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Eric Wise » Just curious (job perks)
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Just curious (job perks)

If you have the time and ambition, rank the following job perks in how effective they'd be to getting you to work for a company as a full-time developer.  I'm just curious as to what extra perks would really motivate good developers.

1. All expenses paid trip to one major microsoft conference (PDC, VSLive, etc).

2. 100% reimbursement for Microsoft Certifications (tests and materials).

3. Telecommute x days per week.

4. Reduced work-week (35hrs instead of 40)

5. Reduced work-week (work 4 10 hour days with every Friday off)

6. Reduced work-week (work 9 hour days, every other Friday off)

7. Reduced work-week (paid lunch, 8 hour day means 8 hour day, not 9 with a 1 hr lunch!)

8. Custom-build your development workstation (say you get $1500 allowance and you buy whatever parts you want).

9. Profit sharing from sales of software developed by your team.

Posted Thu, Aug 12 2004 12:33 PM by Eric Wise

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Comments

Darrell wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 8:40 AM
In order:
9, 8, 6, 3, 1.

Other thoughts:
- 2 should be a given, but only if you pass the test. :)
- I like Google's idea of having someone cook meals for free. I would consider that as part of my compensation.
- The total compensation package needs to be considered. For example, my current employer gives me free medical for the whole family (I don't have one yet, but hey). That's worth a LOT nowadays.
Rob Gibbens wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 8:47 AM
With all other things being equal...

2, 3, 9, 1, 4, 3, 5, 6, 8, 7
Richard Dudley wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 8:50 AM
3,2,9,1

The reduced work week stuff is just too European for me.
Ric Castagna wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 8:56 AM
In order: 9,8,3,5,6,2,1,4,7

Granted, the overal package needs to be evaluated, but I'd be more inclined to take a somewhat lower salary for more flexibility in my work environment. As most IT managers know, developers SELDOM spend 40 hours week/8 hours a day on their job. Some latitude needs to be granted in other areas.

Wait a second...what am I thinking. I'm a developer and I have to wear a f*&#$ tie to work...it's not even IBM! I've got to be here from 8:30am to 5:00pm. No telecommute, no flexibility in hours...but, hey...it beats unemployment.

Ric
Jeffrey Palermo wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 9:06 AM
The Dell I/T department offers a lot of those. Wow, looking at this place, Dell I/T must be a great place to work! Of course, it's easier for us to get faster computers since we build them. I have the fastest Latitude laptop that Dell manufacturs, and I'll never go back to developing with a tower!
Frans Bouma wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 9:23 AM
9 and then 8. The rest is a waste of time and money.
Steve Hall wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 9:37 AM
9.1.8.2 - an obvious emphasis on resources and training...two types of expenses that almost all companies where I am (Silicon Valley) balk at considering to be a hiring "plus".

You missed a few similar items that fall into those two categories: 1) $1000 a year for books, 2) $1000 a year for night classes at accrediated extensions schools (like UC Santa Cruz Extension and UC Berkeley Extension), 3) a $2500 year allowance for software (which would allow for MSDN Universal and a few other wonderful suites, like CompuWare DevPartner Studio).
Jon Choy wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 10:09 AM
7. And encourage the developers to buy nerf guns and sunglasses, or something equally likely to encourage "not in the box" thinking time.

Not 8 - the development workstation isn't "yours" - in fact, I'd go webterminal/thin client for the email/office productivity side, and get FAT (max (1GB minimum) ram, dual 17" panel, decent clock) workstations for pairing.

Pay two developers, get faster, higher quality results when they work together than when they work individually. What's not to like about pairing?
antoine wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 11:38 AM
3, (2,) 6, 1, 4, 7, 9, 8, 5

2 should be paid at least if you pass. That's the employer's benefit also...
Michael Teper wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Thu, Aug 12 2004 11:53 AM
9 is the only motivating one here. All the ones that limit your work commitment are for factory conveyer workers, not developers. A developer has a task and a deadline. What transpires in-between should be managed but not regulated (hope that makes sense). Telecommuting or VPN access might be required to get some people to come work for you if they live far from office. 1 should be a given if you value professional growth of your organization. 2 is only relevant if your organization is into that kind of thing (you want to be careful not to pay for people's certification to help them get a better job elsewhere).
Jeff Lynch wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Fri, Aug 13 2004 7:15 AM
1000 shares of MS stock issued before their dividend check comes out.
shebert wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Wed, Aug 10 2005 11:51 AM
6,4,3,2,8,1,9,7,5

I only rate 9 so low because profit is easily manipulated and I don't trust anyone but myself to calculate it.
shebert wrote re: Just curious (job perks)
on Wed, Aug 10 2005 11:54 AM
I guess I don't see the other options as limiting your work commitment. For example, reduced office hours are different than reduced hours. I do a lot of work at home after the kids are in bed.
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