If you’re not online, you don’t exist. As a business you need to have a solid online presence, starting with a good website. The same goes for any individual looking to start a blog to promote their talent. The easiest way to get yourself a website is to use WordPress, which has very affordable web-hosting fees.
For an amateur, you can go with the default free version, but for a professional website you need much more. If you’re not an IT expert you’ll have to hire a good WordPress developer.
Here are a few tips.
Check Out Job Boards and Freelancer Platforms
If you own a business in New South Wales, this doesn’t mean you’ll have to hire someone local. Since the work is done remotely you can hire a developer based in a different part of Australia or another part of the world for that matter.
You can go on dedicated job boards to look for a developer or you can find one on the many freelance platforms available. If you feel the need to hire someone nearby, someone you can talk to face to face, you can always use filters to limit your search area. Or you can hire a WordPress developer in another city and arrange for a Skype meeting.
Ask for an Employment Background Check
The developer working on your WordPress site will have access to all sorts of information, concerning your products, your financial information, etc. All of these are vital for your business so you need to know you can trust that developer.
Let them know you’ll want them to submit to a background check before you can hire them. The candidate based in New South Wales (NSW) can get a criminal history check from the NSW Police force or they can obtain a police check NSW from an online criminal history check service that is accredited by the government. Once that hurdle is clear. You can start working on your WordPress site.
When asking for background checks, every recruiter must make sure that they do not use criminal records as a basis for discrimination. For example, if you do end up finding out that a candidate has a criminal record, you will need to look into it further and determine if the criminal record will impact the inherent requirements of the work role. The NSW Fair Work Ombudsman may get involved if there are discriminatory hiring practices in a workplace (1).
What Are the Main Qualities to Look for in a Good Developer?
First of all, check their rating. Most platforms use a star-based rating system. You can also read testimonials, although these might not always be reliable.
Another thing you can do is search their name on Google to see if you come across some negative reviews if they worked as a free-lancer in the past. Although not all negative reviews will give a sound assessment of their work, their reactions to the reviews may tell something about the person.
Another important thing is availability. If the WordPress developer you choose does not answer your messages in a timely manner, take it as a sign they’re not very interested in your business.
For them, it’s just another job, but for you the new website is essential. If they cannot be bothered to listen to your concerns, again, you might want to look for someone willing to listen and answer all your questions.
Speaking of questions, don’t be afraid to ask whatever is bothering you, preferably in simple terms anyone can understand.
Ask them how they plan to deal with crucial issues, like securing the sensitive information of your clients. Also, make sure they’ll be available in the future, should you need assistance with your website.
Reference
(1) NSW Fair Work Obudsman – https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/fair-work-ombudsman
