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How To Hire A Web Developer |
by:
David Risley |
Today, most businesses wantwebsite. Some already have one. Others want one. They do not want to hire IT staff and probably can't afford any. And in most cases,in-house IT staff, especially for your typical small business, just is not necessary. But, that doesn't mean that you have to go without or will be forced to use some cookie cutter website orpersonal Frontpage experiment gone awry. You can hireweb developer/designer to createprofessional website for you, set it up, then hand it over to you for you to do what you want with it. But, how should you go about finding someone to do this? What should you look for? There are literally thousands of companies/individuals out there offering to do your website. How do you pick from this large group?
What Do You Want?
The first step is to decide exactly what you want on your website. This is very important as it will determine whatrequirements are and, in turn, what skill set your web developer needs to fulfill your needs. Here are some questions to ask of yourself:
* What kinds of information do you want to have on your site? Approximately how large do you envisionsite (# of pages)?
* Will your site require regular updates? Do you want to do these updates yourself?
* Will you be engaging in e-commerce on this website?
* Will you needdatabase?
* How fast do you needjob done?
* What is your budget?
Start Your Search
Doingweb search for someone that hasskills you will need for your website will still give youhumongous list of possible choices. Referrals are oftenbest method of weeding people out. IF someone recommendsdeveloper, it is because they are happy withservice they were provided. So, if someone recommendsdeveloper to you, you should check that developer out and see if they haveskills you will need from them.
Often,developers you are pondering are not located in your town. In today's day and age, this is not usuallyproblem. Yes, there are instances whereface-to-face meeting is really beneficial, and if you arekind of really considers this meeting important, you should limit your search to developers within driving distance of your location. Otherwise,internet and phone system provide allcommunication you will need, regardless of distance.
The first thing to do when consideringdeveloper is to check out their website.
* ISsite well-designed and attractive?
* Is it easy to navigate?
* Are there any broken links?
* Isinformation complete (introduction to staff, company location, contact methods, etc.)?
* Doessite load quickly?
* IS thereportfolio? (Very important. A developer withoutportfolio to display istotal question mark. You simply do not know ifpeople are good or are snacking on doritos trying to figure things out as they go).
* What skills doesdeveloper have? Do they do design only, or can they do dynamic web development and database design? Also, ensure that they do not advertise themselves asweb designer but focus mainly on print media. Internet design and print design are different ballparks with different requirements. Also, keep in mind that good use of Dreamweaver or Frontpage does not in itself makeweb designer. Check their portfolio and ensuredeveloper really knows his stuff. A person well-versed in internet development should know not only about creatingsite, but also maintaining it, marketing it, and promoting it. Ideally,web developer has successfully done all ofabove on his own sites.
* Doessite offer customer testimonials? Read them. And, you might even contact those clients independently to ask them questions ofservice you were provided.
Small Freelancers vs. Big Firms
You need to decide if you want to work withlarge design firm orsmall freelance company (or even single developer). There is more security forclient when working withlarger firm. The skills they offer vary widely because their staff is so large, and they often havevery large portfolio. The caveat, though, is that large companies often charge more money. The overhead costs for such companies is larger, so they will charge more. Additionally, larger companies often come with more beauracracy. With so many developers, often communication is just not what it should be, leading to inconsistencies inproject due to miscommunication. Also, sometimes you will find that these companies paylittle too much attention to process rather than simply gettingjob done.
Freelance developers offer better value formoney, and because they aresingle person,communication flow between them andclient is usually much better (one-on-one). If there isstaff, usuallysize is small, meaning communication will still be more tight-knit. This will lead to more consistent coding and coordination. Also, you know who is responsible for your project and there is more accountability. In larger firms, nobody is responsible in some cases. (or so they say). The downside of freelancing is that their skill set is their skill set, and if you need something that they do not know how to do, they must research it. Also, freelancers are limited by their size. If they already havehigh workload, then their throughout is limited and it may force you to wait. So, depending onsize of your project,large firm might guaranteejob gets done quickly.
Rates and Guidelines
Check outrates ofdeveloper. Often, you will not findrates directly posted on their website. This is usually because they like to do things by estimate, so simply contact them, give themfew specs, and go back and forth until you getballpark figure. When gettingestimate, make sure it is detailed and exact. Ask any questions that you have. If you thinkprice is too high, ask them about it. Don't be afraid to counter-offer. They can always refuse.
Check outdeveloper's contract. Make sureclient is protected. PAy attention to guarantees of response time. You want to make sure your developer is available for you. Also, look for their policy on project changes. Obviously, you cannot alterspecs of your project onceestimate is agreed upon without expecting additional fees. Ask them about this. Also, inspectcontract for warranty of work. Who will they handle bugs inwork they have done?
Talk With Them
Any developer you consider should havemethod of being reached by phone. Call them and gauge their personality. Make sure they are good people who you can talk with and bounce ideas off of. See if they treat you right or act like they barely have time for you. Good communication is very important tosuccessful project, and if you can't properly communicate to your developer, you should not hire him/her.
Evaluate
Evaluate your potential developers usingadvice above and you will be more likely to have successfully completed project with minimal frustration.
Aboutauthor:
David Risley isweb developer and founder of PC Media, Inc. (http://www.pcmedianet.com). Specializes in PHP/MySQL development, consulting and internet business management. He is alsofounder of PC Mechanic (http://www.pcmech.com),large website delivering do-it-yourself computer information to thousands of users every day.
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