A skilled web developer can help you take your business to the next level. But how do you choose the right web designer for your needs?
Hiring the wrong person can make the process of building your website tedious and overwhelming. This might be even more challenging if you’ve never worked with a web developer before.
Follow the guide below and learn the top 5 tips on hiring web developers and designers who will fit your needs!
1. Hire the Right Type of Web Designer
In order to hire the right kind of web designer, you need to understand what your goals are and what you want to accomplish. Building a website requires both website design and website coding.
When it comes to the actual design of your website, there are three types of experts in the process. Website designers and developers are the first two, and the third is a graphic designer.
Graphic designers will create the actual images for websites and can design ads, logos, and prints.
A website designer specializes in building and designing websites, meaning the actual look of the website. They can also create images along with content that is used on the site.
Finally, a developer will create a website from creating the code needed to make it look and function the way you want it to.
So knowing who to hire really depends on your needs. If you want a new logo and already have the site designed, you could use a graphic designer. If you want to change the web design and layout, you’ll want a web developer. If you are building a custom site with unique effects, you’ll need a web developer.
2. Craft a Good Job Description to Attract Talent
After understanding what type of talent you want to hire, it’s important to create an accurate job description to reflect this. This will take time and effect, but it will pay off in the long run.
One of the best ways to ensure you’re hiring the right web developer is by including a mockup of ideal designs. This will help freelancers understand if they can meet your needs. Sketch them up on paper or show examples of what you would ideally like to see on your website.
You should also include the things that are non-negotiable. For example, you might want a particular graphic, but if you need to have several new pages for your e-commerce site, you should list both and explain the needs.
Along with showing or listing what styles you like, you should also showcase what you don’t like. This can include things like design styles, color schemes, or examples of websites.
3. Look for Technical Skills During Interviews
Your job posting will attract a lot of freelancers, and you want to be sure you’re choosing someone with the skills to get the job done. Other than listing out the technical skills a developer or designer has, you can also ask for examples of previous projects. See if their prior work is similar to what you’re looking for, or if they appear to be capable of creating your vision.
You can also ask the designer to explain their style of design. They might also then show you websites they like and don’t like so you can get a feel for working together and can understand their inspirations.
Also, ask them about their favorite and least favorite past projects. This will not only show you what kind of work they love doing but will help you understand if it matches your style.
Finally, you want an experienced designer who has been in the field for a few years. The more experienced the designer, the more expensive they will be, so your budget might also dictate the experience level.
4. Look for Soft Skills During Interviews
Freelancers should not only be able to perform well at the job, but you want them to have the soft skills needed to work with you. Finding someone who is good at communicating and is interested in doing a good job can make all the difference.
Ask them or test how fast they respond to your emails. Quick feedback and responsiveness is a must when you are creating a project together. You can also ask if they’re able to meet your desired time frame for responses.
It’s also important to ensure the freelancer has a good understanding of the job ahead. Ask them questions about your job posting to weed out the applicants who didn’t bother to read it.
Lastly, look for someone who has high ratings from previous clients and jobs. Many freelance websites have areas for reviews or portfolios and this can help ensure someone has the experience you’re looking for.
5. Set a Budget and Discuss It Ahead of Time
Getting on the same page with your freelancer is important, especially when it comes to getting paid. Decide on your budget ahead of time and communicate this as soon as possible, even in the job posting.
Experienced designers will likely want to get paid per hour, and a less experienced designer will likely work on a fixed price budget. What you’re able to spend might dictate who you hire.
Along with the budget, decide on the time frame. The last thing you want is to go through the full interview process, just to find out the person is about to go on vacation.
Follow this Guide for Hiring Web Developer to Meet Your Needs
Hiring web developers who will successfully complete your project is possible, it just involves some work! By taking time in the job description and interviewing process, you’ll be able to weed out the freelancers who aren’t right for you.
Follow this guide above and click here if you think you’re ready to hire a web developer today!