So you're going offshore to resist market forces domestically.
Perhaps if the jobs weren’t offshored, it would attract more capable programmers into IT, instead of them pursuing other careers.
“Resist market forces domestically.” Ha. I see what you did there.
There is a market for labor. In IT, the market is now global. If you can’t compete in the global market, it’s probably because you suck.
Holy crap - he just said that! Yes he did.
Here’s the deal: A decent domestic IT employee is worth 3 offshore folks. We IT leaders KNOW that. But we also know that the offshore guy will cost me 1/3rd the cost. So, if you aren’t “decent,” then it’s probably better for me to go for 3 offshore instead. Get it? For permanent needs, I will hire domestic resources all day... IF they are decent. I will pass on resources that suck up until the point where I can’t afford to look any more, then I will just on-board some offshore guys. In an area like mine, where IT unemployment is around 1%, you have to give up finding decent people at some point if you ever want to get the job done. So after a few months of looking domestically, we’ll throw our hands up and just get more contractors.
So, in reality, you put the cart ahead of the horse: it’s not me that is resisting market forces. It’s the domestic resources who won’t bring up their game to compete with offshore. Or reduce their salary. The latter point is a big one. Time and time again we’ll say, “Hire and train,” if the resource isn’t quite up to snuff but their salary demands are reasonable.
I had one domestic guy, for example, who had “six years” of experience. Five of them were with his own “start up,” which had failed, and for which there was not a single artifact of code available to review. The other one year was through four 3 month contracts. (Which says, “I was a problem so that no one wanted to keep me around.” Trust me, companies keep and/or convert good contractors when able.) Do you know what this yahoo wanted? $165k base, plus 25% bonus, plus equity incentive.
Hit the road, Jack. I’ll take 4 humble offshore at that price.