How to Hire a Web Developer in 8 Steps

Web development started as a simple tool or technology for building plain pages meant to ease complex processes in the financial sector. Users had to manually type each block into their computer system to generate dull and fragile structures for data representation.

Today, website building and programming are done to create complex web applications that can be accessed from PCs and smartphones. We are witnessing the rise of no-code or low-code building tools. Developers are exploring other innovations besides JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to keep up with the industry trends.

In the current landscape, you’d want to hire web developers for a project if they possess specific skills-sets. For instance, you would need a professional that is well-versed in React, Angular, and jQuery technologies. You might also want to hire a web developer for specific specialized technologies, such as Moment.js for data formatting. Nonetheless, you still have options for finding a web developer, as elaborated in this guide. Keep reading to learn more.

Why Hire a Web Developer?

Hiring a full-time or freelance developer can be beneficial to your business in many ways. These professionals know the technical know-how to create a website with a visually appealing design and superior customer experience to attract more visitors. For instance, they can leverage their in-depth expertise in programming languages to code a site that functions seamlessly across multiple browsers and devices.

In addition, a professional web developer will lend you the skills and knowledge to optimize your website for higher performance and search engine rankings. This is not to mention how they can integrate your website with all other business applications for a true digital transformation. In the long haul, a web developer will save you time and effort and ensure that the project succeeds.

When Do You Need to Hire a Website Developer’s Dedicated Team?

About  51% of executives in technology businesses outsource software and website services to third parties, including dedicated development teams. What’s more, nearly half of businesses in the US work with offshore IT partners to drive innovation and match competition.

That said, here are the instances that might need you to hire a website development services team that works remotely and is solely dedicated to your project.

When You Want to Extend A Small It Department

Expansion is a dream for many businesses. However, when the time comes, it can be challenging in terms of investment and human capital. The costs of meeting expansion obligations can be high to the extent that some businesses choose to work in their existing size as they scale slowly or choose to abandon the mission altogether.

On the brighter side, you can hire offshore dedicated teams to work as an extension of your in-house team and expand on the go with minimal overhead costs. You’ll also save greatly on logistics costs because the team will be operating remotely, sometimes with its hardware and software resources.

If You Want to Boost IT Output for a Certain Duration

It’s common for businesses to find themselves in situations where they need to boost productivity on short notice, for a specific duration. In that case, hiring part-time professionals at hourly rates to take on the extra workload sounds more prudent than looking for a web developer to work on a full-time basis.

If You Are a Startup with a Slim Budget

Starting an IT-driven business can be pretty costly, especially if you want to retain a full-time team on a monthly salary for day-to-day operations. It even gets more challenging if you have to recruit specialized talent, such as a product engineer using an in-house model.

On other hand, working with a dedicated team allows you to work on projects iteratively. In most cases, you only pay for the services that you receive, as opposed to a base salary at the end of the month. Also, some specialized talents can charge relatively affordable rates, especially if they come from regions with moderate standards of living.

When You Experience Difficulties Hiring In-House

A recent study by Gartner reveals that acute IT talent shortage is a prevalent recruitment bottleneck in many companies and hinders the adoption of  nearly 64% of emerging technologies. At the same time, it can be pretty daunting to hire locally, especially if your geolocation isn’t rich in specialized IT talents.

Dedicated development teams can be hired from any part of the globe, including geo-locations that are known for vast IT talents, such as Ukraine, Poland, Canada, and Bulgaria to solve this challenge. Even better, hiring through a service provider ensures that you access value-matched candidates within a shorter time for both medium and long-term collaborations.

When You Need Help from a Specialized Talent to Implement Ideas

Having a breathtaking business idea is one thing, but bringing it to fruition is a different thing altogether. Specialized talents blended in dedicated teams such as business analysts can help put your vision into action by conducting a professional analysis of the market concerning the business idea.

At the same time, dedicated or contract development teams bring special skills to the table, which can help your business get its product off the ground rapidly. Even better, a service provider can find a candidate in any tech stack that your idea might need.

Contact Newxel’s experts if you need professional assistance.

What Are the Different Types of Web Developers?

When it comes to hiring a web developer, it’s important to understand the categories that professionals in this field fall in, and the respective expertise that they bring. Typically, there are four types of web developers, including:

Front end developers: They have the skills to work on the visual aspects of different types of websites to ensure a user-friendly interface and visually appealing design.

Backend developers: These developers are known for working behind the scenes, and implementing a range of tasks, including database management and server-side programming.

Full-stack developers: These talents have both front end and backend development skills to offer you a comprehensive end-to-end website building service.

Specialized developers: These professionals have expertise in niche domains, such as eCommerce platform development or Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress.

Skills and Responsibilities of a Web Programmer: What Kind of Developer Does Fit Your Project?

A go-to website programmer for your project should possess certain skills and a degree of expertise to enable them to build a fully functional product that runs optimally with zero to minimal glitches. Most importantly, they should leverage the latest programming technologies that enable them to write clean, testable code, as well as offer ongoing maintenance services.

That said, here are the skills that you should look for in a programmer.

Front-End

Front-end development is arguably one of the most critical phases of website building as it deals with how and what the end user interacts. Typically, the front-end layer of your business site helps visitors interact with the site, whether through watching, reading, or performing actions.

A front-end developer’s technical skills should extend to prevalent website programming languages, such as HTML for creating web pages and CSS for rendering the documents created in HTML. Skills in JavaScript or jQuery programming languages will help your developer build and implement various interactive features on your web page, such as animations.

Other skills and responsibilities of a front-end web developer include:

• Conducting functional tests for debugging
• Version control to track changes in the source code
• Automating image optimization using Grunt and Gulp programs
• CSS preprocessing to enhance styling elements, etc.

Back-End

Back-end web developers are the professionals who technically drive consumer digital experiences on your site by ensuring that programs can deliver user requests swiftly and promptly. But what skills should candidates applying for this job position possess? As a basic, your back-end developer should have formal training in advanced mathematics or computer science.

On top of that, the developer should be versed with Python and Java programming languages for general-purpose building. You might also need an expert in PHP scripting language for translation, as well as to improve the application’s performance.

Other skills and responsibilities of a back-end web developer include:

• Maintaining critical databases
• Managing application program interfaces (APIs)
• Testing and debugging back-end processes

Full-Stack

A full-stack developer can help you build a fully-fledged business site or app with both front-end and back-end features. That said, a full-stack developer should have skills and expertise in front-end development languages and frameworks, such as HTML and CSS, as well as JavaScript. JavaScript also comes with various libraries and frameworks that a full-stack developer should be well-conversant with, including jQuery, Angular, and React.

A go-to full-stack developer should also have skills and experience in popular backend technologies and frameworks, such as Java, JavaScript, Python, C# language, Perl, PHP, and Ruby. The experience should extend to JavaScript environments, such as NodeJS and ExpressJS, as well as frameworks used in Python, such as Flask and Django.

The responsibilities of a full-stack developer include:

• Front-end development
• Back-end development
• Building databases and servers
• Addressing user technical needs and requirements
• Implementing cross-platform compatibility

Where to Hire a Dedicated Web Developer?

Hiring a web developer shouldn’t be an uphill task, especially when you know where to look at. Businesses have a plethora of options when they want to hire a web developer, whether for long, medium, or short-term purposes. You can turn to:

In-house Recruitment Model

This approach entails advertising the vacant role in your company’s website or online job boards to attract value-matched candidates. After that, you interview the candidate and integrate them into your in-house workforce on a monthly payroll. It is usually the best way to hire web developers if you are in for a long-term collaboration that can go on for years. The model is also ideal if your project requires full-time technical support or wants to scale and introduce new core departments in the organization.

Freelancing Platforms

You can hire full stack developers via freelancing sites, especially when you want a specialized talent to work on a specific project. Freelancers usually work on a project-to-project basis, meaning they can also have a certain experience that an in-house team wouldn’t. Moreover, you can hire freelance developers at hourly rates, or a contract-based payoff once the project is complete.

Recruitment Agencies

A recruitment agency can help you source and interview the right candidates for a job, whether you want to hire them. Besides having access to the best candidates, recruitment agencies can help you save time and money by shortlisting potential talents even before you conduct an in-depth interview with them.

Full-service Companies for Dedicated Teams, Such as Newxel

Hiring using the above models can be pretty hectic, if not overwhelming for traditional HR departments. That’s why employers always resort to full-service companies, such as Newxel to build dedicated teams on their behalf, but of course, with the client’s oversight. A dedicated team service provider will help you find, recruit, and onboard any tech stack to your preferred team. Even better, they handle all the recruitment bottlenecks as you focus on core business functions, such as expansion.

The Pros and Cons of Different Hiring Models

Although all recruitment models can help you find a web developer, they will all suit your business in different scenarios. Here are the pros and cons of each hiring model to help you discern whether it best suits your situation.

Freelancers

Pros

• Requires less commitment from your end
• Freelance software developers are easy to find
• Freelancers are relatively affordable to engage
• Greater flexibility in terms of upsizing and downsizing

Cons

• Tracking invested time by the developer can be tricky
• Not all freelancers are reliable
• The lower the cost, the lower the quality of work

In-House

Pros

• Deep integration with the prevailing company culture
• It’s easy to supervise and monitor in-house web developers
• Clear communication, thanks to direct conversations
• A greater level of project and product control
• Customize your team as you want

Cons

• Can be pretty costly in terms of monthly salary and employer benefits
• Downtime due to high staff attrition rates
• An in-house team may lack the specialized expertise

Outsource

Pros

• Cost savings, thanks to economies of scale
• Access to experienced talents with a fresher perspective
• Increased efficiency and innovation
• Share development risks with third-party companies
• Work around the clock with assigned project managers

Cons

• Geographical and cultural barriers may pose a challenge
• Conflicting IP laws and regulations may put your project data at risk
• Rigid contracts can hinder flexibility

Newxel Dedicated Development Team

Newxel’s dedicated development team hiring model saves you time and cost as experts worry about the recruitment bottlenecks of finding specialized talents. This model allows you to build an extended team from scratch by including any tech stack talent that you might deem for your project.

Even better, Newxel’s turnkey services extend to any other responsibility that you might want to delegate, such as contract and salary negotiations, legal&finance support, and so on. In return, you get a business-ready team that can hit the ground running, working autonomously or as a remote extension of your in-house team. Newxel experts can match you with candidates who share the same brand culture, goals, and ideals, as your in-house web development team.

Tips to Choose a Right Website Developer

You already know where to find a web developer that matches your project needs and requirements. Now, it’s time to learn how to hire a good web developer, who will meet or surpass your expectations. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Set a Budget

It will help if you set a budget before you even start researching the internet for information on how to hire a web developer. You don’t want to spend aimlessly, something that would hurt the finances of your company. At the same time, you want to know how to hire a website developer at a relatively affordable rate with a guarantee that they’ll build a fully-functional product with the features that you desire.

Choose a Cooperation Model

There are various models to choose from when working with web developers, such as dedicated teams, distributed teams, or even an offshore R&D center. Do your research to find which model works for you. Choose the model that seamlessly blends with your existing working culture and supports real-time collaboration for faster project delivery.

Ask for Direct Recommendations

Probably the best way to find web developers is by asking for direct recommendations from similar businesses or friends in the industry. Even if you don’t know anyone who has worked with freelancers or dedicated teams before, you can still ask for direct recommendations from other internet users, especially business people on social forums, such as LinkedIn.

Check Online Reviews

You already know the right web developers for hire and now you would want to find as many details as possible about them. Search on the internet and see what reviews you can find about the freelance developer or dedicated team service provider in question. This will help you understand the kind of developers you are about to get into business with from an arm’s length perspective.

Inquire About Technical and Soft Skills

It’s prudent to inquire about a candidate’s technical and soft skills when it comes to web development, even before shortlisting them for the first interview. This will help you know whether the candidate understands the basics of front-end, back-end, or full-stack development, as well as their technologies. Soft skills inquiry will help understand whether the candidate is compatible with your company’s culture, beliefs, and ideals.

Inquire About Complimentary Services

Are you planning to work with an effective team that works remotely and is entirely dedicated to your project? That means you’ll probably be working with a full-service company, such as Newxel. Inquire about what else the company offers besides active hiring. These can be turnkey services, such as legal and financial support.

How to Evaluate the Quality of a Web Programmer?

Understanding how to hire a web programmer extends to knowing whether they are qualified for the project or not. In other words, you want to work with someone who can guarantee results, even if it means learning new skills and technologies to keep up with dynamic project requirements. With that in mind, here are key factors to consider:

• Skills and expertise: Assess whether the programmer demonstrates strong proficiency in the tools, technologies, and programming languages relevant to your project.
• Experience: It’s recommended to hire a programmer with a certain level of experience, say 2 to 3 years spent on projects similar to yours. That way, you’ll be assured that they’ll understand all your intricate requirements.
• Portfolio: Does the programmer have a robust portfolio to back up the experience indicated on the CV/ If yes, check and audit the projects and results to assess whether they match your standards and expectations.
• Communication and collaboration skills: It’s important to assess whether the programmer can communicate often and respectfully, as well as collaborate effectively throughout the development process. This will help build a cohesive team.
• Problem-solving capabilities: Lastly, you would want to test whether the programmer can utilize strong observation and analytical skills to identify problems and propose efficient remediation measures. Or, even better, take a self-initiative to resolve the problem.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Web Developer?

The cost of hiring a web developer varies, depending on a range of factors, including location. Here is how much you need to budget for across different recruitment locations: 

Source

How to Hire Top Web Developers for Your Project: Crucial Steps

You know how to find a web developer, but how do you recruit them successfully and onboard them to your project? You can hire web developers in the following 8 simple steps:

1. Post your job description on various sites
2. Receive applications and segregate them depending on skills, experience, and talent seniority
3. Create a shortlist of the candidates
4. Interview soft skills
5. Interview technical skills
6. Give out a trial project to test the candidate’s skills
7. Negotiate the contract and sign an agreement
8. Team-build with the candidate and onboard them to your company

Benefits of Hiring a Team of Web Developers with Newxel

Hiring web developers can be a seamless and resourceful experience when you engage the experts at Newxel. Besides a culture of trust and utmost transparency, you can hire web developers through Newxel services and experience these benefits:

Hire Fast and Swiftly

The experts at Newxel know how to find the developer of a website, within the shortest time possible, within 3-5 weeks of initiating contact. This is unlike traditional outsourcing solutions, where you have to wait for months before a viable talent is lined up for an interview. Business-wise, this helps you to hire and build your website faster.

Recruit Talents in Any Tech Stack

Newxel has a global hiring capacity that extends to hiring talents in any tech stack that your project requires. Unlike freelance sites and recruitment agencies, we look beyond geographical barriers to match you with value-driven talents.

Higher Developer Retention Rates

Newxel hires dedicated teams with a retention rate of up to 94% for every talent. It’s hard to retain freelance or outsourced talent for longer durations, let alone rely on them. Newxel’s HR-friendly policies ensure that you work with a team that is built and refined for long-term engagement.

Schedule a call and speak to Newxel professionals whenever you need to hire a web development team.

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Conclusion

Hiring a website developer is ideal when you want to implement a project without wasting time and resources. As highlighted in the guide, these professionals have extensive skills and knowledge to offer end-to-end web development services, whether on a one-time or ongoing process. It’s our hope that this guide help you find and recruit developers who understand your intricate needs and deliver nothing short of impressive results. 

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