| "body"> | | | | small your project is, there will be plenty ofbidders to |
| - Resume Lies and Half Truths - | | | | choose from. As bids come in, the buyer can look at |
| According to theresumes that are distributed to large | | | | the bidder'sprofiles. Here, they will find information that |
| corporations and smallbusinesses, only good guys look | | | | they would never find on aresume. They can see |
| for jobs. This seems to be especially true inthe | | | | where the coder is located, how they arerated, how |
| Information Technology field. You will never see a | | | | long they have been a member of Rent a Coder, the |
| resumethat shows that a project was cancelled, or | | | | last date and timethat they were logged into the site, |
| that the programmer was removedfrom a project due | | | | how many jobs they have completed throughthe site, |
| to his inability to meet the needs of the company or | | | | and how many jobs that they have in progress. |
| aclient. Instead, the resume's all show that only the best | | | | Then, they cansee even more interesting information, |
| of thebest are looking for work. | | | | such as how many arbitrations a buyerhas had. |
| If they are thebest of the best - then why are they | | | | Arbitrations occur when there is a conflict between a |
| seeking work? Why have they had so manydifferent | | | | buyer and acoder. The results of arbitrations are listed |
| jobs? Why aren't these companies treating these IT | | | | near the bottom of the page withthe coder's reviews. |
| professionalsbetter? Well, the fact is that the majority | | | | Many buyers require coders to submit status reports |
| of resumes submittedare full of lies and half truths. | | | | every |
| Unfortunately, when a company checks apotential | | | | Friday. This is common for long term projects and |
| employee or contractors work history, they are very | | | | required for projects over acertain amount of money. |
| limited in thequestions that they are allowed to ask - | | | | On the coder's profile, the buyer can see how |
| and past employers are often reluctantto give | | | | manystatus reports the coder missed, if any. |
| information, sticking with employment dates and | | | | Education, whichis commonly lied about on resumes, |
| starting and endingsalary information. | | | | doesn't matter quite as muchon Rent a Coder. The |
| Work history andperformance aren't the only lies and | | | | coder can submit their resume, which becomespart of |
| half truths that you will find on aresumes. People also | | | | their profile, and they usually list any education they |
| tend to lie about their education andaccomplishments. | | | | have had, but Renta coder has a better plan. Rent a |
| They know that even though their education can easily | | | | Coder is partnered with 'Expert Rating' at Coderswho |
| bechecked, most employers won't take the time or | | | | are serious about their work and their reputations can |
| use the resources to do this. | | | | take certificationtests through Expert Rating, and their |
| They also know that accomplishments are rarely | | | | certifications appear on their Rent a |
| checked - so they can easily getaway with stretching | | | | Coder profiles. This takes away the need to check a |
| the truth, or telling a straight out lie. | | | | coder's education todetermine whether or not they |
| Personalreferences are also useless when it comes to | | | | have the skills that your project requires. |
| finding out about someone. Do youreally think that they | | | | Coder's are not required to take the certification tests |
| would list someone that would say negative things | | | | however - but theone's that are serious about their |
| aboutthem? Of course they won't. They are only going | | | | work often do get certified. |
| to give you the names,addresses, and telephone | | | | After the Expert |
| numbers of people who will make them look good - | | | | Rating certifications listing on the profile, the buyer can |
| andthen they are going to coach those people about | | | | view theresume that the coder has posted. Most |
| what to say and what not to saybefore you call. | | | | buyer's only give this acursory glance, because they |
| With all of theseresume lies and half truths, it is almost | | | | are much more interested in what is below |
| impossible to find ITprofessionals that can handle the | | | | thatresume. The Rent a Coder All Coder Competition |
| job that you are trying to fill. Manyemployers have | | | | Scores comes afterthe resume and this tells a buyer |
| even started contacting IT schools to hire students and | | | | how a coder ranks overall onthe Rent a Coder site. |
| recentgraduates - who are vastly inexperienced - just | | | | This score is calculated using a formula consisting of |
| to avoid the possibility ofhiring someone who has lied | | | | thenumber of jobs a coder has completed, the amount |
| on their resume. When they do hiresomeone who has | | | | of money they were paid, theirratings for each job, |
| lied, they often find out - too late - that the person did | | | | and whether status report deadlines and project |
| nothave the necessary skills to handle their IT project. | | | | deadlineswere met. |
| This costs the employershundreds and even | | | | Coders take thisrating and competition quite seriously. It |
| thousands of dollars in lost time, lost clients, and | | | | often means the difference betweenwinning and losing |
| salariesthat are paid out to these unskilled people. | | | | bids. |
| This problemexists for corporate employers who are | | | | I have completed over 500 jobs through RentACoder |
| trying to fill permanent or long term ITpositions, as well | | | | successfully. |
| as for small business owners who need to hire IT | | | | When someone wants to hire me, they simply look at |
| professionalson a project-by-project basis. Until a few | | | | my profile,where they can see how past buyers have |
| years ago, these employers had totake their chances | | | | rated me, and read the reviews of my work |
| and hope for the best. Today, however, there is a | | | | I have been rated by hundreds buyers that I |
| betterway. | | | | haveperformed services for, and I have an average |
| Back in Januaryof 2001, a gentleman named Ian Ippolito | | | | rating of 9.92. I am certified professional, |
| had an idea. Ippolito is a programmerwith a bachelor's | | | | I have missed no status reports, and I have never lost |
| degree in Computer Science from the | | | | anarbitration. I have a Top Coder rating, and is quickly |
| University of Central Florida. His idea cameabout when | | | | on my way to becomingone of the Top 10 Coders at |
| he was getting more requests for programming work | | | | Rent a Coder. When a potential buyer considershiring |
| than he couldpossibly handle. By the middle of 2001, | | | | me, they are usually quite impressed with the reviews |
| Ippolito had a way to meet the needs ofclients that he | | | | that pastbuyers left behind on my profile. |
| was being forced to turn away due to time | | | | The rating systemis one of the better features of the |
| constraints. 'Rent a | | | | Rent a Coder site. When a coder completesa job, the |
| Coder' was born, and by the following year, over 1400 | | | | buyer can rate them, on a scale of 1 to 10, and they |
| software projects werebeing completed every month. | | | | can write areview on the work that was done. These |
| Today, close to 9000 projects are completedmonthly, | | | | reviews and ratings are better than anypolished |
| and that number continues to rise. | | | | resume that you could receive. There are no lies here |
| Rent a Coder isdescribed as an international | | | | -the information left behind by past buyers who have |
| marketplace, where people and companies that | | | | worked with the coders isabsolutely honest - and the |
| needcustom software developed can find | | | | coder can't do anything to hide that informationfrom |
| programmers - or coders - without worryingabout | | | | you - other than to close that coder account and open |
| losing their money. The coders are equally protected | | | | a new one, which isseldom done. New coders find that |
| as well, meaningthat they don't have to worry about | | | | it is difficult to get their foot in the door |
| completing jobs and not getting paid forthem. People | | | | - with no jobs completed and no ratings or reviews. |
| from all over the world are able to do business | | | | Furthermore, if a codergets caught doing this, they get |
| together in asafe, web based environment. Good | | | | banned from the site permanently. |
| coders don't lack for work, and good buyersdon't lack | | | | Of course, all ofthis works well in reverse too. The |
| for coders who are willing and able to do the work. | | | | coders also get to rate the buyers. After ajob is |
| While Rent a Coderwas originally intended for | | | | completed, they coder rates the buyer on a scale of 1 |
| software buyers and programmers, today | | | | to 10, and canwrite a review on their experience with |
| manydifferent types of projects go through the site, | | | | the buyer. This alerts other coders tobuyers who are |
| such as content writing, linkingprojects, and other short | | | | difficult to work with, or who are slow to respond, or |
| term virtual assistant projects. There are currentlyover | | | | slow torelease escrowed funds after work is |
| 42,000 buyers registered with Rent a Coder, and over | | | | completed. Before bidding on jobs, codersusually take |
| 110,000 coders areavailable. | | | | a look at the buyer's profile, which is set up almost just |
| Rent a Coder hasan excellent system that works well | | | | likethe coders profile, with only a few differences. |
| for both coders and buyers. First, when abuyer has a | | | | When a buyeraccepts a bid, the money for the bid |
| software need, or other need that can be filled by a | | | | amount is moved into an escrow account by |
| freelancer,they can sign up for a free account at Rent | | | | Rent a Coder, where it remains until the coder reports |
| a Coder. Buyers are never charged afee for using the | | | | the work as complete,and the buyer accepts the work |
| site's services, and they are not charged a fee on | | | | as 100% complete. When the buyer accepts thework, |
| projectseither. The only way buyers are charged fees | | | | the funds are released to the coder's account, and |
| is when a project is cancelledafter a bidder has been | | | | coder's are paidthrough paypal, western union, or |
| chosen- and even then, the cancellation fee may be | | | | check either once or twice a month, dependingon the |
| theresponsibility of the coder, or split between the | | | | options that the coder chooses. |
| coder and the buyer,depending on the circumstances. | | | | This process ofescrowing funds protects both the |
| It literallytakes less than ten minutes to set up a buyers | | | | coder and the buyer. The coder knows thatthey will |
| account on Rent a Coder. Toprotect the coders, the | | | | get paid, and the buyer knows that is the coder does |
| buyer must go through a short verification process. | | | | not complete thework as agreed, they can put the |
| This is done by telephone and it is automated. The | | | | project into arbitration, and a Rent a Coderarbitrator will |
| buyer can choose to pay forprojects through paypal | | | | listen to both sides and make a determination about |
| or with his or her credit card. This information is | | | | releasingthe funds. The arbitrator facilitators are |
| entered in when settingup the buyers account, and is | | | | completely neutral, and award thefunds based on the |
| part of the verification process. This phase ofthe | | | | facts that they have. That is why both the coder and |
| verification process can take up to twenty-four hours, | | | | buyerare encouraged to keep all communications |
| because it ishandled by humans. No charges are made | | | | going through the Rent a Coderwebsite, so that there |
| to the buyer's credit card or paypalaccount until he | | | | is proof as to what was asked, what was said, and |
| sets up a bid request and chooses a winning bidder. | | | | whatwas done. |
| When setting up abid request, the buyer has many | | | | With sites like |
| options. He can set the maximum amount that heis | | | | Rent a Coder, the days of lying on resumes are |
| willing to pay for completion of the project, describe | | | | quickly coming toan end. By hiring coders through Rent |
| the project andrequirements that must be met, set a | | | | a Coder, buyers save money because thecompetition |
| deadline for bidding, and a deadline forproject | | | | between the coders keeps prices down. The buyer |
| completion, and choose certain skills that bidders should | | | | doesn't have toworry about losing their money, or |
| have, such asweb design, c++ programming, or writing | | | | paying large salaries or benefits for a fulltime or |
| skills. Setting up a bid request oftentakes less than ten | | | | temporary employee, and they can avoid hiring IT |
| minutes, and the Rent a Coder staff approves bid | | | | professionals who turnout to be anything but |
| requestsfor publication to the site within hours, and | | | | professional! |
| sometimes even within minutes. | | | | Copyright 2005 - Sergey I. |
| Then, the biddingstarts. No matter how big or how | | | | |