This has always totally baffled me. You can hire three developers in the Midwest for the price of two in SF.
My friends in Silicon Valley say it's because if a developer is any good they move out there. Quite simply that is just not true. They may be less reluctant to work for a startup, but those that will aren't being asked.
I'm a developer currently in the Midwest. It's such a great place for families.
Sure, I'd be willing to work for a startup again. But relocation to SF would be a challenge, due to the difference in CoL, housing prices, and level of services.
There seems to be evidence that this is, at least statistically, true. There will of course be good developers in the Midwest. But when you combine the draw of the valley, with the fact that most of the best developers got to where they are by the interactions they have with other developers. Add in that the best programmers are driven by their trade, and highly likely to move to where they can get the best, most challenging problems. I could easily see this to be true.
Then, when most developers are hired by personal reference, how do you expect us to find these amazing developers hiding in the Midwest?
There seems to be evidence that this is, at least statistically, true. There will of course be good developers in the Midwest. But when you combine the draw of the valley, with the fact that most of the best developers got to where they are by the interactions they have with other developers. Add in that the best programmers are driven by their trade, and highly likely to move to where they can get the best, most challenging problems. I could easily see this to be true
Sounds like you live in a bubble. There are tons of great developers who'd never move to San Francisco (family, personal preference etc), and I can interact with other great developers without leaving my city ... additionally, doing startups isn't the only interesting programming work to be done :D
Then, when most developers are hired by personal reference, how do you expect us to find these amazing developers hiding in the Midwest?
Maybe relying only on personal reference is doing it wrong then ;)
> Maybe relying only on personal reference is doing it wrong then.
We try not to, but other forms of recruitment have thus far, returned less than stellar applicants. The only other luck we've had is actively seeking out people with projects in the same field. But that has mixed results also.
> how do you expect us to find these amazing developers hiding in the Midwest?
I don't really think you're trying and that was my point.
You're telling me the Midwest developers who move out to the Valley don't know a single great developer from back home who would jump to work for your startup as long as he could do it from home?
I have a very small sampling of midwest developers who I've worked with to be a representative sample. But for those I do know, the great developers from back home already moved out to the bay.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Just saying we see it less. We're open to remote workers (We have one person working from Greece ATM), but so far haven't been impressed with any applicants we've received from the 'midwest'.
I'm always looking for more remote development tools, I'll check out Sococo, but any other suggestions.
My friends in Silicon Valley say it's because if a developer is any good they move out there. Quite simply that is just not true. They may be less reluctant to work for a startup, but those that will aren't being asked.