How to Hire a Good Web Developer

Definition

A Web developer, strictly speaking, builds and maintains websites. However, a lot of people who create a site from start to finish -- designing graphics and webpages, figuring out the site map, then producing the site -- call themselves Web developers, so it's a confusing term. People who conceptualize and plan out the site are actually Web designers. Developers are the people who use some form of HTML to build the actual pages. A Web developer's other responsibilities could include optimizing graphics for the Web and producing rich media such as Flash, streaming media, or online audio.

Skills

BASIC

ADVANCED

1. Can hand-code HTML
2. Can optimize graphics and webpages so that they load quickly
3. Can handle cross-browser optimization -- making sure the site looks good on different browsers

1. Familiarity with JavaScript
2. Photoshop
3. Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
4. XML
5. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
6. Familiarity with CGI forms
7. Can deploy dynamic Web technologies such as XSSI, JSP, ASP, Dynamo, and Cold Fusion
8. Familiarity with SSI (server-side includes)
9. Has a working knowledge of JavaScript and CGI scripting. This will become increasingly relevant as DHTML becomes more widespread and more content is generated using scripts

How to Screen for Quality

1. Candidates should be able to provide URLs of previous work. This is the equivalent of a portfolio.
2. HTML code should be clean and well organized. You can check this by looking at the HTML source code of sample URLs.
3. Many Web development companies screen job candidates with a standardized HTML coding test. Candidates are given an image created in Photoshop and asked to turn it into a Web page using only text-based editors.
4. Get references from previous clients or employers. Was this person easy to work with? Did he or she produce a fast-loading, well-functioning site?