We're finding it a real chore finding a coder with the right combo of skills and fit. Too many applicants are either underskilled or just a poor cultural fit (that's corporate speak for boring AFAI can tell).<p>Some background: we're launching a number of built-from-scratch systems on a LAMP stack, that use a number of web APIs. Whoever gets the job will have CLOSE TO carte blanche to build the system however they like, usign whatever frameworks or code base they are comfortable with.<p>So if you're a PHP coder based in Sydney (Australia), whose keen to run your own projects (which pretty much comes with complete control over how you do that), and want to work in an office in Bondi Junction (above Westfield) that is small and happy, drop us a line: http://www.excitecorporation.com/contact.html
Am I the only person who cringes at the word "coder"? For some odd reason, I've never liked being referred to as a "coder", particularly when the word is preceded by "my".
Just pay craigslist their fee, and put up an ad. Problem solved. I'm disappointed that your spam made it through to HN, but am glad to see the very on-target comments it has generated.<p>Also making a snap judgment that someone under the pressure of an interview situation is "boring" is probably a mistake. Sounds like there is something else going on. The fact that you call developers "coders" is pretty damning of your attitude, imho.
What about you is different, what makes a job with you not feel like a job? What is your culture like? ("not boring" is probably the wrong answer) What gives your company personality? What would the person get to work on? and why is it interesting?<p>I looked at the website and it didn't really grab my attention.<p>What a lot of people seem to forget when recruiting is that you often have to sell your company and the position just as if you were selling anything else. Companies with well known brands have the advantage of a known culture (most of the time) or simply just brand awareness, which they leverage to get quality applications (or at least more of them). Startups and small to midsize companies don't have that advantage. So, if you want the best talent, you have to sell your company like you would sell your product. Undirected marketing of your company & jobs will usually produce fairly random response.<p>A very well read book in the HR/Recruiting community is called "Hire With Your Head". I recommend anyone that who needs to hire read it. The best takeaway quote...<p>"Companies need to move away form a classified ad mentality of listing boring, hard-to-find jobs and, instead, adopt a consumer marketing approach to advertising" ~Lou Adler, Hire With Your Head
> Some background: we're launching a number of built-from-scratch systems on a LAMP stack, that use a number of web APIs. Whoever gets the job will have CLOSE TO carte blanche to build the system however they like, usign whatever frameworks or code base they are comfortable with.<p>You've already settled on PHP, however. So you're longer giving anybody a "CARTE" blanche and it's no longer "built from scratch". False advertising?<p>If you're looking for "PHP coders", you're in for a disappointment. You should hire great programmers who can also code PHP - and you would have to convince them why your idea is so fascinating/unique that it would be okay to write in a more or less boring language which has a kiddie/toy reputation.<p>Yahoo did this by not specifically listing PHP in their ads and bringing in strong Java/C/C++ programmers and then teaching them PHP on the job (or at least that's what they <i>used</i> to do for the non-UX centric parts).<p>You can find great web-developers and designers who are primarily PHP people, but afaik smarter coders tend to shun it.
I recently offered to hire and manage three local C programmers in Cebu, Philippines for the company that owns the web scripting software I've been using for more than a decade. My offer would have cost them about 2/3 of the cost to hire one intermediate level C programmer in the USA -- yet with my offer they would have had a 4-man team developing their newly purchased software instead of only one.<p>They could have made substantial progress these past 5 months, but instead they have apparently made no progress whatsoever, and they are still wasting time trying to hire one C programmer in a little midwest city where one of the owners lives. I guess five months of wasted time with no progress to speak of is something that does not bother them very much -- but I think it should, because the more time they waste not hiring a programmer and failing to make some real progress, the bigger and stronger their competition grows.<p>I ran my own outsource programming business here for several years ... and while it is sometimes a challenge to 'train' a skilled programmer from scratch over here, there are so many who already have the requisite skills that I find it amusing that problems like yours actually exist. I mean, what's wrong with hiring an outsource programmer and getting the jobs done? Especially if the programmer you eventually hire is going to be given as much autonomy as you claim?<p>I just don't see why every person that's contributing to a startup company needs to be part of the 'local startup family', that's all. It seems to me that sometimes it just makes more sense to get the work started and finished -- one way or another -- even of you have to change your approach to make it happen.
Are you (or your compatriots) active in the user community in Sydney? I've found that's a great place to find good developers.<p>Otherwise, write a job posting that YOU would be excited about answering, and post it in a few places.
You are pushing all the wrong buttons!<p>If you want as much control as you've already declared then I am afraid you will struggle to find the guy you want, they are fed up of working for people that make the wrong decisions for them and leave them with the mess to clean up.<p>Listen careful to all this feedback and maybe you can either change the job so that you genuinely do offer something interesting to the guy you want or temper your ambitions to find the competent PHP you want.
you do realize PHP is the most boring, conventional, middle of the road way BDC's get into open source stacks. Why don't you just post for J2EE engineers? Other than the obvious fact that they will probably only know Java you are going to get the same type of person.<p>If you want interesting ask for interesting, not safe. Ask for people using python/ruby and then let them use that.
In this economy, there are a lot of people just happy to have a job. I would recommend you try to get the passive candidates:<p><a href="http://jobs.37signals.com/" rel="nofollow">http://jobs.37signals.com/</a><p><a href="http://snaptalent.com/" rel="nofollow">http://snaptalent.com/</a><p><a href="http://hiddennetwork.com/" rel="nofollow">http://hiddennetwork.com/</a><p><a href="http://authenticjobs.com/" rel="nofollow">http://authenticjobs.com/</a><p>You can't always expect the best programmers to come to you. You need to go out, find them, and give them incentive to work with you.
If you're building from scratch, is there any particular reason you have to go with a LAMP stack? Any reason not to go with Python, ROR, Java-type stacks? If you expanded it a bit, you might have better luck...