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Hiring (Superstar) Programmers

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the super-star-destroyer? dept.

Ross Turk wrote, "We've been looking for senior engineers to work on SourceForge.net for a while now, and it's been a lot more difficult than it was a few years ago. Has the tech market improved so much that working on a prominent website is no longer enough to attract the best talent? Is everyone else running into the same problems, or is it just here in the Valley and other high-tech corridors?" This is a question that I've seen coming in a lot; the economy has not picked up everywhere — so how are other people handling this? Going outside the traditional Valley/Route 128 corridors? Outsourcing? And how do you find people — beyond just using job boards? (Full disclosure: That's our job board thingie, as you probably have figured out.) Or do job boards alone work? Some people have been swearing up and down that CraigsList works — and there's always something to be said for nepotism.

6 of 570 comments (clear)

  1. Hubris! by TopShelf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Has the tech market improved so much that working on a prominent website is no longer enough to attract the best talent?

    I think things like pay, benefits, location, etc. matter far more to the vast majority of techies than merely "working on a prominent website." After all, in today's world, prominent websites come and go in a matter of months.

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    1. Re:Hubris! by ghc71 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Junior engineers want to work on sites with a strong brand. That sets them up to leave the low-paid junior engineer jobs to go and be senior engineers in jobs with the aforementioned pay, benefits, etc. Senior engineers are not so desperate for things that look good on the resume, so much as things that pay for their kids' college fees.

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      - Sig files: contemptibly familiar the second time around.
    2. Re:Hubris! by DamnStupidElf · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think things like pay, benefits, location, etc. matter far more to the vast majority of techies than merely "working on a prominent website." After all, in today's world, prominent websites come and go in a matter of months.

      As someone pointed out before, people trying to hire the top 90% or 95% of employees had better be willing to provide salaries and benefits in the top 90% to 95% as well.

  2. Same Problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    We have this same problem at Sony, noone seems to want to work for us.

  3. Wow! Sourceforge?!? by Monkeyman334 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, it would be super easy picking up women at bars if only I worked on a super popular site like SourceForge. The only thing that would get me more chicks is if I worked as a Slashdot editor.

  4. It's the way you word it by FreeKill · · Score: 5, Insightful

    To be honest, if this post is at all indicative of how you make your job posts I think its all in the wording. When you say "Wanted Superstar Programmers" you must know that 99% of developers probably don't consider themselves superstars. The ones that do, are probably either way to full of themselves, or they are already working somewhere making a nice salary. If you want more applicants, try being realistic in your requirements and you willingness to pay them what they are worth in the current market. You might be really selective when it comes to choosing someone, thats your choice, but I know for a fact labels like that would turn off many would be applicants, including those you would consider "superstar" status...