When you’re ready to hire Python developers, it’s important to know what you’re getting into, especially if this is your first time hiring someone with this kind of experience or skill set. If you can anticipate some of the things that this person will need to be able to do, as well as how they will approach various problems, then you’ll be much better prepared when that time comes. Here are five questions to ask yourself when hiring a Python developer.
1) Are you looking for an employee or contractor?
If you’re hiring on a full-time basis, it’s likely that you’ll want your new employee to be an employee. However, if your needs are more temporary or flexible—for example, seasonal or contract work—it may make sense for you to hire someone as an independent contractor. A quick rule of thumb is that if they don’t offer their services via an employee payroll service (like ADP), they should be hired as contractors. While hiring employees offers many benefits over hiring contractors, there are also certain risks and tax implications that you need to consider before making a final decision. Ultimately, it will depend on both your needs and those of your prospective candidates.
2) What is your timeline?
If you have an urgent project and need someone right away, it’s essential that you discuss expectations with your potential developer. Some of them can deliver within just a couple of days (depending on complexity), while others might take up to two weeks or more. Make sure both parties are on board with realistic expectations. It’s better to under-promise than over-promise. So if you’re in a hurry, make sure they understand! You don’t want to waste time working with someone who can only produce results in six months when that deadline isn’t practical for your business model.
3) What does success look like?
A good developer will ask you what success looks like. What do you want your website or app to accomplish? What are its objectives? How will it provide value? Do you know what problem your product is solving for customers, and can you quantify that in dollars saved or time saved or some other metric? If not, your new hire will need as much information as possible to come up with an answer on his or her own.
4) Who will be managing the project?
You want someone who will be looking out for your best interests. The developer should be able to manage their time and not let coding get in the way of communication with you, especially when things aren’t going as planned. If your developer is hard to reach and doesn’t follow up, they may not have your best interests at heart. A good developer should keep you in loop on progress and roadblocks. How much experience do they have?: This can come down to two things: how long they’ve been programming and what kinds of programs/projects they’ve developed.
5) Can you provide more information about the project?
Asking questions about their project is important because it demonstrates that you’re eager and interested in what they have to say. If you aren’t asking questions, why should they hire you? To be clear, you won’t ask all of these questions for every client. It depends on your relationship with them and how well you know them. But generally, developers want to feel like their opinion matters so it doesn’t hurt to listen closely when they describe their project details. If you don’t need more information about their business, keep reading; if not, read on! (For example: What does success look like for your company?)
