Sabu Francis & Associates

Anyone who has a computer and a good Internet connection (ideally broadband connection)and the right qualification is eligible to work for SFA. The very fact that you are reading this page should usually mean that the first two criteria has been met. Qualifications expected range from a degree/diploma in Architecture to computer programming skills, depending on what SFA is involved at that time

We prefer Indians from in and around Mumbai area, for the simple fact that they can be contacted via mobile and can be called up for a physical meeting once in a while. But this is not a strict necessity. Potential employees have to pass a screening test before their name is entered on our employement roster. We use a concept known as "just-in-time employment" which needs to be carefully understood.

We employ people with these backgrounds:

• We are always on the look out for architects who look at the practice of architecture openly. They should be adept at using computers but at the same time should NOT be fixated (i.e. moronically fascinated) by it!
• We also like to employ those people who are good at computer programming. We develop various software tools for the AEC industry. Preference will be given to those whose fundamental concepts regarding computers have been found to be deep and are perceptive about subtle issues in computing. We do not appreciate those who follow fads and fashions in the computer industry blindly.

In "just-in-time" employment, employees are not strictly bound to us. Instead, we enrol people into our roster and assemble a team using just-in-time principles. That means, when a project materializes, the team also materializes just in time to do the work. Reimbursement to the employees is done ony when the team is at work.

To be employed, a prospective employee should first have his/her own website where his/her potential should be presented. Only then should the candidate enroll on our website and put up his/her request for us to visit the said website using the Employment forum. If we find his/her website has interesting information which is valid for what we are doing, we'll intimate the candidate and give him/her a password for our private chat system. An online chat interview will then be conducted at a mutually convenient date.

Once the candidate has passed the test, submits his/her proof of qualifications and signs our employee agreement then his/her name would be put on our roster of just-in-time employees. A suitable hourly remuneration would be accorded to the candidate as per our mutual negotiations. This remuneration is only payable when actual work is done by the employee. A few (and not all) candidates may be given some retainership so that they remain with us in our employment roster. This retainership will also be set on a case to case basis.

The day-to-day activities of our office will be carried out using some specialized software we've developed along with some open source and/or free software from the net.

This is NOT outsourcing!
The concept of "Just-in-time" is NOT the same as outsourcing. We DO NOT outsource our work. SFA has never believed that outsourcing can work in a design organization, because of the dynamics demanded by the iterative design process that we use. When a group of our employees are working together -- it actually means that they are working together; albeit via the Internet. They may be located at different physical locations, but that does not matter.

See also What is Just-in-time employement? Outsourcing?