# Where to find WordPress developers that are agreeable, affordable, and available
*Published: 2014-03-01*
*Tags: wordpress, business-advice*
*Source: https://chrislema.com/where-to-find-wordpress-developers*
---## eLance, oDesk & Freelancer haven't always worked

Every week, I get a question - about 10 times a week - and at the core of the question is always the same premise:

> Do you know where to find WordPress developers that are **agreeable** (not jerks), **affordable** (not $150/hr), and **available** (not scheduling me 6 months out)?

When you read the details, they've all tried the same places:

- eLance
- oDesk
- Freelancer

And the stories I read highlight how hit and miss the process is - based on how well someone can interview people.

But let's be honest - *if you are deciding you can't do the work yourself, and you need to hire out, how well will you do at interviewing resources with the right skills?*

## One Approach is that you change the relationship

Instead of looking for someone who you only plan to use once, and then have to go looking for someone else a few months later, you can check out service-based companies that can help you:

- [wp curve](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/wp-curve)
- [maintainn](https://maintainn.com/)
- [WP Site Care](https://sitecare.com/)

I won't get too into that approach [because I already wrote about it.](https://chrislema.com/support-options/)

## Another is to try a different marketplace

If you don't succeed at eLance, oDesk and Freelancer, that doesn't mean all marketplaces are horrible.

Here are two I trust much more:

- [Codeable](https://chrislema.com/codeable)
- [microlancer](https://studio.envato.com/explore/wordpress)

You can find resources that can help you with themes, plugins and even develop new things for you.

## Or you can do what I do

I take a much longer view on the subject of finding agreeable, affordable and available WordPress developers.

Why?

- Because the really great ones are super busy.
- Because it's really hard to differentiate between agreeable and people saying yes to anything to make a buck.
- Because when they get super awesome, they also can get somewhat expensive.

Now, to be clear, when I really need something complex done, I likely look for the expensive ones and even overpay a bit - it's like buying a house that's in demand. There's no Nash equilibrium here.

But, outside of that nuance, I don't go looking for amazing WordPress developers.

**I build them**

## The resources I use to develop amazing WordPress developers

The other day on [WP Think Tank,](http://www.wpthinktank.com/) [Jake Goldman](https://twitter.com/jakemgold), CEO of [10up](https://10up.com/) highlighted that a challenge of our is finding truly great talent.

And he's right. Especially because he seems very focused on hiring ALL OF THEM. And if he's slow, [WebDev Studios](https://webdevstudios.com/) does.

So I go where they're not looking.

- I have hired people from the marketplaces.
- I have hired people straight out of school (with no experience).
- I have hired people in other countries.
- I have hired people just getting started with WordPress.

And you know what I do?

I spend a couple weeks paying for their time without asking them to build any production code. Then I go further and I spend a little more money (Pippin [sells access](https://chrislema.com/pippins) for $60/year).

[And I ask them to read every. single. thing. that Pippin writes.](https://pippinsplugins.com/category/tutorials/)

[Every. single. thing. that is on paulund.co.uk.](https://paulund.co.uk/)

[Every. single. thing. that Tom McFarlin writes.](https://tommcfarlin.com/tag/wordpress/)

[Every. single. thing. that Thomas Griffin writes.](https://thomasgriffin.com/)

And while these resources aren't clones of those three amazing developers, I can tell you what does happen after a few weeks of reading and trying things.

**They skip all the mistakes that I don't want to pay for.**

So next time you're thinking about finding amazing resources, ask yourself if you can build one instead of buying one. It might be fun.