Traditional wisdom always held that the best interests of any company were served by hiring full time employees. Back in the day, companies invested heavily in their in-house staff … through paid training programs, benefits, promotions, retirement plans, stock options, health/ life insurance, and much more. Hiring permanent software developers just made sense.
Then, about fifteen years ago, as the internet began to boom so did the pace of technology. At that time, most modern programming languages were still in their infancy. A modest amount of experience was enough to get hired and get the project done. It became common practice for companies to contract with freelance programmers through staffing companies to handle their software development needs.
Today’s software projects have become much more challenging. Individual proficiencies must include a myriad of technical aspects and expertise in multiple programming languages. The idea that a single person should be able to handle all potential contingencies on any given project is simply unrealistic.
OK, you still want to Hire a Web Developer!
Here’s the laundry list of a typical sample project requirement. Ask yourself if this is really realistic to find?
Does the candidate have a minimum of the 6 required skills … and some of the 8 optional skills?
Does he really have the experience or is he just embellishing?
Does he have industry familiarity?
Is he located within a reasonable proximity to the office (or work site)?
Does his rate fit within our budget?
Does he have the appropriate communication and analysis skills to get the job done?
Does he have the dedication and drive to see the project through to completion?
Let’s say you have found your “Hero”
… that perfect developer for the job!
Why isn’t he working now?
How do you guarantee reliability and that he will finish the project?
If he is that good … surely other companies will be trying to lure him away.
If he was offered $20/ hr more … he’d be gone, right? Risky!
So you ignore your concerns and hire what looks like the best candidate.
He does seem to have most of the web development skills, so why not?
But then his work progresses slower than you planned.
Certain approaches aren’t considered because he hasn’t done them before.
80% of his time is spent trying to figure out 20% of the project.
His programming skills are excellent … but his analysis skills create delays.
It happens and unfortunately, it happens quite often.
Many project managers still have stringent requirements for hiring individual developers and still resist the use of outside teams to complete their software development initiatives. Their comfort lies in the feeling that on site, individual developers ensure that they will stay on task and in control at all times. There is nothing wrong with this approach … but before jumping into anything, seriously consider the risks of an individual and consider …
The Benefits of Outsourcing to an Offshore Web Development Company:
More Diverse Skill Sets – Web Development Companies offer a whole host of skill sets … much more than any individual may possess.
Track Record / Reputation – Experience and proven team performance based on previous project completion.
Cooperation – Higher quality work is achieved by working cooperatively to overcome knowledge gaps.
Flexible Hours – Variable hours and skill levels available based on the changing demands of projects.
Modern Communication Tools – Remote management is now convenient and effective … through the use of the Internet, Desktop Sharing, Instant Messaging, Email, and Phone.
There is no other time when the advantages of outsourcing your project to a Software Development Team have been more clear. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a perfect solution. There are still challenges along the way, but these are largely managed by the development company. They focus on making your project a success, while you stay focused on your company’s core competencies. What could be better?
