oDesk vs. Elance
My friend Alan LeStourgeon at Affiliate Confession has had some success with using Elance to hire writers. In fact, Elance liked his comments so much, they interviewed him.
Since Alan has already covered a great deal about Elance, particularly from the perspective of a buyer, I thought I’d do the exact opposite and cover oDesk from the perspective of a provider, and in this case, a provider who has yet to actually get his first assignment.
As such, this review is hardly objective or unbiased. It’s really just some points of difference that I’ve noticed and has caused me, for the moment, to tip the pendulum in oDesk’s favor. I thought I’d share them with you.
Dumb Job Ads: Website design ~ several projects (Orlando / Clermont)
This made my day. Another fool discovers Craigslist.
Hi!
I am looking for a couple possible candidates to collaborate with me and execute some web-site designs to be developed and presented to investors. The outline for the initial project will involved similar features to Myspace and Ebay (but not as involved, of course)
The designer/programmer chosen will have the opportunity to be a part of several other projects that are being mapped out currently.
Dumb Job Ads: Web Developer Job Opportunity
Just when I thought the dumb job ads had maybe disappeared, this little gem appeared in my inbox, courtesy of Mark and Deepa Toomey at Sarastaff Employment Services in Sarasota, Florida.
I almost hate to out someone who’s careless enough to use software to scan profiles and resumes, bombarding email inboxes, but fail to note that I’ve quite clearly indicated no interest in moving across the state of Florida. Yes, I almost hate to do it. But when the job itself is written so, well, dumb, then you just have to share it with everyone.
Dumb Job Ads: Code Ninja & DBAs Needed at IZEA
Izea, the newly formed “cover” company for Ted Murphy’s controversial PayPerPost posted this little ditty (repeated below) on Craigslist yesterday. The company continues to denigrate the very people that work for them by their use of such terms like “code ninja” and speaking down to them as if they are all GeekSquad, World of Warcraft players in need of some righteous job. Previously, they’ve referred to their workers as “code monkeys”. Apparently, the one thing you can never be at PayPerPost is a “developer” or “software engineer”. Nope. Monkey and Ninja is it. Expect to be paid like a monkey and treated like one, too.
Why the need for part-time Web developers?
I keep seeing ads here and there for “part-time web developers”. I have to confess my ignorance, but I don’t understand these advertisements. Is there a website to develop or not? If so, isn’t it to the client’s benefit that the website be done as quickly as possible?
If a website were a building construction project, what would you think about everyone being asked to work part-time? In the end, the project will still cost the same (since everyone is paid hourly), but it will just take a lot longer now.
Dumb Job Ads: Web Deigner (short internship)
Yes, the spelling of designer as “deigner” should be a head’s up. Along with the spelling of candidates as “candidadates”.
I don’t know when America is going to get serious about allowing anyone, even a freelancer, to work for free. It should be illegal. Some companies in California are now conducting two and three day “trial” work periods. Candidates don’t get paid, but they do work. While I’d argue that phony interviews due to failed pre-screenings and unprepared interviewers should be compensated, I certainly think that once an employee (or “candidate”) begins any actual work that in any way benefits the company, they should be compensated accordingly.
Dumb Job Ads: Web Developer!
Hold on to your punctuation hats and watch out for flying exclamation points. You’re sure to be excited by this dumb job ad:
TRIAD Personnel is currently seeking a creative web developer to join a great company in the Melbourne area! We are looking for someone with multimedia web software knowledge (Macromedia and Adobe applications). Candidate must also have strong knowledge of ASP and PHP as well as in a .NET environment including ASP/VB, JavaScript, XML, MySQL and database design principles. Candidate will be a liaison between IT and Marketing departments and other teams to ensure web content and design is effective. If you meet this qualifications and want to work with a great team, please send us your resume for IMMEDIATE consideration. Thank you!
Dumb Job Ads: .NET Web Developer / Foosball Champion
I’m not making this up. And I’m not seeking these out as much as you might think for three in four days. A friend sent this to me when he stumbled upon it on the Miami Craigslist here. It is a doozy, so be sure you have taken your proper dose of medication before reading it.
ichameleon/group/ develops innovative, high profile websites and applications that fuse video, audio and flash media for our clients. At least that’s our cover. We’re really secret foosball junkies.
Dumb Job Ads: Freelance WEB Designer needed for low budget project
The series continues… sooner than I thought it would. Not even a few days later, I stumble across this beauty. You’d think I’d be making this up, but I’m not. Here it is on Craigslist.
Freelance web designer needed for new Orlando company
We have a couple of low budget websites
we are seeking a very simple webcast site 1 page with movie showing 24 hours this can be a 30 minute repeat loop then an archive that can be searched though a key word system
Please send contact information and links to work done
Dumb Job Ads: Office Assistant Web Developer
I have a friend who posts really dumb online dating ads to his blog. He does this with some regularity which only leads me to believe he spends an awful lot of time on online dating services scoping for chicks. Perhaps equally sad, if not more so, is my own obsession with reading the help wanted ads. I subscribe to a half-dozen feeds of job ads, mostly for freelance work purposes and short-term contracts.
Twelve Reasons to Walk Out of a Job Interview
Have you ever been on a job interview that, somewhere in the middle of it, you got a funny feeling about the job? But, since you needed this job, or you perhaps you hated your old job so much, you got the offer and took the job anyway. Well, I have. A few times. What mistakes those were.
In an effort to help my younger readers who would be more likely than not, as I once was, to accept a position they were offered without pause for reflection, I wanted to share some reasons why you should walk away from a job interview, and the potential job.
Speed Linking
I’m loathe to start a speed link section like so many other bloggers, but I’m ensnared by the possibility that information that some readers might want to know about is passing them by while I wrestle whether to write a long or short post about some of these items. So here is my first attempt at speed-linking with brief explanations.
- Brian Bailey has a new book called The Blogging Church: Sharing the Story of Your Church Through Blogs. I’m really looking forward to getting this and reading this as soon as time, money, and family allow. Thanks to Merlin Mann for pointing this out. Merlin is a contributor to the book.
Despicable Job Choices
Sometimes, when you are down and out, between jobs, just trying to get by, you might be tempted to take a job that you otherwise would not have considered. I’ve seen engineers working at Walgreens. I’ve seen mortgage brokers working as roofers. No matter how bad it gets though, there are some jobs you should never consider.
Most people will automatically make wild claims that they would never do certain things for money - bank robbery, for example. Or prostitution. But, those are personal moral choices that people make because they lead to an undesireable lifestyle which, along with the potential criminal penalties, most people do not want to venture into.
Why you Should or Should Not Hire Me
You should hire me if…
- you are looking for someone who is talented and a quick learner.
- you are in need of a technical minded person.
- you appreciate ideas and creativeness as much as you appreciate quality work.
- you want a person you can trust to get a job done - someone you don’t have to watch every minute.
- you want an employee who cares about his work and what it represents to the firm.
- you are looking to grow a quality team with more quality people.
Nametags
I have a friend who once told me that he knew he had finally “made it” because he no longer had a job where he had to wear a name tag to work. For a long time, that defined for me the essence of “making it” as well.
