Finding skilled pythonistas for micro-jobs?

[Chuck Rhode]

Paul Rubin wrote this on Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 04:39:47PM -0800.  My
reply is below.

> "darran" <darran at edmstudio.com> writes:

> > Any suggestions then for locating skilled Python/C++ programmers
> > for these small (micro) jobs?

> I've taken a number of these and always regretted it.  They've been
> far more hassle than they're worth.  But maybe that's just me.

I've never seen the point of trying to compete for the kind of
work-at-home programming jobs you see posted on Internet clearing
houses.  A number of reservations have always stopped me:

o The problem descriptions are nebulous or incoherent or both.

o No background scope is provided.

o No performance criteria are set forth.

o No pay rate is specified.

o No due date is mentioned.

Obviously, it would take longer to draw these things together than it
would to do the job itself, at least in the posters' opinions.  I
can't help wondering, though, if they're serious, because, if they
need the job completed successfully, however trivial it may be,
sooner or later somebody is going to have to do their homework, and,
yes, it's going to take at least twice as long as they're willing to
spend when they get around to it.

I think there's a case to be made for hiring a another full-time
programmer if these small jobs keep cropping up.  Part of his job
description can be to prepare needs assessments and impact analyses
and to prioritize requests before he even thinks about beginning a
task.  It's difficult to outsource these things, and they are time
consuming.

-- 
.. Chuck Rhode, Sheboygan, WI, USA
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