See the original article by Inc.
Why is finding a good developer so difficult? For many non-technical startups, the problem boils down to knowing what to look for in the first place. We asked a panel of 16 successful entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) what separates good developers from big headaches. Here's what they had to say.
Steven Le Vine, grapevine pr. A conceptualization of your brand should be the first thing you are aware of when developing your website. Your website is the primary platform for potential clients, and customers will visit when doing research on your company.
It's essential that your website mirror your brand identity for consistency purposes. Consistency is always key.
Jared Brown, Hubstaff. If you're looking for a top-tier Web developer, which you should be, you can often find one by posting on Hacker News or GitHub jobs. But be prepared to spend some money to find and employ the developer. DeveloThe development most likely be your highest cost for the first few years, so go all in. Being cheap will only lead to ulcers, and it's the surest way to torpedo the company.
Stacey Ferreira, MySocialCloud. The most important thing when hiring your first Web developer is looking for someone who is willing to learn. Programming languages, like everything else, are constantly changing. Even if someone has great previous work experience, he or she has to be willing to keep learning and stay up-to-date with an ever-changing industry.
Alexis Wolfer, The Beauty Bean. Assuming you don't have a background in Web development, the best way to hire a developer is by asking for recommendations from peers and by getting references from potential candidates. Even more important is a developer's ability to pivot when your business does, and believe me, it will.
Trevor Sumner, LocalVox. Your first website will not be great, and it shouldn't be. According to Reid Hoffman, if you are happy with what you launch, you've launched too late. Foreseeing that your business will evolve in unexpected ways will allow you to constantly update your website without a lot of effort. You don't want someone who hacks something together that's hard to change later. I'm never happy with my website.
