In 2024, there is cut-throat competition between companies in the web development industry. Everyone wants a bigger slice of the market and bag-prized projects. To land plush projects, companies need to prove themselves by delivering quality work. The key to getting high-paying projects from reputed companies is to hire dedicated web development team of developers who can produce outstanding work.
8 Steps To Hire An Ideal Web Development Team
Now, web developers are in high demand, and they don’t come cheap. As per figures obtained from surveys conducted on Glassdoor, Payscale, ZipRecruiter, and Salary.com the salaries for web developers are as below.
The average salary for a web developer in India is Rs 308,757 ($4261 USD) Due to the difference in the currency value, companies in North America and Europe prefer to outsource the jobs to offshore software development companies in India.
Slow-loading websites cost retailers $2.6 billion in lost sales each year. In 2024, every company faces cut-throat competition and there may be no second chances. Hence, it is crucial to choose the right development team for your web development project.
1. Understand your goals and requirements
Don’t just jump into hiring employees to build a web development team. Know what you need and what is the main objective of your website. Conduct a self-analysis and ask yourself the following questions.
- Do you have a rough idea about how you want your website to look? (design & functionality)
- Do you want a website with the basic features or do you want one with advanced features like e-commerce integration, CRM system, email newsletter signups, etc?
- Do you intend to make changes on a regular basis like adding more content, videos, chatbots, etc.?
- Why do you want to create this website?
- Make a list of your goals — Lead generation, increasing sales, generating awareness or operational efficiency & optimization?
Once you know what kind of website you need for your business, what are your business goals and what you plan to achieve with your website, you can choose your candidates accordingly. Set the right foundation by conducting thorough research and in-depth SWOT analysis. It will help you build a dedicated web development team.
2. Time to hire developers
Now that you have a clear idea of your goals and objectives, you can start building a team. To hire a dedicated web development team, you can look for candidates on professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Xing, AngelList, etc.
Decide whether you want to hire freelancers, full-time employees, or for the time duration of a particular project. If you want to hire freelancers, you can try platforms like 99 Designs, Design Crowd, Guru, Upwork, PeoplePerHour, etc.
Alternatively, you can also post ads on these job networking sites stating your specific requirements. Don’t forget to add details like required qualifications, experience, project details, etc. Want to hire the best talent in the industry? There is no harm in spending a few extra dollars and sponsoring an event.
Not only will it give you better opportunities to hire dedicated web developers, but you can also partner up with other companies. Attending such events also keeps you abreast of the latest industry updates and happenings.
3. Make use of your existing network
Whether you have been in business for a few years or just commenced a startup company, you should make the best use of your existing network. Try asking your colleagues, business associates, and other connections if they can recommend the right people for the job. Also, you can also talk to your current and previous clients.
To begin with, you will get to interview several people and choose from the best. Secondly, you can get honest feedback about their performance and work ethic if they get shortlisted. In this way, you will be able to make the right choice because sometimes an interview with a candidate may not reveal everything.
4. Attitude and Aptitude
What are the key qualities that you look for in candidates while hiring a dedicated web development team? Yes, the experience and skills matter but do you think he can fit in your company? Sometimes, an individual may be talented, but he may lack the right attitude for the job. Web development is a dynamic industry, and it requires employees to learn quickly and adapt to changing trends and scenarios.
Along with the right attitude, qualities like attention to detail, discipline, innovation, confidence, reliability, and the ability to work in a team also matter a lot. Don’t ignore these aspects while building a team.
5. Previous experience and skills
As discussed above, web development is an ever-changing industry. New technologies and updates emerge every other day. To stay relevant and deliver the best results, it is necessary to be aware of recent industry developments.
Check the skill set and experience of candidates who apply for jobs at your organization. Apart from the ability to acquire new skills and technologies, the ideal employee should be open to learning. How do you identify the right people for the particular position? Ask them the following questions.
- What programming languages do you know?
- Which programming languages have you learned recently?
- How do you acquire knowledge about these new technologies?
- Are you working on any side projects at present?
6. Examine the portfolio and previous work
Usually, web developers and web designers maintain a portfolio of their past work. By conducting a thorough analysis of their portfolio and past work, you will know whether they have the skills that you require. Additionally, it will also give you an insight into their design style and techniques.
Make it a point to check GitHub. Many developers have a profile on GitHub where they share details about their code snippets and projects that they work on as a freelancer. Having their work in front of your eyes will give you a clear idea of whether these candidates can deliver the results.
7. Be straightforward
Programming is a skill. Unlike history, where you can memorize dates and incidents, programming is all about how you put your knowledge to practical use. Can the programmer use his knowledge of coding standards and practices to build a website with the required functionality and aesthetics?
Refrain from asking generic questions, but that will not give you information about the candidate’s experience, knowledge, or attitude. Don’t ask them questions about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Mark Zuckerberg or the difference between Java & PHP. These questions are pointless because anyone can memorize the answers.
Rather, you should ask questions about their skills and how they can put it to practical use. Ascertain if they have the passion for the job, check their communication skills, if they understand the scope of work. Consider asking the following questions.
- What should you do when an app stops working?
- What is your strategy to solve problems and conflicts?
- How do you deal with negative feedback?
- Have you used and applied design patterns?
- What APIs have you worked with?
- Which database will you use for data storage and why?
- Which content management systems have you worked with?
- What are the differences between developing for mobile & desktop?
8. Check their ability with small projects
Once you are satisfied with the candidate’s answers, give him a small task. It will give you an idea of how he approaches a project and executes it. Pay attention to how they communicate and meet deadlines.
A person’s true character is revealed when he is subjected to pressure. To test candidates and make sure they are the perfect fit for the job, give them more complex tasks gradually. Finally, you can ask them to work on the primary project. By the end of the task, you will get an accurate understanding of the candidate’s working pattern and how he deals with pressure.