Is the lack of developer resource holding back tech businesses?

[Tribes]

I've been the founder of several digital agencies and now am operating a distributed agency. We have an enormous developer database and never struggle delivering projects for our clients who include Contensquare, Ladbrokes / Coral, Hitachi, Universal Music and many others.

My question to others whether startups, tech businesses or agencies.... Is the lack of developer resource holding back tech businesses? And, being distributed, is this a benefit or a more complicated buisness to operate (I know the answer to the second question but always interested to hear other people's thoughts)

 

[fisicx]

Not really sure I understand your question but never been held back by a lack of anything. Except teabags. Ran out this morning due to my wife failing to buy some as requested.

 

[Tribes]

Not really sure I understand your question but never been held back by a lack of anything. Except teabags. Ran out this morning due to my wife failing to buy some as requested.

In Manchester where I am based we have plenty of tea bags (most of the time) but I am hearing on a regular basis that startups are getting the funding but then struggling getting the developers to realise their ambitions. Tea bags are as equally important thought!!

 

[fisicx]

That’s often because startups don’t have a clear business plan or the skills to write a specification. I get this all the time. Clients come to me with ideas but when I start asking questions it’s obvious they haven’t thought about anything other than the idea.

PS: now have teabags so crisis averted.

 

[DontAsk]

Developers of what? IT, web sites, e-commerce, products?

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

struggling getting the developers to realise their ambitions.

Could that be because they do not know where to look?

 

[Mark T Jones]

In Manchester where I am based we have plenty of tea bags (most of the time) but I am hearing on a regular basis that startups are getting the funding but then struggling getting the developers to realise their ambitions. Tea bags are as equally important thought!!

I know very little about the develop aspects, but with plenty of experience with start-ups; and I'd suggest a big part of the problem lies in their ability to create an effective brief.

 

[Tribes]

I know very little about the develop aspects, but with plenty of experience with start-ups; and I'd suggest a big part of the problem lies in their ability to create an effective brief.

Yes Mark, I agree but the startups I am talking about already have the cash, the ideas, the UX /UI but then when it comes to hiring developers the process can become complex. My agency uses a developer network that has approx 5000 senior remote developers available for hire. We use them and I am always happy to introduce new folks to the network, it's the smart way of working we think.

 

[fisicx]

still not sure what you are asking. Are you suggesting startups struggle to find a developer so should use someone like you?

 

[Tribes]

still not sure what you are asking. Are you suggesting startups struggle to find a developer so should use someone like you?

Startups and tech companies do struggle to find developers in the UK, there is a huge talent shortage. There are literally hundreds of thousands of amazing developers around the World who would love to work with UK businesses and the processes and tech is there to enable this kind of work.

Yes my business operates with this model and we do have a lot of amazing tried and tested developers who are ready to work, so of course I would love to help anyone needing developer resource, but equally I am interested in what other businesses are doing, the issues they are having and the solutions they are finding. We are just one way of doing things, there are many other ways also.

 

[Tribes]

still not sure what you are asking. Are you suggesting startups struggle to find a developer so should use someone like you?

Looking at the copy below your reply I see you develop sites etc... What I would love to know from yourself is, what are your limitations ie for example "I don't build native apps" or "I mainly use non code systems for developing my websites" I have a thought around digital agency owners 'reinventing' the way they operate. My last agency worked directly with artists inc The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters and many others and we had the usual office set up. If I was back at my previous agency I would be opting for a distributed model, not just to keep the overheads down but also to offer many other digital / tech products we would normally not be able to offer due to the lack of skill.

Would love a chat with you!!

 

[fisicx]

People don’t seem to have a problem finding me. I operate in a niche (but lucrative) market and get requests every day from people wanting what I do.

What they don’t want is a developer. It’s the products they want. They done care if it’s built using Lego and sticky tape as long as it works.

The problem is developers are usually rubbish at marketing. Which is where services like your can help. It not a lack of tech resource, it’s poor marketing.

 

[antropy]

My question to others whether startups, tech businesses or agencies.... Is the lack of developer resource holding back tech businesses? And, being distributed, is this a benefit or a more complicated buisness to operate (I know the answer to the second question but always interested to hear other people's thoughts)

Tell me you want to sell me developers without telling me you want to sell me developers ?

Paul.

 

[Deleted member 315707]

People don’t want developers in the same way they don’t want a drill, they want a hole. The art is, and always has been, understanding the problem fully enough to come up with a solution.

Whilst I don’t always agree with fisicx, they’re spot on that as long as it works, it doesn’t always matter how, why, who, what. It’s the hole people are after, not the drill.

 

[AlanJ1]

Tell me you want to sell me developers without telling me you want to sell me developers ?

Paul.

I got the exact same idea from the posts!

 

[IanSuth]

In Manchester where I am based we have plenty of tea bags (most of the time) but I am hearing on a regular basis that startups are getting the funding but then struggling getting the developers to realise their ambitions. Tea bags are as equally important thought!!

I did perm IT recruitment in the Thames Valley for 27 years, starting in the days of Mainframes and up until 202o and so saw the entire creation of various tech booms

Start ups struggle to get developers for 1 reason and 1 reason only - false expectations

Everyone wants 2 years experience and puts it all over adverts (even for tech only just or not even 2 years old), most are pretty unwilling to consider a good developer is a good developer and can bring past experience in other languages/frameworks/tools to bear pretty quickly. I would regularly say to people "how many trainees did you take on 2 years ago ? Now where do you think people with 2 years' experience come from ?"
They are also (for obvious reasons) convinced their cunning new system/program/site/app is the best thing ever and so just assume a prospective worker will see it the same way and be desperate to work for them and forgo some reward for the privilege.

There are now several quite large companies that listened to advice and took on people "who could" rather than people "who had" when they were small and thrived.

 

[japancool]

"I want a senior developer who will work for a pittance and take a profit share in the future" is usually what comes up.

This time next year, Rodders...