HIRE SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS

They say that if you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room. That’s a statement you must live by when hiring the best developers in the market. Intelligence, however, can be defined in many different ways. What matters here is finding a person who has the type of smarts you need for your particular software venture. 

And what’s the defining trait of intelligence in software development? Not creativity, not technical knowledge, but problem-solving. While there’s no doubt that the previous traits are critical for the job, problem-solving abilities are what actually push good software forward. New issues will constantly arise throughout development—that’s a given. You want someone who can turn a problem around and find a solution that most people (including you) wouldn’t see.

No one can be a true expert in more than a few things in software development. There are just too many programming languages and frameworks. What’s more, every day there are new advancements in the industry that change the way developers work and approach problems.

The best software developers always apply an open approach to their craft. Even when they don’t know something, their problem-solving ability will help them develop innovative solutions.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. We’ve all heard the stories of passionate developers who spent thousands of hours creating an amazing product that generated a ton of revenue.

Sometimes, this is the work of a single person. More often than not, it takes a few more to make it to the goal. But what always remains true is that once it becomes a running product, that product will require a strong and diverse team to support it.

A great developer will know how to work with a team and apply their talent where it can make the most impact. You want to find someone who’s not only able to excel in their role but also able to improve others’ work.

Technical and theoretical knowledge is important to develop high-quality software. However, if that was all that was needed, it would be a lot easier to find great developers for your team. After all, most of this knowledge can be easily learned after a quick Google search and some light browsing. The ability to be creative is what drives innovation in software development. You want to find someone who’s quick on their feet and has no problem getting their ideas out. 

The best software developers make coding look easy. Testing for coding skills is a common practice when hiring great programmers, but few business leaders look at how clean the code is. Hiring people who can code cleanly will not only make your products better but also facilitate flexibility during sprints. It’s also easier to perform maintenance and install future updates.

A software developer who is committed to staying up to date with the latest advancements in technology can adapt to an ever-evolving environment. Look for developers who keep abreast with the latest programming languages, tools, trends, and industry best practices. This translates into higher quality and greater sustainability in the software solutions they develop.

It’s common for employers to say they want a developer to do one task, but once that person is hired, they end up doing something completely different. Misleading practices like these are not only unethical but also lead to higher turnover on your team. And you can trust that that individual will not recommend your company as a quality place to work.

If you find a good candidate who doesn't exactly fit the profile you’re looking for, be honest with them. Developers rarely want to adapt their skills drastically for a job, but if your role is interesting enough, they may branch out to expand their portfolio.

Depending on where you’re located and what types of developers you’re looking to hire, you’ll probably run into a fairly wide gamut of salary expectations. In situations like that, you might ask yourself if someone who asks for five times the wage will do five times a better job. Or if someone who asks for a lower salary than what you estimated will be up to the task. 

First of all, you need to be clear on what type of return on investment you’re expecting from that hire. Just like any other employee, developers have many motivations and needs. And the possibilities grow exponentially when you open up to a remote market. In any case, retaining top software development talent will always go beyond money. Your work culture, team structure, quality of projects, and the sense of purpose your company offers will also come into play.

One of the worst ways to onboard a new hire is to throw them into an ongoing sprint without explaining anything. While one could argue that’s on the project manager or the Scrum Master, there are a lot of things that need to be made clear during or shortly after the final interview.

Giving proper support to new developers is an investment that pays off in productivity and morale. Introducing a new environment always requires orientation on the project’s goals, the completed work, and the challenges the team is facing. It’s also a good idea to go over workflows, work culture, and responsibilities. And don’t forget to provide the proper project documentation.

Relying on assumptions is a risky game. When you hire software developers and don’t tell them what you expect from them, you’re actually throwing a lot of curveballs at the entire team. You don’t want to have people with clashing ideas of what tasks they should tackle and what goals they should prioritize.

It’s best to be as clear as you can on the details of the job. Proper communication will always lead to higher-quality work. Bear in mind that your new hire should complement the abilities of your current team, so talk with them to find out what they expect of the new hire and where that person could deliver the most value.