The definitive guide to hiring a python developer

Python is a programming language with diverse use cases and an immense repertoire of functionalities, but I’m guessing you already know this. Over 10 million active websites running Python and a hugely active community makes this the development tool of choice for startups, businesses and organizations alike. It’s a sharp tool for creating agile and efficient software solutions.

I can also guess that you’re looking to take advantage of the efficiency of Python. But how exactly do you find a python developer who can take your dreams to Python propelled reality? I have answers.

The hiring pitfall

If you’ve never hired a developer before, it’s tempting to think of this as just another recruitment exercise – post a job ad, wait for applicants, screen and hire. Well, it’s not. Programming, more so programming with Python, is a very intricate skill. It takes more than just brushing through a CV or scheduling a generic interview session to identify a well-versed Python developer. You need to know what you’re looking for in a Python developer and how to go about assaying such skills.

Finding top-tier Python developers

I’ll just go ahead and say it; the best Python developers are gainfully employed, even maybe at a Fortune 500 company. Hunting for those guys would mean poaching them from those companies, usually with lucrative salaries and mouthwatering bonuses.

Now you probably don’t have the money to attract a tier-one Python developer, which leaves you with the next best thing – the very good Python developers. But how can you tell a very good Python developer if you saw one in the wild?

Sublime knowledge of Python

Python as a programming language is expansive with several speciality subdisciplines. To keep it simple, you want a developer who’s

Experienced with Django and Flask.

Django is a Python library, and Flask is a web API template for Python. Together they are the bare essentials of Python, at least as it relates to micro applications and microservices.

Conversant with data structures and machine learning

Python is an excellent tool for churning through data in whatever form it presents itself. Any good Python programmer should be exposed to data structures with experience or at the very least conceptual grasp of machine learning as a concept

Skilled at Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

OOP is the defacto standard for building applications, micro applications and other software solutions with Python. Any Python developer worth their mettle should be very conversant with this concept.

Experienced with SVN or GIT

Code versioning tools like GIT or SVN help developers track and manage changes across different versions of code/software. This is a must-have for your developers if you’re planning to put out apps that will be updated over time.

Familiar with Object Relational Mapper (ORM) Libraries

ORM libraries are critical components of enterprise-grade software and applications incorporating objects and relational databases. They facilitate seamless transfer of data stored in the latter to the former.

Well versed with the Jinja, Mako and other server-side templating languages.

This is an essential skill for manipulating client-side generated events/inputs into server-generated outputs.

Overall, these skills merge to form what we like to call a Full Stack Python developer. If it all sounds like technical mumbo jumbo, that’s because it is technical stuff. Reason why I said searching for and hiring a Python programmer is a lot trickier than, say, hiring an accounting manager.

What are your options?

There are three routes to take, and each of these takes a different approach to the problem of verifying the skillsets of a Python programmer.

Hire a full-time in-house Python programmer using an expert

Except you’re a developer yourself, you’ll need someone who has experience using the Python programming language to screen and test the skills and performance of potential hires. Alternatively, you could hire based on recommendations or based on a stellar work experience and portfolio base. But like I said earlier, most Python developers with extensive work experience and portfolios already work at another company.

How to hire an in-house python developer

As I said, you simply pass on the baton to someone skilled enough with Python or use the work experience of potential hires. With the in-house route, you’ll need to create a job post and list it on sites like Stack Overflow, LinkedIn or GitHub. Alternatively, you could hire a recruiter, which is the option I’d recommend if you’re really serious about hiring an in-house Python developer.

Why in-house

Hiring a full-time Python developer is all things considered the best option. It is what most big shot companies do. You get to keep a tightly knit control over the development process, and because these are usually very skilled developers, you also get better quality production code.

The drawbacks

It’s expensive to keep a Python developer in-house. Expect the full range of expenses covering everything from salary to insurance cover, office-space lease and the likes.

With an in-house team, it’s harder to scale production. This ties back to the expense of hiring an in-house developer – it can be costly to expand your team if you want to work faster and better.

Hire an Agency based developer

Agencies curate top Python development talent from the world over. And by curate, I mean screen, test, and routinely examine performance. They take the hard work off the process of finding, hiring and retaining a Python developer. Most times, all you need do is provide a project blueprint – the Agency will handle everything else.

Why Agency

It’s simple, straightforward and efficient. Contact the Agency, provide your requirements, get a quote, pay and wait for your completed project.

You have access to top-breed Python programmers. Some agencies have very stringent qualification requirements for developers. And that means you’re plugging into the top 20% of Python developers.

The drawbacks

It’s very expensive, sometimes reaching (and even surpassing) the expense of hiring a full-time in-house Python developer.

You get limited flexibility. Agency contracts are usually fixed and hugely inflexible. It’s hard to make changes and modifications once it is signed into place.

Freelance Python developers

Think of Python freelancers as independent contractors. There’s no centralized entity routinely vetting or supervising the quality of the work they do. It’s all up to you.

The good news is that routinely vetting a freelance Python developer’s job performance is not something you’d worry about if you do a good job of finding a skilled professional.

How to hire a freelance Python developer

With agencies or in-house developers, you pass on the task of testing to a third party. When you go freelance, you have to test and verify all the skills I enumerated above yourself. Here’s how to go about it.

Note that it’s not so much testing as it is verifying the acclaimed skill of a potential hire. Testing requires you to have technical knowledge, which I’m assuming you don’t.

Ask for portfolios

Portfolios are a reliable way to gauge the skill and experience of a potential hire. The ideal freelance Python developer should have, at the very least:

Successfully built and deployed websites using Python

You want to gauge the scale and complexity of such sites. Is it an expansive e-commerce platform? Does it have custom-built functionalities? Is it integrating with other non-Python dependent frameworks and applications?

Built custom applications

Plus, if such applications were built using tools like Kivy and Beware. At the very least, your freelance Python developer should have a web application built using Django and Flask.

Built python apps

Maintained/or contributed to maintaining the codebase for a sizable Python app for at least a year

The logic here is simple; any freelance Python developer who ticks these checkboxes is more likely than not well-versed with all the technical requirements I outlined earlier.

Check their reviews

If you’re hunting for a freelance Python developer on freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork, you’ll have access to reviews from other people who’ve worked with these freelancers. These reviews are a way to measure the quality of service delivered by the freelancer above just their technical expertise.

Here’s how I approach reviews on freelance sites like Fiverr;

Ignore the five-star reviews.

Note that the freelance Python programmer must have a significant number of five-star reviews (anything greater than 20 is a good number). Having enough five-star reviews is a must, but I skip the five-star reviews altogether when this requirement is satisfied.

Focus on the three- and one-star reviews

For three and maybe two-star reviews, what’s the major complaint? How did the freelancer respond? For one-star reviews, how many are they, and is there a repeating theme with these reviews.

More often than not, I emphasize three-star reviews because these are usually from level-headed customers who’ve experienced a bad side of the freelancer.

I ask questions or bail

If there’s a mention of something significant in three-star reviews, I give the freelancer the benefit of the doubt and ask questions. I gauge their response and based on that, I either continue with them or bail. When there’s a recurring theme in multiple one-star reviews (multiple one-star revises is in itself a red flag), I bail.

Do a demo run

if you’re almost sold on a freelance python developer but still have some doubts, it makes sense to split your project into bite-size chunks. Start small and use the first few projects to gauge the skills and expertise of the freelance Python developer. Alternatively, you could create an entirely different demo project that’s more oriented to testing the skills of your potential Python developer. This, however, requires a bit of technical know-how.

This is all the primer you need to start your search for a skilled Python developer. But, again, if this seems all too complicated, then you could just use my list of the best Freelance Python developers on sites like Fiverr and Upwork.

Python developers on Fiverr

There are more than a thousand Python developers on Fiverr, and simply searching for the phrase Python developer on the platform should bring them all up.

You’ll need to first create an account on Fiverr to hire Python developers. See my guide on Hiring freelancers on Fiverr for more info on that.

I’ve used all I’ve described up here to create a selection of the best Python experts on Fiverr. But before I expand on my list, here’s a fair warning – Fiverr doesn’t curate the best talents when it comes to Python development.

Sure, you can find and hire a Python developer on Fiverr to whip up a simple bot, web app or full-on website using Django and Flask, but if your project is something leaning to the enterprise side of things, it’s hard to find a true professional who’s well rounded in all things required in staging, testing and deploying a full-scale Python software solution.

Long story short, if you’re looking for a freelance Python dev for simple to complicated but not convoluted Python projects, then yeah, feel free to pick any of these Fiverr Python developers.

Djangoninja

The name gives it all up, doesn’t it? If you’re in the market for a full-stack Python developer on Fiverr, few people compare to the skill, experience and expertise of this freelancer. He possesses the complete repertoire of knowledge to create and float small to full-scale web applications and websites.

Strengths

• Experience and in-depth skill with the Python web framework, including everything related to Django, Flask and microservices development
• Expertise with server-side tools and deployment. Fluent and comfortable with AWS, Heroku, Azure, and other cloud services
• Skilled at Python API development and integration with existing systems
• Fiverr choice seller

Rating review

Djanjoninja’s main Djanjo gig runs surplus with five-star reviews – over 100 of them, to be precise. There’s a lone one-star negative review that seems to do with this freelancer requesting additional payments. One look, and I think this is a clear case of a client who wants more than what was paid for.

JasonCrowe

With over seven years of experience creating Python web apps, Python-based websites, scraping data from the web and crafting sublime GUIs, Jason is the Python developer on Fiverr you’d gun for if you wanted an all-rounded professional

Strengths

• All-round expertise in Python and Python-related programming languages and frameworks
• Professional approach to building and deploying Python web apps, scripts and bots
• Skilled with all the technicalities required to create, manage and interact with APIs

Rating review

Jason maintains a flawless review record. All reviews on his main gig are positive, with the bulk of those being five-star reviews and just two falling in the four-star review category.

Share_facebuk

Versatility is an excellent skill for any programmer to have, more so for a Python developer. Rarely does it happen that Python is used exclusively for software projects – most times, it’s integrated with other programming solutions. Share_facebuk is a unique Python developer on Fiverr. He is masterful with the Python language and several associated programming languages like C++ and JavaScript. 

Strengths

• Versatile understanding of several related programming languages
• Well versed with machine learning and other more niche applications of the Python programming language
• Strong technical background in math and computation

Rating review

Share_facebuk has two very significant one-star reviews on his main Python development gig. I say significant because they both touch on similar issues – him not providing all the details necessary to help clients use the software solution he designs.

Now, if you don’t have any experience with the Python programming language, this is a probable red flag. Although I suspect it wouldn’t be an issue if you were very upfront with your requirements at the start of the project. Nevertheless, it takes nothing off the technical expertise of this Fiverr Python developer.

Lechebs

Like Share_facebuk, Lechebs is a Python developer on Fiverr with an arsenal of other programming skills. He’s fluent in C, Kotlin, JavaScript and with mastery of applicable databases like SQL.

While Share_facebuk speciality skill is machine learning, Lechebs is a master of 2D programming and generating GUIs with Python. If you wanted a 2D game developed in Python, this is your go-to guy.

Strengths

• Technical expertise in multiple programming languages
• Skilled designer with experience creating graphical components with multiple Python libraries.
• Very affordable

Review rating

It’s all five-star reviews on this Fiverr Python developer’s main gig.

Devmahmud

Devmahmud is the Fiverr Choice developer for Python projects executed using the Django framework.

The Fiverr Choice badge is a revered medal awarded to freelancers who’ve shown excellence in their field. It’s a big deal, and I talk more about it on my Fiverr Freelancer hiring guide – check that out here.

This is all roundabout way of saying Mahmud is the Pyhton developer you should hire on Fiverr if you’re looking to get something done with Django.

Strengths

• Experience working at a fast-paced US startup
• Absolute mastery of the Django framework
• Experience with virtually all relevant Python libraries and associated programming languages
• Experience with creating and managing APIs

Rating review

Reviews on Mahmud’s gigs are all positive, with glowing recommendations and visibly satisfied clients.

Python developers on Upwork

Compared to Fiverr, Upwork hosts a more professional pool of Python developers. This is where you’ll find polished, skilled and detail-oriented developers of the kind to successfully design, codify, deploy and maintain expansive Python projects.

Of course, you’ll be paying more for the typical Upwork Python developer compared to someone sourced off Fiverr. But as long as you do well to select the right Python developer on Upwork, it’s an extra expense that’ll be very well justified.

Want to skip the hassle? I’ve curated my top Upwork Python developers list, so you have a strong head start.

Leonardus C

Leonardus is an Upwork Top Rated seller but let’s not dwell too much on that. What you need to know – what sets this developer apart from the typical Python programmer on Upwork –  is his contribution and experience with popular open-source Python projects like Pydata, Pandas-dev and Quantopian. This indicates his mastery of the Python programming language and the more technical aspects of creating and maintaining complex code bases.

Strengths

• Masterful understanding of Python scripting, bot development, deployment and management
• Full-on experience with developing, testing and deploying backend Python infrastructure at scale
• Solid background in computation and automation

Rating review

Leonardus boasts an impressive reviews panel with stellar recommendations from the majority of clients he has worked with.

Two things stand out from these reviews:

• Attestation to the quality of work delivered
• Willingness to rectify bugs (which are almost certain to come up) promptly

Joseph M

Data processing and visualization are some of the core functionalities of the Python programming language, but paradoxically it’s one subspecialty staffed by many underqualified or unskilled Python developers. Joseph breathes a clean air of professionalism and expertise into this field. His over ten years of experience churning through and making sense out of data make him the ideal data expert for all your data processing needs.

Strengths

• Versatility and agility – the ability to adapt to unique user/business needs without compromising on quality of service.
• Fluid and well versed with contemporary data engineering frameworks and APIs
• Professional and structured approach to solving the most complex ‘data situations.’

Rating review

Joseph’s ratings are testament to his utmost professional attitude and technical expertise. The fact that he finds a way around daunting challenges that would’ve intimidated other Python developers is well documented on his rating panel.

Dmitry N

The last few years have seen Ukraine emerge as a hub for skilled developers. Dmitry is one of the country’s finest exports. He’s part of the more established software development agency StarNavi which runs a software shop on Upwork that has developed solutions for brands like Duxe, Pocurio and Wing Alpha.

Strengths

• Full-on expertise with Python web development frameworks and other associated web programming tools like JavaScript, JQuery and MongoDB.
• Skilled at backend server-side tooling and deployment with proven expertise with AWS, Nginx, ElasticSearch and a host of other related tools.

Rating review

Dmitry’s ratings on Upwork tell a solid tale of his hard work and attention to detail. That’s despite being one of the cheapest options of an Upwork Python developer.

Guangming L

Guangming is a machine learning expert and industry-renowned data scientist with over ten years of experience working with top brands in the United States. That’s a portfolio to tell you this is not your average data scientist, but if you’re not convinced then perhaps Quangming’s Masters in Biostatistics and National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship might do the trick.

Strengths

• Solid foundation in statistics, data analysis and data meaning
• Extensive experience working with top brands across the world
• Detailed oriented professional with a knack for deriving detailed insights (and solutions) from complex data sets and data situations.

Review ratings

I’ll leave this one for you to judge

Greg T

Like Guangming, Greg is a machine learning expert with a specialty focus on computer vision, product management, and time series forecasting. These are niche applications of the Python programming language. Greg is one of the very few freelance Python programmers who has mastery of the concept and processes involved.

Strengths

• Strong technical background in computation and machine process optimization
• Skilled at deploying scalable, practical and hands-on business and manufacturing solutions
• Expert in using Python to achieve automation both on small and large scale projects.

Rating review

Greg’s specialty skills are hugely appreciated by his clients, as evidenced by numerous five-star reviews. From professionalism to versatility and agility, this is a Python Programmer with all the ingredients required to brew a perfect soup of excellence.

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