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Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

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Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#21

Post by gregjor »

v1l wrote: post #14
gregjor wrote: post #11

You, or someone, would have to vet developers to get into the directory. I think employers will find recruiters and agencies more useful than yet another online directory, because someone else does the work of finding and vetting candidates. The low bar to entry (just like software development) lets unqualified people get into recruiting/placement. Finding a good recruiter is like finding a good software developer. T…

Your feedback is valid but looking at your bio, it's specific to your context. I think you're way overqualified for most platforms/directories. It makes sense that you're represented by 10x. But between where you are and the early career dev, there are tens of thousands of devs who have good bit of experience and places they've worked at and yet have a hard time finding good work and relevant roles. It's a myth that…

You probably should have defined what you meant by strong experience. A directory of experienced developers implies some kind of selection and vetting process. Your vetting idea seems to come down to looking at LinkedIn. Don't you suppose that's what every recruiter already does?

I doubt you'll find many employers who think LinkedIn gives sufficient filters. Your whole directory idea assumes that LinkedIn doesn't have enough filtering or vetting, thus the need for a more selective directory.

I didn't write that "every experienced person has a strong network" or lands all of their jobs that way. I don't know how that breaks out percentage-wise and I hesitate to guess, but I'm not proposing yet another job or developer directory.

Good luck entering what seems a crowded field.

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#22

Post by v1l »

gregjor wrote: post #21
v1l wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your feedback is valid but looking at your bio, it's specific to your context. I think you're way overqualified for most platforms/directories. It makes sense that you're represented by 10x. But between where you are and the early career dev, there are tens of thousands of devs who have good bit of experience and places they've worked at and yet have a hard time finding good work and relevant roles. It's a myth that…

You probably should have defined what you meant by strong experience . A directory of experienced developers implies some kind of selection and vetting process. Your vetting idea seems to come down to looking at LinkedIn. Don't you suppose that's what every recruiter already does? I doubt you'll find many employers who think LinkedIn gives sufficient filters. Your whole directory idea assumes that LinkedIn doesn't ha…

Fair criticism.

But the part I'm not understanding is that you seem imply that recruiters are better at selection/vetting than a directory or platform that's run by experienced engineers who are selecting other experienced engineers.

I also don't think this is an either/or. Most managers only care about quality candidates coming through the door. So there can be multiple solutions. This isn't a winner take all market by any means.

It's a crowded field so getting noticed will be a challenge.

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#23

Post by v1l »

schwartzworld wrote: post #20

My concern is can you make it worth my time? Do people hire staff/architect level devs on a freelance basis? I don't want to compete with developers in developing countries.

Do you freelance now? And when you're looking for a job, how do you go about it? (recruiters?)

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#24

Post by gregjor »

v1l wrote: post #22
gregjor wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You probably should have defined what you meant by strong experience . A directory of experienced developers implies some kind of selection and vetting process. Your vetting idea seems to come down to looking at LinkedIn. Don't you suppose that's what every recruiter already does? I doubt you'll find many employers who think LinkedIn gives sufficient filters. Your whole directory idea assumes that LinkedIn doesn't ha…

Fair criticism. But the part I'm not understanding is that you seem imply that recruiters are better at selection/vetting than a directory or platform that's run by experienced engineers who are selecting other experienced engineers. I also don't think this is an either/or. Most managers only care about quality candidates coming through the door. So there can be multiple solutions. This isn't a winner take all market…

Good recruiters vet people, and jobs, and match them up. And good recruiters have relationships and inside tracks with employers. Not all recruiters, of course. Experienced developers, on the other hand, have little incentive to vet their peers, and may do a worse job than a good recruiter because they will focus on different things. Developers and employers have different definitions of quality, in other words.

Of course "managers only care about quality candidates coming through the door," or at least they care a lot about that. But you have to define what you mean by "quality candidates" and how you have an efficient way to identify those candidates and put them in front of potential employers. You can just say that people in your directory have experience and got vetted somehow, but I think you will have to do more than that to stand out and get credibility.

Many people have attacked this problem, including recruiters and agencies, and all kinds of job boards and lists of professionals seeking employment, from LinkedIn to more specialized or elite lists. If you have some new ideas, great.

You started this thread with a proposed directory for developers that would let the "opportunities can find them." Who pays in that model? How does an employer trust the directory? How is the directory maintained and vetted? How is it not LinkedIn, in other words?

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#25

Post by schwartzworld »

v1l wrote: post #23
schwartzworld wrote: post #20

My concern is can you make it worth my time? Do people hire staff/architect level devs on a freelance basis? I don't want to compete with developers in developing countries.

Do you freelance now? And when you're looking for a job, how do you go about it? (recruiters?)

I don't now but I tried in the past. Working with individual clients is worse than my day job, so I want to make more per hour, not less. I don't think it can be worthwhile, unless I find myself REALLY needing the money (i.e. unexpected debilitating medical bills).

I use my free time for music and family (not in that order)

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#27

Post by throwaway097992 »

mikodin wrote: post #26

100%, this is exactly what I want. Provided that the opportunities are legit and aren't spam and that they pay actually competitive and it's not a race to the bottom like upwork or something

I am willing to pay $10K-20K in cash to anyone who can find a contractor work for me. I want to use a service like Deel.com to receive payments.

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#28

Post by v1l »

mikodin wrote: post #26

100%, this is exactly what I want. Provided that the opportunities are legit and aren't spam and that they pay actually competitive and it's not a race to the bottom like upwork or something

Could I message you in a few days to run this by you? My email is in my bio.

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#29

Post by v1l »

throwaway097992 wrote: post #27
mikodin wrote: post #26

100%, this is exactly what I want. Provided that the opportunities are legit and aren't spam and that they pay actually competitive and it's not a race to the bottom like upwork or something

I am willing to pay $10K-20K in cash to anyone who can find a contractor work for me. I want to use a service like Deel.com to receive payments.

> who can find a contractor work for me

Not sure I understood this. Meaning someone who can find contract work for you? Or find you a dev?

Re: Ask HN: Experienced devs, do you wish for work to find you?

#30

Post by throwaway097992 »

v1l wrote: post #29
throwaway097992 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am willing to pay $10K-20K in cash to anyone who can find a contractor work for me. I want to use a service like Deel.com to receive payments.

> who can find a contractor work for me Not sure I understood this. Meaning someone who can find contract work for you? Or find you a dev?

I apologize, I am seeking employment or contractor work.
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