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Best Practices For Hiring Dedicated Developers

2019-03-19by Anastasia Stefanuk

Hiring dedicated developers for your tech company can feel overwhelming and challenging. High-quality developers are in demand. There’s a lot of different kinds of developers but when the demand for the same developer, for example, Android developer, is bigger than the supply, it far from ease to actually hire Android developer without spending a fortune. Finding the right fit for your particular organization can be tough, especially when you are likely to hire remotely. Research has found that there is a supply and demand gap in this industry. This may be explained by the fact that it has been shown that worldwide, nearly 68% of developers that are hired for tech companies already have full-time jobs that they report to. Often developers are seeking extra gigs; therefore, it’s important to keep in mind the potential of making a connection and networking for not only current but future opportunities.

 

It is also important to note that 28% of developers (in the U.S.) find work opportunities through referrals. Networking opportunities are exceptional and abundant.  These freelance work opportunities appear to far outweigh the number of quality developers available to take them. This is why it is important to find the best, most dedicated developers for your company. Then stay connected.  Despite these statistics, it is possible to recruit, successfully hire, and develop long-lasting professional relationships with freelancers and developers for your tech company.

 

A whopping two-thirds of programmers are open to new jobs, however, few are in the “actively seeking” phase. This is another important statistic for companies to understand as it will directly impact how your company recruits and hires developers. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics expects developer jobs to increase by almost 25% by 2026 from 2016. Armed with this information, it is important to recognize the true demand for this occupation as we explore ways to hire the most qualified developers for your tech company.

 

With these sometimes alarming statistics in mind, it is important to remember a few key best practices when hiring developers. These are not only effective practices but absolutely essential for any tech company looking to hire quality and dedicated developers as part of its growing team and business.

 

Consider Your Brand

Even if you are hiring a developer for a short-term project or as an independent project contractor, it is important to consider the company fit.  In order to do this, it is helpful to consider your brand and how a developer could truly help to build your brand. Questions to consider include thinking about what your brand stands for, your mission, values, and goals. How do these goals and your mission align with a potential developer’s own personal mission and goals? Matching your potential candidate to your brand values is essential. As you consider what your brand stands for and how you would like to portray it, you will be more likely to attract developers who are even more passionate about potentially working with you.

Outsource For Help

With such an ample need for potential developers within the quickly growing technology business sector, it may be helpful to consider outsourcing as a way to find quality developer help. Although this may seem impersonal to some, outsourcing may provide a cost-effective and quick, quality alternative to searching for a candidate through other channels. It takes time to recruit, interview, hire, and onboard a candidate. Outsourcing saves time and allows tech companies to delegate in a way that may serve them better for particular projects. While this may speed up a project, this may not be a long-term hiring solution, especially if the goal is to hire dedicated developers that you hope will continue to grow with your company. Another perk to outsourcing for help is that it provides further networking opportunities for you to connect with new talent.

 

Be Transparent and Open

When hiring a dedicated developer, it is important to be transparent throughout the entire process. This includes the process of creating a job listing, providing ample and accurate information in that listing, and communicating with the potential developer candidate effectively throughout. In order to be transparent, as a tech company and manager, you must be organized. Knowing what you have to work with in terms of hiring and what you are able to budget out from the beginning and then effectively communicating that information to potential candidates is key.

 

When constructing a quality job listing there are also a few best practices to keep in mind. The first is to create an accurate picture of your company for any prospective candidates. Discuss company statistics, objectives, the mission, values, etc. so that someone can easily tell if your company aligns with their own needs. Also, with a truly endless amount of potential ads and postings out there in cyberspace recruiting for tech developers, you want to ensure that yours stands out. Think about what makes your company and this position stand out from others like it. You may want to research other listings and postings that are similar to yours. What can you say or add to your own job listing to stand out to a potential developer and consider your company over those others that you researched? In your job posting, ensure that you cover the specifics such as what department a person is being hired to work within, the types of technology platforms and software they will be utilizing regularly along with any other pertinent information, including salary.

 

Consider an Apprentice or Intern

It is unlikely you have enough time to take on an apprentice or mentor someone full-time, however, if your company values teaching and educating others, maybe taking on a newer developer is the answer. Maybe you should consider an apprentice if you are a start-up for example, and not able to pay out as much as a typical developer costs. Perhaps you value the one-on-one time working with and honing the skills of someone you would like to eventually work with full-time. Although this may not be a solution for everyone, considering an intern or apprentice relationship may be something that benefits all involved.

Create and Utilize Networking Opportunities

The value of networking is indispensable and unparalleled. This may go without saying, but networking is extremely powerful especially with social media adding opportunities. Tech companies who use their own network to begin searching for quality candidates may find this is the most indispensable and effective step in the recruiting process for hiring dedicated developers. Think about your life. You know so many people and those people know so many others. Networking websites and companies like Linkedin not only help with this endeavor but also provide specific ways to search for potential talent, post blogs, job postings, etc. Networking opportunities here are endless. Consider, too, who you already know in your personal circle of friends and family. Attend local networking events or even host your own.

 

Focus on Talent and Skills

Some managers truly value longevity. In the case of hiring freelancers or part-time, project-based developers it is important to focus on talent, not longevity. Even if you are aiming to hire someone on for long-term or to be a full-time salaried person, it is important to consider the statistics above that state that there is definitely a supply and demand gap within this field. When focusing on talent, you may feel that you are eliminating much of your potential developer applicant pool, however, you want to hire based on quality. It may be more effective to have fewer candidates in your pool who are more qualified or have transferable skills that you require than to have a giant pool that you are sorting from.  When selecting candidates, it is a best practice to select based on not only talent and experience but also focus on a few key skills. Some of the important skills that managers must consider when hiring developers in the tech industry are analytical skills, communication and social skill abilities, and the ability to be a visionary. Candidates must know what it is they are working toward for a particular project and be able to explain it effectively.

Make Interviewing a Team Effort

When interviewing a candidate, many times you are not the only one who will be working with that candidate. As a result, it is important to include the team in the interview process. This is also helpful because getting other team members to contribute and involved in the interviewing and recruitment process not only builds morale, but it also provides other perspectives during the interview. For example, you may not have considered something that another member of your team thought was important. Making this a collaborative effort is helpful in building a quality team and reinforces the teamwork value perspective, thus recruiting the most appropriate individuals.

 

Conclusion

While it can be challenging to hire the highest quality and best fit developer for your company, given some of the statistics revealed above, there are a few things to keep in mind. Make sure to give yourself enough time for the hiring process. This means to keep in mind what your anticipated needs are. Keep your vision focused on the larger picture.  Remember that the average time to hire a tech developer is 35 days so that should be part of the consideration, too.

 

Even with some of the challenges, there is no need to get discouraged. Talented and dedicated developers are abundant. Tech company managers will surely find the best fit for their development projects, especially when considering the best practices and keeping on top of their own company goals.

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Author

Anastasia Stefanuk

Anastasia Stefanuk is a passionate writer and a marketing manager at Mobilunity. The company provides professional staffing services, so she is always aware of technology news and wants to share her experience to help tech startups and companies to be up-to-date. View Anastasia Stefanuk`s profile for more
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