The answer to this question depends on the project. If the project is very specialized, then you would probably prefer someone with a niche set of skills. However, if the job is very broad. Then, it might be better to go for the resource that has a more diverse set of skills. 

As a project manager, I would prefer a cast of members that have a broad range of skills that all gets tied together through an underlying skill that would be prioritized as the most essential and foundational skill for the project. For example, if I was a PM tasked assembled with working on a pacemaker, I would need someone with a mechanical engineer background, software engineering, cardiologist, QA/QC, etc. Each of them would have their own specialized skill, but I would expect that their underlying skill that ties them together would be being able to read cardiograms and understanding the heart anatomy and other cardiological functions. The cardiologists would be able to provide deeper clinical experience and knowledge beyond the core underlying skills.

In my opinion I think a mixture of both would make a team very successful. I think for employees who I want to be leaders on the team I would definitely look for someone who has a wide range of talents. Therefore, if they have multiple talents they will be able to connect with more people on the team and work with different groups. On the other hand, for people who I think will be better suited to work under these leaders, I would look for specified skills to help their individual team the best. The combination of both kinds of employees will give you connectivity between team leaders and their team while continuing to be strong in each individual section of the company. Overall, I do not think just having specific skills is the best option when hiring employees. 

The preference for hiring employees with specialized skills or people with a wide range of skills depends on the specific needs of the project and team. In certain projects that require deep expertise in a particular field, hiring people with specialized skills may be critical. On the other hand, for projects with evolving requirements and a need for flexibility, people with a wide range of skills who can adapt to different roles may be better suited. Ultimately, the decision must align with the project's goals and the skills needed to achieve success.

Hiring workers with specialized abilities as opposed to those with a broad variety of skills is preferable for project managers depending on a number of criteria, such as the project's objectives, team dynamics, and unique requirements. Hiring people with specialized skills may be necessary in some situations, especially for initiatives requiring highly technical expertise or specialized understanding in narrow areas. The project's success can be attributed to specialized abilities, which guarantee the accurate and efficient completion of crucial duties. Nonetheless, it might be helpful to have team members with a wide variety of abilities and adaptability when the project scope is dynamic or multidimensional. These people are able to work well in a variety of roles as needed, adjust to changing project requirements, and effectively communicate across project phases. I believe that for a short-term contracting hire, a worker with specialized abilities would be better, for a long-term, diverse job, a broad variety of skills would be preferable.

Hiring team members with a broad range of skills is preferable in my opinion because it allows for more discourse and opinions on certain issues. If I were to only hire experts in individual fields then it would only be each person's say in regards to their field. I don't think this is a beneficial environment for a solution to be put forth for a problem. A biomedical expert would not really take the opinion of a computer scientist on the design of a hip implant, and vice versa. I think that hiring a diverse group and then consulting an expert is a better path for a team wishing to come to a good solution. 

I think it is better to hire a team member with a variety of skill sets. This way they can do multiple jobs. If you hire a person that is only good at one thing. It might take them a while to do other things or they might request additional resources to complete that job. 

In my five years of experience within the medical device industry, I have worked with various project managers and I would say that the answer to your question in this situation would be both options. In my opinion, it depends heavily on the project needs because some projects may need specific or specialized expertise from the jump while others start with a broad range of needs that get specific as the timeline progresses. Additionally, some larger companies that have a very big budget for projects will prefer to hire employees from both buckets, a broad range and also specific subject expertise, because they both can work cohesively and drive the project to success at better rates. Smaller companies that don't have project budgets to this extent may need to choose between the two buckets and this is where the project scope and requirements decide which one is needed. From my specific experience, projects that had SME's and then other members with a broad range of knowledge moved much smoother because they helped each other out whenever there was questions for a specific group and the project moved along swiftly. 

I think it is a good practice to hire a blend of both particular field experts and versatile employees. In order for a project to have success, the team needs to be able to adapt and adjust to particular changes. When challenges occur, it is useful to have versatile employees who can use their broad areas of expertise to come to a solution. However, when it comes to project planning or niche challenges, it is also beneficial to have team members that are experts in their respective fields. Regardless, the project is being completed by a team, so all the team members should feel comfortable with using each other for help (especially when it is out of their comfort zone).

I would hire a person that is more versatile and is able to get things done on time. It is very important for us to meet our deadlines. Even if the person is super talented but unable to meet deadlines. I would not hire them.