Vetting a Technical Consultant — The Integrity Interview

Most non-technical entrepreneurs building a product face a hard question: how do I hire a good technical person? How will you know whether your contractor has the knowledge — and, more importantly, whether they will build in the most efficient, bug-free way?

Online tests look valid at first glance. But if you’re not technical, you can’t tell what the test gauges or whether it covers what your project needs. Most developers agree those tests aren’t even applicable to the job. Time constraints make them closed-ended. They don’t show breadth — or fit for your specific product.

A better approach: gauge integrity and work-mesh-fit first, then run a small project related to your venture.

Ask how they structured contracts with past clients. That reveals whether they think as a consultant — risk, clarity, your needs — or as a hobbyist picking technologies for fun. Ask about communication structure. Ask whether they work from a detailed task list. Ask which technology they’d choose — and beware of fast answers that just mirror what they already know. Ask how they’d handle a learning curve on something new.

Then give one or two favorites a short, real task. Involve them in designing that small test. Pay for the time if the work is good enough to keep. Use that window to watch how they explain challenges, timelines, and tradeoffs — because they will be your only line of sight into the technology.

Code review from another consultant can help, but style wars are common. Direct reviewers toward readability, handoff-ability, comments, security, logic holes, use cases, and modularity without over-generalization that tanks clarity.