Ask HN: Are there any CS students looking for a coding job? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Are there any CS students looking for a coding job?

1 pointjjets7186 comments

Hi everyone,

I have a relatively simple web application idea that I would like to have developed. It would involve facebook/twitter integration, simple listings that people could buy, PayPal integration to purchase the listings, and then email notifications to let the seller and buyer know that the item had been purchased. For the sellers, they would be able to login again to post more listings. I would take a 15% cut of each listing sold. While I know it's not a lot, I only have a budget of $500. Anyone interested feel free to contact me at selfey.sw@gmail.com. Thanks!

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It seems like you've posted this same appeal several times in the past. Have you had success finding people to work for you? If so, why are they not doing the further work? If not, why continue with the same appeal at the same price?

I haven't found anyone in the past. The reason I have posted the same appeal at the same price is I can't afford a higher price as a student.

It's been a month and a half! You could have raised $1000 by flipping burgers. You could also have spent time learning to program yourself. I applaud you for taking the inititative to put up landing pages at http://www.selfey.com/ and http://www.selfey.net/, but I think you're a little too inflexible on your plan to spend $500 to get your idea implemented.

On that note, I also recommend reading the following:

Value of Ideas, Scott Adams: http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_value_of_ideas/ - http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1404298

Unfinanced Entrepreneurs, Mark Evanier: http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL209.htm

I did work a summer job this year! I am learning Rails! I definitely know the idea isn't as valuable as the execution! I went to SW NYC in June and formed a team that didn't have any programmers, but still validated the idea. In the meantime I have been talking to businesses asking them for feedback. I have been toying around with ideas that would be simpler to implement. It's not that I haven't put a lot of time into it, it's I just don't have enough money to pay a lot for a prototype! Thank you for the feedback, and I would still love to talk if you're interested!

Speaking as someone who graduated in May, I'm not sure you will find anyone at that price.

Yeah, it's been tough, but I'm still reluctant to outsource the work. The first project I ever worked on I ended up wasting $1000 outsourcing coding work for a site that barely worked and a terrible interface.

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