• A project is overdue.

• The technical staff is stretched beyond its limits.

• A critical skill is missing.

• There is danger of missing a marketing window.

• There is no full-time engineering department.

Here are some you may not have thought of:

• A consultant can often speed up a project by bringing with him many years of experience. There is a good chance he has done something like it before.

• A consultant can provide skills that you need only occasionally and, therefore, cannot afford in a full-time employee.

• Consultants are cost-effective because the only time you pay for is spent on the project. You're not paying for vacations, staff meetings, health insurance and company picnics.

• Most consultants have chosen their profession because they are unusually good at it.

• Consultants are also business people. So, they will understand that you’re interested in results, not science projects.