When hiring a web developer, it’s good to have a set of established questions to ask the candidate, not to catch them out, but to ascertain the level the candidate is working at.

We’ve all gone through the learning process (and still are in certain areas) so it is unfair to judge most answers as a negative response.

Rather than creating a list of closed questions where the candidate can only answer a right or wrong answer, I wanted to delve more into the candidate’s mindset, their motivation and experience, their experiences, their ambitions.

With this in mind, and a little help from some friends and peers on Twitter, I collated the following open questions.

1. Briefly tell us about yourself and your work history?
2. What do you know about [the company] and what is your opinion of our website?
3. Based on the role profile, which of your strengths best fit the requirements?
4. What’s your preferred development environment? (Windows, Mac, Linux)
5. What experience do you have (if any) with ASP.NET or PHP?
6. What do Web Standards mean to you?
7. When do you use a HTML table?
8. What are the benefits of using CSS?
9. Give some examples where you have used JavaScript.
10. If you have used any JavaScript libraries, which is your favourite and why?
11. Which PHP/ASP.NET frameworks have you used and which is your favourite?
12. What methods could you use to speed up the load time of a webpage?
13. How can you improve the accessibility of an online form?
14. Give some examples where Microformats are appropriate and where you have used them.
15. Explain the process you would go through to debug a webpage or web app.
16. (And finally…) What is it you like about being a web developer?

This is by no means a final list of questions but a starting block. You might think of other questions that are more appropriate to the role your company has created but I felt the above questions are at the level you come to expect from the modern web developer.

Feel free to contribute your own favourite questions to the comments below too.

While there seem to be numerous websites out there promoting DJs, producers and different clubbing nights, there doesn’t seem to be much in way of bringing all those important factors of the dance scene in to one resource.

The nearest anyone has got to filling this niche is Dont Stay In - one of the first and most successful social networks out there which is dedicated to the clubbing masses. While DSI ticks all the boxes in ways of socialising in a community, there is little in ways of actual content.

Luckily, there is now an opportunity to fulfill this gaping void. Enter London Club City.

Setup by Gary Francis - a fellow web developer who is also a fantastic upcoming house music producer as DJ Ruxpin - London Club City aims to promote upcoming DJs, producers and events from the capital of England. While still in it’s infancy (it’s only been live for a month), there is already plenty of content from producers and DJs from London, as well as details about upcoming club nights and competitions to win VIP passes to parties.

If you’re into your dance music and would class yourself as a resident of London, I suggest you visit the site and subscribe to the RSS feed.

Not one to shy away from an opportunity to promote the One Phat DJ Podcast,  you can also find an interview with myself on the website. The interview entitled  “We Catch Up With One Phat DJ” has me talking to Gary about the podcast, the house music industry and what to expect in the future.

For those who have already listened to Paul Velocity Presents One Phat DJ, this interview focusses more on the music industry rather than the technology and Internet so there should be plenty more information for you to take in.

Subscribe to the London Club City podcast to download the interview and any future releases.

Over the last few years while I’ve been producing the One Phat DJ Podcast, I’ve been fortunate enough to find some great friends in featured artists, DJs and producers. If you’ve ever got to read through the comments for the podcast, some familiar names might crop up now and then too. One such act that have been heavily featured over recent years are an act who go by the name of The Bassmonkeys. Not one to shy away from an opportunity to promote one of my favourite acts, I managed to get some time with the boys for a quick interview…

1. Si
   

   To start off, tell us a bit about how you three met.

2. Dale
   

   Danny was DJing in a club in Norwich and I was a regular punter. We started chatting and instantly clicked. I promised to give him a call to do some studio time together but never did (sorry Danny!). About three years later, I bumped into him in WH Smiths reading the same music mags as myself. We started chatting again and arranged, once again, to make some tunes together. Again it never happened! (sorry Danny again!) Then a year or two later, fate brought us together once more and we realised we were obviously destined to work together - and now we do! Mike and Danny have known each other for yonks – Mike is Danny’s DJing partner so it was a natural step to bring Mike into the “Monkey’s Den”.

3. Si
   

   What got you all in to house music production and DJing? Is there anyone who inspires you?

4. Dale
   

   When I was younger, I was a bit of a nerd and used to like making my own computer games. I did the programming, graphics and music. It didn’t take me long to realise that the music was my favourite part so I eventually stopped programming all together and just spent my time making tunes! I used a tracker program on the Amiga computer called ‘Med’. My music style is inspired by the early 90s piano house, the trance scene of the later 90s and now the funky house and electro scenes. My favourite artists at the moment are Axwell, Freemasons, Ian Carey, Shapeshifters and Steve Angello.

5. Mike
   

   I first got into house music through listening to Mr. Tong on Radio 1’s Essential Selection, and taught myself to mix on some really dodgy cheapo decks. I managed to blag a gig in 1994 at some illegal do, and from that got myself a weekly residency in the house club in Norwich, Manhattans, playing alongside such guests as Judge Jules, Boy George, Sonique, Brothers In Rhythm etc…

6. Si
   

   You also produce under the name of “Liquid Nation“ which tends to have a “tougher“ sound to the Bassmonkeys. Is it safe to say you have a diverse taste in music?

7. Dale
   

   All three of us love dance music but all prefer slightly different shades of it. I prefer the commercial side, Danny the “true” funky stuff and Mike the slightly tougher electronic sounds. Our tracks and DJ sets are a blend of all those aspects, some tracks leaning further one way than the other. We just create what we like and what takes our fancy at the time! We’ve got different aliases for other peoples benefit really, rather than our own.

8. Si
   

   So, last year was quite a busy year for you - what was your personal highlight?

9. Dale
   

   Getting to Number 1 in the UK Dance Charts with our Soulshaker friends, the Fierce Angels gig at the Egg London was a top night out and our DJ set at Skegness’ “Big Reunion” was good fun! The year was jam packed with small but significant highlights.

10. Mike
    

    Playing at “Big Reunion” and hearing “The Answer” on Kiss and Radio 1 (Woo!)

11. Si
    

    The Bassmonkeys were also taken under the wing of Fierce Angels last year. What’s it like working with the team and Mark Doyle?

12. Dale
    

    One word to sum up Mark Doyle…. LEGEND. We love him!

13. Si
    

    Your massive track “The Answer“ with Naomi Marsh (one of my personal favourites) has been doing the circuits for nearly two years now but there is still no official release. Any idea when we can expect to see it on the shelves?

14. Mark Doyle (intercepting)
    

    [We're] actually just in the midst of putting this album [Fierce Disco 2] to bed and, afterwards, we’ll sort out a release date… possibly with bonus track “Here’s Where The Story Ends“.

15. Si
    

    Are there any artists or producers you’d love to work with?

16. Dale
    

    [I] would love to work with Axwell or Freemasons - they are the producers who I would most like to steal their tricks and techniques from! (laughs)

17. Mike
    

    Freemasons, Moto Blanco, Hott 22, Vandalism!

18. Si
    

    What are your plans for the rest of the year? Are you touring in the Summer?

19. Dale
    

    No tour planned, although we’re hoping to get out to a few places warm this year. For the moment, it is just heads down in the studio.

20. Si
    

    Finally, have you got any exclusive news you can share with us?

21. Dale
    

    I’m sure there must be something… hmmmm… no, sorry - can not think of anything!

You can support the Bassmonkeys by downloading their music from legal MP3 download stores like DJ Download, Traxsource and Beatport or even get the new Fierce Disco 2 compilation from Fierce Angels which features their latest collaboration with Naomi Marsh “Here’s Where The Story Ends” and their funky remixes of Tony Moran’s “Work It Out” and The Allstars Collective “All About The Music“.