When to Hire vs. When to Run a Challenge Event in STEM

Hiring the wrong person—or spending too much time on an innovation challenge—can cost your company time, money, and momentum.



💡 So how do you decide whether to hire a full-time expert or run a challenge event? Here’s a strategic guide to help you make the right call.

1. When to HIRE a Full-Time Employee

📌 Best for: Long-term, ongoing needs

Hiring is the right choice when:

✅ The role requires deep, continuous expertise
✅ The problem is well-defined and needs ongoing execution
✅ The skills are crucial to core business operations

📌 Example:

• A biotech company needs a machine learning engineer to continuously refine its drug discovery algorithms → Hire an expert.
• A robotics startup needs a lead electrical engineer for product development → Hire a specialist.

✅ Key Benefits of Hiring:

✔ Builds long-term knowledge and stability
✔ Provides consistent, ongoing support
✔ Helps scale and grow your company sustainably

2. When to Run a Challenge Event Instead of Hiring

📌 Best for: One-time innovation needs & breakthrough solutions

A challenge event—like a hackathon or innovation competition—is the better option when:

✅ The problem requires new perspectives and creativity
✅ You want to test multiple solutions before committing
✅ The task is project-based and not an ongoing need

📌 Example:

• A clean energy startup needs new battery chemistry ideas → Run an innovation challenge to crowdsource solutions.
• A company wants to explore AI use cases in its industry → Host a hackathon to test different approaches.

✅ Key Benefits of a Challenge Event:

✔ Provides multiple perspectives and fresh ideas
✔ Tests solutions without committing to long-term costs
✔ Attracts hidden talent that might not apply for a job directly

3. The Hybrid Approach: Challenge First, Then Hire

💡 Sometimes, the best approach is to run a challenge first—then hire the top performers.

📌 Example:

• A cybersecurity firm hosts a bug bounty competition and hires the top-performing white-hat hackers.
• A biotech company runs an AI-driven drug discovery hackathon, then offers jobs to the best teams.

✅ Why This Works:

✔ You reduce hiring risk by testing candidates in real-world scenarios.
✔ You get high-impact solutions and a talent pipeline at the same time.
✔ You save money by ensuring a good hire before committing to a full salary.

The Right Decision Saves Time, Money, and Resources

🚨 Hiring too soon can waste budget on the wrong skill set. Running a challenge when you need full-time support can delay execution.

💡 The key is knowing when to bring in long-term expertise—and when to leverage a challenge to find breakthrough solutions.

Want expert help deciding whether to hire or run an event? 📩 Email me at casim@calsafjula.com to schedule a meeting.