O/T : Looking for an entry level LAMP developer for contract work.

[Steve Litt]

On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 10:45:05 -0700
Keith Smith <techlists at phpcoderusa.com> wrote:

[clip]

> I am looking for an entry level LAMP developer.  Would like someone
> with entry level PHP skills and entry level Linux skills.  Stuff like
> the ability to add a user, add a sudo user, and configure vhosts on
> apache. I will give directions with examples and they will be working
> on a development VPS so if they blow it we just spin up another.  As
> for PHP skills if this person knows how to write a MySql connection
> string and is able to insert, update, delete and list.... this person
> could be what I am looking for.  This is a maintenance job.   This
> person would need to know some HTML and CSS.  jQuery would be a plus.
> 
> This contract could last as long as 2 or 3 years.  At that point we 
> would need to either up the compensation or understand when this
> person takes off for other opportunities.
> 
> Is the compensation fair?  Any ideas why I received such a lukewarm 
> response?
> 
> 
> Your feedback is much appreciated.
> 
> Keith

Hi Keith,

I forwarded your job post to the GoLUG mailing list in Orlando, and got
no feedback there either way, which isn't surprising. I've had only one
piece of feedback on my re-posts on GoLUG: The guy thanked me as he
went off to Texas to take the job :-)

Your figure of $250/month for health insurance is waaaaay low unless
the person is in his early 20's. And most people in their early 20's
aren't developed enough to do LAMP, and besides, LAMP's the old way,
and people in their early 20's might not be interested in that.

I think 2 to 3 years is a little long to keep someone at $22/hr. If
they're good enough to do the work, they're good enough to double their
productivity within 12 to 18 months. Be ready for them to boogie in 12
to 18 months without agreeing to their rate hikes.

You mentioned you got "lukewarm" reception. How many candidates did you
get? What was wrong with them? Please tell me you're not screening them
out because they're old or they lack college diplomas, or they lack a
couple marginal skills. Not at $22/hr.

You want to get twenty applicants tomorrow? Do what I did when I was in
your position: Go to all the nearby community colleges and post that ad
on a bulletin board, or talk to the Comp-Sci instructors and tell them
to mention it in their classes. Or even arrange to walk into a few
classes and take five minutes to talk up your company and explain the
opportunities. You'll get an army of highly motivated people, and
because they were trained at community college instead of a prestigious
4 year, they'll know how to code real stuff, not compilers. To a
community college student in today's economy, $22/hr sounds like a
king's ransom.

And please, I'd consider it a personal favor if, when you get the 20
eager beaver candidates from nearby community colleges, you don't hold
their age against them, whether they're 17 or 75.

SteveT

Steve Litt 
July 2015 featured book: Rapid Learning for the 21st Century
http://www.troubleshooters.com/rl21