Web Developer
So, you've looked through my portfolio and/or downloaded my resume and you like what you see enough to contact me for whatever it is you're considering me for.
Great! Thank you for considering me!
However, I've come across many of the same questions. So I have below a sort of FAQ, so everyone can save time.
Sorry, with the exception of opportunities I'm pursuing, I'm not interested in working 9-5 in an office somewhere. I enjoy working at my home office during the hours that best suit mine and my family's needs. While I do keep my ear to the ground and may pursue an opportunity that fits my needs (and if you're here because I've contacted you, thank you again for taking the time to consider me), I'm not interested out-of-the-blue notifications.
Unless you're Google. Or DeviantArt. Or one of the other big guys from Silicon Valley that love their developers and go to great lengths to take care of them with more than just a good paycheck.
If you need someone for a 9-5 office job, particularly if you're a Microsoft house, I recommend inquiring at the Career Services Department of my alma mater, DeVry University, at:
Beth Robinson
Employer Liaison
614.257.4703
mrobinson6@devry.edu
They will be more than happy to help pair you up with qualified candidates.
In addition to the reasons why I'm not interested in full-time, I'm not interested in "contract-to-hire" for a number of reasons. For one, most "contract-to-hire" positions never seem to make it to that "hire" part and I'm left essentially a "permalancer," left with all the pains of being employed by someone else and self-employed, with none of the benefits. I've put my foot down and decided that if I have to deal with my own taxes, health insurance, retirement, and all the other benefits that employees get from their employers, I'm going to have the benefits of self-employment.
Also, there's a very fine line between "contractor" and "de facto employee," and I'd rather not sic the IRS on a company for potentially crossing that line. It's really not a fun position to be in and feels like biting the hand that feeds.
I like Central Ohio, so unless it's quite a bit better than my current status quo (including relocation assistance) and guaranteed employment in the Smokey Mountains or Silicon Valley, probably not.
I really don't know why people insist on sending me leads for positions in areas that I'm not interested in working in, but they do, so this is here. When I decide I'll consider relocating, I list the areas I'm willing to relocate to, given the right offer. However, because most people don't offer relocation assistance, "the right offer" for my needs is very hard to come by. The bottom line is, though, if I'm looking to relocate, I'll persue the opportunities actively.
What this means for you, the inquirer, is that if the position is for anywhere other than Columbus, Ohio, and requires working in the office, I'm not interested.
Certainly! I love working with people from all over and consider myself rather adept at it (probably because I prefer asychronous communication).
While I won't consider positions somewhere else when it requires relocating, I am more than happy to work with people who just happen to be elsewhere, as long as they don't mind working with me remotely.
I have numerous tools to aid in this, including a Skype account, a Google Talk account, webcam and voice equipment, and experience working with people in different time zones.
No, I don't have any, but if you're willing to help me get it, I'd at least consider it.
I seriously get inquiries about this occasionally. While I won't necessarily turn down work that requires security clearance, do bear in mind that I don't currently have any, which means that I wouldn't be able to, and won't, start on the work until that clearance is obtained. I am willing to get the clearance, but would ask for your help in getting it, as you're likely to know the process better than I.
While I do have .Net experience, tools, and training, I prefer working with PHP and LAMP setups. That doesn't necessarily mean I will dismiss a .Net project, but I will be more likely to consider PHP projects offered at the same time as a heavy .Net project, because frankly, I'm not a fan of .Net. If your project is mainly general HTML/CSS/Javascript, but has to be built with Visual Studio to support .Net (see Milo's Deli project), that's fine, and I'll likely consider it. However, if it's a .Net app that's only on the web because it has to be (see DRC project), then I'm not likely to take it.
However, I can point you to the career services department of my alma mater, DeVry University. DeVry teaches .Net almost exclusively and is a career-oriented school (meaning they strive to keep their curricula current and meeting the demands of businesses). The graduates are very talented and often quite experienced (thanks to positions while in school), and the staff will be more than happy to help connect you with qualified candidates.
You can contact the DeVry Columbus campus Career Services Department at:
Beth Robinson
Employer Liaison
614.257.4703
mrobinson6@devry.edu
Also, I only have cursory knowledge of Ruby (my current main work has some Ruby scripts that I've modified) and don't know Django. As much as I'd love to learn them, I'm not going to take on projects that require their use at this time, because that would be a disservice to you, the client. Unfortunately, I don't have enough contacts in those areas to offer an alternative for Ruby, but I know Workstate has done some Django projects and would probably be happy to consider your project.
While I'm more than happy to embed Flash elements, such as video (a la YouTube), or use some Flash-based objects (such as SwfObject for file uploading), I have neither the tools nor the skillset required to build a Flash-based website. If Flash is a large part of your site and you're expecting me to handle it, then I'm sorry, but I can't help you. You may want to consider ICC for Flash sites, as they have a dedicated team and a great portfolio (and are great people to work with).
Despite the crazy requirements many job board listings show, not all of us "web people" actually do both design and development (in fact, most of us do one or the other, and those that do both often don't do one or the other, or either, as well as those who specialize). Designers and developers have two different mindsets and go to two different schools, studying two different majors to excel in their craft. I'd prefer not to insult my talented designer friends and contacts with my lack of creative flair required for the really awesome designs like what they produce.
I am a developer with an eye for design. This means that I don't generally design websites from scratch for clients, but I do know basic usability and design-for-web techniques that can help improve an existing design for the web. I also know my way around Photoshop and can slice a .PSD without hyperventillating.
This distinction really is for you. Perhaps I'm simply intimidated by the fantasic designs I've seen, but I'd rather not disgrace your great idea with a shoddy or generic-looking design, like what I'd come up with most times. You deserve better than that. I can, however, point you in the direction of a couple of phenomenal designers that I've worked with personally, are great to work with, and I highly recommend:
Nick Smith - Currently works for SBC Advertising, does freelance designing on the side. I worked with him on the Rock Short Vine project.
Andee Bower - Partner at Workstate, I worked extensively with him when I was there on the Milo's Deli and 3 Pillar Homes projects. I don't know if he's doing any freelancing right now (depends on his load at Workstate, though he might take it under the Workstate name), but he's also a great person to work with and does a great job.
If you can get either of these guys to take your project (depends, of course, on their own loads), then you won't be disappointed.