How to Hire a Web Developer
Today, most businesses want a website.
Some already have one. Others want one. They don't want to
hire IT staff and probably can't afford any. And in most cases,
an in-house IT staff, especially for your typical small business,
just isn't necessary. But, that doesn't mean that you have
to go without or will be forced to use some cookie cutter
website or a personal Frontpage experiment gone awry. You
can hire a web developer/designer to create a professional
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 what
the requirements 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 envision the site (# 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 need a database?
* How fast do you need the job done?
* What is your budget?
Start Your Search
Doing a web search for someone that has the skills you will
need for your website will still give you a humongous list
of possible choices. Referrals are often the best method of
weeding people out. IF someone recommends a developer, it
is because they are happy with the service they were provided.
So, if someone recommends a developer to you, you should check
that developer out and see if they have the skills you will
need from them.
Often, the developers you are pondering are not located in
your town. In today's day and age, this is not usually a problem.
Yes, there are instances where a face-to-face meeting is really
beneficial, and if you are the kind of really considers this
meeting important, you should limit your search to developers
within driving distance of your location. Otherwise, the internet
and phone system provide all the communication you will need,
regardless of distance.
The first thing to do when considering a developer is to check
out their website.
* IS the site well-designed and attractive?
* Is it easy to navigate?
* Are there any broken links?
* Is the information complete (introduction to staff, company
location, contact methods, etc.)?
* Does the site load quickly?
* IS there a portfolio? (Very important. A developer without
a portfolio to display is a total question mark. You simply
don't know if the people are good or are snacking on doritos
trying to figure things out as they go).
* What skills does the developer have? Do they do design only,
or can they do dynamic web development and database design?
Also, ensure that they do not advertise themselves as a web
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 make a web designer. Check their portfolio
and ensure the developer really knows his stuff. A person
well-versed in internet development should know not only about
creating the site, but also maintaining it, marketing it,
and promoting it. Ideally, a web developer has successfully
done all of the above on his own sites.
* Does the site offer customer testimonials? Read them. And,
you might even contact those clients independently to ask
them questions of the service you were provided.
Small Freelancers vs. Big Firms
You need to decide if you want to work with a large design
firm or a small freelance company (or even single developer).
There is more security for the client when working with a
larger firm. The skills they offer vary widely because their
staff is so large, and they often have a very 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
in the project due to miscommunication. Also, sometimes you
will find that these companies pay a little too much attention
to process rather than simply getting the job done.
Freelance developers offer better value for the money, and
because they are a single person, the communication flow between
them and the client is usually much better (one-on-one). If
there is a staff, usually the size 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 don't know
how to do, they must research it. Also, freelancers are limited
by their size. If they already have a high workload, then
their throughout is limited and it may force you to wait.
So, depending on the size of your project, a large firm might
guarantee the job gets done quickly.
Rates and Guidelines
Check out the rates of the developer. Often, you will not
find the rates directly posted on their website. This is usually
because they like to do things by estimate, so simply contact
them, give them a few specs, and go back and forth until you
get a ballpark figure. When getting an estimate, make sure
it is detailed and exact. Ask any questions that you have.
If you think the price is too high, ask them about it. Don't
be afraid to counter-offer. They can always refuse.
Check out the developer's contract. Make sure the client 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
alter the specs of your project once an estimate is agreed
upon without expecting additional fees. Ask them about this.
Also, inspect the contract for warranty of work. Who will
they handle bugs in the work they have done?
Talk With Them
Any developer you consider should have a method 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 to
a successful project, and if you can't properly communicate
to your developer, you should not hire him/her.
Evaluate
Evaluate your potential developers using the advice above
and you will be more likely to have successfully completed
project with minimal frustration.
About the author:
David Risley is a web developer and founder of PC Media, Inc.
(http://www.pcmedianet.com). Specializes in PHP/MySQL development,
consulting and internet business management. He is also the
founder of PC Mechanic (http://www.pcmech.com), a large website
delivering do-it-yourself computer information to thousands
of users every day.
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