Should You Hire Temporary Consultants? 5 Questions To Ask
During uncertain times, hiring can be a complex challenge for your organization. Although your team may need additional support to complete important projects, it might be more complicated than expected to bring in a new full-time employee.
A great solution to this predicament is to hire high-level consultants. Not only can they provide a specific set of skills that your organization is missing, they can also save your organization money in the long run.
Not sure if hiring consultants is the right fit for you? Below are a few questions to ask yourself to see if it can be an effective strategy for your organization:
Is my team burnt out?
It may make sense to keep your organization lean and have your current workforce fill in the gaps during these trying times. However, it’s important to recognize when employees are overworked and experiencing burnout. The last thing you want to do is create a bad work environment for your team, which is why hiring a consultant to pick up some of the work can help improve company morale.
Do we have a tight project deadline?
If you have a project that needs to be finished as soon as possible, a temporary consultant can be the ultimate solution. Since the hiring process for a full-time employee can take a very long time to ensure the right skill and a cultural fit, you run the risk of delaying the project while you hold out for the perfect hire. Bringing in a consultant who has the skillset to hit the ground running can therefore be much faster. Plus, the risk of finding the wrong fit is often mitigated as they will leave once the project is complete.
Is our current team lacking a skillset we need?
If you are in a time crunch and you need a certain set of skills to complete a project, it makes sense to hire a high-level consultant. This is especially true if you only need someone with these set of skills for a specific project. Not only will you finally have an expert on board, you’ll also be saving money in the long run as you are only paying for the talent when you need it.
Do we need an outside opinion for our business strategy?
Sometimes your organization will need an outside opinion to ensure success for your organization. If you’re in need of a fresh perspective, it may make sense to hire a highly-skilled consultant who can provide that insight for you. Bringing someone in with an unbiased opinion for your organization or projects can provide the clarity your team needs to be successful.
Will the search for a new employee take more than three months?
If you are looking for a niche set of skills in a full-time candidate, it may be difficult to find that candidate right away. The higher level the position, the more time it will take to find the right candidate with the skillset and cultural fit. However, projects and tasks need to be completed while you search for the right talent. While you are searching, a high-level consultant can take on that work. In fact, if the high-level consultant seems like a good fit for the role, you might consider bringing the consultant on full-time.
If you’ve considered these questions and determined that you need a consultant for your organization, a staffing firm can help facilitate a smooth hiring process. Contact us today to learn how we can assist.
