Everything You Need to Know When Hire Drupal Developers
Content Map
More chaptersBuilding a website based on the Drupal CMS is a good idea to go in the first place. Drupal is free. More than that, it is functional, flexible, and scalable at the same time. You have the content management system. Then what?
Yes, Drupal developer team. To ensure the website quality, you have to gather Drupal programmers who have a deep understanding of Drupal development and company cultural fit. It seems like an easy task, but indeed it is not. Due to the shortage of software developers in recent years and hiring experiences in enterprises regardless of size, especially startups, the thing to hire Drupal developers turned out to be an uncovered pain.
If you are also in the above situation, read this article now to gain better knowledge of Drupal developers. With the right methods and understanding, you can bring out the website’s success at the drop of a hat.
The Concept of Drupal Development
What is Drupal first?
Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) written in the PHP programming language that helps a web developer build and manage websites ranging from personal blogs to government, corporate, or commercial websites. In most of the top popular CMS platform rankings, Drupal is regularly featured in the top five. This shows the popularity and huge demand for Drupal web development in the modern context.
Drupal development is known for its flexibility as it gives expert Drupal developers access to powerful image management and content creation tools. Drupal’s modular architecture allows Drupal programmers to modify functionalities according to project requirements, leading to highly customized and feature-rich websites. With the help of custom Drupal solutions, building and adapting website development according to the specific needs of your business becomes more manageable and professional than ever.
Who is a Skilled Drupal Developer?
From the definition of Drupal websites, we derive the definition of Drupal developers. A Drupal programmer is a term for professionals who specialize in using Drupal CMS to build and manage all kinds of websites, from simple single-page static sites to complex ones. They work with PHP and a number of other server-side programming languages for creating custom modules, running automated tests, and deploying software development products.
For the web application development process to go smoothly, talented Drupal developers also have to work closely with backend developers and customers to ensure the delivery of a Drupal site with a user-friendly interface and functionality.
However, hiring Drupal developers is not an easy thing when businesses always face developer shortages every year. The recruiting process sometimes takes months to find the right piece for the organization. That is also the reason that increasingly customers are looking for software outsourcing services to solve this difficult problem.
What are Drupal Web Developers’ Duties?
Because of the specificity of Drupal websites, the role requires more than a deep understanding of the latest software development technologies. Developers are responsible for many tasks related to building and maintaining websites. Only developers with a deep understanding of Drupal principles and its modular structure will fully exploit the platform’s robustness to develop tailor-made digital experiences.
Specifically, what do qualified Drupal developers do for businesses? What is their main mission? If divided by area of expertise, the responsibility of the Drupal team lies in three main segments.
- Drupal Site Builder: People who build Drupal websites using its features and available modules on the admin interface without writing code.
- Drupal Themer: Frontend developer helps design and create Drupal themes.
- Drupal Module Developer: The role involves coding PHP to cater to Drupal module development and major web-based add-ons. Backend developers will usually take over this job.
Where to Find the Best Drupal Developers?
The development of technology has improved the way people approach jobs. Nowadays, not only exist in house teams, but professions have also applied more diversely than other forms of work such as remote, hybrid, etc., helping employees have more control of their work-life balance.
Accompanying the development of working forms is the development of platforms. Employers have more than one choice to find and hire a Drupal developer. Here are some places where you can find top Drupal developers.
Drupal Community (Drupal.org)
Drupal.org is the official website of Drupal content management systems. Not only does it provide the latest Drupal updates and contains a vast wealth of documentation, but it is also home to Drupal experts from around the world. As people who come from many backgrounds, with many skills and many perspectives, they interact, collaborate, share experiences, and enrich the Drupal community with useful knowledge. Drupal community, as of March 2022, has more than 1.39 million members. With such a huge number, Drupal.org is a great place for employers looking to hire developers.
Outsourcing Agencies
Recruitment is a long process that requires time, effort, money, and professional knowledge from employers. To reduce this workload and focus on core competencies that bring profits to the business, many customers choose to use the services provided by outsourcing vendors as a more professional solution to access Drupal talent pools. With proven track records in the tech field, software development companies like Orient Software have a ready source of abundant developers and a variety of service packages to assist customers in completing projects with unexpected results.
Job Boards
Job boards are not only an online platform where job seekers apply for jobs but also a place to help employers easily post job vacancies. A fixed job board is not limited to any profession. That’s why businesses can also hire Drupal programmers on such platforms. By reviewing developers’ online profiles and their achievements in previous projects, employers can somewhat assess the candidate’s suitability to the business requirements, then set up meetings and have more in-depth discussions about work. Some popular job board examples include Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Jobs, Monster, and CareerBuilder.
Freelance Platforms
If you want to focus on recruiting freelance Drupal developers, freelance platforms are the right choice for you. Freelance platforms are online marketplaces consisting of the best freelancers from anywhere in the world. Similar to job boards, such platforms offer a wide range of job seekers across different industries and job sectors, including Drupal.
The only difference is that interviewees only accept remote work for freelance platforms to support the project’s development process. Remote Drupal developers not only complete their assigned tasks well but also help businesses save money on things like facilities, benefits, etc. Upwork, Fiverr, and Toptal are some well-known platforms you can consider.
Hire Dedicated Drupal Developers with These Practical Tips
Hiring Drupal developers all on your own can be laborious and hectic. To simplify this process, let’s go through these practical tips.
Hire the Most Suitable Ones, Not the Best
Undoubtedly, experienced employees are often more beneficial than those who aren’t. With a high level of expertise and skills, they easily grasp the job requirements and bring many benefits to the company’s development. However, in exchange for high-quality personnel, the cost of recruitment and risk are enormous in parallel. This is a difficult problem for businesses regardless of size because cost is always a necessary and sufficient condition for maintaining and operating the organization’s survival.
Instead of choosing the best Drupal developers and accepting a huge loss of investment if there is a risk, businesses should choose the most suitable ones for many different reasons. Firstly, they require lower investment costs and salary brackets. Second, they speed up the hiring process. Third, as long as there is a spirit of learning, you can completely train them to be the best at any time.
Not all Drupal projects are the same. Your project, for example, may require specific technical skills that only certain developers are familiar with. A Drupal developer who is skilled in these areas can be a better choice for your project than a developer who is considered “the best Drupal developer” but lacks such requirements.
So how to hire the right Drupal developers? Throughout the recruitment process, businesses need to focus on evaluating candidates based on four factors: attitude, qualifications, thinking, and temperament. Depending on hiring needs, the right ones differ from one organization to another. Don’t set any model, but do things based on your own fit factor.
Know Exactly What You Want
To avoid confusion during the hiring process, make sure you define your project requirements as in-depth as possible. This seems obvious. But many businesses forget the importance of self-understanding and defining Drupal project requirements and goals. The best way to start is by developing a requirement document outlining the features and functionality your website needs. The more detailed the document, the more clearly businesses can clarify their own needs.
In addition to the requirement document, here are some specific methods to help you get clarity on what your business wants:
- Set SMART goals: Set organizational goals based on criteria including Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) to provide clear direction.
- Conduct SWOT analysis: Locate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of your business and leverage your strengths and make the necessary changes to move forward.
- Write tech business plan: Outlining the goals, objectives, strategies, etc., help businesses draw a clear picture of software products and recruitment needs in the future.
- Use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specific KPIs that help a business measure its progress towards its goals.
Business needs to change over time. So, clarity is not a destination but an ongoing process. Continually evaluate and review your metrics to ensure you’re still on the right track.
Communication is Key
When it comes to hiring Drupal developers or any other position, technical skills alone are not sufficient. The combination of hard and soft skills brings the maximum effect to the vacancy and business growth. In addition to problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, communication stands out as the most important soft skill. Effective communication is essential for several reasons.
Communication ensures smooth collaboration and teamwork. Not only working with key roles in the development team in general, programmers in the Drupal web development process also have to work closely with stakeholders. In this case, clear communication helps Drupal developers promote efficient workflow, prevent misunderstandings, and deliver a satisfactory outcome for both parties.
Another aspect where communication plays a vital role is meeting client expectations. Drupal developers often interact directly with clients, and their ability to communicate effectively can significantly impact client satisfaction. Drupal developers may encounter various challenges during the development process, and effective communication enables them to articulate problems, brainstorm solutions, and collaborate with others to find the best approach.
This article only plays a role as your advisor in the hiring Drupal web developers’ journey, as Orient Software understands that different companies have their own needs and processes. This is undoubtedly not an easy-going task. In case you are in the middle of nowhere, you can definitely consider outsourcing partners like Orient. Over the past decades, we have brought success to countless projects in diverse industries. Even though you are looking for custom software development, mobile app development or web app development, etc., Orient Software can all satisfy you with the best services. Drop us a message for further discussion.
