Finding a Software Contractor

[anonymous-user]

A company I am involved in has an interesting bit of self developed software that is java based and runs as a web app.

Recently our in-house tech team has reduced to Zero - leading to some serious plate spinning. The system is currently operation and stable.

Ideally I would like to replace one of the in house team with a contractor who we pay "ad-hoc" to manage any minor admin changes and agree a medium to long term development plan with.

How would I go about finding a decent long term partner, given in the short term budget is tight?

Edit: would prefer to avoid an agency if possible

Thanks in advance

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 22 June 13:35

[Ynox]

Try PeoplePerHour or similar? Quality is likely to be crap though.

Sadly I'm actually a Java dev. Flat out with my day job right now though!

[mikef]

desolate said:

a contractor who we pay "ad-hoc" to manage any minor admin changes

In my experience that's not how contractor developers work; a competent java contractor will be taking well-paid full time gigs

Or they price the "ad-hoc" work at a level that would be equivalent to working full time, which is unlikely to be attractive to you

[Tebbers]

Doesn't sound like the kind of work a contractor would take on (speaking as one). You'd be better off working with an agency on a long term support contract.

[GrumpyTwig]

You could try a freelancer, lots of websites that help put people in contact with freelance devs but most will be outside the UK it seems . Risky in my eyes.

[jonamv8]

We look after some similar arrangements on ad hoc basis - PM me for more info

[hyphen]

Post an ad on a contractor job board. Jobserve.co.uk or similar.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the replies.

Evidently what I am looking for is not that attractive for the contractor. May have to rethink.

Jonamv8 I will PM you early next week.

[768]

desolate said:

How would I go about finding a decent long term partner, given in the short term budget is tight?

This might be your sticking point. I'm a Java dev and not put off by ad hoc work but you're probably looking at rates from around £80/hour, probably more especially if it's not requiring full days.

[anonymous-user]

I have a few off shore devs I could introduce you to who take on this kind of ad-hoc work.

[anonymous-user]

An hourly rate £80 is fine, it's just that we haven't got sufficient work for someone on a full, or even half time contract currently.

This will change as the business develops.

[plasticpig]

Keep in mind that you will have to pay for someone to understand the applications structure first. A new developer will not just be able to jump in and start changing stuff. The sort of time that will take depends upon the complexity of the application and the quality of the documentation that goes with it.

[sideways sid]

Have you tried LinkedIn OP?

Also, have you approached the people who used to do the work in-house?

One advantage of this type of arrangement to the contractor, is that having more than one client takes them further away from IR35, which can be appealing.

[anonymous-user]

sideways sid said:

Have you tried LinkedIn OP?

Also, have you approached the people who used to do the work in-house?

One advantage of this type of arrangement to the contractor, is that having more than one client takes them further away from IR35, which can be appealing.

The 2 people who worked in-house were full time employees. This particular bit of software was developed as a side line to support a product we have. There is no prospect of them working on it going forward. (They left and tried to claim ownership of the software)

It's not very complicated, but it's a clever idea and is unique in the industry (Insurance). There is also a fairly high barrier for new entrants.

As it stands I need someone technically competent person to assist in times of trouble (in 12 months there has been one support issue) and to do some simple changes should they be required.

Personally I think it suits a motivated one man band who is prepared to be paid on an "as and when" basis on the understanding that if we hit it off and things develop how I think they might then there could be something interesting down the line.

I do, however, understand that contractors get that sort of a pitch all the time and need to put food on the table now, rather than next year.

Thanks for the input so far.

The same goes for SEO and I am going round in ever decreasing circles on that.

[bigandclever]

Being an Eeyore ...

You're looking for an independent who is willing to take on someone else's code, in a heavily-regulated industry, to support a live system and make as-yet-unknown "minor" changes on an ad-hoc basis. Personally, I wouldn't touch it

But you could try looking on rentacoder, freelancer, guru, /r/forhire (Reddit) even contractoruk,

[anonymous-user]

bigandclever said:

Being an Eeyore ...

You're looking for an independent who is willing to take on someone else's code, in a heavily-regulated industry, to support a live system and make as-yet-unknown "minor" changes on an ad-hoc basis. Personally, I wouldn't touch it

But you could try looking on rentacoder, freelancer, guru, /r/forhire (Reddit) even contractoruk,

Yes that's exactly what I am looking for!

[buggalugs]

desolate said:

Thanks for the replies.

Evidently what I am looking for is not that attractive for the contractor. May have to rethink.

Jonamv8 I will PM you early next week.

A retainer might sweeten the deal a bit rather than the odd hour. Just a thought.

[anonymous-user]

buggalugs said:

A retainer might sweeten the deal a bit rather than the odd hour. Just a thought.

Yes - I had though about that.

I'll draw up a bit of a plan for the "minor changes" and see what that looks like.

Thanks again.

[x5x3]

also consider response time - i.e. if you have a problem and contact your new supplier - how fast does he need to respond? If you are expecting him to drop everything immediately then £80 seems rather low. If you are happy to wait a day or two before he gets round to looking at it then fine.

[anonymous-user]

x5x3 said:

also consider response time - i.e. if you have a problem and contact your new supplier - how fast does he need to respond? If you are expecting him to drop everything immediately then £80 seems rather low. If you are happy to wait a day or two before he gets round to looking at it then fine.

At the moment the software isn't "mission critical" - I know I can sign up with an established firm, pay a few K for them to understand the platform and then X per month plus a couple of hundred an hour for any issues and delvelopment.

Would be happy with a solution were someone did any support when they had finished their day job or next day.