Important Factors to Consider While Looking to Hire a Developer

Great talent can be challenging to find. It’s even more difficult to assess correctly during the recruitment process. 

Many developers are self-taught, so they lack official qualifications or certifications. It makes traditional methods of recruitment challenging when businesses hire a developer or a team.

When your company is looking to expand, choose to hire dedicated developers. You could hire software engineers to work in-house or via an outsourced software development firm. 

Your project may suffer if you hire the wrong developers, but it may also damage your company’s internal workings and deliverables. You can’t always apply the standard metrics and assumptions used for other types of staff. 

It’s a fine line to cross when looking for the ideal developer and teammate.

Businesses need to look at technical and soft skills. And, for that, you need to consider a few things, including technical and soft skills. 

Let’s go through in detail—

1. Identify developers who can lead

Developers should know how to lead projects. But there’s a fine line between taking charge and demanding to be in charge. Interviewees need to be prepared with questions to help them decide which side of the coin they fall on. 

However, you want developers who know when to take charge and when to allow others to take the reins. The right person will ensure you don’t clash with your other engineers.

2. Seek out developers with an intense curiosity

Most people believe that good developers redefine what lines are and can see beyond the legal perspectives. 

Look for developers with an active curiosity and a propensity for problem-solving. Why? Because only curious developers can create truly brilliant solutions. Suppose you only hire software developers who color within the lines. Your business might miss out on genuinely unique ideas that can transform your company into something you might never have achieved otherwise.

3. Hire developers who can develop value for your business

Developers who can think from various perspectives will give you an advantage over your competition. Some developers can look at a project and see that it’s missing a feature no one else is offering. It’s not just about the task at hand, but adding value to your business.

Developers who can think from multiple perspectives will give you an edge over your competition. Developers of this type are capable of doing so.

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4. Look for brilliant yet humble developers

Developers who let their intelligence get their best can become quite brilliant at their jobs. Some developers spend too much time reminding others how smart they are, rather than focusing on their own work.

You want brilliant developers who are humble and don’t let their intelligence go to their heads. Too much ego (even if it’s earned) can cause other developers and management problems. Look for developers willing to accept criticism without letting their egos get in the way.

5. Look for loyal developers

When you hire staff who would rather stay in constant deference to their superiors, you could hire staff who refuse to voice their concerns when management is about to make a crucial mistake on a project.

You want developers loyal to a project first, who will do whatever it takes to deliver the best product to put the company ahead. This means fulfilling the needs and wants of those who’ll be using the software – consumers, clients, or the company itself.

6. Find developers with a diverse portfolio

When GoLang is used to develop one project, but Java or Rust are needed to create another? Can one developer get up to speed quickly enough to continue working on that project?

Look for developers with a portfolio that demonstrates various skills and languages. They don’t need to know 10+ languages, but having skills that showcase a range of programming languages will benefit your company more than you can imagine.

7. Search for developers that fill the gaps

You should be looking for developers who are good at creating web apps, but not so hot with mobile apps. During these interviews, you should know exactly what your current development team needs, and match them with candidates you’re considering in-house.

To be successful in those interviews, you’ll want to know the specific needs of your current development teams and match them with the new hires.

What Else?

Perform programming or aptitude tests to hire software developers

You need programming and aptitude tests to evaluate candidates’ technical skills, their behavioral traits, and skills.

To hire a software developer, you should program the following tests:

• PHP: A scripting language used to create web applications.
• Python: It’s an ideal programming language for integrating systems more effectively.
• C++: used for embedded, resource-constrained applications.

Software developer aptitude tests include:

• Error Check: Which evaluates a programmer’s attention to detail when writing code.
• Reasoning: An effective way to test problem-solving skills under pressure.

To Wrap Up

Software developers are in demand – and for good reason. 

In today’s digital world, businesses that want to succeed must take intentional steps to gain visibility.

The software industry is saturated and there is a limited talent pool. Many companies find it difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff when hiring software developers.

Great talent can be challenging to find & even more challenging to assess, especially if you are a start-up company. However, you should approach every developer interview by considering the factors listed above. If you can find a new hire who possesses these characteristics, you’ll have a true winner on your hands.

Also, you can use outsourcing to discover the best software developers for your company’s IT tasks if you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur. If you outsource, you won’t have to worry about locating, hiring, and retaining elite people or the related costs of doing so.