What separates a top 1% developer from the rest? A guide to vetting freelance portfolios, technical skills, and communication standards in Nepal.
The freelance market in Kathmandu is saturated. Platforms like Upwork and specialized Facebook groups are full of developers promising "cheap" work. But how do you distinguish a top 1% developer from someone who just finished a 2-week HTML bootcamp?
Having worked with clients globally and locally, here is my guide to vetting freelance web developers effectively.
1. Look Beyond the Screenshots
Anyone can take a screenshot of a template or another person's website. A top developer shares live links.
- Red Flag: "I can't show you the live site because of NDA" (for *every* project).
- Green Flag: "Here is the live URL, and here is a breakdown of what I specifically built vs. what was existing."
2. Inspect the Technical Basics
You don't need to be a coder to check these things:
SEO Basics
Does their portfolio site appear on Google? If they can't rank their own site, they can't rank yours.
Performance
Run their site through Google PageSpeed Insights. A score below 80 is a warning sign for extensive load times.
3. Communication Habits
Freelancing is 20% coding and 80% communication. In Kathmandu, reliability can be an issue. Test their responsiveness *before* hiring.
- Do they ask clarifying questions about your business goals?
- Do they provide a timeline with milestones?
- Do they say "no" to bad ideas? (A professional advisor guides you; a task-taker just follows orders).
4. The "Full Stack" Verification
Many developers claim to be "Full Stack" but are only strong in one area. Ask about their database choice (SQL vs NoSQL) and why they chose it. A true Full Stack developer can explain why they use MongoDB for your project over PostgreSQL, not just that they use it.
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