Sometimes a technology project isn't emergency enough to call on the Geek Squad. And sometimes it's not big or long-term enough to warrant hiring a full-time staffer. Where else can you turn?
Motivated by his own need for occasional technical assistance, JJ DiGeronimo created TechStudents an online matching service for businesses needing part-time technology help and students and contractors looking for small projects.
In the past, I contacted local colleges and vocational schools searching for technology students to help with desktop upgrades and websites but quickly realized that career service centers were not helpful. In fact, most career centers are tasked with placing students in internships (usually 2 or so months), co-ops, or fulltime positions rather than the part-time work I had in mind. I even tried contacting IT professors to connect me with talented students with no success. I did not have resources to support a student for 2+ months but I had enough to employ students for a few hours a week to work on IT related projects.
Might be a useful tool!
Related Stories: | Topics:Careers, Human Resources, 1, C, G |
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Recent Comments | 2 Total
July 28, 2004 at 11:29am by Zane Safrit
We faced the same challenge: small company, growing fast, with a small network and a database that needed updating/refinining/tweaking. But all of it put together couldn't justify a full-time IT person.
So, we changed the job description and incentives. The job description became 'jack-of-all' trades: IT/network administrator, helpdesk, html programmer, filemaker programmer, phone system support person and back-up Customer Service person.
The incentives were: flexible, interesting position, training on new services like HTML coding and filemaker scripts, flexible work schedule.
It took some patience on both sides. And some trial and error. But now we've got a very senior person with the skills we want, who's anxious to learn new skills, and who's willing to do the mundane stuff like Customer Service in return for a flexible working environment and comfortable benefits package.
August 1, 2004 at 1:04pm by Bob Watkins
My first thought was that he's just being cheap, and that he'll get the quality he's paying for. Then the light bulb clicked on. Done right, this could indeed be useful in several ways.
A key factor is whether the students are treated as interchangeable commodities, or whether some thought is given to matching student to task based on the STUDENT'S needs as well as the employer's. That is, will the time they spend become what Tom Peters calls a "braggable project", because it fits their goals and is seriously cool work? Or will it just become another summer job like McDonalds?
If care is taken in the matching, it accomplishes several things. It develops the talent pool, so as full-time positions become available you've kept track of upcoming stars you want to be on board. It furthers the career of the student. And it fosters the "all work is projects" model for getting stuff done.