CSS competencies for candidates
A web developer needs the following skills:
• HTML: CSS is often paired with HTML, so you will frequently see job ads for web developer roles that require both HTML and CSS skills. Although HTML and CSS have their own unique markup (code) and uses, CSS is often used to add style and responsiveness to HTML pages. This means it is useful to understand how a browser would use HTML and how CSS will contribute to web page display.
• Analytical skills: Good web developers also have keen analytical skills. Since they need to create successful websites, they have to ensure that the code they write is correct and functional.
• An understanding of UI/UX: A good CSS coder knows that they’re not creating the website for themselves, but rather for other people. Having an understanding of user experience and user interfaces will help the developer create a layout that puts the end-user first.
• JavaScript skills: It’s almost impossible to talk about coding websites (for both mobile and desktop) without mentioning the JavaScript programming language. This tool implements moving elements on websites, such as search bars, videos, and maps. A web developer needs to have at least a basic understanding of JavaScript.
• Debugging skills: Great web developers constantly test their web pages to see if they have any bugs. If they find an issue, they should know how to debug it and fix the section of the website that’s bugging or malfunctioning. A good web developer knows how to perform both functional testing and unit testing.
Other skills candidates should have
On top of technical skills, the right candidate also needs to be a positive culture-add for the team and your organization. Their values should align with those of the company, and they need to have a set of soft skills that makes them invaluable in the workplace. Top web developers have the following skills:
• Time-management: The right candidate knows how to manage their time and meet project deadlines. Most programmers are detail-oriented and want their code to be perfect, but they need to work efficiently and can’t ignore timelines and deadlines.
• Responsiveness to feedback: Web developers have to handle a lot of back-and-forth communication when working on a project. The candidate you hire will work with multiple people across different teams, so they will need to be responsive to feedback.
• Attention to detail: Bugs and problems often occur during the development stages (coding sessions). It’s critical for web developers to double-check their code and determine whether they have missed anything that might create a problem down the line, like a bug that wasn’t spotted.
• Problem-solving skills: It’s essential for web developers to have a solution-oriented mindset and look at a problem from different angles until they find a solution.
• Empathy: Last but not least, developers need to have empathy. They need to create websites or web applications that others can easily use. This requires developers to put themselves in the shoes of others who might not have the skill set they possess.