Mary Yasensky Delivery Manager

• HR

February 22, 2023 4 min read

Hiring a Software Developer: Complete Guide

To hire a software developer or a mobile application programmer, you must first make an informed decision on the best recruitment tactics and potential risks.

This article is meant to help you decide which option is best for you, save you a decent amount of time and protect you from making common mistakes.

In-house vs outsource freelance software developers

Hiring app programmers in-house gives you an opportunity to better control the application creation process, while outsourcing and offshore recruitment offers a more cost-effective and time-sensitive approach. Both of these options have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to weigh them carefully before searching for candidates. Eventually, the decision between hiring in-house or outsourcing programmers will depend on your specific business needs and priorities.

Hiring developers: things to consider

Whether you opt to hire in-house professionals or outsource your project, there are certain tips to  apply when hiring:

• Define the programmers team size and what type of expertise is required

In-house development itself is the most expensive option. We’ve figured out why and explored the pros and cons of hiring in-house teams and freelancers in our blog post. So don’t rush to the extremes by immediately hiring tech 20 people. Define the minimum number of developers needed for the first stages of the project, monitor the situation and engage more workers when needed.

• Look for talent with industry-specific experience

Developers who are already familiar with technologies used in the industry, will be able to hit the ground running. Be sure to check out their work portfolio or previous projects they have completed. 

• Don’t neglect the programmer’s soft skills

Soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, and emotional intelligence can all help the team succeed. Examine their ability to communicate clearly and effectively with both technical and non-technical peers, their enthusiasm towards creative problem solving techniques, and their willingness to collaborate in order to explore various solutions.

• Pay attention to their culture fit

A programmer with high technical qualifications whose attitude or values do not match those of your team can disrupt workplace morale and lead to costly mistakes. Once you’ve identified the must-have skill set, look beyond technical qualifications to find out more about a candidate’s background and how they may interact with other members of the team.

How we hire app developers: Surf’s approach

We have more than 250 middle+ professionals in our company, including the ones in the iOS, Android, Flutter and web app development teams, as well as backend specialists, architects, QAs, DevOps and designers. Here are the recruiting practices that help us find developers whose expertise has been appreciated by Clutch, DesignRush, GoodFirms and other prominent application development ratings. 

• Outbound and inbound recruiting combination

We surf job boards and LinkedIn for searching candidates as well as developing our HR brand for attracting the best talent with high motivation and right skill set for the programmer positions. 

• Internal nurturing of high-skilled developers

We regularly hold study jams and take interns and hire interns who demonstrate high performance in mentor-led training and fit the company culture. Besides, to be accepted for the internship, the candidates must complete a test task to prove they already have a certain level of skills and pass the soft skills assessment as well. 

• Meticulous hard and soft skills interviewing process

Every candidate for a developer position goes through two obligatory stages: 

1. the technical interview to assess the candidate’s understanding of the fundamentals and the specific knowledge of the tech stack tools required for the role and to observe how the individual organizes the work process;
2. the soft skills and team fit assessment stage with the tech lead, during which we analyze the candidate’s ability to connect with their co-workers as well as their flexibility and drive to face new challenges and grow professionally and personally.

This is a glimpse of our tried and tested hiring procedure. We shared more insights about our candidate requirements and the selection process in this article.

Bottom line

Hiring a software developer can be a challenging task, but by carefully considering the different options available and following certain tips, you can turn it into a successful process. With 12 years of experience in application development and hiring tech talent, we can say that the clearly defined requirements and points we mentioned earlier in this article will help you find the professionals with whom your project will flourish.