Where to find Flex developers?

Jul 17, 2007

I just read the post that Ted Patrick wrote about the shortage of Flex developers and how to find them. Ted makes some very valid points but one point he misses is where companies should be looking for Flex developers. The reality is the workplace has changed dramatically over the past few years. No longer is it necessary for workers to be located at some central office hub for 9 hours a day, 7 days a week. The outsourcing boom of recent years gives us a good glimpse into the future of how some industries can operate when looking for talent (especially developers). Companies don't have to look overseas for developers, just outside of their backyards.

I have spent the last two plus years working remotely for companies around the U.S. and even overseas, but I have never left Toronto (Canada) to perform any of the work and I have not had to travel (period) to meet with the teams I have worked with, it has been 100% remote. I have not had a remote project blow up, end horribly or fail. With some good planning and expectation setting on the part of myself and the companies I have worked with the entire process has worked quite smoothly. Now I realize remote working will not work for every project and team but I would argue that it will work for a great number more than is currently the case.

If companies are having such a difficult time locating good Flex talent (not to mention development talent in general) then why not consider all the options? What are the factors making it hard to find talent in the local area or getting talent to relocate to the local area? Hmmm, high cost of living, long commutes, insane hours. Take a look at Silicon Valley, sure the pay for Flex devs is good (easily 100K + for some experience) but a decent home is completely out of consideration at that pay. LA, one word .... gridlock. NYC, maybe if you really enjoy life in the big city, but it's not for everyone. Pretty much all the major centers have at least a few knocks against them when trying to get talent to relocate there. So why not relocate the work to the workers?

My daily commute is 26 steps. The cost of living in my area is significantly less than the major US centers, which means I can discount my rates more than someone living right there, but still have a very comfortable lifestyle, and the company saves some dough. I work from home so I actually put in more hours than I ever did in an office (there is no down time, it's much easier to balance work and family life, and if I need to pull long hours, my family is right upstairs so I'm not feeling as stressed about being 'stuck at the office'). Overall I'm more productive, less stressed and happy, that's what every company should want for their talent, because that is what makes the talent stick around.

So what are some keys to success for remote working?

1. Set expectations. Just because you are working remotely doesn't mean you can slack off. Set goals, hit them. Set deadlines, meet them. Nothing keeps you more focused than knowing where you need to get.
2. Have daily check in's to see how everything is going. You can't just pop into someones office when they are 2000 miles away but with IM, phone and video chat you can do the next best thing. It keeps everyone on the same page and helps to foster a sense of team.
3. Find the right person, remote working is not for everyone. It can be a big adjustment for someone who is accustomed to working in an office (it took a while for me to adjust). For the worker, have some outside contact, get out of your house, get involved in something with some physical human interaction to help keep your sanity.
4. Realize it's not the same as working in an office. The environment is different, the setup is different, the interaction is different. That doesn't mean it's bad, just different, so the rules to play by are different, and both sides need to be aware of that.
5. Have a dedicated, fully functional work area. Have all the equipment necessary to run an office: computer, phone, fax, copier, filing. Keep it separate from your main living area if possible. It allows you to close a door and leave work behind at the end of a day.

So to all the companies looking for Flex developers, keep hunting, just change your strategy, and to all the Flex developers being offered fantastic sounding relocation packages, consider your options and see how flex-ible a company can be.