Q&A: What should I look for in a web developer?

Q&A: What should I look for in a web developer?

Answer:
A good web developer must know what they are doing, be able to produce a solid site on time, be accessible, and honest. Some things to remember are:

- Check References.
Use Google to look up their reputation, and include certain other key words like 'fraud' and 'scam' to see if there are any complaints. Check webhostingtalk.com as well. It's the largest web host forum around.

- Do NOT pay by wire transfers like Western Union.
Western Union is a great way to send money to people you know. It's not a reliable way to send money for services however unless you have an existing relationship with the reciever. Avoid any host or designer who pushes for a western union payment.

- Check Previous Work
Looking at a web developers portfolio will help you to know if their design style suits your own. Some work with complex multi-leveled layouts, while others aim for simple and straight forward designs.

- Look under the hood.
When visiting websites that the developer claims they did, check the code. Does it have meta tags? Is it clean, or is it scrambled? Is there an author link back to the developer or does it list someone elses name? Many designers put hidden tags in to site code as a form of signature. It doesn't hurt the site and isn't visible to your regular surfers, but it does sometimes expose liars.