oDesk schmo-desk

Perhaps you’ve been looking for some talent to supplement your team. Or, maybe you have no team and you’d like to build one with inexpensive, offshore workers. You’re not alone. More and more people are jumping at the opportunities presented by small-scare outsourcing. The concept seems pretty simple, yet from my own recent experiences, it’s harder than it looks.

I recently posted a Job Opportunity on oDesk for a Ruby developer with a few years of experience. Within a few days I had received a handful of responses from developers that were either A) inexperienced, B) unqualified, or C) had poor ratings. So, following the advice of the helpful oDesk staff, I searched for prospective workers and contacted them directly about setting up a virtual interview via instant messenger. No dice. 0 for 4. The workers are in the system, but they don’t seem to respond, which makes me wonder how many of these people are actively using oDesk.

In summary, the concept of oDesk seems great—pre-screened workers, detailed oversight of hours and productivity, and easy payment. However, no matter how great the system may be, it is nothing without a supply of high-quality workers.