First of all, let me congratulate you because you have made an excellent decision to launch a business web application to reach more tech-savvy audiences and expand your customer base. Now, you can break the shackles of geographical boundaries to target global audiences who prefer purchasing products from online stores due to seamless convenience and a wide range of options to choose from.
But wait! You are yet to take the first step in building your dream web application. So, now you decide to hire a web development company that will do this project for you. Fine enough!
Before you proceed to choose the web development company let me ask you a question. Can you tell me what is the first and foremost thing that a user will view when they visit your web application?
Well, the answer is its outer appearance or in short the front-end development, which comprises of graphical user interface and user experience.
Hence, you first need to hire frontend developers who have expertise in crafting visually appealing websites and user-intuitive web applications.
If you don’t have much idea about how to hire experienced front-end developers, I’ll help you out. So just relax and read this article that highlights the seven most useful tips on hiring front-end developers for your next project.
Before giving the useful tips, I want to give you a brief introduction to who a front-end developer is.
Who is a Front-end Developer?
Ah! I just forgot to mention one important point. The front-end development is also known as the client-side development.
Now, a front-end or client-side developer is a professional who holds expertise in creating graphical user interfaces for web applications and websites. They have full command over using the popular basic programming languages, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript.
7 Useful Tips to Hire Frontend Developers
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Clearly and Thoroughly Understanding Your Project Requirements
Before you get down to consult and discuss your project idea with the front-end development team, you should clearly and thoroughly understand and analyze your project requirements. In addition to that, you should also have a clear understanding of the business objectives that you want to achieve through this project.
Maybe you have done your homework and research by visiting a few competitor websites and formed a basic idea of how you want your web application to look. This will help you discuss the ideal frameworks and technologies that will best suit your project needs.
This means that if you define the important things earlier, there is a greater chance that your web application will get released without any hiccups and errors.
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Go for Experienced Front-end Developers
Now that you are familiar and clear with your project requirements and business goals, it will be much easier for you to hire a front-end web development services company.
But here’s a useful and viable tip. You must prefer front-end developers with relevant experience working on projects that align with your customized needs.
I understand your concern regarding the budget estimate especially if you are a startup with limited fund resources. But don’t worry!
The good news is that there are leading front-end software development services firms from where you can hire talented client-side developers by choosing your preferred engagement and payment model. This means that it isn’t going to pinch your pocket!
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Evaluate the Technical Skills of the Developer
Once you have shortlisted the front-end web development company that you want to work with, it’s time for you to do some serious research and work. By saying this, I mean that you have to thoroughly evaluate and scan the technical skills of the front-end developers.
If you are not that technically sound, you can take the help of a professional who can interview the front-end developers on your behalf to select the best candidates on board.
The most important technical skills that must be evaluated for hiring front-end developers include their knowledge and proficiency in popular front-end languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Apart from this, you also must check their understanding and familiarity with cross-browser compatibility, web application optimization, and ability to create responsive designs.
You must ensure they have adequate knowledge of UI/UX principles and version control systems.
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Review Their Portfolio
Reviewing portfolios of front-end developers is equally essential as evaluating their technical skills and knowledge. A portfolio is something that highlights details like the number of successful projects they have done in the past and the diverse industries they have catered to.
The portfolio of the front-end developers also reflects the details of the projects, the time frame to complete that work, the technology stack, the framework used, and most importantly feedback received from the client.
You can ask the chosen front-end developers to show their previous work, which will help you understand and evaluate their skills of creativity, website functionality, and appealing designs.
You also need to check on what platforms and devices they worked on earlier. Also, see how they have managed to create intricate and challenging user interfaces.
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Judge Them on Their Problem-Solving Abilities
Do you know that front-end developers are also actively involved in problem-solving and troubleshooting issues related to UI/UX design? It’s quite interesting, isn’t it?
So far most of you had the perception that the role and job responsibilities of a front-end developer involved developing a beautiful, sophisticated, and interactive user interface, while all other tasks, such as correcting errors and development issues were handled by the back-end and quality assurance teams.
So, now when you go to hire frontend developers next, make it a point to access their problem-solving capabilities as well. Choose developers who are competent to manage complex issues with ease and speed. They must have adequate knowledge of creating viable strategies to overcome these challenges. They must have experience in debugging code as well.
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Check Their Communication Skills
Another critical skill that you must evaluate before hiring front-end developers is their communication skills and their ability to collaborate with the team.
Front-end developers must have good and strong communication skills that allow them to efficiently and smoothly collaborate with the rest of the team, including backend developers, UI/UX designers, and project managers. They must be an active listener who is ready to listen to every minute detail given to them by clients and work accordingly.
The best way to check their communication skills is through interviews, group discussions, and active participation in team meetings, You can assess how they can articulate their ideas and provide updates on the task status.
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Choose Freelancers or Agencies
One of the most perplexing situations for clients or companies is when they have to choose between hiring a freelance front-end developer or hiring in-house front-end developers from leading web development agencies.
Let me tell you the core truth. Whether you hire frontend developers from an agency or some freelancing site, both have their pros and cons. So, ultimately, you have to make a final decision after making a thorough and meticulous assessment of both sides
The essential parameters that play a significant role here are the experience of the front-end developer, their technical expertise, knowledge of programming languages, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and most importantly – the cost.
If I talk about the cost, you will have three pricing models to explore – time and material, monthly, and hourly. Choose the one that suits your budget estimate.
Conclusion
That sums up the article. I think I’ve covered most of the crucial tips that are necessary to hire frontend developers for your next project. You can follow these tips to find an experienced, skilled front-end developer who fits your project requirements.
However, you must define your project requirements and business objectives before hiring a client-side developer. Also, be precise in evaluating their technical skills and knowledge about front-end and back-end frameworks. You must prioritize choosing experienced developers because what you get in the end is a well-defined and user-centric product.
It is completely up to you whether you want to hire frontend developers from an agency or look for freelance portals.
All the Best For Your Next Project!
Niraj Jagwani is an engineer who has co-founded a number of businesses in the domain of software development services. He has successfully helped clients across industries increase revenues, optimize processes, and achieve new milestones. He is a passionate writer and loves to exchange ideas.