Developers come in many forms and with a variety of specialties. Their services are vital to many businesses, and factors like quality and reliability are usually the main ones applied when looking to employ a developer.
One other area that matters a lot is the cost. Nobody has an infinite budget, and more importantly nobody wants to pay more than necessary for a developer. If you’re looking for a truly elite specialist then it’s obvious that you’ll need to pay top dollar. That’s the entire reason those types of developers are specialists and so well known.
Outside of top-tier experimental work, the variance in developers capabilities is a lot lower, and you will usually find many workers capable of doing the work you want, so cost is important. Let’s take a look at ways you can save some money.
- Outsource the Job
Outsourcing is one of the more popular ways to cut costs. The fact is that people in other countries will sometimes offer similar work at a cheaper price, because living expenses are much lower than they are in your country. There are also other advantages to outsourcing, including knowledge of local markets and opening potential networking or business opportunities in the new locale.
- Figure Out Specifically What You Need
This one is overlooked a lot of the time. When hiring a developer you should have a good understanding of what skill sets and level of capability you actually need. Sometimes an employer might look for an advanced and experienced developer, when in reality a basic or fresh developer could do the job, providing this developer has a couple of key capabilities. The second developer might have less overall capability, but it’s actually possible this person has more capability in the relevant areas, and is available cheaper too!
- Go Through an Agency
Agencies are also a good option which can save you both cash and time. They make the process to hire the right developer easier because they already have a database of professionals at the ready. Cost savings are helped because you don’t have to pay for things like training or insurance and tax, which you would need to do with permanent employees.
- Use Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing is when you advertise the position/project and wait for applicants. They offer bids on price and a variety of skills. Because these people are competing for your work, they are likely to try and bid lower than each other, kind of like a reverse auction – and a great way to save!
- Make Sure You Hire the Right Person
Possibly the most costly mistake you can make is to hire the wrong developer. The wrong person won’t get the job done properly, and will waste your time and money. Be sure the first time, be specific on your needs and create an in-depth interviewing process to learn about your new worker. Discuss the project deeply to make sure the understanding is genuine and in-depth. You could also ask for sample work, and above all else, once the position is filled – get regular updates so you can be sure everything is progressing how it should be.
