How To Hire The Right Software Developer
McKinsey’s Steven Hankin coined the term “war for talent” in 1997, and it continues to be true today. The competition for talent has only gotten fiercer over the years, and while the recessionary conditions over the last year may suggest a surplus of talent in the market, getting the right talent is still difficult. Latest figures from 2023 indicate that about 80% of employers encounter challenges in hiring the right candidates.
Here are some ways in which you can outrun your competitor in the war for talent.
Understand The Project Requirements
Not all roles require a Senior developer. By quickly identifying and aligning the level of expertise required with the complexity of the task at hand, you get to hire quickly your developer quickly.
Junior Developers
May lack the necessary project experience, necessitating extra guidance. Task completion might take longer, and they may not be well-versed in best coding practices. However, for projects requiring simple patching or maintenance, hiring a junior developer is adequate. Their lesser demand and the quick assessment of the technical expertise needed could save substantial time.
Senior Developers
Senior developers significantly enhance a project with their expertise, offering a deeper understanding of project development due to their extensive experience. For challenging projects, engaging a senior developer is advisable as they can navigate complex scenarios proficiently. The need for a senior developer arises when a project demands advanced technical skills, strategic oversight, and the ability to mentor junior developers.
Choosing The Right Platform To Look For Candidates
Open source portfolios on reputable platforms such as GitHub and StackOverFlow, or JetDevs’ community-driven app can provide a gateway for companies to identify developers who are not only technically proficient but are also actively engaged in knowledge-sharing and problem-solving. To make things easier, such platforms tend to have their own ‘vetting’ metrics, allowing them to identify and assign badges to outstanding developers. These digital reputation scores make it easier to filter for the candidates you want to be looking at.
Another way would be to engage the services of professional staff augmentation firms. Staff augmentation firms are growing in demand and present a viable solution to the arduous recruitment process. JetDevs has helped many companies such as DANA, Vestiaire Collective and CrowdServe find talented developers. With the right vetting and hiring processes in place, these companies have gone on to penetrate new markets as well as establish key business partnerships.
Identifying Key Traits
Programmers are crucial to the success of a product. Which is why getting the right hire from the start is key.
Here are the top 3 markings of a top developer.
Apperception
There are several programming languages, frameworks, and tools in software development, making it highly difficult for anyone to become an expert in more than a few technologies. New updates every so often also mean that developers will have to constantly keep abreast of these changes and figure out new and innovative ways to approach problems. Apperceptive developers, in the absence of complete knowledge of a technology or problem will still be able to find the best approach to get the work done.
An interview tip: Instead of asking questions right off their CV, evaluate how the developer tackles problems he is not familiar with.
Curiosity
Time is money. This means that having a developer who is able to quickly get a firm grasp of his working environment and requirements will help to expedite the development of a project. These developers tend to be curious and are always thinking about the whys and hows of a problem or an existing solution.
An interview tip: Look for their side projects, open source behaviour or an inclination to keep exploring and learning about new technologies
Strong Communication Skills
Clarity and precision in communication can enable a software engineer to put his point across and work more cohesively with the team to make the most impact. You want to hire software engineers who do not just fulfil their roles but also augment the work of others.
An interview tip: Ask them questions that they are not familiar with. When thrown into an unfamiliar situation, or being asked questions off the fly, their ability to form a coherent response in a matter of seconds can be a good benchmark.
All In All
Even though there are millions of developers across the globe, finding the right fit for your organization can be daunting. However, following the above tips can help you find the right tech talent. Reach out to us to find out more about how you can make the right hire.