Excerpt from How to Choose a Developer

I'm writing this article as someone who is not only a software developer today but who has also hired several developers for a large contract I was in charge of during the period 1999 to 2004.

Hiring the right developer is a tough job. Software developers range from the simply brilliant to the utterly feeble minded. Finding the right one is a tremendous source of joy. Projects are delivered quickly, reliably and they can input a lot of good ideas. Get a bad one and you'll suffer every day till you get rid of them.

The challenge is misrepresentation and it comes in many forms. Some people overstate their ability and credentials. Others understate theirs. Why would anyone do that? Because some people are naturally modest. Some people genuinely view themselves as having less ability than they do. Some people are uncomfortable with any kind of self-promotion. Either way, it's hard to get to the facts. And the facts are what you need.

As a result of thinking about this subject a great deal, having good and bad experiences and looking back over what happened and why, I got better at hiring the right developers. Basically, I'd recommend to you the same approach I would use. It has just two parts: ask for a quote and put the developer to the test. If the developer is unwilling to be tested, you have the wrong person.

Let's look at both in a little more detail. Especially, let's look at what a quote can tell you.

Quotes can be very informative. Firstly, there is the price. Price varies to an extraordinary degree in software for the same product at the same quality. So get several quotes and make sure the price is seems reasonable. But there is far more it can tell you. Does it contain the detail to show you that the estimated price was calculated rather than guessed at? Do they have a time allowance for unforeseen circumstances. Every project has them. Do they give you a time line with way-points so you can tell if they are on track or getting behind. You really need that to remain in control of the project and make sure everything is completed on time. If the quote does not have a time-line then how does your developer intend to stay on schedule? Detailed quotes are a sign of an experienced developer who plans to bring the project in on time.

How do you test a developer quickly and cheaply? If you think you have the right developer(s) break your project into logical chunks. A logical chunk would be, let us say, the part where visitors could create an account, login with a password, change their password etc. Ask your new developer to build that whole (but small) section focusing on functionality more than beauty. In a couple of days you can get an idea of their productivity, ability to stick to a deadline, their ability to estimate the duration of a task and you can see whether conversation with them is productive or difficult. If you don't test you won't know and guessing can prove expensive.