Hiring a Programmer that Does the Job Right?

15 replies
Sorry for the title that is quite blatantly pointing the finger at some programmers whom don't complete the job correctly. But it seems that this happens too often for me and because of this, I'm on the hunt for some reliable programmers who can actually program and not just say so. I've tried Odesk and it seems littered with people who jut want paid for zero efforts. Anyone got some tips to up the ante and find good realiable, trustworthy and skillfull progammers that will love to have a new repeat buying client? Thanks.
#hiring #job #programmer
  • Profile picture of the author n7 Studios
    I'd suggest two things, if you haven't tried this already:

    1. Try prospective developers on a small project / task first.
    It's a time consuming process doing this, but actions speak louder than words; this alone will help you eventually find the right developer.

    2. Have a project specification.
    This details:
    - what you want done
    - how it will be done (functionality, technologies etc)
    - when the project will start and end
    - when payments will be made (milestone payments etc)
    - obligations of both client and developer (e.g. developer to complete x, y and z features of the project, client to deliver content / feedback by x date)

    Never, ever start a project without a timeframe. Even if you don't have a date in mind, any good developer who needs to schedule the time in will need a timeframe (or will suggest one). Developers who will just do the job without specifying what will be done and when (and I mean precisely to the date) should be approached with caution.

    Finally, you can use the Warriors for Hire forum here to find programmers, designers etc.

    Tim.
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    • Profile picture of the author customertools
      I would never use ODesk again, bad bad experiences..

      I stopped outsourcing for the most part because of bad results, and just bit the bullet and started doing everything myself for the most part.

      I know a "few" really good programmers but they are not cheap. I've use them to de-bug/optimize my code in the past, and have had amazing results.
      $35/hr plus (US based) Message me if you want contact information.

      One thing that most people who hire developers to do a job do wrong is not ask for daily/or at least twice weekly updates. This will allow you see if the project is proceeding and/or if the project is going in the wrong direction.

      Also, make sure if you request change orders to a project you compensate the programmer for them, and let them know you will take care of them for the change orders. If they don't get this, they sometimes think they are working for nothing..

      and n7 Studios' advice is GREAT!

      -Brad
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      • Profile picture of the author wayfarer
        Originally Posted by customertools View Post

        I would never use ODesk again, bad bad experiences..
        Odesk is actually one of the best places you could ask for when it comes to managing remote workers, so I'm surprised to see criticism that is not backed up with facts. The problem is that people who don't understand the system rush into hiring people without fully vetting them. Would you hire a real worker without checking their credentials?

        There are programmers on every freelance site that will claim to give you the world for $8 per hour, but should you hire them? People are whomever they say they are, on the internet, so if you don't hire them based first on their rating, reputation, and number of hours worked, you will get what you pay for. It is just a matter of using common sense hiring practices.

        I earn in the $60 - $70 per hour range on Odesk, because certain people have figured out that it isn't always about price. Am I overpriced? Maybe. But like one of my clients tells me, hiring at a higher price is like buying an insurance policy. If you hire someone on the cheap, and you end up having to redo the entire site, isn't it the same result as at the higher price except it took twice as long?
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  • Profile picture of the author jedz
    Banned
    Feel free to check us out.We provide highly competent and dedicated staff at affordable prices, we could be of much help. See sig for additional info or live chat... thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Manfred Ekblad
    jedz - whats up with your live chat support, it shows "Online" but no one answers...

    anyway, to answer the topic... always ask for "proof" before you hire anyone (this applies to all industries, not only IT). Previous clients they worked for, previous projects they have completed and such.

    Also, ask for code samples from their archives. Yes, they might fake it, but you can filter out some of the goofballs.

    And never pay anything until they reach the target that you set, whether that target is a project milestone or a 100% completed project.

    There are a lot of really skilled software developers that deliver good quality on time. Some will charge 3 euro/hour, some 120 euro/hour or more. Don't select based on price, instead simply check their track record. You just have to find the right ones
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  • Profile picture of the author rukki
    I will tell you how it looks like from my point of view. I am a freelance-programmer. I work in Poland and try to find customers on the web. Unfortunately I have only bad experiences so far.

    I have noticed that people would like to have a professional software with really many features, rules and exceptions for these rules and so on for almost free. What would you say if you were asked to make 3 various cash register simulators in JavaScript with plenty of Ajax invocation (all results saved in a database) and jQuery effects with usage of Moodle learning system: all for 1400$? It is funny... it would take a couple of months to finish this project for me - and I am not a beginner programmer. After some of programs-to-do like that I can see no chance to exist as a freelance programmer in Poland - at least in case you do not have a huge company as your cash cow. Or maybe it is just I can not

    So maybe your problem is the same? Maybe you are expecting a programmer will make his work for a bowl of rice? I guess not, you are looking as a serious person I just put in my oar - I am a little disappointed of freelancing in Poland. In other countries is better I guess.
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    • Profile picture of the author JesseT
      rukki hit the nail on the head. People want professional work at intern pricing. I can understand that under current circumstances, money is tight. The reality is you get what you pay for. There are exceptions, but they are just that, exceptions to the rule. The best way I have found to work around this is to show the value of your service and if they still want you to work for peanuts then it's time to move on. Shoot me a PM on what you need done info and I can give you a list of works done by my developer.


      [edit]Wrong name.
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    • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
      Originally Posted by rukki View Post


      So maybe your problem is the same? Maybe you are expecting a programmer will make his work for a bowl of rice? I guess not, you are looking as a serious person I just put in my oar - I am a little disappointed of freelancing in Poland. In other countries is better I guess.
      My experiences and this thread are only based on small jobs that I have tried to have done. Where the programmer says yes captain I can do it, that will be $XXX. I say OK, only to find the job comes back nothing like what we discussed. I guess it's just a fact of outsourcing on places like ODesk. Though this thread seems to have helped as looking at I the second reply.. he looks like someone I would work with. I like to see someone with strucutral understanding of a client/boss relationship.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tyler Pratt
        Over the years I have had great experience with scriptlance.com

        I make sure to read the reviews, and I mean all of them. That is how I find the needle in the haystack.

        All programmers from Czech Republic have been the best.
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        • Profile picture of the author danabbamont
          Being a professional developer, not a freelancer I have to say it has as much to do with the client as it does the developer. I've been on both ends and some people are very easy to establish specifications with and some are very difficult. If you're one of those people that it's impossible to get specs out of, my advice is to find someone you know who is a developer and have them appraise your applicants work.

          Personally, I can outsource work for $10/hour and get exactly what I need, but that's because the guidance I can provide is worth a lot more than that. If you don't have that knowledge or a natural knack for bridging that man/machine gap you might have to pay more to get an actual product running.
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          • Profile picture of the author wayfarer
            Originally Posted by danabbamont View Post

            Being a professional developer, not a freelancer I have to say it has as much to do with the client as it does the developer. I've been on both ends and some people are very easy to establish specifications with and some are very difficult. If you're one of those people that it's impossible to get specs out of, my advice is to find someone you know who is a developer and have them appraise your applicants work.

            Personally, I can outsource work for $10/hour and get exactly what I need, but that's because the guidance I can provide is worth a lot more than that. If you don't have that knowledge or a natural knack for bridging that man/machine gap you might have to pay more to get an actual product running.
            This is a very good point. If you already know the developer's job you are able to get these types of rates, because you will be able to communicate with them and tell them exactly what you want. There are lots of good coders for cheap that need exact specifications to do their jobs. It's hard to find self starters that don't need that much instruction, and also speak your language perfectly.
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  • Profile picture of the author milo_pl
    In general:
    • Involvement in open source or coding projects outside of work
    • Passion for what he/she is doing, if they get excited when talking about a project they have done in the past
    • Ability to recognize patterns, if you can present them with a simple problem and they can solve it in a sensible way
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  • Profile picture of the author mrozlat
    Programmers are some of the most talented freelancers available for hire. From the smallest single script project to massive software packages, you'll be able to find the perfect solution to taking your ideas and turning them into in-demand products.

    I've outsourced a large majority of coding to freelancers over the years, and from personal experience, I've always found that both ScriptLance.com Custom Freelance Programming. Outsource web projects to programmers and designers. and Rent A Coder: How Software Gets Done -- Home of the worlds' largest number of completed software projects have produced some of the most experienced coders online.

    When it comes to outsourcing work to programmers, especially if the project is large-scale, you want to set up an agreement where you are able to pay a portion of the overall costs as each part of the project is completed. That way, you can test out the script or software to ensure that there are no bugs, or that it doesn't require any modifications or tweaks to get it into full working condition.

    One thing to keep in mind is that when hiring a programmer to develop a script or software project, if you find that your relationship isn't working out, it's difficult to switch the project over to a new coder. Many programmers will refuse to work with someone else's code, and those that will do it, may need a lot of extra time to sift through (and possibly re-structure) the code before they can continue to build your project.

    You really need to spend time evaluating profiles of the programmers you are considering hiring.
    Ask for working examples of similar projects they've created, read testimonials and feedback from past customers, and always insist on receiving a contact number so that you can reach them quickly if needed. Most freelance marketplaces will allow you to pay a percentage of the project upfront, with the remainder due upon completion.

    You can choose to place the funds in an escrow account, assuring your programmer that you are serious about the project and have the resources to ensure that it's paid when it's finished, while at the same time, protecting yourself from possible unfinished or buggy code.
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  • Profile picture of the author kashifpk
    Hiring a programmer could be a complex job for you but you can hire the services of a programmer on freelance sites at competitive rates which I think can solve your purpose. Good luck to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author WealthWithin
    If you are not getting what you want (in I.T.) it's usually because you didn't exactly told them what you want.

    Often managers will tell the programmer to 'build application x', and the programmer will do the 'application x' from HIS/HER perspective. If you need them to code the program to suit you, you must tell in exhaustive detail what you exactly want.

    Outsourcing programming is a totally different subject altogether. It's not like article writing or keyword research, where if the guy gets it wrong, you can discard the project and start all over. Usually, programming an application or a website has it's returns for many years and it should be treated as a proper investment. (I'm speaking about money AND TIME)

    You can hire programmers for $10, ONLY as long as you can give a highly detailed specification of what you want and what you don't want.

    If you need to outsource your programming project but have no IT knowledge, hire someone locally who can sit down with you and can translate your 'business requirements' to 'programmer specifications'. Also s/he will be able to give you a realistic time/budget estimates.
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