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I have been programming computer in some professional capacity for almost 13 years. In that time, I have written code in several capacities. I have been a permanent employee of a company that hired me to write internal applications, I have been a permanent employee of companies that have paid me to write applications for their clients. I have been a contractor and I have also been a consultant. On the surface, those might seem like the same thing; but consulting and contracting are very different engagements.

What’s The Difference, Kenneth?

A lot of people, including contractors and consultants themselves, use these terms interchangeably. The problem is, people need to know the difference. Companies especially need to know in order to be able to hire the correct one. So here is the difference: Contractors can help an organization keep the lights on, but consultants can help you get more light for the same or less money.

Now on the outset, that may seem like you should always go with a consultant. That is not the case. Like anything else, there is a right tool for the job. Consultants are always going to cost more than contractors, and they should. Consultants bring more to the table. They bring ideas, expertise and a business acumen that contractors don’t. Contractors provide great helping hands when you need to power through something. Good contractors can even sometimes help you get it done faster or better. Consultants, on the other hand should always help you find a way to get it done better or faster. Consultants can still help you slog code, but their main purpose should be to help their clients improve their situation. Contractors are also (usually) hourly, temporary employees. If you need the same person in six months, they’re likely not going to be available because they are slogging code somewhere else.

What’s This Mean To Me?

If you’re a company looking for outside help, hopefully this will help you decide whether you need a contractor or a consultant. If you’re a programmer looking at a job as a consultant or a contractor, this might help you decide which one is for you. Consultants are rarely happy in contracting positions. Consultants have experience and ideas that they want to share, and the want to be part of the overall strategy of the project or projects. That doesn’t mean that contractors don’t have ideas or expertise, they are just more likely to be happy doing the heavy lifting work and letting someone else provide more high-level direction.

What do you think?