How to Hire a Front End Developer

Why hire a front end developer?

An efficient front end developer helps streamline the company’s web application. They integrate the company product features with the client-side requirements, helping the company to achieve its current and long-term goals. Other benefits include:

• Development of user-friendly pages with interactive markup languages, such as HTML
• Work on and improve the website
• Achieve fast speeds by performing application optimization

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance front end developer

If you run a web development firm, you likely need several full-time front end developers to complete the client-side work. When your workload increases, determine whether it’s temporary or permanent. If you project continued growth and higher workloads, hiring a full-time front end developer can help support your team. An in-house developer offers consistent coverage and high-quality results.

A freelance front end developer is an option if you have a short-term project that requires extra front end developers. If you have a business outside of web development, you can hire a freelance front end developer to design a one-time website or application for your business. You can also hire a freelancer to update an existing app or website.

What are the ranks of front end developers?

Many front end developers complete a wide range of projects that include websites and applications, and they often use HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Developer jobs are often divided into various ranks to signify seniority and delegate tasks. Here are some ranks of front end developer positions:

• Associate front end developers: This is often the entry-level role for front end developers. Associates are usually right out of college or have only a few years of experience. They work under the supervision of more experienced developers and are often assigned part of a larger project.
• Front end developers: With experience, the next stop is a front end developer job without the associate title. This role allows for more autonomy and responsibility in projects.
• Senior front end developers: This higher-ranking role often serves as a mentor to entry-level front end developers. A senior developer might take on more complicated or high-stakes projects or help less experienced developers if they get stuck on a project.

Where to find front end developers

To find the right front end developer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Attend industry conferences. Participating in conferences for front end developers or serving as an instructor for continuing education courses gives you a chance to meet new developers. 
• Network in the field. Talk to your contacts in the web design and development field to identify potential developers.
• Post on your social media channels. Web developers often spend a lot of time online, so posting your openings on social media can help you reach new front end developers. 
• Promote internally. If you have an entry-level front end developer who’s performing well, promote that person to a higher position to give them more responsibilities.
• Post your job online. Try posting your front end developer job on Indeed to find and attract quality front end developer candidates.

What are the ranks of front end developers?

Many front end developers complete a wide range of projects that include websites and applications, and they often use HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Developer jobs are often divided into various ranks to signify seniority and delegate tasks. Here are some ranks of front end developer positions:

• Associate front end developers: This is often the entry-level role for front end developers. Associates are usually right out of college or have only a few years of experience. They work under the supervision of more experienced developers and are often assigned part of a larger project.
• Front end developers: With experience, the next stop is a front end developer job without the associate title. This role allows for more autonomy and responsibility in projects.
• Senior front end developers: This higher-ranking role often serves as a mentor to entry-level front end developers. A senior developer might take on more complicated or high-stakes projects or help less experienced developers if they get stuck on a project.

Writing a front end developer job description

A front end developer job description should have detailed job duties with a brief role summary and expected skill sets for the profile.

When writing your front end developer job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on front end developer jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Front end developer
• Web developer
• Software engineer
• Front end web developer
• Software developer
• UI developer
• Developer

Interviewing front end developer candidates

To hire a suitable front end developer, take the time to vet candidates and ask detailed interview questions to understand their knowledge and skills, including:

• Data analysis using MS Excel and other web tools and software
• Developed innovative apps that transformed key functions of the business
• How they’ve contributed to integrating customer requirements with company applications to generate a product that achieved revenue, profitability and growth targets of the company

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of front end developer interview questions for examples (with sample answers).