Traditional staffing options:

Hire permanent staff

Advantages:

• Adds needed skills to your team
• You hand-pick the new hire
• Keeps all work in-house under your complete control

But consider:

• Are you making a long-term commitment to fill a short-term need?
• Do you really know what skills you’ll need down the road?
• Can you commit the time to recruiting, hiring and training a new person?
• Can you absorb a permanent increase in payroll?
  

  <return>
   

Contract with a consulting firm
 
Advantages:

• Many firms offer a broad range of skills
• You get a complete project team and project managers
• They bring their pre-defined methodologies and solutions

But consider:

• Can you justify the expense?
• Will you get a team of experienced professionals or will there be a significant amount of on-the-job training?
• Who will be running the show – them or you?

  <return>
   

Retain temporary help through an agency

Advantages:

• Immediate staffing and flexible scheduling
• Fill short-term needs with minimal commitment
• Large pool of people available

But consider:

• Will you get a professional with the necessary skills?
• How much responsibility can you give to a temp?
• Is this the most cost-effective means of addressing current staffing needs?

  <return>