How Do I Know If a Contract Developer Is Actually Good?

Look past the resume to three things: how they explain past decisions, how they handle a live technical problem, and what happens in the first two weeks of actual work.

Before You Hire

Ask about a specific past project, not generically — "walk me through a technical decision you'd make differently now." Good developers can articulate tradeoffs; weak ones give vague answers. Give a small paid trial task if possible, since a few hours of real work tells you more than any interview. Pose a flawed approach and see if they push back or just agree — developers who never disagree with you are a red flag, not a good sign.

In the First Two Weeks

Are they asking clarifying questions, or guessing and shipping? Is their code readable to your existing team, or do they need an interpreter? Do they flag risks proactively, or only after something breaks? Are their time estimates roughly accurate, or wildly optimistic?

Ongoing Signals

Pull request quality — small, focused, well-described PRs versus giant unreviewable dumps — plus test coverage on what they ship, and how they respond to code review feedback, defensively or constructively.

Bottom line: Resumes and certifications tell you what someone claims. The first two weeks of real work tell you the truth. Structure a short trial period if you can.

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