Hiring a freelance developer is a great way to complete a short term software project without committing to a permanent employee. You can avoid payroll expenses, paying benefits and the costs associated with training. Using freelancers is an excellent way to scale your business up and down quickly without long term obligations.
But before you hire a freelance web programmer off the street you need to do your due diligence and verify they will be a good fit. Bringing on the wrong resource can be expensive and a waste of your valuable time. When screening developers, thorough interviews and a test assignment are good steps in the hiring process. But while you are evaluating a candidate you need to consider the right factors before you make up your mind. Throughout the hiring process, here are the questions you need to ask yourself to avoid hiring a dud.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Freelancer
1. Does he have a history of positive feedback? Always be sure to review the feedback area of a freelancer’s profile. And don’t just look for positive ratings, scour the comments as well. You can learn a lot about a candidate from previous employers.
2. Does his bid seem too good to be true? Does his bid seem significantly lower than the other applicants that responded to your job post? Some emerging countries have a lower cost of living so it might just be a matter of geography. But it’s also possible an unqualified resource gave a low-ball offer to get the job. If they cost half as much as another developer but deliver bad code or take twice as long you’re going to regret it.
3. Does he have any unexplained gaps in between jobs? A break between jobs could mean that a freelancer is not desirable or it could be for personal reasons…it’s your job to figure out which. A lapse in work experience may also mean that a candidate is not up to speed on current technologies, so tread lightly.
4. Is he qualified in your desired area of expertise? Just because someone responds to your job post does not mean they have the right qualifications. A developer could have 8 years of Java experience, but if you’re looking for a C# person, do you really want to train them to learn a new language on your dime?
5. Does he communicate well? High qualifications on paper do not mean a candidate will be easy to work with. Don’t assume you can overcome a language barrier on a technical project. If you can’t communicate about requirements or provide feedback on deliverables, development can become very challenging and time consuming.
6. Is he accessible? Do you have his phone number or instant messenger account? If a candidate is reluctant to give out more than an email address you could run into problems. It’s certainly possible to work only over email, but how quickly does he respond to emails? Do you have to wait a couple days for a response during the interview process? Expect the same once hired.
7. Does he have a quiet, dedicated work environment? It’s very common for freelancers to work from a home office. But some people treat their home offices more professionally than others. When you call does his wife answer the phone? Do you hear screaming children or barking dogs in the background? It’s hard to be productive when there are distractions.
8. Did he ignore instructions in your job post? Look for candidates that took the time to read your job posting and created a response tailored to you. If you asked for a list of similar websites they have created, make sure you see a few in his response. You want a developer that’s thorough with an eye for details.
9. Was he able to scope out the project and provide a realistic timeline? Writing code is just one aspect of being a good programmer. A solid resource will know how to estimate work and follow through on commitments. If a resource provides an impossible timeline, they’ll be late and you’ll end up paying more.
10. Does he have a positive attitude? Negativity spreads through an organization like a virus. If a programmer has a positive attitude and works hard they can overcome many other shortfalls.
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