

Classic craigslist coding job ad Not to follow up - jv22222
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/sof/1997496290.html

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carbocation
It gets even better when you follow the link to his page:
<http://craignelsen.com/iphone_app.php>

He gives 4 "hints" as to what he wants this app to do (sounds like a real-time
dating app, but who knows!?). He then asks you to not only give a Total Cost
estimate, but also a completion date.

Next time you go to your doctor for a routine physical, ask him/her when the
surgery will be complete and how much money it will cost. Do not offer
additional details (such as any plausibly surgical conditions that you might
have) if your doctor asks for them.

~~~
chopsueyar
You don't give him any credit for having a web form to fill out?

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cnelsen
So, I take it Hacker.com is one of those sites for the initiated where those
"in-the-know" can sit around and disparage the uninitiated--where the experts
can gather and imbibe that tasty brew of in-crowd mockery and self-satisfied
contempt for their non-expert lessers?

Perhaps, then, jv22222, since you have made me the public target of your
scorn, you'll add substance to your ridicule and teach me where went I wrong
with my post seeking an app writer on craigslist (different Craig).

I should tell you, first of all, that this was not my first time placing an ad
for coders on craigslist, nor will it be my first time hiring someone who
answers an ad. They would tell you that I pay well for good work, that I pay
on time (half up front and the remaining half immediately upon completion),
and that I am flexible, responsive, and accessible. I also have at least a
passing familiarity with coding (there isn't a lick of javascript on this page
I wrote, for example, <http://craignelsen.com/>).

I thought the craigslist ad was good, but you obviously disagree. You don't
say exactly what it is you find so objectionable, but, if I read between the
lines, my description of the job was flawed, comprising merely "hints".
Perhaps you can teach me how I could have described the job so that I met your
standards without actually posting my idea on the Internet (it is not, btw, a
real-time dating app).

If your beef was with the fact that my ad directs to a web page with a form to
fill out, then I should tell you that, as someone who hires coders, I find the
form eliminates a lot of the off-shore spam responses from companies that
mass-reply to ads on craigslist. If you are not an off-shore company, I should
think you would be appreciative of my approach, rather than disparaging.

Also, btw, a little public criticism of your post on grounds more in line with
my field of expertise:

Your doctor analogy is untenable.

Craig Nelsen Washington, DC

~~~
jimmyjam
You site craignelsen.com is objectionable - why are you busy loading thousands
of little gifs to form a picture of yourself?

Maybe if you had included some of your previous experiences hiring craigslist
coders with references, you would be received more warmly.

As it stands, your ad is crap in that it doesn't provide any useful
information about the job or compensation. In addition, you're either a
Director at "Buddy Clubs" or a Independent Non-Profit Organization Management
Professional, whatever that means. Neither title inspires much confidence in
programmers.

~~~
cnelsen
Since I didn't ask to be publicly identified--let alone skewered--on
Hackers.com, my manner of approach is irrelevant, in my view. I won't be so
rude as to call your post "crap", but why don't you give an example of the
"useful information" you say is missing from my ad that justifies you calling
my ad "crap".

I haven't read any other thread on this site, but I assume "HN's approach to
comments" is widely ignored?

~~~
headShrinker
Cnelsen, the major problem with the listing is it lacks any detail about the
project or how you expect to execute it. If you think a program is summed up
by 4 bullets you have no understanding of what is involved, thus, you are in
short 'the nightmare client'.

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iamdave
Compensation: tbd.

All I needed to see.

~~~
cnelsen
Because this is a bid job, if you'd bothered to see a little further. Maybe
you should brush up on your job-hunting skills.

