Organizations are under increasing pressure to rethink how they access technical expertise, particularly as digital transformation, AI adoption, and cybersecurity demands evolve at pace. The assumption that every specialist capability must sit inside a permanent workforce is being challenged by both market conditions and changing workforce expectations.
In this context, Kristian McCann explores the shift with Ivan Jackson, President of Interim Technology at Korn Ferry, who brings deep experience in interim workforce strategy and talent deployment models. Jackson’s perspective is rooted in how organizations are responding to rapid technological and structural change in hiring.
Jackson frames the discussion around a simple but disruptive question: if skills are evolving faster than job roles, can permanent hiring alone still keep up?
Why Traditional Hiring Is Under Strain
At the heart of the conversation is the accelerating pace of technological change. Jackson argues that skill relevance windows are shrinking, making it harder for organizations to rely on long-term hiring cycles.
“As I think back 15–20 years ago, everyone said the pace of the world is changing quickly,” he explains.
“That pace of change has just gathered more momentum… skill sets and the validity of those skill sets is getting shorter and shorter.”
This creates a structural mismatch between how companies hire and how technology evolves. Organizations are now dealing with faster development cycles and shifting priorities, from cloud transformation to AI, data governance, and cybersecurity.
The result, Jackson suggests, is a polarisation effect in the market. Some organizations adapt quickly and gain a competitive advantage, while others struggle to implement transformation programs at the speed required. “You very much see winners and you very much see firms that are losing competitive advantage,” he notes.
Beyond capability gaps, there is also a workforce impact. Existing teams become overstretched, morale declines, and productivity suffers — which in turn can worsen recruitment challenges rather than solve them.
Renting Talent as a Structural Response
A key theme emerging from the interview is the concept of “renting tech talent” — a flexible model where organizations bring in specialist expertise for defined periods rather than permanent roles.
Jackson is clear that this is not entirely new, but its relevance has grown significantly as technology becomes central to every business function. “It’s not a new phenomenon,” he explains, “but what’s changed is that technology is now far more embedded into every organization.”
He describes how modern work is increasingly project-based, with organizations needing specific expertise to deliver outcomes, then transitioning to different capabilities once projects conclude. This makes flexibility not just desirable, but operationally efficient.
Another driver is cultural change. Post-pandemic working practices and increased acceptance of hybrid and remote work have made organizations more comfortable scaling teams up and down. Combined with economic uncertainty, flexibility has become a strategic advantage rather than a contingency plan.
Jackson also distinguishes this model from traditional freelancing. Where freelancing often focuses on capacity, interim talent is about accountability and outcomes. “They come in to make sure the work actually delivers and performs,” he says, highlighting a shift from task completion to embedded leadership and execution.
However, he stresses that this model is not a replacement for permanent hiring. Instead, the most effective organizations use a blend — combining permanent capability with flexible expertise depending on the stage and nature of transformation.
Speed, Flexibility, and the Future Workforce Model
The benefits of interim talent, according to Jackson, are most visible in three areas: speed, flexibility, and access to high-level expertise. Organizations can mobilize specialist teams in days rather than months, dramatically shortening the time to execution.
This speed can be decisive. In fast-moving markets, the difference between acting quickly and waiting for permanent hires can determine whether a company captures or misses a competitive opportunity.
Flexibility also allows organizations to adjust course quickly, bring in niche expertise, or scale capabilities up and down as programs evolve. In some cases, it also provides access to skills that are difficult to hire permanently due to scarcity or short-term demand.
Still, Jackson is clear-eyed about limitations. Interim models cannot replace long-term capability building, cultural integration, or sustained transformational leadership. Cost can also appear higher on paper, even if value delivery offsets it in practice.
Ultimately, the discussion points to a hybrid future. Organizations that combine permanent teams with flexible, on-demand expertise are better positioned to respond to uncertainty, execute faster, and maintain competitive advantage in rapidly evolving technological landscapes.
