With technologies advancing from time to time, there is a significant need for the best software developers now more than ever. And although the competition for finding top talents is tough, causing some recruiters to snag up the first interested software developers with hazy relevant experience, getting the right talent is still more crucial.
And the only way to do that is by being creative and strategic with your approach to hiring software developers. And we're going to help you with that. This blog will provide you with some tips to identify and attract the best software developer talents. Let's get started!
Ways To Attract The Best Software Development Talent
Hiring the best talent always starts with attracting them. You have to define your future employee’s expectations. But how will you do that? Create a compelling job description and post it on job boards like LinkedIn, Stack Overflow, or DEV. Below are a few important things you should include in your job post:
Offer Competitive Salary Packages
Software development is a highly sought-after and competitive field. Given this, you must know that many software developers have multiple options when choosing an employer. Thus, it's very important to set your company apart from your competitors and show potential employees that you're serious about your commitment to hiring the best and brightest in the industry.
One way to do that is to offer competitive salary packages. If employees see that they can get suitable compensation for their skills and the job responsibilities they'll do, that makes them feel that your company values your staff.
What you want to do to make your offer appealing is list these elements below:
Salary range
Performance bonuses and commissions
Paid leaves
Medical insurance
Retirement savings plan
Check your country or state regulations to know the legal requirements for hiring talent.
Provide Perks and Benefits
When discussing perks, you might think about gym memberships, unlimited coffee, or having fun games in the office. However, it's actually more than that. To attract the best software development talent, you want to bring something meaningful to the table. By doing so, you will not only attract them but may also inspire them to stay with your company for longer.
Here are a few perks and benefits you must include:
• Training and development opportunities
• Work with new and advanced technologies
• Professional memberships and certifications
• Opportunities for collaboration with other software developers
• Time off to volunteer or pursue personal interests
Offer A Hybrid/Remote Setup And Flexible Schedules
Ever since the pandemic, the work-from-home setup has become one of the most sought-after benefits for any applicant. Thus, it would only be best to offer remote work opportunities to attract a wide pool of the best talents all over the world. Consider utilizing global teams and creating a diverse and inclusive workplace to maximize your company's full potential.
If it's not possible, consider at least the hybrid setup that revolutionizes the workplace today. This will give your staff the opportunity to meet their teammates once in a while but still have the privilege of working from home. But of course, if you’re going this way, you must have amazing ideas for onboarding new hires.
More than the hybrid/remote setup, flexible working schedules will help you attract the best talents. With it, software developers can work during the most comfortable times, allowing them to be more productive and creative. Doing this creates a work-life balance any applicant would want in a company.
Provide Career Growth Opportunities
No one wants to get stuck in a company for years, doing the same thing and earning the same salary. The software development industry constantly evolves, and software professionals must keep pace with these changes.
That said, it would be best to offer them career growth opportunities as they learn new skills every day. According to the 2022 State of Software Engineers survey, having opportunities for professional development and career growth is one of the elements of their ideal company.
Demonstrate your Company’s Culture
Company culture is incredibly important in attracting top software development talents, as it strongly indicates the environment they will be working in. Additionally. it represents the values that the organization holds. What you'd want to do is demonstrate your strong mission and vision that have great potential to change the world or the current tech industry.
Identifying the Best Software Developer
Once you've effectively drawn many software development talents, expect to have the number of CVs you receive increase. If this happens, it's time to get to the tricky task, spotting the best one among the others. Below are a few things you want to look at in every applicant:
Possesses Extensive Technical Knowledge and Skills
Since you're looking for the best, you must closely examine their technical knowledge and skills. This would include their familiarity or mastery of various programming skills that are being utilized in your operations.
However, of course, you want to look beyond the technicals—their intelligence and problem-solving skills. While mastering programming languages is critical, problem-solving is what pushes software forward. It's given that new issues may arise throughout the development. But you want to look for someone who can turn the problem around and find solutions you wouldn't even see.
There are three ways you can assess their knowledge and intelligence:
Asking them the right questions that would highlight their technical knowledge and skills.
By looking at their previous projects like a portfolio or code samples.
If they pass the first screening, try their abilities by giving a programming challenge.
Looks at The Bigger Picture
The best software developer does not only focus on their part of the job. They're also looking at the bigger picture, like the impact of the software they're working on end users. But how will you know if they're interested in it? Ask them why they want to be a software developer. From there, you'll know if they're someone who thinks outside the box and can handle the problems arising efficiently.
Communicates Well
Since software development isn't a one-man job, communication skills are a must. A software developer who communicates effectively can easily convey their ideas and work in a team, which can affect every aspect of developing software.
So, what you want to do to assess their communication is ask questions unusual in work interviews but related to how they work. For instance, you may ask them to tell you a story about an experience of disagreement within the team in their previous projects. That way, you’ll also know how they deal with other people, especially when collaboration is needed in a project.
Knows How To Manage Their Time
Time management is very crucial for any software developer since everything has a deadline at work. That said, look for one who knows how to effectively manage their time and resources. Besides asking questions about their previous experience with tight schedules, see how they will do with your test, which you can set a one or two-day duration.
The Bottom Line
Attracting and identifying the right software developer can be difficult, as it seems, but it doesn't have to be. With our list of tips, you'll be able to optimize your ways of hiring talents. But always keep in mind that onboarding the best talent doesn't guarantee retention. Thus, always ensure to keep your word about growth and give them challenging projects that will keep them interested in learning new things.