What Does a WordPress Developer Do?
WordPress developers design, implement and manage websites using WordPress, a free, open-source content management system (CMS). They primarily use four coding languages, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP, and are responsible for both front-end and back-end development — including everything from plug-ins to security updates.
WordPress developers establish and guide website architecture so that sites are attractive and user-friendly. They are responsible for WordPress training as well as troubleshooting and resolving website problems for clients and co-workers. From large advertising agencies to corporate marketing departments to individuals working independently as freelancers, WordPress developers work in every industry and organizations of all sizes.
Are you a job seeker?
Browse zengig’s
comprehensive list
of job openings
and apply online
National Average Salary
WordPress developer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.
The average U.S. salary for a WordPress Developer is:
$73,200
WordPress Developer Job Descriptions
It’s important to include the right content in your job description when hiring a WordPress developer. The following examples can serve as templates for attracting the best available talent for your team.
Junior WordPress Developer
As a WordPress Developer, you will be responsible for coding websites as well as quality assurance, testing, and developing fixes.
Responsibilities
- Developing websites to adhere to designs supporting internal business requirements or external customers
- Troubleshoot and resolve application issues, providing diagnostic, and analytical support
- Conducts performance analysis and recommends improvements
- Ensure work complies with policy and standards
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in a related Information Technology field preferred
Required experience
- Minimum 1-year experience with WordPress development and administration
- Experience developing websites in other CMS tools
- Knowledge of standard software development concepts, practices, and procedures
- Ability to multitask and plan proactively, as well as accomplish goals in a timely manner
- Demonstrate strong oral/written communication and listening skills
- Proficiency in presenting information to end users and business
- Demonstrates close attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to work with minimal direction, yet able to work collaboratively in a team environment
Preferred experience
- Familiarity with React/React Native JavaScript frameworks
- Microsoft .NET Framework/.NET Core
- Working with REST APIs
- Working with MS SQL Server or other relational databases
Mid-level WordPress Developer
ABC Company is seeking a WordPress Developer to work in our corporate office supporting the IT Operations and Maintenance contract
We are a rapidly growing company that considers our employees and teams to be our most important assets. Our team environment provides opportunities for growth to individuals who are motivated to excel. We are situated in (City, State) — well positioned for most commutes within the (City) area. Our newly renovated office spaces are first in class facilitating a teamwork environment. We also offer opportunities for telework and have some of the most interesting, advanced IT businesses in the DC area. Our growing program works with the most forward-leaning technologies and extraordinary customers who are thought and action leaders in within the AI/ML domain. We offer a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to the right person for this position.
General description:
The ideal candidate will familiarize themselves with the WordPress environment. Take on work assignments to maintain and enhance the WordPress environment. An ability to work closely with the customer to develop requirements and user stories. Willingness to take on challenges and changing priorities. Be willing to learn new processes and technology to broaden their scope of responsibilities and their ability to work independently.
Required skills:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience
- 3 to 4 years of development experience with WordPress
- Experience working with a variety of WordPress plugins
- Supported the use of custom WordPress themes and plugin development
- Experience with PHP development and PHP frameworks
- Working knowledge of SQL, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS
- Working knowledge of front and backend development
- Familiarity with code versioning tools (GitHub)
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously
- Desire to learn and take on new challenges
Desired skills:
- Experience setting up development environments
- Working knowledge of AWS Cloud Computing Services
- Familiarity with ITSM tools (ServiceNow)
- Knowledge of security controls
- Understanding of Section 508 guidelines
- Ability to develop user stories to address user requirements
- Working knowledge of Linux
- Understanding of agile development tools, especially Micro Focus ALM suite
Senior WordPress Developer
Responsibilities
ABC Company is seeking to hire a WordPress Developer. This position will work closely with leaders and project managers to ensure our projects meet specified requirements, timelines, and budgets. We are a fast-paced, execution-driven organization company. Responsibilities include:
- The WordPress Developer will research, design, and implement technical specifications for projects based on user requirements as indicated in the scope of work, wireframes, and sitemap documents
- Lead a small team
- Ensure projects are built to meet performance, security, and functional requirements
- The WordPress Developer will oversee the development and maintenance of websites, intranets, applications, and other custom programming assignments as applicable
- Develop new programs, analyze current programs and processes, and make recommendations
- A WordPress Developer will provide analysis of current programs which includes performance, diagnosis, troubleshooting of problem programs, and designing solutions to problematic programming
- Perform backend/database programming for key projects
- The WordPress Developer will stay up to date on industry standards and incorporate them appropriately
- Assist with testing, debugging, documentation, and overall quality assurance of projects
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Information Systems, Computer Science, related field, or equivalent industry work experience
- At least 6-8+ years of experience with WordPress development experience
- Experience leading a team or mentoring engineers
- Seeking enterprise-level experience
- Advanced knowledge and development experience in PHP, CSS/HTML, JavaScript, jQuery (and/or similar JS libraries), MySQL (or other database management systems)
- ASP and web servers (ISS/Apache) is a plus
- Extensive experience in custom web application development
- Ability to understand business requirements and the non-technical reasoning behind a decision or position, and present a clear, rational argument in favor of a proposed solution
- Advanced troubleshooting and debugging skills
- Ability to clearly and effectively communicate technical solutions to non-technical people
- Strong communication skills and attention to detail
Candidate Certifications to Look For
- WordPress Academy – Skillshare provides this introductory course to WordPress with step-by-step guides and walkthroughs to get a candidate’s feet wet. With occasional discounts and free trials, this is a fantastic first step to familiarizing themselves with the world of WordPress.
- Web Development Career Path – Codecademy offers this must-have credential for candidates looking to make a serious living building websites. They’ll learn the basics of web development, touch on several programming languages like HTML and CSS, and move on to more complex topics like databases. Not only will these be instrumental to a candidate’s success, but they’ll also round them out as developers and help them later when they’ve moved on to higher-level work.
- WordPress Theme Development – Udemy offers this certification for candidates to learn how to create highly responsive themes using the Bootstrap Framework. They’ll walk away knowing the essentials of how to create page styles and make versatile and dynamic content. It’s recommended candidates have a working knowledge of the languages they’ll need to operate within WordPress before taking this course.
- Learn PHP – This certification offered by Codecademy demonstrates a candidate’s understanding of the foundational language used in the WordPress platform – PHP. This course will teach candidates everything they need to know about the language, and once they’ve completed this course they’ll have an outstanding level of the inner workings of the platform since they’ll have learned how it works from the ground up.
Sample Interview Questions
- Can you describe what a plugin is for WordPress?
- In a WordPress website, where is the content stored?
- What’s the difference between Posts and Pages?
- What are hooks? What are their functions?
- What’s an action hook?
- What is a filter hook?
- How would you go about enabling debug mode?
- Can you explain WordPress taxonomy?
- How many default tables are in WordPress?
How to Hire a WordPress Developer
When hiring a WordPress developer, first consider the following:
- Recruiting: Do you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to attract and screen candidates?
- Complexity: Do you need a senior professional, or will mid or junior-level skills and experience suffice?
- Duration: Is this a one-time project or an ongoing need?
- Management: Do you have the time and expertise to direct the work effectively?
- Urgency: How soon does the work need to be completed?
- Headcount: Do you have the budget and approval for an internal employee, or should you consider alternate options?
Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action for your current hiring need. Fortunately, great options exist for every scenario. These are our recommendations:
1. Use 4 Corner Resources (or another professional recruiting firm)
The heavy lifting is done for you when working with a top-tier staffing company like 4 Corner Resources. We source, screen, recruit, and deliver only the most qualified candidate(s), saving you significant time and effort throughout the hiring process while you remain focused on your core business. Understanding your needs and ensuring the right candidate for the position is the key to our success.
This is the best route to take when:
- You need to fill the position quickly
- You want access to a vast talent pool of high-quality, prescreened candidates
- Your position is suited for temporary hiring services, contract staffing, or contract-to-hire recruiting, and you intend to direct the work activity.
- You are hiring an employee as a direct placement but aren’t able to recruit effectively or efficiently with your internal staff.
- You aren’t familiar with current salary rates, market trends, and available skill sets
2. Hire an experienced freelancer
The freelance, or gig, economy continues to grow, with more talent available daily. Freelancers provide high-quality work without a long-term commitment. They can offer you a fresh perspective, more flexibility, and increase efficiency. While the freelance market isn’t ideal for every position, WordPress developers are often a great fit.
We recommend this option when:
- Your need is project-based
- The work can be performed remotely
- You do not intend to direct the daily work activity
- You are hiring for expertise your internal team does not possess
- You do not require an employee to work onsite or follow a specific schedule
Here are some popular freelance platforms that we recommend when hiring for a WordPress project:
Codeable
Use Codeable to connect with seasoned professionals. Codeable is a freelance platform specifically designed for WordPress projects. Developers sign up to advertise their skills and business leaders can hire them for a wide array of projects from 404 errors to things as big as complete website redesigns.
Upwork
Upwork is a freelance talent network that helps individuals connect with experts in a variety of fields to accomplish project-based needs. When you have a specific, well-defined goal in mind, this can be a great path to hiring an experienced WordPress developer. If you are satisfied with the outcome you can continue to book the same freelancer through Upwork’s easy-to-use project interface.
Toptal
Toptal is an exclusive network of the top freelance software developers, designers, finance experts, product managers, and project managers in the world. Toptal vets its freelancers before making them accessible, ensuring their legitimacy. Top companies hire Toptal freelancers for their most important projects. Hiring a WordPress developer on Toptal can help you quickly get the results you need.
3. Advertise your opening on a top job board
Your best option may be to advertise your opening on a proven job board. There are many widely used job sites out there that draw visits from qualified candidates. If you have someone internally who can dedicate the time and energy to sort through applications and screen individuals effectively, this can be a great choice.
We recommend using a job board when:
- Your internal recruiting team has the knowledge and experience to assess candidate qualifications
- You are hiring a direct employee and have time to manage the entire recruiting effort
- You have a process for receiving, screening, and tracking all resumes and applications
- You are prepared to respond to all applicants
We recommend CareerBuilder for WordPress developer openings:
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder has been a trusted source for hiring since 1995. Reach 80+ million unique, diverse U.S. job seekers annually by posting your jobs through their talent acquisition channels. Through CareerBuilder, you can engage candidates and drive them into your sourcing pipeline. We recommend using CareerBuilder for hiring when you have the internal resources and processes to review, screen, and reply to all applicants.
4. Leverage your internal resources
You can utilize your own website, social media, and employees to assist in your search for top candidates.
A company website posting should be the first step in notifying prospective candidates that you are hiring. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your new opening. As far as exposure is concerned, this option can be as good as some job boards when you have a large enough following across various platforms, like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.
Current employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Encourage your internal team to promote job openings to their network by offering cash and other incentives.
We recommend these options when:
- Your brand has great name recognition
- You can consistently monitor and respond to candidate activity through your website and social media accounts
- You have a process in place to quickly and broadly communicate job openings and requirements
- You have an effective employee referral program in place
If you aren’t sure which path is best, schedule a discovery call today with our seasoned recruiting professionals. The 4 Corner team is on standby to help you find the best option for your unique hiring need.