My name is Ryan. I have been working with the .NET framework for over 10 years. I specialise in ASP.NET, using both single page (Web API & AngularJS) and multi page (MVC & jQuery), along with other technology like SQL Server, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, MSMQ, SignalR, Git, Bootstrap, HTML5, CSS3. Where possible, I utilise best practices like BDD, TDD, CI, Git flow, code reviews, pair programming. My focus is on delivering highly scalable, maintainable and performant web applications, while following agile and lean principles to maximise the return on your investment.
Find out more about my development agency and my skills as a .NET contractor.
Think of a .NET contractor as a disposable set of skills which you can leverage when it makes strategic sense for your business.
Like any contract, the parties involved can negotiate the terms to suit each other. In the .NET development world, there are a few generally accepted terms and conditions. .NET contractors usually charge a day rate - as opposed to a service company which will charge a fixed fee for the delivery of the project. Contracts are usually around 3 to 9 months and have a notice period of a month or less. If it suits the client to do so, they can offer the contractor an extension in order to retain the skills for longer - .NET contractors almost always accept extensions.
Ryan worked with me for 8 weeks and during that time he was consistent, dilligent and adapted well to sometimes chaotic circumstances!
.NET contractors have a broad understanding of the .NET framework. They create applications and services for web, windows, and mobile.
ASP.NET contractors have similar skills to .NET contractors, only more focused on web applications and services. They usually have other web skills which are not related to the .NET framework eg. HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, AngularJS etc. Developers with these skills are called full stack web developers and they have all the frontend and backend skills required to create anything on the web.
Ryan was someone I got on very well with and was able to work in tandem with on project very easily. His communication and technical skills were extremely good making it easy to plan and deliver projects, without any issue. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with Ryan again in the future.
.NET developers are permanent employees who receive benefits like annual holidays, pension, equity, private health care etc. They agree to work for your company indefinitely but can leave once they give at least 4 weeks notice. Your company can terminate the contract at any time, but there will be extensive legal procedures for you to follow. Statistics suggest they will leave within 4 years, although some have spent their entire career at the same company. Companies usually spend more time and money finding the right .NET developer, as it is viewed at a long term commitment.
.NET contractors receive no benefits from your company. They only charge for the time they work on your project. They will usually stay as long as your company requires. Companies usually hire and fire .NET contractors without much concern, as it is viewed as a short term commitment.
Ryan joined our team on a six month contract to help with the re-write of Friends Reunited. Ryan has great interpersonal skills, he adjusted to our team dynamic quickly, being able to input into technical discussions and work within our Agile process. Ryan worked on a wide range of things from website feature, system integrations and bugs, he was able to understand the technical detail required, willing to talk to any stakeholder and get the job done.
Unlike a permanent employee or a service company, .NET contractors can start adding value to your business right away. Employees generally have a 30 day notice period, and companies will need to schedule your work to fit in with other clients. Most .NET contractors can start within days of signing a contract. They also have experience with being onboarded quickly, and with tight deadlines from the start. This results in your product getting to market in a shorter time frame.
A .NET freelancer will generally have more clients than a .NET contractor. Also, .NET freelancers will do most of their work off-site, while .NET contractors will work on-site and commit more of their time to a single client. Due to the time involved, .NET freelancers will charge more per hour - although if you are happy to work with freelancers based in another country, you can make significant savings on the hourly rate.
This depends on your priorities. If your priority is getting your product to market as quickly as possible and you have a reasonable budget, a good option might be to use an on-site contractor for a few months to build an MVP. Then you can start evaluating the viability of the idea. Once you have confidence in the business model, you can then look at other resourcing options like freelancers, outsourcing to a service company or building your own team of in-house developers. An english speaking on-site .NET contractor might also be a good option if you are following an agile process where the requirements evolve as time goes on, as opposed to a waterfall approach where the requirements are defined at the start. This is because when the scope of the product is constantly changing, two-way communication becomes extremely important. Lack of communication can cost time and money. Sometimes the money lost will be the same as the money saved by going with a cheap freelancer. On the other hand, if you have a clear idea of what you want to build, a good option might be to find a freelancer abroad and make sure the concept is understood. Once both parties are on the same page, you can leave the developer to build your .NET solution off-site. If you find a good developer who understands your requirements, you could save loads of money.
It also depends on what you are building. If your product has to handle a high volume of traffic or requires a complex architectural model, it might be worth investing more resources into the development. Complex software which has been designed well can be easier and cheaper to maintain.