You need a web developer, but what are the traits that should be considered in hiring the right one? Once you decide what to look for, how do you go about finding the perfect developer for your company? While each company's individual situation is unique, here are a few tips anyone can use on hiring the right developer for your company.
Consider Your Budget
First thing you’ll need to realize is that there are many, many different types of developers, and of course some will charge more than others. Experience, team size, and the type of services they offer all play into pricing for developers, coders, and programmers. Thus, you need to set a budget for hiring the right developers and stick to it. If you are going to hire a new company and not an individual freelancer, then be prepared to pay more up-front but over a shorter period of time.
Understand Your Needs
You also need to determine your specific needs. For instance, if you’re on a time crunch, you might need to hire a company that can assign several employees to the various aspects of your project simultaneously. However, if you only want to do a simple customization or improvement, you may be able to get away with an individual freelancer with the required skills.
Understand Their Strengths
Next, you’ll need to understand the strengths and services of your current prospects. Getting the most bang for your buck can be a challenge, but choosing a developer with all the necessary skills to complete your project is essential. If you need help adding shopping functionality to your website, you might want to look for a freelancer or company specializing in ecomm development and has experience building out similar platforms. The best way for you to find out the strengths of a developer is to talk to someone who has worked with them before. If you're unable to speak with someone directly, look for their online reviews.
Know What You’re Paying For
You also need to make sure that you are not paying for any unnecessary services. Many developers offer additional services or features upfront that you may or may not need. You may only want to hire a developer for a short term site improvement, but they are offering “additional or continued maintenance” for several months after project completion. Ensure that you choose a developer whose packages fit your needs so you won't be spending too much money on unnecessary add-ons.
Shop Around
It’s possible that the first developer you meet seems to have everything you need. However, it’s best to remember that shopping around never hurts. Ask for references and recommendations from previous clients. You can use those to make your decision on whether or not you think that this certain developer is the right person to do the job for your project. After all, it is your investment, and you want to make sure that you are working with people you can truly trust.
If you’re short on time, a recruiter marketplace can help speed things along. Some recruiter marketplaces even have web developer placement as a specialty. The High 5 recruiter marketplace goes even deeper with developer specialties including stack, cloud, and big data developers (https://www.high5hire.com/hire-developers/).
Get Buy-In From Project Managers
Before any hire, it’s best to make sure that you set clear expectations both for you and your new hire. This means discussing everything about your project with the person you are hiring. These can include the project's goals, the other team members involved, the steps you expect it to take, and how you will monitor the progress and success. The main purpose of these discussions is to make sure that you both agree on the plan and the methods that you will use in executing it once it is done. If there is any confusion on the matter, it will only waste your time and energy down the road.
Be Specific
Finally, when hiring someone for a developer position, make sure that you know where he or she is going to be spending most of his or her time. It would be best if you had a concrete idea of what they will focus on and whether or not there are areas where your money could be better spent. It is also important to know the hours and specific duties the developer is expected to perform.
Conclusion
It’s not easy hiring a top programmer, but things worth doing right rarely are. By taking all of these tips into account, you will put yourself in the best position possible to find and hire the right developer for your company.
