How to assess skills required for a WordPress developer

What is a WordPress developer skills assessment? 

A WordPress developer skills assessment is a set of tests that you can use to gauge an applicant’s proficiency in WordPress. 

It tests hard skills such as coding language proficiency, programming ability, plugin development skills, theme customization and configuration capability, and database management skills. Most will assess applicant’s knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) as well.

 The assessment will also evaluate a candidate’s knowledge of WordPress security, site admin, and the platform’s overall functionality. 

In addition, WordPress developer skills assessments should evaluate soft skills relevant to the role. These include communication and troubleshooting skills, as well as attention to detail.

Why are WordPress development skills important? 

Troubleshooting and problem-solving

Capable WordPress developers have strong troubleshooting skills and are able to quickly and efficiently identify and fix problems in the CMS. This leads to less website downtime and disruptions, which is great for profitability and overall business success. 

Additionally, a developer with strong WordPress troubleshooting skills will have a solid knowledge of the CMS’s underlying architecture and core functionalities. They’ll be able to pinpoint the correct code files and know where to find bugs that might be causing problems. This boosts efficiency and reduces downtime even more. 

SEO and performance optimization

A successful WordPress developer will have a solid understanding of SEO and site performance optimization. They follow technical SEO best practices to ensure WordPress sites rank high in search engine rankings. 

SEO goes hand-in-hand with performance optimization. Well-performing websites typically rank well on search engine results pages. A few factors determine site performance, including page load speed, code quality, and the use of performance-enhancement tools such as a content delivery network (CDN). 

A developer who can create and customize your site with the user experience as a main focus will be invaluable for your business. Fast, well-performing sites that are a pleasure to browse will be able to deliver a great user experience. This should translate to a stronger online presence and more traffic to your site.  

Updates and maintenance

Updating and maintaining a WordPress website is crucial, and an individual with strong development skills can do this easily. 

This ensures that WordPress sites are up-to-date with the latest technology and protected from malware and malicious third parties. Sites can be at risk of hacking or data theft if security patches and updates aren’t configured correctly.

In addition, the ability to perform ongoing maintenance will ensure a site is always performing well. This will positively impact both SEO and user experience.

Plugin and theme development

WordPress developers also use their skills to create website themes and plugins from scratch and customize existing ones.

The WordPress ecosystem contains thousands of different themes and plugins that extend its functionality and enable you to achieve the design you want‌. Skilled developers are able to customize them in the exact way your business needs.

With a custom-made theme and plugins, you’re able to add unique features and functionalities to a WordPress site. This can be an excellent way to stand out from the competition and improve brand recognition. 

Time and cost efficiency

Skilled WordPress developers will be able to work quickly and efficiently. This can save you a significant amount of time and money, as there’s less risk of a missed deadline or costly errors to fix.

Hiring a capable WordPress developer can also save you time and money associated with training. They have the skills required to hit the ground running without the need for lengthy, expensive training sessions.

What skills and traits are important for WordPress developers?

WordPress site design, creation, and security

At the core of any WordPress developer’s skill set should be the ability to design, create, and customize websites using the WordPress CMS. They should be familiar with the admin interface, able to optimize images, and fluent with the Gutenberg editor. 

They should also be able to customize themes and plugins. This generally involves knowledge of HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript.

Additionally, WordPress developers should be focused on security while creating or customizing a website. This is crucial to reducing the risk of a data breach and ensuring sites are safe from cybercriminals and hackers. 

Programming ability

There are four main programming languages involved with basic WordPress development: HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript. 

Proficiency in HTML and CSS enables developers to adjust a site’s design. HTML is the core language that defines a website’s structure, and CSS is used to customize the presentation – including fonts, colors, and layout. With these, developers can improve websites’ quality and overall aesthetic appeal. 

WordPress is powered by PHP, and a strong knowledge of this language enables developers to dig deeper into the code that makes a website work. This could include adding or removing advanced functionality or making major theme edits. 

Finally, there’s JavaScript. This is a front-end language used to make sites interactive. With strong JavaScript skills, programmers can create customized widgets and attractive interactive site elements like dropdown menus, sliders, and prompt boxes.

Technical SEO

WordPress developers must have a strong understanding of search engine optimization and SEO best practices. This is because the technical aspects of a website’s design have a significant impact on search engine rankings. 

In simple terms, search engines favor sites that load quickly and provide a good user experience. Skilled developers should be able to adjust a site’s design and optimize plugins in line with SEO best practices. 

Attention to detail

WordPress development is a complex process, and a small mistake can ultimately cause major issues. Therefore, successful developers should possess a strong attention to detail. 

They’ll be able to meticulously analyze code, identifying bugs both big and small. Likewise, they’ll understand that even small changes in site performance can indicate bigger problems. 

Detail-driven developers will look for discrepancies and investigate to see if there are any hidden issues to fix.

Troubleshooting and problem-solving ability 

WordPress is a dynamic, ever-changing platform, and problems will arise from time to time. These can range from major issues that lead to extended downtime to smaller problems that affect user experience. 

Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills enable WordPress developers to quickly and accurately identify and solve issues. This will reduce downtime and ensure sites perform well. In turn, this reduces the impact on your business and overall bottom line. 

Adaptability and desire to learn

Since WordPress is always changing, developers should possess the ability to adapt and learn new skills. Successful developers are willing to learn and keep up with the latest WordPress updates and announcements. 

Communication and collaboration 

Developers must have strong communication and collaboration skills so they can work successfully alongside other team members.

Strong communication skills enable developers to clearly update non-tech-savvy team members about website changes. They also enable developers to communicate effectively when troubleshooting or asking for assistance. 

Similarly, strong collaboration skills enable employees to work together more efficiently, which inevitably leads to them getting the job done faster. 

Overall, good communication and collaboration will speed up workplace processes, saving you time and money. They also make it easier for your team to work well together, which contributes to a positive work environment and company culture.

Skills and traits tests for WordPress development proficiency

WordPress Developer test

TestGorilla’s WordPress Developer test is designed to evaluate candidates’ working knowledge of WordPress and its core concepts. People who perform well in this test will be well-equipped to perform general WordPress development tasks. 

Applicants are assessed on their knowledge of WordPress admin, security, database management, customization, and more. There’s a 10-minute time limit, ensuring applicants are able to work well under pressure. 

WordPress Administration test

Our WordPress Administration test covers the basics of managing a WordPress site, creating content, and installing and setting up themes, menus, plugins, and widgets. 

This is a lower-level test than the WordPress Developer test. Strong performance on this test indicates a candidate is well-versed in WordPress basics but may not have more advanced developer skills. 

For tips on attracting the best WordPress administrators, see our guide on writing a WordPress administrator job description.

Technical SEO test

The Technical SEO test assesses applicants’ knowledge of technical search engine optimization concepts. It covers areas including understanding and using Google tools and algorithms, understanding current SEO requirements, and implementing the technical aspects of SEO. 

Those who do well on this test demonstrate the ability to customize WordPress sites in line with SEO best practices. This will ensure you achieve the best search engine rankings possible, boosting website visibility and brand recognition.

Problem Solving test

You can assess a candidate’s ability to troubleshoot and solve problems with our Problem Solving test.  It’s a short, 10-minute test that evaluates an individual’s ability to identify an issue, break it down into manageable parts, and develop approaches to solve it.

With this test, you can identify applicants who are well-equipped to spot and solve issues quickly and efficiently, and who have strong critical and analytical thinking skills. 

Communication test

The ability to actively listen, communicate clearly, and offer appropriate feedback is invaluable in a business setting. You can evaluate these skills with TestGorilla’s Communication test,

It assesses skills in understanding written communication, listening and interpreting verbal communication, clarifying messages, and using professional etiquette. 

HTML5 test

TestGorilla’s HTML5 test evaluates candidates’ fluency in HTML5, the fifth version of the markup language. It’s an intermediate-level test that covers presentation and tags, element grouping, website layouts, and more.

Strong applicants will understand the core concepts of using HTML in website (and web app) development. They’ll also be able to use HTML5 coding to customize a site’s design and functionality, as well as troubleshoot buggy code. 

CSS test

Our CSS test is an intermediate-level test that assesses a developer’s ability to write clean, functional CSS code. It also evaluates their knowledge of key CSS concepts, tools, and techniques.

When it comes to hiring WordPress developers, this test enables you to determine which applicants are most capable of creating and customizing WordPress websites. 

JavaScript (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test

JavaScript enables developers to code interactive website elements and applications. You can test a candidate’s JavaScript abilities with TestGorilla’s JavaScript (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test. 

Candidates are required to complete a simple coding task with a 10-minute time limit. You can analyze the results of this test to assess developers’ understanding of the JavaScript language as well as popular JavaScript frameworks and development tools. 

TestGorilla also offers a JavaScript (Coding): Debugging test, a JavaScript (Coding): Data Structures & Data Types test, and a jQuery test. These are useful if you want to assess specific areas of a candidate’s JavaScript knowledge. 

PHP (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test

The 10-minute PHP (Coding): Entry-Level Algorithms test is designed to assess a candidate’s PHP skills. It requires candidates to code a simple application based on the provided instructions. 

Successful applicants will exhibit solid base-level PHP skills. In a WordPress developer role, they can use these skills to edit and customize WordPress code to make changes to websites. 

TestGorilla’s PHP (Coding): Intermediate-Level Algorithms and PHP (Coding): Object-Oriented Programming tests are also available. These enable you to assess candidates’ PHP skills on a deeper level. 

Further reading: How to write a WordPress developer job description

How TestGorilla can help you find the right WordPress developer

TestGorilla makes it easy to hire WordPress developers with the right skills for your open positions. Our library of 300+ tests enables you to evaluate applicants’ hard and soft skills – including WordPress development, technical SEO, programming, communication, and more. 

Every test is scientifically backed, and you can easily view each applicant’s results from your TestGorilla dashboard. You can also rank candidates based on their test scores, enabling you to quickly identify top-performing talent.

Ready to get started? Sign up for your free TestGorilla plan today.