Questions You Must Ask Before Hiring a WordPress Developer

With 40.0% of all websites on the internet, WordPress is the most popular Content Management System (CMS). 

With this popularity, there are always people looking for a WordPress developer to improve the functionality of their site.

Professional WordPress developers are proficient in programming languages ​​such as HTML, PHP, JavaScript, and CSS. They are also well versed in the overall aesthetics of a website, including on-screen layout, choice of fonts, colors, and more. They know how to manage all the technical aspects of a given content management system while ensuring high performance and user accessibility.

Why Hire a WordPress Developer?

The internet is full of resources, courses, and even forums that you can use to learn and implement WordPress. With the help of them, you can gain the skills to create your own website on your own. But there are still many benefits to employing professionals who are experienced in the field.

If you’re looking to hire WordPress developers, then you fall into one of three categories:

  • You have a budget, but not enough time to learn new skills or do real work;
  • You have basic web development skills, but you need help to implement a more complex project and its technical support;
  • You need to delegate a specific task that requires a specific skill set.

Thus, if you are a person who runs a business or wants to start a new project, but who simply does not have time for this, then you should order a professional WordPress web developer. Also, if you need specialists to help you with the technical side of WordPress, or you are limited to a certain set of skills, then, in this case, it also makes sense to turn to professionals.

Ask The Below Questions Before Hiring WordPress Developer

How long have you been working with this CMS?

Everyone learns from the experience. While asking questions to WordPress developers, know the years of experience they hold. As all of us learn at various rates, so you get different answers to the question. So, according to the project budget and need, initially, you have to choose the experience you want the candidate to have.

Can you add or develop a custom plugin to the WordPress website?

The expert WordPress developer can build the integrations and custom plugins for the WordPress website. If you require some custom features for the site, then, you should ask the WordPress developer if they will do this with the current plugin or will need to create one from the scratch. The same cost will also get be conveyed to you as well. 

What method do you follow to create the WordPress website?

It will be less or more the same for every developer. Initially, they will examine the requirements, then, make a development plan, explain it to you, select the theme, and begin the development procedure. Assure that they have the testing phase to examine the final product quality. 

How can you secure the WordPress website?

There is no way of compromising the security of the WordPress website. Ask the developer some questions related to the security process to secure the website from theft or breaching or from hackers. Many WordPress developers assure to provide a theme without any hack guarantee, however, you must ask the skilled person regarding the precautionary measures to be followed to make the WordPress website fully secured. 

What tools do you use to find bugs?

The answer to this question will depend on the development environment the candidate is using. Different programming languages ​​use different profilers, and some frameworks have built-in bug fixing tools. It is important to learn not the tool, but the approach to solving the problem.

What about SEO, security, UX, performance while creating an app?

This is a very important question. The ability to understand and combine these factors at work is a key skill for any web developer. It will also be clear from the answer what the candidate gives priority to programming. For example, if you are a large financial company, security will be more important to you than SEO. For those in the online publication,  SEO and website performance are prime factors. 

Which projects are you proud of? What have you done to successfully implement it?

Start your interview carefully to reduce candidate anxiety. The answer to this gives you an outline of the focus of the WordPress developer. However, it shows the perception regarding success and the work process.  Know if the developer is mentioning the team or is basically centered around the effort. 

How is testing done? And what do you think of it in general?

Good code implies fewer errors in the website and in the code.  The skilled developer focuses on quality testing. 

Are you aware of the recent or advanced trends regarding website development?

In other words, is the candidate making an effort to remain in demand. For example, ask what technical publications they read, what authors and personalities in the IT community he admires, and why.

The field of web development is constantly changing, so it is important for a specialist to be interested in the latest trends and form their opinion about them.

Do you have any direct interaction with the customer or have worked with them? 

The answer to this question will give an idea of ​​how the candidate reacts to the opinions of other people about his work. If you are looking for someone to develop an application or who can grow in the future within the company, he will inevitably face criticism from users and colleagues.

Is it possible to convert the WordPress website to an online store or can I add additional features or functionalities to it later on?

Ask the WordPress developer if the site will be editable in the future, if it becomes necessary to add functionalities or features. WordPress websites can be converted easily to an eCommerce website by using the WooCommerce plugin. However, you have to confirm it with the developer as well.

What if the final product is not according to my specifications? Will you change it for me?

It is an essential question to consider. There are fewer chances that you will like the website or product at first. However, even if you like the website, then it may need some updates or changes. The WordPress developer should make the required changes even when the website is delivered to you. And, ask the developer if the changes will be free or charged. 

Wrapping Up

If you want an effective and engaging WordPress website, then, you have to hire the best WordPress developer.  Assure to ask the above-mentioned questions while finding the one that fits your project needs. Consider that you are spending on the services, hence, do not compromise on the quality. 

Let us know about your queries. Do share your views with us. We are here to assist you. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio

Morris Edwards is a web developer & marketing strategist who works with Awebstar, a website designing agency in Singapore. Apart from this, he loves to write blogs on web design, SEO & internet marketing. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to get his new articles and updates instantly.