Few days ago I was reading interesting article with which I completely disagree. Author of this article said: “Don’t Hire Frontend or Backend Webdevs”. Oh come one! It’s stupid.

I was working as a man-for-everything (or if you prefer: one-man band). That means that I was a Python / Java / PHP / Ruby / CSS / HTML / JavaScript, or even ActionScript programmer. Everything in the same time. And yes… I have a large programming experience and I can build even whole web-based products. However all of that means that I KNOW these technologies, but I’m not a specialist of all of them.

Sure, I can do lots of things using these technologies. However I can say that I am a specialist of maybe two of them. That’s why… I can build great back-end apps thanks to my knowledge of Python, Ruby or Java, but I can’t create fantastic flash animations, website layouts or even great HTML/CSS code.

Why is that? Was I too stupid to learn more? No.
It was impossible to learn all of them. I prefered to focus on some of them.

In start-up you need specialists!

You need people who can do everything make a good product!

And if you want to make a good product, you need to have specialists of back-end and specialists of front-end.

You don’t need someone who has experience in programming back-ends and front-ends, but who’s not specialising in anything. People who want to be experts of everything are not specialists of anything.

I don’t have enough money to hire front-end and back-end devs

Then think twice about your company. If you don’t have enough money then probably you are some kind of small company. If so, then think about profile of your company.

Do you want to build web-based app?
Then hire back-end developer for full-time and some front-end dev for part-time. Or maybe better… outsource your design works to some freelancer, external graphic designer or (web) design company. Why? Because you need specialists of programming back-ends. You need someone who can develop your app; someone who can create new functionalities and fix bugs in these already created. And what’s the most important… back-end developers can do simply front-end works as well.

Are you an owner of digital agency, or your start-up is based on designing?
Then hire front-end developer and oursource your back-end works to some external specialist of back-end development. Why? Because you need creative people. Front-end devs are more creative than back-end devs, but they are not so focused on designing as graphic designers are. They can code as well.

Remember… everything depends on profile of your company, but never… absolutly never… hire people who would do everything!

Take care of your money. Spend it wisely.