How to Recruit Top Software Developers for Your Company
Today, companies across all industries need talented software developers to design and develop the necessary computer software and applications to succeed in the modern business world. Developers create everything from mobile applications to desktop apps, large data networks and databases, and everything in between. Their skills are specific, in-depth, and hard to come by. But they’re absolutely essential.
Finding top software developers for your company isn’t as easy as putting out a job description and hoping for the best. For one thing, these individuals are highly skilled, and they’re very likely already employed – they’re not necessarily surfing the major job boards for any open position, and run-of-the-mill offers won’t compel them. Plus, your internal hiring team may not be intimately familiar with the skills and competencies that make a great software developer, making sourcing even harder.
So, how is your company supposed to recruit the talented software developers you need? Let’s consider some tips for finding and hiring software developers to add to your technology team.
Tips from an IT Recruitment Agency to fill Software Developer Jobs
Create a Plan
Before getting into any of the details of attracting, recruiting, and hiring a talented software developer for your company, you need a plan. Ask yourself some key questions:
- What does my company’s software development team look like right now?
- What development needs will my company have in the future? App development? Website building? A security overhaul?
- What skills do I need to add to the team?
- What skills and experience do I absolutely need?
- What skills and experience would be nice to have?
- How much is your company willing to spend on the new hire?
With the answers to these questions, you can start to think about the next steps: crafting a job description, building your company brand, thinking about interviews and salary packages, and more. Keep reading to learn more about these important parts of the software developer recruitment process.
Attract Potential Candidates by Building Your Brand
Remember: hiring in general, is a selling game. The candidate is selling themselves to the potential employer – your company – but you’re selling your company to them, too. If you want to attract top software developers, you need to build your company brand. And that’s especially true in today’s employment market, where candidates have the leverage.
Position your company as a technology-focused one through your job descriptions, online materials, and social media channels. Make it clear why talented developers would want to join your team; to grow their skills, to work on exciting projects, to mentor less experienced developers, and to make a difference. Highlight what your company does best, whether that’s creating a great work-life balance or offering better salaries than your competitors. Building and strengthening your brand in this way is crucial when it comes to attracting the best people – especially when those people have in-demand skills and generally have their pick of employers.
Determine What Type of Software Developer You Need
Did you know that the term “software developer” is not a one-size-fits-all designation? There are various types of developers out there, each with specific skillsets and knowledge bases. Before bringing on a software developer, you’ll need to determine what kind of specialist you’re looking for.
Three of the main types of software developers are:
- Front-End Developers: Front- end developers are those who create the technology that the end user interacts with. Front-end developers create apps, websites, and other applications and programs that your customers end up using. Developing the front end will require knowledge of scripting languages like JavaScript, as well as a knack for web design and even graphic design to an extent.
- Back-end Developers: The back end is, as the name suggests, the opposite of the front end. Back-end developers don’t work on the customer-facing parts of your website or apps, but rather on the “engines” that run these programs. Back-end developers work with coding languages such as Java, C#, or C++ and also have familiarity with database technologies like SQL.
- Full-Stack Developers: Full-stack developers are both front- and back-end specialists, able to help with everything from website and application design to back-end coding. Full-stack developers sometimes take on a bigger-picture element within your tech team, like project coordination.
Depending on the developer themselves, they may also have additional experience with other areas of development, like cybersecurity. Before making a final choice on what sort of developer you’re looking for, take the time to think about your company’s needs – and what you already have on the team – to narrow down the specialties you really need.
Create a Compelling Job Description
In this section, explain why a detailed job description is important, and talk about some of the other important skills needed for the job.
Often, your job description is the very first interaction a potential new hire will have with your company. That’s why you need to make it count. A mundane, ineffective job description will quickly send candidates packing. A compelling one, on the other hand, will draw them in. That doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel; just make your job description unique and speak to the candidate directly, while making it clear what sets the position and your company apart from the rest.
It’s also important to add some key information in the job description, including:
Technical Skills Required
List the main programming languages the developer will need to know in order to complete the work required, as well as any other technical skills – cybersecurity experience, big data, etc. – that might be needed. It’s a good practice to work this programming language name into the title of your job descriptions themselves. For example, if you’re looking for a Python programmer, title the job description “Python Developer” rather than “software developer” to immediately draw in the qualified talent you’re searching for.
Soft Skills
Soft skills like multitasking ability, communication, empathy, and others are important in almost any job, software development included. Teamwork is another big one – most development is done in a team environment today, especially with the rise of DevOps. You’ll want to source and screen for software developers that don’t just have the technical ability to write the code but the interpersonal skills and personality characteristics that make them great members of the team.
Supportive Capabilities
Whether it’s knowledge of servers like Amazon Web Services, experience in big data settings, or any other kind of supportive capability, make sure you include these as “nice-to-haves” in your job descriptions. That way, you’re not turning off any qualified candidates if they don’t possess these skills – you’re simply making it more likely that you’ll source a candidate that checks every box.
What Type of Interview is Needed?
When the time for interviewing comes around, make sure you’re asking questions that speak to both the technical skills and soft skills described above. Or, you might want to hold two interviews: one to discuss the technical abilities that the software developer has, and another that is more personality-based to assess their character and cultural fit. This way, you can ensure you’re getting the full package.
You may want to include a test project of some kind in your technical interview. This can give you insight into how a developer approaches problems and the unique way that they solve them. Of course, it also proves that the programmer can do what they and their resume claim.
Throughout the interview process, keep in close contact with the candidate – if they feel they’ve fallen into a black hole, they’ll quickly run to greener pastures. Even if it’s just a quick text or email, update the candidate on their status in the interview process in order to keep them engaged.
Create a Competitive Salary Package
In today’s candidate-centric, competitive talent market, the best software developers demand an attractive salary – and if you aren’t providing it, they’ll find it elsewhere. Do your research to ensure your salary figures for the position is up to par with industry standards for software developer careers. Also, be sure to think about other parts of the employment package besides the money; things like vacation time, PTO, insurance, retirement packages, savings plans, wellness plans, and additional perks can make a big difference for savvy software developers who are willing to negotiate their offer.
Work With an IT Recruitment Agency like PEAK Technical to Hire the Best Software Developer
If navigating today’s candidate-centric and competitive software developer market sounds like a lot of work, you have another option aside from tackling the talent search alone: Partner with an information technology recruitment agency like PEAK Technical. We’ve been perfecting our recruitment process for over 50 years, meaning we can supply the developers you need on a contract or direct-hire basis, depending on your company’s needs.
Find your next front-end, back-end, or full-stack software developer to transform your tech team and maintain your company’s relevance in today’s increasingly digital marketplace. PEAK Technical is here to help at every stage of your talent search, so get in touch with our software developer recruiters when it’s time to hire your next expert.