How to hire a Magento developer? A detailed guide!
The online world has become just as real as the real world. It is not possible to thrive without an online presence; be it for your personal growth or for your business’ success. Especially if you are a business owner, it is important that you have a fast and smooth running website along with active social media channels where your customers and audience can engage. It becomes even more necessary for eCommerce businesses. Website builds credibility therefore, the quality of the website plays an important role as well. You cannot expect the audience to trust your product if the website is not updated and running smoothly. The first impression will fail and the image of incompetence behind the brand name will build instantly.
Custom website development by a professional developer is the best solution but it requires a huge budget and other commitments. Therefore, many business owners don’t opt for that route. Magento is another great way to create a functional website according to your brand’s needs and customers’ requirements. It is not as costly and a Magento developer will speed up the process by ten folds. Hiring a Magento developer is simple and straightforward by simply following the below steps.
Create a detailed brief
The first and most important step is to create a detailed and proper brief of the services you are looking for. It must include all the technical requirements, your budget, and the timeline which is feasible to finish the project. A detailed brief is important because Magento developers will be able to analyze the project better and then their proposals will be according to the work required without any miscommunications or misunderstandings later on. It will also save plenty of time because if any developer will feel they are not the right fit, they will not apply. Lastly, the brief serves as a contract as well and helps in resolving any dispute because you can look back at it to clear any misunderstandings and stick to the original commitment.
Understand the basics of web development
You don’t have to be an expert to understand the basics of web development. It is always wise to know the basics of anything you are getting into, even if you have a professional to handle it. In this case, knowing the basic terms, especially front-end and back-end will help you to hire a Magento developer who fulfills your requirements. Since a front-end developer works on the look and feel of the website and the way the user gets to engage with it. Whereas back-end developers work on the database, ads, features, functions, and other such things which determine the overall functionality of a website. To cater to both areas, there are full-stack Magento developers that can handle both types of development efficiently.
Decide the budget
Finalizing the budget at the start helps in aligning everything smoothly. Once you know your window to spend, you can set up the requirements accordingly. Priorities are also decided as per the budget, and so you will know which task is more important. It also helps in avoiding any conflicts or future inconvenience of lack of funding.
Research about freelancers and agencies
The next step is to research freelancers and agencies. The decision purely depends on personal choice and preference. Both cases have their own advantages and disadvantages so you need to figure out what suits you the best. Usually, freelancers are more budget-friendly and provide high-quality work, whereas established agencies charge a higher amount since they have to cover their costs as well. Most Magento experts work as freelancers because that pays them better than working in an agency. So you can choose them or if you are not satisfied, there are many Magento agencies providing their expert services.
Check for reviews, testimonials, and ratings
Always check for reviews and testimonials by previous clients to understand their professionalism and work quality. It will also protect you from any scam or fraud. Moreover, you will be able to understand them better based on the reviews of their old clients.
Talk to them
Always make sure to observe the communication skills of any individual you are hiring. Communication is one of the most important qualities for any working individual to ensure smooth business and flow of work. Therefore, people working for you must have great communication skills so that the project can be carried out smoothly and you don’t have to fret over issues that arise from miscommunication.
Test on a pilot project
To understand the work style of a Magento developer, the most suitable way is to work on a trial project. It could be a simple task or you can divide your main project into phases and test their abilities on a smaller part of the project. Magento development is a form of art as well and different developers approach projects in a different manner. So you need to check what suits you well and that is possible through a trial project. Obviously, you will have to pay them for it but it can be a little project. Once you are satisfied with the results and their work progress, you can move forward with them.
Define your specialty requirements
Even Magento developers have different expertise considering the diversity of the platform. Before hiring someone, make sure you understand what specialty you would be needing and then hire someone accordingly. It is important that the professional is an expert at the job you want them for otherwise, the results won’t be satisfactory.
Ask important questions
Always make sure that you talk to them in detail before finalizing the deal. There are a few questions that are important to ask to ensure a smooth working journey. Some of those are as follow:
- What similar products have you worked on?
- Why should I hire you over some other Magento developer?
- What experience do you have within my industry?
- Which areas do you specialize in?
- Can you work within my timeframe and budget?
- Have you got expertise in Magento 2?
- How do you cope if you’re struggling with internal resources?
- What does your testing program look like?
- How much SEO experience do you have?
- Do you have any questions for me?
These questions will help you to get a clear general understanding of their work behavior and experience.
Stay in touch with the team
Last but not the least, always stay in touch with your team. Work in close contact with them to make them feel like a team which motivates and improves work quality drastically. It will also make it easier for you to stay up to date.
Magento is one of the best platforms for eCommerce websites and we have discussed a few general tips on how to hire a Magento developer. It will help you to hire the best option and have an excellent online store without any bugs.
