Table 1Transition record

software managertoICT consultant

A software manager already meets 20% of what the ICT consultant role asks for. The move turns on 18 required skills not yet in the profile.

From software manager

20%

Overlap1

To ICT consultant

10 Skills carried over

18 Required, not held

79.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 79.5

This move: 79.5 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the ICT consultant role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the software manager profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A ICT consultant role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a software manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held provide user documentation communication, collaboration and creativity
already held manage ICT project management skills
already held interact with users to gather requirements communication, collaboration and creativity
already held identify ICT user needs information skills
already held analyse software specifications working with computers
already held Process-based management business, administration and law

All 10 carried skills, including the 3 the ICT consultant role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 28 missing skills fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 working with computers 5 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held analyse ICT system required
required, not held manage changes in ICT system required
required, not held manage standard enterprise resource planning system required
required, not held optimise choice of ICT solution required
required, not held solve ICT system problems required

optional, not held use e-services optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held provide ICT consulting advice required
required, not held identify technological needs required
required, not held manage contracts required

optional, not held maintain relationship with customers optional

03 information skills 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held keep up with the latest information systems solutions required
required, not held verify formal ICT specifications required
required, not held identify customer requirements required

optional, not held keep task records optional

04 business, administration and law 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held ICT sales methodologies required
required, not held legal requirements of ICT products required

optional, not held copyright legislation optional

05 management skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held create project specifications required
required, not held define technical requirements required

optional, not held manage ICT change request process optional

06 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held ICT system integration required

optional, not held ICT process quality models optional
optional, not held software components libraries optional
optional, not held hardware components optional

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a ICT consultant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 10 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held analyse software specifications skill
already held manage ICT project skill
already held provide user documentation skill
already held Agile project management knowledge
already held ICT project management methodologies knowledge
already held Process-based management knowledge
already held identify ICT user needs skill
already held interact with users to gather requirements skill
already held lean project management knowledge
already held systems development life-cycle knowledge

The 4 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 arts and humanities 1 required

required, not held visual presentation techniques required

08 constructing 1 required

required, not held monitor system performance required

09 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary

optional, not held emergent technologies optional

10 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held game theory optional

10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held ICT process quality models optional
optional, not held maintain relationship with customers optional
optional, not held manage ICT change request process optional
optional, not held software components libraries optional
optional, not held copyright legislation optional
optional, not held emergent technologies optional
optional, not held game theory optional
optional, not held hardware components optional
optional, not held keep task records optional
optional, not held use e-services optional

38 held skills the ICT consultant role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role Android (mobile operating systems) knowledge
not needed by the target role BlackBerry knowledge
not needed by the target role ICT project management knowledge
not needed by the target role ICT system user requirements knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse ICT technical proposals skill
not needed by the target role apply ICT system usage policies skill
not needed by the target role apply conflict management skill
not needed by the target role apply system organisational policies skill
not needed by the target role coach employees skill
not needed by the target role create software design skill
not needed by the target role data storage knowledge
not needed by the target role define technology strategy skill
not needed by the target role digital systems knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure adherence to organisational ICT standards skill
not needed by the target role evaluate cost of software products skill
not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
not needed by the target role give live presentation skill
not needed by the target role iOS knowledge
not needed by the target role manage business knowledge skill
not needed by the target role manage data skill
not needed by the target role manage schedule of tasks skill
not needed by the target role manage software localisation skill
not needed by the target role manage staff skill
not needed by the target role manage tender processes skill
not needed by the target role mobile operating systems knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor ICT research skill
not needed by the target role monitor technology trends skill
not needed by the target role negotiate buying conditions skill
not needed by the target role organisational policies knowledge
not needed by the target role quality assurance methodologies knowledge
not needed by the target role software metrics knowledge
not needed by the target role trading software knowledge
not needed by the target role train employees skill
not needed by the target role unified modelling language knowledge
not needed by the target role use ICT ticketing system skill
not needed by the target role use an application-specific interface skill
not needed by the target role use different communication channels skill
not needed by the target role use methodologies for user-centered design skill

10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held ICT sales methodologies required
required, not held ICT system integration required
required, not held visual presentation techniques required
required, not held legal requirements of ICT products required
optional, not held ICT process quality models optional
optional, not held software components libraries optional
optional, not held copyright legislation optional
optional, not held emergent technologies optional
optional, not held game theory optional
optional, not held hardware components optional

Index

Other moves recorded from software manager

Full index of moves from software manager

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.