3 ms·

"I think it's a fine strategy, but I'm personally wary of giving work to someone because if they fall through, I'm on the hook. " That's my feeling too, though

"I think it's a fine strategy, but I'm personally wary of giving work to someone because if they fall through, I'm on the hook. " That's my feeling too, though I'm (currently) in the camp of "too much work." I'm reluctant to farm any work out that's going to ultimately have my name on it, but being over-busy means I'm turning away work, missing out on potential stable business, and staying coupled to too few large jobs. What do other people here do? How do you arrange to subcontract?

pmjordan 16y ago
I too have more work coming in than I can take on. If I know someone who can do it, I'll recommend them on directly rather than letting them go through me. I don't gain financially but it generally breeds goodwill. I could take a referral commission (some acquaintances seem to do this), but again I fear I'd be somewhat on the hook if the other person screwed up. Plus, if customers refer me other customers, they don't take a cut either.
- jamesbritt 16y ago
  That's what I've been doing. I don't like to leave people hanging, so I try to find someone who can take care of them. I also like that people feel they can come to me as a first point of contact when looking for a developer, that if I'm not available I'll (hopefully) point them to someone who is.
ido 16y ago
If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?
- jamesbritt 16y ago
  "If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?" I'm not sure the influx is that stable. And I'm not sure I want to shift to being a manager of a multi-person development shop. I suppose if I'm sub-contracting then I'm doing much the same admin work there as I would with a regular employee, except I think having that formal "business with employees" arrangement adds some complications (payroll, taxes, insurance, etc.) But it has crossed my mind.

pmjordan 16y ago

I too have more work coming in than I can take on. If I know someone who can do it, I'll recommend them on directly rather than letting them go through me. I don't gain financially but it generally breeds goodwill. I could take a referral commission (some acquaintances seem to do this), but again I fear I'd be somewhat on the hook if the other person screwed up. Plus, if customers refer me other customers, they don't take a cut either.

jamesbritt 16y ago
That's what I've been doing. I don't like to leave people hanging, so I try to find someone who can take care of them. I also like that people feel they can come to me as a first point of contact when looking for a developer, that if I'm not available I'll (hopefully) point them to someone who is.

ido 16y ago

If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?

jamesbritt 16y ago
"If your influx of new contracts is stable enough, why not rent a cheap office, get said other person as an employee and work together at the same place?" I'm not sure the influx is that stable. And I'm not sure I want to shift to being a manager of a multi-person development shop. I suppose if I'm sub-contracting then I'm doing much the same admin work there as I would with a regular employee, except I think having that formal "business with employees" arrangement adds some complications (payroll, taxes, insurance, etc.) But it has crossed my mind.