Clean code doesn't get you hired. This does.
I learned this the hard way.
I spent years obsessing over best practices. Learning the latest frameworks. Writing DRY code. Organizing my files perfectly. Following every convention I could find.
Then I started working with real clients, and none of that mattered as much as I thought it would.
Don't get me wrong, technical skills matter. But they're just the baseline. The entry ticket. What actually determines whether clients hire you again, refer you to others, or leave you great reviews?
It's everything else.
The stuff nobody talks about in developer forums or YouTube tutorials. The soft skills. The business understanding. The communication. The things that have nothing to do with JavaScript but everything to do with getting paid.
Let me break down what clients actually care about, from someone who's been learning this in real time.
They Want to Understand What You're Doing (In Plain English)
Picture this: A client asks you to add a feature to their website. You dive into the code, implement it beautifully, and send them a message:
"I've refactored the component architecture and implemented a custom hook for state management. The API calls are now memoized for better performance, and I've added proper error boundaries."
The client reads this and thinks, "What did any of that mean? Did you actually do what I asked?"
Here's the thing: most clients aren't technical. They don't know what React hooks are. They don't care about your component architecture. They just want to know: "Did you add the feature? Does it work? When can I see it?"
Technical jargon makes you sound smart to other developers. To clients, it sounds like you're either showing off or hiding something.
What they actually want to hear:
"Yes, I added the contact form as you requested. It now collects name, email, and message, and sends everything to your inbox. I also added validation so people can't submit blank forms. You can test it here: [link]"
Simple. Clear. Actionable.
Save the technical details for your documentation or when they specifically ask. In regular communication, speak like a human talking to another human, not a developer talking to a code review bot.
They Want Honesty More Than They Want "Yes"
- Clients will ask for things that are:
- Technically possible but extremely time-consuming
- Bad ideas that will hurt their website
- Features that already exist, but they don't know how to use them
- Completely outside the original scope
Your instinct might be to just say "yes" to everything. Keep the client happy. Don't rock the boat.
But here's what I've learned: clients respect honesty more than they respect compliance.
If a client asks you to add 17 different animations to their homepage because "it needs to pop," you could just do it. Spend hours implementing animations that will make the site slower, harder to maintain and honestly, kind of annoying to use.
Or you could say:
"I can definitely add animations, but I want to make sure we're using them strategically. Too many animations can actually slow down the site and distract from your main message. What if we focus on 2–3 key areas where animation would really enhance the user experience? That way, we get impact without overwhelming visitors."
Notice what happened there:
- You didn't just say "no"
- You explained why their idea might not work
- You offered an alternative solution
- You positioned yourself as someone who cares about their success, not just about getting paid
Clients who just want you to do whatever they say without question usually aren't great anyway. The good ones appreciate when you push back respectfully and offer better solutions.
You're not just a code executor. You're a consultant. Act like it.
They Want to See Progress (Not Just the Final Product)
This is huge, and so many developers get it wrong.
You take on a project. You estimate it'll take two weeks. The client agrees. You go silent for 13 days, work frantically to finish, then deliver everything on day 14.
From your perspective, you did exactly what you promised. You delivered on time.
From the client's perspective, you disappeared for almost two weeks, and they had no idea if you were even working on it. They were stressed. Wondering if you ghosted them. Questioning whether they should follow up or wait.
Even if you deliver great work, that anxiety sours the experience.
What clients actually want: regular updates.
Even if there's nothing major to report, just send a quick message:
"Hey! Quick update: I've finished the homepage layout and navigation. Working on the contact form now. Should have that done by tomorrow. Everything's on track."
That's it. 30 seconds to write. But it completely changes the client experience.
They're no longer anxious. They can see progress. They know you're working. They feel involved.
And when the project wraps up, they remember how smooth and stress-free it was, even if there were bumps along the way.
They Want Problems Solved Before They Become Disasters
Clients don't know what they don't know.
They'll ask you to build a website and forget to mention that they need:
- A way to update content themselves
- Mobile optimization
- Fast loading times
- Contact forms that actually work
- Security measures
- Backup systems
They assume all of this is just… included. Because they don't understand that these are separate considerations.
If you just build what they ask for and nothing else, they'll launch the site, realize it doesn't work on mobile, and blame you.
"Why didn't you tell me it wouldn't work on phones?"
"You didn't ask for mobile optimization."
"I didn't know I had to ask!"
And now you have an unhappy client, even though technically you did what they asked.
This is where good developers separate from great ones.
Great developers anticipate problems and address them proactively:
"Hey, just a heads up, I noticed you didn't mention mobile optimization in the requirements. These days, about 70% of web traffic comes from phones, so I'd strongly recommend we make sure the site works well on mobile. I can include that in the project if you'd like."
Now you've:
- Shown expertise
- Prevented a future problem
- Potentially increased the project scope (and your pay)
- Positioned yourself as someone who cares about their success
Clients remember this. They tell other people about developers who "just get it" and save them from mistakes they didn't even know they were about to make.
They Want Fast Responses (Even If You Don't Have Fast Solutions)
You know what kills client relationships faster than anything?
Going silent.
A client sends you a message. You see it. But you're in the middle of debugging something, so you think, "I'll respond when I'm done."
Three hours later, you're still debugging. You forget to respond.
The next day, the client follows up: "Hey, did you see my message?"
Now they're annoyed. Not because you couldn't solve their problem immediately, but because you made them wonder if you even saw their message.
Here's the fix: acknowledge immediately, solve later.
Client: "Hey, the contact form isn't working. Can you check it?"
You (immediately): "Just saw this! Looking into it now. I'll get back to you within the hour with an update."
That's it. 10 seconds to write. But the client knows:
- You saw their message
- You're working on it
- They can expect an update soon
Even if the fix takes 3 hours, they're not anxious because you communicated.
Fast responses don't mean fast solutions. They just mean you're present and engaged.
They Want to Feel Like Their Project Matters
Most developers are juggling multiple projects. Maybe you're working on 3–4 sites at once. That's normal.
But clients don't care about your other projects. They care about theirs.
If a client asks about the timeline and you say, "I'm working on a few other projects right now, so it might take longer," they hear: "Your project isn't my priority."
Even if that's not what you meant.
Instead, say: "I'm committed to delivering quality work on your site. Based on the scope, I estimate it'll take about two weeks. I'll keep you updated on progress throughout."
See the difference?
The first response makes them feel like an afterthought. The second makes them feel like you're dedicated to their success.
Small language shifts. Big perception difference.
They Want Reasonable Pricing (Not Necessarily Cheap Pricing)
Here's a mistake I see a lot: developers pricing themselves based on what they think clients want to pay, not what the work is actually worth.
"I'll just charge $100 for this website so I can get the client."
Then you spend 40 hours on the project. That's $2.50 per hour. You're working skilled labour for unskilled wages.
And here's the kicker: the client doesn't even appreciate the low price. They either think:
- The work must not be very good if it's that cheap
- Or they take advantage and ask for endless revisions because "it's not that expensive anyway"
Cheap pricing attracts cheap clients.
What clients actually want is reasonable pricing for the value they're getting.
If you build them a website that helps them get more customers, make more sales, and grow their business, that's worth way more than $100.
Price based on value, not hours.
And when a client says, "That's too expensive," don't immediately drop your price. Ask questions:
- "What's your budget for this project?"
- "What results are you hoping the website will bring?"
- "What happens if you don't have a professional website?"
Sometimes they genuinely can't afford you, and that's fine.
Not every client is a fit.
But often, they just need to understand why it costs what it costs. And once they see the value, price becomes less of an issue.
They Want Someone Who Takes Ownership
Clients don't want to micromanage you. They want to trust that you've got it handled.
That means:
- If something breaks, you fix it (or let them know immediately)
- If you spot a problem, you address it
- If there's a better way to do something, you suggest it
- If you make a mistake, you own it and correct it
Clients aren't looking for perfection. They're looking for responsibility.
I've seen developers lose clients not because they made mistakes, but because they made excuses.
"The hosting is slow, that's why the site is slow." "The images you sent were too big, that's why they don't load." "You didn't tell me you needed that feature, so I didn't build it."
Maybe all of that is technically true. But it sounds like you're deflecting blame instead of solving problems.
Compare that to:
"The site is loading slower than I'd like. I'm going to optimize the images and look into the hosting to see if we need an upgrade. I'll have an update for you tomorrow."
Same situation. Completely different response.
One makes the client feel like you're pointing fingers. The other makes them feel like you're handling it.
They Want to Trust You
At the end of the day, this is what it all comes down to: trust.
Do they trust that you'll deliver what you promised? Do they trust that you'll communicate honestly? Do they trust that you care about their success, not just your paycheck?
You build trust through:
- Consistent communication
- Delivering on time (or early)
- Being honest when something won't work
- Proactively solving problems
- Treating their project like it matters
Your code quality matters. Your technical skills matter.
But clients can't see your code quality. They can't evaluate your technical skills.
What they can see is how you make them feel throughout the process.
And that's what determines whether they hire you again. Whether they refer you to others. Whether they leave you a great review or testimonial.
Final Thoughts: Be a Developer Clients Actually Want to Work With
Thousands of developers can write clean code.
There are far fewer who can write clean code and communicate well and understand business needs and make clients feel confident and stress-free throughout the process.
That's the space you want to occupy.
Because when you do, clients stop shopping around for the cheapest developer. They stop comparing you to 10 other people.
They just hire you. And they keep hiring you.
Not because your code is the best (though it should be good).
But because working with you is easy. And in a world where most developer-client relationships are full of miscommunication, missed deadlines, and frustration, "easy" is incredibly valuable.
Be the developer who gets it.
Be the one who communicates clearly, solves problems proactively, and treats every project like it matters.
Your technical skills will get you in the door.
Everything else will keep you in the room.
What’s your experience with client communication?
Drop your stories in the comments 👇
If this helped you, save it for later, like and share with a dev friend who needs to hear this!
Originally published on Medium.
Top comments (0)