4 ms·

Someone should make Magic for complicated tasks and more long-term projects. This will solve 3 of the biggest problems with freelancer sites 1) Not knowing wh

Someone should make Magic for complicated tasks and more long-term projects. This will solve 3 of the biggest problems with freelancer sites 1) Not knowing who to choose for the job, I'd rather a good matchmaker just get me someone who can do my task 2) Lack of instant communication, clients get uneasy when programmers don't respond. 3) Negotiating a price point takes too long because of the infrequency of interaction

woah 12y ago
Sounds like a consultancy
rattray 12y ago
Have you looked into Toptal.com ? My experiences with them have been great on all these metrics. I've worked with them as a dev and referred a few happy friends. Email's in my profile if you'd like to hear more.
- emilburzo 12y ago
  I wanted to interview with them (as a developer), but was turned off by their 'expectations' page, it sounded way too controlling/strict. How are they in that regard, and overall?
  - mgkimsal 12y ago
    I did interview, and found the tests far too difficult and not remotely like anything I've ever hit in 20 years of doing software development. Everything was rather computer-science-algorithmicy, and there was no ability to ask for clarification on aspects of the puzzle-questions that seemed ambiguous. Couple that with somewhat short time lines, and it was frustrating. In my 20 years, I've never not been able to ask a client or PM or end user for clarification on what they mean, but what I took from toptal is that you'll be expected to work under those conditions. It certainly weeds people out, and the whole "we'd rather weed good people out than let bad people in" mentality is probably understandable, it just rather felt like a "one size fits all approach". Interestingly, looking at their site now, I read "we do not tolerate sub-par work or poor communication for any reason." Except, of course, when taking their entrance tests - no communication for clarification there. FWIW, tests were from codility.com
    - emilburzo 12y ago
      Thank you, I feel a little less insane now that others had similar thoughts.
    - rattray 12y ago
      I also found the codility bit off-putting, though I think that company may have improved their product since you used it. Otherwise, I've always found Toptal personal; even the next algo interview (a Skype-based one) was pleasant and friendly. Just one person's limited experience, though =)
      - mgkimsal 12y ago
        I might have found them personal had they actually been personal with me, but (apparently) utter failure on the codility tests earns a "no thank you" email and that's it. I'll amend that - I had about a 5 minute conversation with someone pleasant at the very start who set up the web test. Again, I get the idea of trying to weed people out, and this probably just comes across as sour grapes as I didn't make the cut. The tests just felt rather too abstract and nothing like any work I've done across multiple industries, company sizes and teams. I guess to someone who's (recently?) taken computer science courses, it's a walk in the park, and having never taken CS classes, I'm out of the running.
  - capisce 12y ago
    > it sounded way too controlling/strict Indeed. "Engineers will work during the preferred hours of the clients." "For example, if the in-house engineers start their workday at 11am PST, our Eastern European Toptal engineers can often start working at 7pm EET and work through the night if that's what the client needs." Requiring their engineers to sacrifice their health and personal life in this way sounds insane.

woah 12y ago

Sounds like a consultancy

rattray 12y ago

Have you looked into Toptal.com ? My experiences with them have been great on all these metrics. I've worked with them as a dev and referred a few happy friends. Email's in my profile if you'd like to hear more.

emilburzo 12y ago
I wanted to interview with them (as a developer), but was turned off by their 'expectations' page, it sounded way too controlling/strict. How are they in that regard, and overall?
- mgkimsal 12y ago
  I did interview, and found the tests far too difficult and not remotely like anything I've ever hit in 20 years of doing software development. Everything was rather computer-science-algorithmicy, and there was no ability to ask for clarification on aspects of the puzzle-questions that seemed ambiguous. Couple that with somewhat short time lines, and it was frustrating. In my 20 years, I've never not been able to ask a client or PM or end user for clarification on what they mean, but what I took from toptal is that you'll be expected to work under those conditions. It certainly weeds people out, and the whole "we'd rather weed good people out than let bad people in" mentality is probably understandable, it just rather felt like a "one size fits all approach". Interestingly, looking at their site now, I read "we do not tolerate sub-par work or poor communication for any reason." Except, of course, when taking their entrance tests - no communication for clarification there. FWIW, tests were from codility.com
  - emilburzo 12y ago
    Thank you, I feel a little less insane now that others had similar thoughts.
  - rattray 12y ago
    I also found the codility bit off-putting, though I think that company may have improved their product since you used it. Otherwise, I've always found Toptal personal; even the next algo interview (a Skype-based one) was pleasant and friendly. Just one person's limited experience, though =)
    - mgkimsal 12y ago
      I might have found them personal had they actually been personal with me, but (apparently) utter failure on the codility tests earns a "no thank you" email and that's it. I'll amend that - I had about a 5 minute conversation with someone pleasant at the very start who set up the web test. Again, I get the idea of trying to weed people out, and this probably just comes across as sour grapes as I didn't make the cut. The tests just felt rather too abstract and nothing like any work I've done across multiple industries, company sizes and teams. I guess to someone who's (recently?) taken computer science courses, it's a walk in the park, and having never taken CS classes, I'm out of the running.
- capisce 12y ago
  > it sounded way too controlling/strict Indeed. "Engineers will work during the preferred hours of the clients." "For example, if the in-house engineers start their workday at 11am PST, our Eastern European Toptal engineers can often start working at 7pm EET and work through the night if that's what the client needs." Requiring their engineers to sacrifice their health and personal life in this way sounds insane.