Specialist or hire: how they compare
Bring in a specialist for a bounded problem with a finish line; hire for steady, ongoing work.
The comparison
| Criterion | Specialist | Hire |
|---|---|---|
| Time to start | Once the scope and contract are agreed; there is no recruiting step | After recruiting, an accepted offer, and any notice period |
| Who carries the ramp-up | The specialist brings the skill; your team supplies context about your systems | Your team brings the new hire up to speed, and trains the skill too if it is missing |
| What is left behind | What the contract names: working code, documents, and runbooks | The knowledge, for as long as the person stays |
| Cost structure | A price for the scope or the hours; it stops when the work stops | Recruiting costs once, then salary and benefits while the role exists |
| When the work ends | The engagement closes and your team runs what was handed over | The person moves to other work, or the role ends |
When a specialist fits
- The work has a deadline and a finish line.
- It needs a skill your team will not use every week.
- You want a handover at the end, so your team runs the result on its own.
Releases for every system you use: Build and release engineering
Desktop models onto HPC clusters: Scientific and HPC software
Commercial teams: Industry
When a hire fits
- The load is steady and will stay that way.
- The work needs deep knowledge of your core product, built up over time.
- The work never ends, such as operations, support, or a product roadmap.
What we leave behind
Documents and runbooks your team runs without us.
How to start
Estimates are free. Send the scope through the contact form; we reply within one business day and send a written quote within five business days.