the Forum, but my School is looking to employ an IT consultant to review the IT provision.

The IT is utter ***** at my school, with a Windows obsessed, anti-Open Source IT guy in charge who runs TFT screens at the wrong resolution, hasn't even introduced proper email, has failed to introduce a VLE, and whose master password is a plain dictionary word (I hacked it... sorry!).

We have software that doesn't work, IT not supported, a proxy server that doesn't work properly with Firefox and best of all a web based MIS that isn't actually accessible on the Internet.... The list goes on and on.

Finally, the Head is looking at getting in consultants to have a look, but I worry that some consultants are as bad as our head of IT! Maybe I'm wrong, but if anyone out there knows a good IT consultant, prepared to 'inspect' and report on a large College in SE England could you let me know. I can't guarantee I'll get you the job, but I'll put you forward.

PM me if you prefer

[coolbreeze]

Sounds like he only just about blagged his way in, i reckon i could do better and i know 100% nothing.

[malc]

The problem is people will lie to get a job and try to wing it once there. I've seen quite a few whilst I was working and they earned more then me and they plagarised my work ! (that was discovered by a collegue of mine whilst visiting the US).

I myself am struggling to find work with a CV that contains the truth. With the current market I match 90% of the requirements for tons of roles but it's that last 10% that employers are demanding....because they can given that supply exceeds demand.  I'm quite sure there are people out there lying about that last 10%. In fact I was talking to an agency guy in Holland who does not deal with people from ...... because they are known to embellish their skills.  It's the foot in the door method.

You can practise to "pass" any interview method so quite how you get the guy who truly knows his subject is a mystery. Compounded problem if the interviewer is less technical than the role!

I suppose this is why networking (people based) is the most common method of employment.  That way you already know the competancies of the person.  Bummer if your whole factory closed and your skill was a one off like me!

Sooooo. You (or rather whoever is doing the employing) needs to find someone they know with the skills.

[kjpetrie]

Finding someone you know will have you up against all the discrimination laws. It's just not allowed anymore.

My experience of IT consultants is they often know only a few Windows tricks and fool the customer who knows even less than they. I've been reading up on the net in order to discuss issues with them only to find they've been reading the same articles!

I would expect a truly competent IT consultant to be multi-platform. People who know about IT will understand the differences between platforms and be able to advise which best suit their client's requirements. They will be willing to mix and match where they think it's appropriate.

People who only know one OS or one manufacturer's products are just glorified sales personnel.

[coolbreeze]

People who only know one OS or one manufacturer's products are just glorified sales personnel.

And poor ones at that

[Phil]

Step 1 - find a competent person in your area

How about sounding out the local LUG to see if they can recommend someone?

http://lug.org.uk/lugs/south-east

You need someone who is os agnostic and who knows what they are doing (even if they have no qualifications)

Also bear in mind CN Parkinsons chapter (Parkinsons Law) on how to employ a lion tamer. Worth a read if you have not,

Phil