In my previous post, I talked about five things you should consider when looking for a web developer. In this post, I’ll talk about some questions you should ask after you’ve found a handful of applicants and want to pick the best.
You won’t see the standard interview questions here (for example, “Why do you want to work with Acme Widgets?”), since it goes without saying that you should ask them. While these questions are geared towards hiring a front-end developer (XHTML/CSS), many of them can be applied to back-end developers (PHP, ASP, Ruby, etc.) as well.
1. Can you explain to me the difference between HTML and XHTML?
This might seem like a trivial question, but the very best web developers won’t confuse the two. There are a number of differences from between HTML and XHTML, including:
- XHTML requires that all tags be in lowercase
- XHTML requires that all tags be properly closed
- XHTML requires that all attributes (e.g., id, class, type) be enclosed in double quotes
- XHTML prohibits inline elements from containing block level elements
Web developers who don’t know that there is a difference should be shown to the door. HTML is a deprecated technology, so you don’t want to hire someone who is going to code with it.
2. What industry blogs and websites do you read regularly, and why?
The best web developers have a passion for what they do. This passion is manifested in a desire to constantly learn: about new trends, better techniques, and anything and everything related to the profession. Ask your candidate to name two or three sources of information and inspiration, then ask him or her why that source is a favorite.
3. Do you validate your code?
Validation is like a diagnostics test for a website. At the end of development, a good developer will validate his or her site to check for errors. Make sure this question isn’t greeted with a raised eyebrow, but with a “yes.”
4. Do you check your websites in multiple browsers?
It is very important that your applicant say yes to this question. In an ideal world, everyone would use the same browser, but as the chart below shows, the “browser market” is highly fragmented.
Browser share by page views, Nov. 2008. Source: thecounter.com
While testing a site on all browsers isn’t necessary or practical, your candidate should be familiar with at least the top three (Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 6, and Firefox) and preferably the top five (add Safari and Opera).
5. What applications do you use to build your websites, and why?
If you use particular software (like Adobe Creative Suite), you’ll want to make sure your new hire is familiar with it or can at least make a quick transition. A good answer would be: “I use Dreamweaver CS3 because it has excellent support for CSS. It also allows me to easily make trivial text changes in visual mode while still giving me ultimate control over the code.”
6. How comfortable are you writing code by hand?
In my opinion, the very best developers code primarily by hand. They prefer to have as much control over the final output as possible, and there simply isn’t any software out there today that can replace a well-trained human.
Detail-oriented developers are the best, because they have a real passion for writing the leanest, quickest, most efficient code possible. This translates into faster page load times, improved SEO, and lower long-term maintenance costs for you.
7. Do you have any personal projects you’re currently working on?
This can be a good one to wrap up the interview. Most developers have personal projects on the side, from web-based applications to personal blogs, and love to talk about them.
The best candidates will likely have a personal project, which evinces a real passion for the profession. It’s always better to hire someone who loves what they do so much that the lines between work and play become blurred.
8. Which content management system (CMS) do you prefer to work with, and why?
First of all, your candidate must be familiar with content management systems. Content-managed websites are becoming increasingly widespread, and for good reason: they allow non-technical users to maintain a website, thus reducing the overhead required to keep on a part- or full-time developer.
A good developer should have experience with a handful of CMSs, whether it be with Joomla, Drupal, ExpressionEngine, or WordPress.
9. Can you show me your portfolio?
Even if you’ve already looked, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to go over a candidate’s portfolio while he or she is in the room with you. Ask the candidate questions about his or her work:
- What inspired you to do it this way?
- Why did you use this programming language here?
- What was your biggest challenge while working on this project?
Be on the lookout for a large number of partially completed or unbuilt sites in the portfolio, as it can sometimes be a sign of inexperience. I have seen many developers bulk up their portfolios with mockups for websites that were never built.
Conclusion
I’m sure there are many other questions that one might ask a potential hire. If you have some of your own, feel free to share them here.
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