At Rablab, we don’t hire in-house developers. We work exclusively with external experts, brought on contractually based on our clients’ specific needs. This approach gives us the flexibility to tap into a wide range of skills and to adapt our resources to the requirements of each project whether it’s building an e-commerce website, developing a custom tool, or handling complex integrations.
But this flexibility comes with a major challenge: how can we ensure that external developers are truly skilled and capable of delivering quality work on time? The market is saturated with technical profiles, but not all of them meet the required standards. Too often, companies hire based on a well-written CV or an impressive portfolio, without proper technical validation. The result? Costly mis-hires, delayed projects, and last-minute fixes.
Over time, we’ve refined our method to select the right developers at the right moment, while optimizing collaboration. Here’s how we do it.
The word “developer” is often used too broadly. Not all professionals in this field have the same level of expertise or skillset. Working with a competent developer doesn’t just mean finding someone who knows how to code—it means finding someone who can deliver solutions tailored to the specific needs of the project.
A good developer must be able to:
Understand the project’s objectives and adapt to the business needs. A website or an app is more than just code it must serve clearly defined goals.
Write clean, optimized, and well-documented code, which makes future updates and maintenance easier.
Collaborate and communicate effectively, since web projects often involve multiple stakeholders: account managers, SEO experts, designers, and more.
Anticipate technical challenges and suggest appropriate solutions, rather than simply executing requests without critical thinking.
They should also have a pragmatic mindset. A digital project isn’t just about writing lines of code—it must also take into account:
SEO constraints, which affect how the site performs in search engine rankings.
Web performance, since a slow or poorly optimized website directly impacts user experience and conversions.
User experience (UX), which plays a key role in visitor engagement and the overall success of a digital project.
We partner with developers who understand these challenges and know how to work in synergy with our marketing teams to deliver the best results for our clients.
Digital projects go far beyond advertising and marketing. Companies are looking for high-performing solutions that align with their business objectives and that often involves web and software development.
Take the example of an e-commerce website:
A great design and a well-thought-out advertising strategy aren’t enough to guarantee a project’s success.
A strong, fast, and SEO-optimized technical platform is essential.
Specific integrations are often required, such as connecting to a CRM, an inventory management system, or a secure payment gateway.
That’s where skilled web and software developers come in. Working with the right profiles ensures robust and scalable projects without compromising performance or user experience.
But identifying these experts is a real challenge. To avoid poor selection decisions, a rigorous process is essential to ensure that every developer hired truly fits the project’s requirements.
Experience has taught us that hiring a developer without technical validation can be a costly mistake. A profile may seem perfect on paper, but without a concrete test, there’s no way to guarantee they’ll be able to meet the project’s needs.
That’s why we’ve implemented a systematic testing phase, allowing us to assess developers’ real skills before assigning them to any project. This validation can take several forms:
A test project, based on a task similar to the actual mandate, to observe how the developer approaches a real need.
A technical audit of existing code, to evaluate their ability to understand, optimize, and structure a project.
A platform-based test, assessing their level in specific programming languages and frameworks.
Hiring a qualified developer can quickly become a long and expensive process—sorting applications, conducting interviews, and validating skills. TestTonDev streamlines this step with a platform designed to quickly identify capable developers, while removing language barriers.
Unlike traditional tests, which are often only available in English, this solution allows French-speaking developers to be assessed across three levels of difficulty, using 56 programming languages and over 14,800 real-world technical questions.
Beyond evaluations, the platform gives companies direct access to a pool of pre-tested developers, enabling them to:
Hire qualified candidates while minimizing the risk of error.
Assess the skills of current team members or potential hires before onboarding.
Objectively compare multiple candidates using reliable technical tests.
It’s a valuable time-saver for any business that wants to ensure they’re working with the right people from day one.
When looking for an external developer, it’s tempting to rely on a well-written CV or an impressive portfolio. However, these elements don’t guarantee that the candidate will be able to meet the specific requirements of a project.
We’ve encountered developers with seemingly impressive backgrounds on paper, who, once assigned to a project, lacked autonomy, discipline, or deep technical skills.
Not all developers have the same areas of expertise. At Rablab, we tailor our search based on the project and the specific skillset required.
Here are a few examples of project types and the ideal matching profiles:
Developing an SEO-optimized WordPress site: a developer skilled in PHP, HTML/CSS, and web performance.
Creating a custom platform: someone with expertise in React, Node.js, or Laravel.
Integrating a CRM into an existing site: a developer specialized in APIs and automation.
By taking the time to clearly define the required skills from the beginning, we avoid mismatches and costly adjustments mid-project.
A good developer doesn’t just write code they also need to communicate effectively with marketing and design teams, stick to deadlines while anticipating roadblocks, and properly document their work to ensure long-term continuity.
To streamline collaboration with external developers, we’ve implemented simple yet effective practices:
A detailed brief at the start of the project to prevent misunderstandings.
Collaboration tools like Slack and Asana for optimal tracking and communication.
Regular check-ins to ensure the project is progressing as planned.
This organization enables us to deliver high-quality projects while optimizing time and resources.
We don’t start our search from scratch for every project. Over time, we’ve built a network of trusted developers, tested and validated across various assignments. This approach helps us save time, work with professionals who understand our expectations, and ensure consistent quality across all deliverables.
For a company that regularly works with external developers, it’s essential to adopt this approach: test, validate, and build a trusted network you can confidently rely on.
As a marketing agency based in Montreal, hiring a web developer locally requires a structured approach to avoid unpleasant surprises. Over time, we’ve developed a method grounded in three key principles: first, thoroughly testing technical skills before hiring; second, selecting a profile that aligns precisely with the project’s technical needs; and third, maintaining clear and consistent communication throughout the collaboration.
This level of rigor enables us to deliver high-quality results, respect deadlines, and get the most value from every partnership with external developers. By relying on a well-defined process, we ensure we’re working with experts who can effectively meet the demands of each project.
