Few&Far’s Post

As a Fractional CTO, I often prefer to hire individual contractors instead of agencies. Many of my clients love hiring agencies, but I tend to steer them away from that strategy. These are a few reasons why I avoid agencies: 1. Agencies have an incentive to create lock in and push towards a "feature factory" culture. This way they'll sell more "resources". Making roles more granular helps selling more profiles. Eg: 1PM+2BE+2FE+1QA, when it could be just 2 or 3 senior fullstack engineers. With such segregation of responsibilities, each team member can also be more junior on average, and the non-senior profiles are the ones where agencies make the highest margins. Suddenly, a startup has a team of 10 to 15 people. Big costs, without actually shipping much value. 2. Agencies don't have an incentive to increase code quality standards Clunky QA and deployment processes are an opportunity for them to sell the people who operate those. Why should they push for automated CI/CD? They'd lose business by doing it. Issues in prod mean more bug tickets and regressed tasks. Those are scope increments they'll happily bill for. There's an incentive to accept loosely defined tasks, and not go deep to define all edge cases ahead of development. It hurts the client's business big time, though. 3. Agencies add barriers and bureaucracy It's usually very easy to add new people to the team. But not so easy to downscale when needed. Or to fire that person who's not performing. Contract clauses like minimum tenures and so on can really hinder nimbleness in a small team. For these 3 reasons, I do not engage agencies when the goal is to build a long lasting team that I want to grow under a certain engineering culture. I hire directly instead, whenever possible. There are hordes of senior talent around the world wanting to be hired directly by US/UK/EU companies. I prefer hiring them and inspiring those individuals to form a strong team, instead of using an agency that instills such vices in them. If you own a software development agency and think this is non-sense, please reply below and tell me why I should recommend your agency to my clients. I've worked with great agencies too, those exist, but are a minority.

Hiring a software development contractor can be difficult for a small business. There are alternatives but sometimes a contractor is the right choice. Here are 5 tips to help get it right! 1. Clearly Define Your Needs Start by outlining your project requirements, goals, and expected outcomes. A detailed project scope will attract candidates with the right skills and ensure everyone is on the same page from the beginning. 2. Look for Specialized Skills Identify contractors with expertise relevant to your project. Whether it's specific programming languages, frameworks, or industry knowledge, finding a developer with the right skills ensures a smoother and more efficient collaboration. 3. Check Past Work and References Don't skip the due diligence! Review a contractor's portfolio and seek references from previous clients. This firsthand insight into their work ethic, communication style, and project delivery can be invaluable in making an informed decision. 4. Communication is Key Clear communication is crucial for successful collaboration. Discuss expectations, timelines, and milestones upfront. Regular check-ins and updates maintain transparency and foster a positive working relationship throughout the project. 5. Understand Contract Terms Before finalizing any agreement, carefully review and understand the contract terms. Clarify payment structures, project timelines, and any other relevant details. A well-defined contract protects both parties and sets the foundation for a successful partnership. Embarking on a software development project for your small business? Finding the right contractor can make all the difference. Share your experiences or additional tips below! 👇 #SmallBusinessTips #SoftwareDevelopment #HiringContractors"

The other day, someone asked me: "What's a good client for you?" I like that question because it made me think how to answer that better. Too often I think we give our business definition, like "growing IT companies" (yes that's our target). But really, it comes down to companies who may be looking for key talent in critical positions such as: ✅ Vetted Freelance Delivery Engineers to help with specific projects or to provide deployment services while scaling up a new technology practice ✅ Qualified Project Managers that understand engagement methodologies in IT services ✅ Presales Engineering Architects to drive more gross profit for your business ✅ Full-time IT Leaders to drive new technical projects and lead product initiatives ✅ Operations Engineers for your managed service and help desk offerings ✅ Full-time Delivery Engineers to join your team as a full-time employee If any of those resonate or you're connected to an IT Services leader searching for those engineers, feel free to connect them with our team at The Bison Group. And now to turn the question back to you - What's a good client referral for you?

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 I've personally seen the dilemma project leads, managers, and delivery managers face: investing a lot of their time in interviews can be costly. This time away from the project isn't just about the hours spent; it's about the resources required to refocus efforts back on your goals. And when you're looking at interviewing five or more candidates, the stakes are even higher. The risk? Spending valuable time and effort—sometimes without the desired outcome. It's not uncommon to encounter developers with impressive resumes, boasting numerous projects and years of experience, leading you to hope you've found a senior-level talent. But as many of us have learned, neither the length of experience or the quantity of projects can guarantee seniority. So, what's the solution? 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 Our proposition is simple yet effective: partner with a company experienced with talent search, screening and shortlisting, interviews, evaluation and selection, hiring, and onboarding. Yes, that's where we come in. When we recommend candidates for your projects, it's because they've already passed our rigorous screening process. This includes: 1. Technical Expertise: Our candidates don't just write code that works; they consider future support and scalability, ensuring that if they're presented as seniors, they truly meet the mark. 2. Soft Skills: We understand that a productive team is not just about technical skills. We assess candidates for: - Goodwill; - Attention to details; - Respect for colleagues; Because we know that the emotional investment of your team directly impacts productivity. Moreover, our developers are proficient in English, with a minimum of a B2 level, facilitating seamless communication within diverse teams.   𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐬? Selecting the right candidates for your projects is our forte. Let us help you save time, resources, and ensure you bring on board developers who are not just skilled, but also a perfect fit for your team's culture and project needs. Sounds interested? I'm here to help!

Hiring good people is hard. And when you have a product that needs to be delivered the pressure to get the right person can make it even harder. This can mean going through multiple rounds, meeting the right people, doing take home tests to be 100% sure and then by the time you find that right person, they've just been offered by a competitor. Sometimes when you need to deliver, you just need to get someone in who can deliver right away. This is where contractors can come in to their own. You can still hire the perfect permanent person but a contractor can deliver immediately while you're going through the perm process. If you need someone coding on your new product release this week, you can have one - just let me know if you'd like an intro... #tech #hiring #contractors

How do I structure the team in my brand new tech start-up? Over the years, I have helped countless founders and CTOs build teams for their brand new start-ups or 0-1 product builds. Here is the success strategy that keeps repeating itself and what I would always recommend: (Depending on budget and size of the project, head count would differ, but let's say you need 6 engineers.) 1 - Hire 3 very senior contractors who are industry experts and have worked on greenfield builds time and time again. You can get them started in a week or two, if not straight away, with 6-12 month contracts. 2 - Go to market at the same time for a permanent senior/lead. The hiring process and notice period could take 1-3 months before they can start. 3 - Also go to market for 2 mid/senior-level engineers. The hiring process and notice period is likely to take 1-3 months to get them started. The reason why this structure has been so successful is that you have the expert contractors who can hit the ground running and set up strong foundations quickly. The senior/lead permanent engineer arrives and gets up to speed with the contractors, and then the mid/senior engineers join the team to get stuck in. By the end of the first 12 months, the project has been built very quickly to a high standard. The mid-level engineers have upskilled rapidly working closely with the seniors, and the original permanent senior is now in a position to move into a full-time lead role once the contractors have finished. This leaves you with a great foundation to move forward as necessary for the project. Talent Connect Group #techhires #recruitment #javascript #MENA #UK

Why Hiring Contract Software Engineers is a Smart Move in the Current Market 💻🚀 In today's fast-paced tech landscape, companies are increasingly turning to contract software engineers – and for good reason. Here's why: 1️⃣ Flexibility: Contract engineers provide the agility to scale your team up or down based on project needs, helping you respond quickly to changing priorities without long-term commitments. 2️⃣ Cost Efficiency: Hiring contractors can often be more cost-effective, as you only pay for the specific skills and duration required, without the overheads of full-time employment (benefits, bonuses, etc.). 3️⃣ Specialised Expertise: Need someone with niche technical skills or experience for a short-term project? Contractors bring in-depth expertise across various technologies and industries, often delivering high-impact solutions with speed. 4️⃣ Faster Hiring: The hiring process for full-time roles can be lengthy, but contractors can be onboarded quickly, allowing your team to meet deadlines and achieve goals without disruption. 5️⃣ Project-Specific Focus: Contractors are goal-oriented, focusing solely on the projects they’re hired for. This can drive efficiency and ensure critical tasks are completed to a high standard without distraction. At Ocho, we understand the importance of tailoring our services to meet your specific needs. We offer flexible payment plans to ensure our partnership works for you, allowing you to manage budgets while accessing top talent. We have a pool of experienced IT professionals across Northern Ireland and further afield that are available immediately. If you're looking to enhance your team with skilled contract software engineers, reach out to Aaron Somers to discuss how we can tailor our services to suit you. In an environment where speed, agility, and innovation are paramount, contract software engineers offer an effective solution for both startups and established companies alike. #SoftwareEngineering #ContractHiring #TechTalent #AgileWorkforce #SoftwareDevelopment #HiringTechTalent #ContractEngineers

What is a dedicated team, and why is it so important? Imagine you have a project that requires software development. Instead of hiring multiple full-time developers, you can get a bunch of professionals from an outstaffing company. This team will work only on your software project, following your instructions and collaborating with your internal team, ensuring the project is completed efficiently and to your specifications, just like your own employees. You can adjust the team size based on your needs, scaling up or down as required. So, here we come to the key advantages: 📌Consistency: The same individuals work on your project consistently, ensuring uniformity and a deep understanding of your requirements. 📌Efficiency: Because they are committed to your project, they can work more productively and efficiently. 📌Economical: Hiring a dedicated team is often more economical than employing full-time staff, particularly for short-term projects. In short, a dedicated team gives you expert help like your own team but with the flexibility and skills of outside specialists. Give it a try and enjoy the advantages of this approach. #3asoft #DedicatedTeam #Outstaffing

💰 I'm seeing more and more job posts lately where companies are looking for senior or even lead software engineers with a budget of £45,000 - £50,000. Most of them are hybrid or fully onsite positions. 🤔 Am I the only one who thinks that's way too low for a senior (not to mention lead) engineer? Also, is it just me, or do companies that want their staff to work from an office generally offer lower salaries? #salary #senior #lead #hybrid #remote #onsite

Are you considering hiring a software development agency? Here are 3 questions to ask before making your decision: 1. What's Your Expertise? Understanding the agency's core competencies is essential. Ask about their experience in your industry, the technologies they specialize in, and similar projects they've undertaken. Look for alignment between their expertise and your project requirements. 2. How Do You Ensure Quality? Quality assurance is paramount in software development. Inquire about their testing processes, code review practices, and bug tracking and resolution measures. A commitment to quality ensures a robust and reliable end product. 3. What's Your Communication & Project Management Approach? Effective communication and project management are crucial for project success. Learn about their communication channels, reporting frequency, and project tracking tools. Clear communication and transparency foster trust and keep the project on track. By asking these questions, you can better evaluate software development agencies and choose the right partner for your project's success. Have more questions or insights? Feel free to share below! #SoftwareDevelopment #TechPartnership #ProjectSuccess