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Step 1: Define the Role and Type of Developer You Want

What kind of software developer do you need? Software developers have different specialties and areas of expertise, and the field is growing every day. If you’re working on a web project, for instance, you’ll need to know whether you’re looking for talent with capabilities in front-end, back-end, or across the full stack. Within those categories, you may even need to get more granular, depending on whether you have an established product or one that’s pre-launch, in which case the framework can still be decided.&nbsp;

What other non-technical skills are required for the project? (English communication skills, management experience, etc.)

Cultural aspects, timezone and language fluency

Tools you will be using for the project&nbsp;

Your team structure and how will they fit into it&nbsp;&nbsp;

What level of engagement do you need from this person? <meta charset="utf-8">

Step 2: Write an Outstanding Job Description to Attract the Right Developers

Step 3: Interview Your Candidates to Evaluate Their Technical and Non-technical Skills

Top Non-Technical Must-Have Skills: Communication Skills and Management Experience

Have they worked for big corporations or startups?&nbsp;

Are they more comfortable working on small or large teams?

Are they more used to working on projects with a clear scope or changing requirements?&nbsp;

What is their experience with agile methodologies?&nbsp;

What are their communication preferences?&nbsp;

How will they report their progress and build trust with their team?

Technical Must-Have Skills and Experience&nbsp;

How they prepare their development environment

Their project folder structure organization

Whether they are looking beyond the basic test

If they complete the test on time&nbsp;&nbsp;

How they name their variables as part of clean and readable code for maintenance purposes

Ask for examples of previous work. Can they showcase previous products they’ve built and send over code samples or screenshots of different enhancements?&nbsp;

Ask for references. Talking to entrepreneurs or CTOs they have worked for will give you an indication of their experience and intangible qualities, like problem-solving capabilities and creative perspective.&nbsp;

Conduct programming challenges. Although most challenges involved with real work do not resemble the programming challenges found on sites like <a href="https://www.codeeval.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CodeEval</a>, if a developer can succeed at some of the more difficult algorithmic-based problems in a short period of time, you know you are dealing with an intelligent person who knows their computer science.

Know When It’s Time to Stop the Hiring Process With a Candidate: 4 Red Flags

1. If They Use Google and What Type of Things They Search For

Referring to documentation: this is indeed a good practice, but following every single step during the interview or trying to replicate tutorials might be somewhat concerning. On the other hand, if the candidate runs some fact-checks just to be sure about the next move, then that’s a different story.&nbsp;

Searching for functions: Searching for functions might mean that the candidate needs a refresh or they may just be looking for syntax. This happens a lot with CSS, for example, and it can be trickier to detect if they know what they are doing or if, on the contrary, they’re just trying things on the fly. You can try to figure this out by looking at how much time it takes them to accomplish the task at hand.&nbsp;

Q&amp;A sites: It’s okay for developers to use Q&amp;A sites like StackOverflow to solve problems. However, how they evaluate code examples and what they do with that code once they bring it over into their own work is important. Part of keeping a codebase clean is avoiding pasting code just because it works.

Are they Googling every move? This is definitely a concern as it might speak to the candidates’ confidence level and lack of experience. It also might demonstrate that they don’t have a deep knowledge of the specific technology and indicate that they might not be able to advise you further than the scope of the test.

2. If They Copy and Paste From Old Projects

3. How They Respond to Feedback or Suggestions

A Bad Attitude: A good way to gauge this is whether the developer seems genuinely interested and engaged with your company, your project, and the role you’re looking to fill. Eagerness is a good indication that they will be excited to join the team and contribute meaningfully.

Evasive Answers: Clear, concise answers are a good indication that you are getting an honest and well-thought-out response to your questions. If the candidate is beating around the bush repeatedly, it may signal a lack of specific skills and experience.

Time Commitment: If you learn that the candidate is already working a full-time job and is looking to work on your project as a side gig, then it’s likely that the full-time job will take priority over yours. Unless you only need someone for a limited amount of time, this can cause a developer to burn out and potentially neglect your project.

Where to Find and Hire the Best Software Developers&nbsp;

Hire a Software Developer from Staffing Platforms&nbsp;

Affordable costs. You can significantly reduce costs by avoiding traditional expenses associated with full-time employees (recruitment, benefits, termination fees, etc.). All expenses are factored into the hourly rate that you and the remote contractor agree on. For information about hourly rates, check out our guide on the <a href="https://www.scalablepath.com/blog/the-cost-of-hiring-software-developers-in-latin-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cost of hiring developers</a>.&nbsp;

Curated talent pool. A significant benefit of staff augmentation is gaining access to a more extensive talent network. Instead of searching for candidates to apply, you can quickly connect with developers with the right qualifications and expertise by tapping into large, concentrated talent pools.&nbsp;

Fast recruitment. Traditional hiring practices are slow and lack flexibility. If you need to extend your team in a short time, a premium staffing platform can support rapid hiring and quicker project start times.

Hire a Software Developer from Task-based and Freelance Marketplaces&nbsp;

Flexibility to scale up and down as needed

Hire a Part-Time or Full-time Software Developer In-House

Time. You may find that hiring a full-time software developer takes a lot longer than you expect. According to <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/research/app/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/GD_Report_3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this study from Glassdoor</a>, the average time it takes to interview and hire a software engineer in the United States is 35 days. It can take many weeks or months to source qualified candidates, conduct interviews, and get an offer accepted.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cost. The cost of hiring tech talent in the United States is skyrocketing, partly because of the combination of high demand and low supply. Also, on top of a steep base salary you will need to pay significantly more in other related costs and benefits.&nbsp;

Flexibility. Hiring someone in-house can restrict your team’s flexibility since it often requires a long-term commitment between you and the person you hire. It also means slower start times and more complicated offboarding as well. &nbsp;

Sourcing &amp; Vetting. In-house hiring means you’ll need to do all of the sourcing and vetting on your own (if you don’t hire a recruiter to do so). At best, this can be a significant distraction and at worst can be a waste of time and resources if your team does not have the proper expertise to carry it out.&nbsp; Even if you do hire a recruiter, many of them don’t have the technical skill to properly vet software developers.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Software Developer?

In Summary: Hiring Developers Shouldn't be Difficult with the Proper Support and Guidance

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Set yourself up for success by writing a solid job description that defines key requirements and attracts suitable candidates. A good hiring strategy consists of a thorough vetting process that tests both soft and technical skills. Choose whether it makes sense for you to hire a company to carry out your vetting process for you or invest the time to do it right yourself.

How do I find a software developer to hire?

Hiring developers is fraught with challenges so building a team can be difficult for hiring managers. Finding people who fit your team well and have the right qualities and qualifications will require a complete and thorough candidate assessment process. Quality developers share specific characteristics. Knowing what these are and how to identify them will improve your chances of hiring the right people. 

Is it hard to hire software developers?

The cost of hiring a freelance developer will ultimately depend on the skill set of the role you’re looking to fill and the country you hire from. The average hourly rate for software developers from Latin America is $53.00. With thriving startup ecosystems, governments investing in education and tech, and growing talent pools, the region is rich with technological progress and and is an excellent source for hiring. 

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