I've heard stories about selecting developers from all sorts of people. Quite a few have told me heard horror stories about how they wound up with large bills and little or nothing to show for it. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be hard to choose an software developer; I've developed four questions you need to ask when you're choosing a developer.

1: Are they a contract programmer or a software developer?

A professional software developer isn't in business of writing code; rather, he's in business of solving problems, and code just happens to be one of way that he (or she) does it. Conversely, a contract programmer will want you to spell out exactly what kind of program you want him to write. He doesn't solve problems; he just writes code way he's told, and hopes it will fix problem at hand. With a real software developer, you wind up with a solution that leaves everyone happy.

The market is full of contract programmers masquerading as software developers. Be careful.

2: Are they focused on technology or benefits?

Do you make new years resolutions? If you do … do you stick to them?

At work – and for your life in general – it is a good thing from time to time to take stock of where you are and of what you have achieved, and of where you want to go and what you want to achieve in future. And when better to do it that at start of a new year?

It’s a good time to look back over past year to analyse what you have done. Did you complete all that you set out to do?

At work, did you get promotion? Did you increase your earnings? Did you complete your project successfully?

For your personal development, did you learn new skills? Did you gain in confidence?

At home, are you and your family more content? Are you happier in your private life?

Whatever you wanted to achieve over last year, take time to consider whether or not you have succeeded.

If you unable to answer question then chances are that you never had any measurable aims or goals in first place. So your first lesson learnt this year is to set goals for next year. For one thing is sure. If you don’t set yourself goals you will never find that drive and force needed to keep yourself moving forward when going gets tough.