Taking over a big job
Every now and again I see people coming up on IRC asking for help. That’s normal, we’re there to help (and share lol cat pictures). However, it always amazes me when someone is asking for something like this:
Is mysql a good option for a database that has 500.000.000.000 records?
Sure if you’re insane! But that’s not even the point here. My question is: why is someone so inexperienced taking over a job like that? Clearly that person don’t have the know how.
For me, if for some reason I come across a project like that I only see two options.
- I have a team of really good developers having my back.
- Don’t take the job.
I don’t see any other way. So the next time you’re about to take a new job, you need to ask yourself:
Am I capable of doing this? Do I have the human resources to manage such project?
If you don’t, you have to go with the last option and abandon the project. You will certainly going to screw it up. The client will not like to work with you, and you will end up losing money.
Always remember, even if you’re having problems getting work there’s always better stuff to do than losing money. Losing money is never an option, and that’s what you’re doing when you try to take over a project that you can’t manage.