Solution Consultants

About the Field

Solution Consultants most often work for software vendors. The ideal Solution Consultant is someone who is technically savvy with the vendor’s particular software and knowledgeable of the market they’re attempting to provide services to. As a Crime Analyst, you have unique insider experience in law enforcement, one of the fastest growing fields for technology companies. Solution Consultant responsibilities are often divided into “pre-sales” and “post-sales” roles. In a pre-sales role, you’ll be working with the Sales Team. They’ll often partner you with a potential customer’s analysts to learn their workflows, understand their problems and customize a solution that will make their lives better. You may spend your time creating demonstrations, leading training sessions, answering analytical questions, traveling to meet with customers and participating in trade shows. In a post-sales role, you’ll be working to implement your company’s solutions at existing customers. You may have the opportunity to work side-by-side with analysts or officers in the field as you customize their tools and teach them how to use it. You’ll also work with a wide variety of engineers. Communicating the customer’s needs to a technical team is an incredibly valuable skill in this role that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Job Titles to Know

Solution Consultant: This role is sometimes called “Solution Engineer”, “Solution Specialist” or “Sales Engineer.” All of these phrases mean approximately the same thing but be sure to read job descriptions closely.

Get Qualified

The best way to qualify for these roles is to bring pre-existing skills with the tool in question and valuable industry experience into the role. Often times software companies will offer certifications in various tools and they can be a great way to demonstrate your competencies. Some of the more popular software certifications for Crime Analysts come from ESRI, Microsoft, and i2. Excellent presentation skills are also a huge asset in the Solution Consulting world. Analysts who struggle with public speaking or who are looking to sharpen their game may find Toast Masters International a great way to build their skills.

Job Search Keywords

Solution Engineer, Product Expert, Sales Support, Implementation

Example employers

ESRI, Harris Computers, Motorola, Microsoft, RMS Vendors, OSINT Software vendors