Startup Idea: Startup Idea for a Developer Recruitment Agency

Startup idea to create a recruitment agency for software developers with an innovative model. The startup hires aspiring developers and lets them work on a small project for a client for a limited time. The client gets to know the skills and work ethics of the developers and potentially hire the best fit. The developers get paid regardless of being hired. This approach eliminates traditional interview processes and encourages 'trial before purchase'.

I had an idea for a startup that I think could be a much better solution than code interviews.

It hinges on the fact you can get a much better sense of a developer after you've worked with her for a few weeks.

So, here's the idea:

Hire a group of developers to to work with you on a small project for a few weeks. They come in as a (virtual or real world) team and build something you've been meaning to do, but it's on your low priority stack.

All of the developers in that group are actually looking for a full time job. As you work with them during those 2 weeks you can see which dev you gel with best and offer them a job.

In the mean time, all the devs get paid for doing useful work for you for a short period of time, even if they don't get hired.

So... the startup is a central agency that engages developers looking for a full time job and then hires them out as a group to help clients do a small project, with a view to picking one or more of the developers for full time work.

This is a win for the agency because they have to do less work to convince a client about a candidate. It's a win for developers because they get paid to be on job interviews. And it's a win for the client because they get to try before they buy and as a result will make much higher quality hires.

Some discussion on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15342923

Note: This idea is a submission by me.