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Hire Authorities: Page 3 of 11

Meanwhile, our e-mail poll of readers gave us anecdotal evidence of the kinds of technology consulting you desire. The spread was fairly even, with security topping the list at 17 percent of respondents and VoIP near the bottom of the list, at 4 percent.

When you draw your consulting road map, your first consideration should be: What are the goals and what are the deliverables? If the engagement is for integration services, you need both skilled design and implementation. If the engagement is purely for point expertise, look for a consultant who can provide skilled design and troubleshooting rather than one who simply provides implementation.

Then, make sure the people you hire are those who will work on the project--not the B team that shows up after you've signed on. (See "11 Questions to Help You Select the Best Service & Support Provider" for some tips on how to avoid this trap.)

You'll also need to determine how much service you need. Genuine expertise costs money, so most of us engage experts on a limited basis, during a crisis, when we want to significantly improve a process or when we need results on a tight deadline.

But just because you feel your operation can be improved, it doesn't mean you want to just hand over all the keys to a third party. You might simply be looking for an expert opinion. Or, as John Kopeck of consulting firm Compass America puts it, "You might need a course correction, but not a new captain."