If you have recently decided to create a new website or renovate an existing one in Drupal, you probably need to hire Drupal developers to carry out your plan. Depending on the specific requirements and complexities of your project, you may need to hire just one specialist for not-so-complicated fixes, a few dedicated Drupal programmers to beef up your current IT team, or even an entire team that includes different experts from Drupal for both. Short and long term support.
In any of the above situations, knowing how to hire Drupal experts is essential to get the best possible results. Here’s a step-by-step guide to hiring Drupal developers for the success of your next Drupal development project:
- Determine what exactly you need: To avoid any confusion later on, please define the job title, role, and job description as clearly as possible first. Also, describe your project requirements in depth and be open and completely transparent.
- Choose the best place to outsource Drupal development work: There are countless websites and agencies that claim to have the best developers. So with so many options to choose from, you are likely to be overwhelmed, especially if you don’t have any prior technical knowledge or experience. When it comes to hiring Drupal developers, you can consider the following resources:
- Their website: Job seekers often browse the “About Us” section and then the “Operator” section of any commercial website. Therefore, it is very important to keep the second section completely accurate and up-to-date at all times for any future requirements.
- Word of mouth: This is still useful for many businesses and is definitely a great option when it comes to hiring dedicated Drupal developers.
- Drupal.org: It is one of the best platforms to hire developers for Drupal. Here, you can find developers with different skill levels, from newbies to seasoned professionals. The only downside is that you have to pay to post a job or search for resumes on this platform.
- Job boards: Monster, Indeed or Simply Hired are, to name a few job portals, where you can hire Drupal developers. With a simple Google search for “Drupal developer jobs”, you are likely to find these websites in the top 10 results.
- Independent sites: Websites like Freelancer, Upwork, and Craigslist are some popular options for hiring dedicated Drupal programmers. Since this website has mixed reviews, be sure to be specific in terms of your requirements when interacting with a candidate here.
- Drupal development company: This is certainly a great option for outsourcing Drupal development work if you want to avoid the cost of hiring, training, and general management of a Drupal team. Plus, with reputable outsourcing development companies, you get the assurance of having qualified Drupal programmers with proven experience for your project.
- Search in social networks: Given the rise in popularity of social media in recent years, exploring social platforms a bit is never the wrong idea. LinkedIn is what most experts recommend.
- Shortlisted candidates: Once you are sure of your needs, job requirements, and where to look for Drupal developers, it’s time to remove candidates / agencies from your list. Reading and understanding the resumes of potential candidates is an important aspect of this process.
Look for the words on resumes that match your job requirements: modules they have worked on, front-end / back-end experience, etc. Consider the experience level of the candidates, if they have worked on previous versions of Drupal such as D4, D5, and D6.
- Assess your technical acuity: Let candidates review your existing code or ask them to code it for you. This is a great way to examine your coding speed, code quality, and analytical and decision-making skills.
- Consider your communication skills: This is just as important as coding skills and helps with the smooth running and timely delivery of your project. Make sure the potential candidate’s communication style is in line with your company culture / philosophy.
- Decide what is best for you financially: Once you’ve shortlisted a handful of companies / candidates, take a step back and see what makes the most sense for you financially. A Drupal development agency might quote you a little higher, but that saves you on onboarding, training, overhead, and more at the same time.