Today, we live in a world where technology is being incorporated into almost every aspect of living. With the increase in the use of technology is also a corresponding increase in the demand for talents in the field. Among these well-sought IT talents are front-end developers.
Front-End developers are those software developers who work mainly on the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of an application or website. Their job is to ensure that the website or app has a readable layout that anyone can see and easily interact with at any time.
Understanding how important the role of the front-end developers is, to the overall success of the app or website, it is vital that only those with the adequate skills are brought-in for hire. How then are recruiters to know and be certain of the quality of front-end developers they are hiring? Contained in this article are helpful tips to provide adequate answers to this question.
- Check for their Technical Skills
A front-end developer should be well conversant with programming languages and frameworks including; HTML/HTML 5, CSS/CSS3, JavaScript, AJAX, XML and have Responsive design. Also, you should look out for certain terms such as;
- UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) which both play an increasingly vital role in the development of any application
- Visual (including; Visual Studio, Visual C++, and Visual C#)
- API (Application Programming Interface) which indicates the specific purpose of an application as well as the platform on which it will operate (e.g. mobile phone, desktop computer or tablet)
Ability to effectively work with these tools will increase his/her chances of doing excellent jobs.
- Creativity
As the one responsible for the graphical interface through which users of an app or website can explore its content, the front-end developer should be creative enough to plan the visual and aesthetic side of web/app development. He/she must be able to make the interface interesting and attractive and at the same time, keep it simple enough for easy understanding and navigation.
- Be aware of the Challenges they face
After understanding the responsibilities of front-end developers which include; ensuring the website is well accessible on all devices and browsers, looks good on all devices, loads quickly and works well, it is equally important to know the challenges they encounter. These challenges may include; Relearning CSS the right way, what to test, how to test and how to use Bootstrap. Understanding these will help you to be able to better gauge your expectations from them and know the assistance they need per time.
- Know what makes them Enthusiastic about Work
Front-End developers want to work for someone who values the aesthetics of a website or application as much as they do and gives them opportunities to dive deeper into web 2.0 concepts which include carousels, fly-outs, overlays, and drop-downs. By understanding this and providing the necessary opportunities, you increase your chances of getting them for hire.
By considering and putting the given suggestions to practice, recruiters can be better assured of hiring the appropriate and well-qualified front-end developers needed for their IT jobs.