When an AI project is approved, the next question is "how fast can we get someone started?" The answer depends far more on the hiring route you choose than on the AI skills themselves.
The stages of a typical hire
- Defining the role — writing a realistic job description
- Sourcing — advertising and finding candidates
- Screening — CV review and first calls
- Technical assessment — tests and interviews
- Offer and notice period — often the longest wait
- Onboarding — access, context and first tasks
Typical timelines by route
| Route | Typical time to start | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Local full-time hire | Often several months | Sourcing, interviews and notice periods |
| Freelancer | Days to a couple of weeks | Fast, but screening is on you |
| Dedicated developer via a company | Usually days | Pre-vetted developers already employed |
What slows hiring down
- Unclear scope and a "unicorn" job description
- Too many interview rounds
- Searching only locally
- Slow decisions between steps
- Long notice periods for employed candidates
How to speed it up
- Write a one-page brief with the problem, data and success metric.
- Limit the process to one practical task and two conversations.
- Consider dedicated developers who can start without notice periods.
- Prepare onboarding in advance: accounts, sample data and a first task.
- Start with a pilot so you can begin while deciding on long-term needs.
The fastest hiring process is a clear brief plus a partner who already has vetted developers.
Appri Infotech shares developer profiles within one business day and developers can typically start within days. See hiring options.