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Are you planning to hire software developers and wondering how to go about it? You’ve come to the right place.
Businesses undertake all kinds of software development projects to help them to capture new markets, improve their operational efficiency, consolidate their leading market position, etc. Projects include web application development, mobile app development, artificial intelligence (AI) development, and blockchain development. The reasons, just like the end projects, are extremely varied but one thing is the same.
They often don’t have an in-house team with sufficient capacity or skills to suddenly take on such a large project. As a result, organizations look for software developers from outsourcing companies or hire new staff to meet this demand.
Great software developers really can make app development projects a much smoother and less stressful affair. Sub-par developers, on the other hand, pose a real risk to the project. To avoid ending up with the latter, you need to make the right hiring decisions.
Hiring freelancers might seem like a good idea. It’s often very risky though. Instead, you should hire dedicated software engineers from a reputed and trustworthy software development company like DevTeam.Space that outsources its field expert software developers. More on this later.
You need to understand the technical skill requirements of your desired software developer before you make a hiring decision. The skill requirements are as follows:
Primary skills required for software development
Generally, you should hire developers with these general skills. However, keep in mind that the requirements of a particular project influence the primary skills needed on your team. Developer requirements differ widely from project to project, depending on the type, scope, size, functionalities required, etc.
Here are a few examples:
A. Your organization has a web development project
You can execute a web development project using a range of different approaches. One example is the use of a CMS (Content Management System) for the rapid development of a simple website. If you plan to utilize this approach, then you need WordPress developers. Your developers should know PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
However, what if you need custom web development to ensure your website stands out? You will need to use JavaScript, a popular programming language for front-end web development, to create much more of your website than with the example above. Your developers will code far more complex functionalities using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Yet another option is to use JavaScript-based web development frameworks like Angular or React. These open-source projects are highly popular due to the results they yield.
Use Node.js for back-end development if you want JavaScript for both front-end and back-end. You should look for full-stack developers in this case. Java, Python, Golang, and Ruby are a few other coding languages popular for back-end development.
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You need developers that know both SQL and NoSQL database management systems (DBMSs). They need a good knowledge of SQL databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL. Programmers also need experience with NoSQL databases like MongoDB or Apache Cassandra.
Developers should have adequate knowledge of using integrated development environments (IDEs) like IntelliJ IDEA. They should know about development tools like Git, etc. Programmers also need familiarity with the leading open-source test automation frameworks.
Again, given there are so many types of projects that you could be setting out to create, we will simply state that your exact software developer needs will depend entirely on your project requirements. If you are not sure then get in touch by letting us know your project requirements and one of our dedicated account managers will get back to you to answer any questions that you might have.
B. You plan to execute a mobile development project
You can use any of the above-mentioned leading database management systems, however, the tech stack for such projects is different. Note that we recommend you develop native mobile apps rather than hybrid ones.
Use Java or Kotlin to develop a native Android app. Programmers will need knowledge of Android Studio.
You can use Swift for native iOS development. Developers need familiarity with Xcode, the popular IDE. They need to know about other testing and development tools like XCTest too.
C. You will execute an artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) project
While several programming languages can be useful for an AI or ML project, we recommend you use Python. Python offers excellent libraries for AI/ML development. You can easily implement ML algorithms including complex algorithms by using these libraries. They make the AI/ML software development process easier.
Note: We just mentioned a few examples. You might have other projects like blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), data science, etc. Please specify skill requirements accordingly when you write the job description.
Other software development skills required in a good software developer
Great software developers should have the following additional skills:
A. Information and application security skills needed by software engineers
We can’t overstate the importance of data security and privacy. The best software developers understand application and information security including:
- How to implement data encryption;
- Security and compliance testing;
- Modern tools like multi-factor authentication, digital signatures, etc.;
- How to quickly fix bugs that can be exploited by cyber-criminals;
- Mitigating application security vulnerabilities;
- Utilizing solutions like firewalls, antivirus, etc.;
- Cloud computing security.
B. API development skills needed by software engineers
Developing APIs can make your software development processes scalable. API development can especially help large-scale projects. You can also use third-party services easily by utilizing APIs.
Software developers need API development skills, and these skills are especially relevant to full-stack developers. They should know the following:
- Selecting an approach between GraphQL and REST APIs;
- How to develop RESTful APIs;
- Tools like Postman and Swagger that are used for API development;
- Hosting APIs using a cloud computing platform;
- Testing APIs;
- Securing APIs using authentication, encryption, etc.;
- Creating rules for API requests and responses;
- Creating API endpoints.
C. Cloud computing knowledge required by software engineers
Mobile developers, web developers, AI/ML developers, IoT developers, and even blockchain developers should have some cloud computing knowledge. They need to know the following:
- How to choose between different cloud computing delivery models like public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud;
- What the top cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, etc. offer;
- How to choose between IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), and MBaaS (Mobile-Backend-as-a-Service) platforms;
- Various third-party services that are available on cloud platforms;
- DevOps tools that are available on cloud platforms.
D. Industry domain knowledge needed by good software developers
Industry domain knowledge is important in the software development industry. Any developer or team acquires this knowledge over time. Naturally, any developer that worked on a complex project for any particular industry immediately recognizes common problems faced by project teams in that industry. Having adequate industry domain knowledge in the team mitigates multiple risks. This is why at DevTeam.Space, we only assign developers to a project who have experience developing applications within that industry.
Top tip: Look for developers with experience in your industry.
E. Code review skills needed by great software developers
Good developers should understand the code review process well. You should look for developers that reviewed code in their past projects. They should know the key code review strategies.
F. Software engineering skills
The best developers possess considerable software engineering skills. They understand testing, DevOps, coding best practices, defect prevention, etc. Look for these skills. Also, look for knowledge of the agile methodology.
G. An understanding of software architecture
Knowledgeable software engineers should understand software architecture well. This knowledge helps them considerably with complex and large-scale projects. You need developers with an understanding of the most important architectural patterns.
H. Competencies that top software developers need
A sound hiring process must emphasize competencies. You need developers with the following competencies:
- Communication skills;
- Teamwork;
- Commitment;
- Passion for excellence;
- The ability to understand the perspective of the end-user;
- Problem-solving skills.
How to find the best developer?
Now that you understand the skill requirements, you can start the hiring process. Do the following:
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1. Choose the right platform for hiring developers
Organizations plan and execute software development projects to meet their strategic, tactical, or operational objectives. They can’t afford these projects to fail. Companies need the right people to ensure the success of a project. On the other hand, incompetent developers can quickly derail a project. You need to be wise when hiring programmers.
Some companies prefer hiring freelance software developers. Numerous online platforms make it easy to hire freelance developers. Businesses feel they can negotiate a low hourly rate with a freelance software developer. Organizations hire freelance developers by posting their job requirements on job boards or using freelancer platforms.
We strongly recommend that you don’t hire freelance software developers for medium-to-high complexity projects. A freelance developer works part-time on your project as they need to balance their workload with other clients. Therefore, you might not get enough commitment and bandwidth from them.
Managing freelancers can be hard, furthermore, freelance platforms don’t offer project management support. Freelancers often leave a project mid-way, and if yours do, you will then need to find replacement developers. These factors combine to expose your project to considerable risks.
We recommend you hire full-time developers from a reliable software development company like DevTeam.Space. Our developers are skilled, experienced, highly motivated, and work for us on a full-time basis. They are trained in our AI-powered agile process, which means they always deliver the best performance.
As if that was not enough, DevTeam.Space provides free project management support. Mitigate your project risks by hiring developers from us. If you want to learn more, let us know your requirements and we will be in touch.
2. Conduct the technical Interview of job seekers
You have now chosen a hiring platform, posted your requirements, and have now received resumes. It is time to interview your candidates. You can use our set of interview questions, e.g.:
- JavaScript interview questions;
- Angular interview questions;
- ReactJS interview questions;
- Node.js interview questions;
- Ruby on Rails interview questions;
- Python interview questions;
- SQL interview questions;
- iOS interview questions;
- Swift interview questions;
- Android interview questions;
- Java interview questions;
- Software engineer interview questions.
You should ask questions that help you evaluate the hands-on skills of developers. Assess their past project experience to see if what they are telling you is true. Don’t forget to explain your project and ask how developers will approach it.
3. Onboard developers
Now that you have hired developers, onboard them effectively. Do the following:
- Explain your project.
- Share the key documents like functional requirements, technical solutions, and non-functional requirements (NFRs).
- Provide access.
- Introduce the new developers to your existing team and explain their roles and responsibilities.
- Describe the project plan.
- Highlight the project schedule, milestones, and iterations.
- Set up a communication process with the new team members.
- Establish accountability.
Useful tips to help hire software developers
Keep the following aspects in mind when hiring developers:
A. Budget for good project management when hiring remote software developers
Remote developers can add great value to your project. They allow you to tap into a global pool of talent and remove the shackles of being constricted to your local talent pool. Organizations continue to use remote developers to great effect, and you can too. However, project managers need some different skills to manage remote teams. You will need to hire a project manager to manage your remote teams if you don’t already have one with experience.
B. Assess the quality of developers instead of focusing on lower-priority aspects
Some companies focus on lower priority aspects like a no-risk trial period, hourly rate, etc. when choosing a hiring platform. We don’t recommend this approach. A trial period doesn’t really help if developers don’t work effectively over a longer period of time. Low hourly rates can’t help you if developers can’t deliver the project on time. Your primary focus during the hiring process should be to assess the quality of developers.
C. Hire a cohesive software development team
You might need several developers. If you hire them from different platforms, or freelancers who have never worked together before, you will find it hard to form an effective team. We recommend you hire a complete software development team from a trustworthy partner like DevTeam.Space. All of our teams work together on a full-time basis so know each other well and are therefore a much more cohesive and efficient team.
Sample interview questions to use when you hire software developers
You should ask questions that enable you to gauge the relevant experience of developers, e.g.:
A. Explain the differences between procedural programming and object-oriented programming (OOP) and when you would choose one over the other.
Answer:
Procedural programming and object-oriented programming are two different programming paradigms used to structure code and solve problems.
Explanation:
Procedural Programming:
In procedural programming, the focus is on writing functions or procedures that operate on data. The program’s flow of execution is determined by a sequence of steps and control structures (e.g., loops, conditionals).
Data and functions are separate entities, and data can be accessed and modified directly by any part of the program.
It is suitable for smaller projects with a straightforward flow of execution and limited data manipulation requirements.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP):
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OOP emphasizes the organization of code into objects, which encapsulate both data (attributes or properties) and behavior (methods or functions).
Objects interact with each other through well-defined interfaces and communication channels.
It promotes code reusability, modularity, and easier maintenance, making it suitable for large and complex projects.
Choosing One Over the Other:
Procedural programming is often sufficient for smaller projects with relatively simple tasks and limited data manipulation.
OOP is preferred for larger projects that require code organization, encapsulation, and better maintainability. It is also beneficial when multiple developers are collaborating on the same project.
B. What is a version control system, and how does it help in software development? Provide examples of popular version control systems.
Answer:
A version control system (VCS) is a tool that tracks changes to software code and documents over time, allowing developers to collaborate efficiently and manage codebase versions.
Explanation:
Benefits of Version Control Systems:
- Collaboration: VCS enables multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, managing merge conflicts and ensuring changes are integrated seamlessly.
- Version Management: It provides a history of changes, allowing developers to track who made specific modifications and when, making it easier to debug and understand code changes over time.
- Backup and Recovery: VCS acts as a backup mechanism, allowing developers to revert to previous stable versions if needed.
- Branching and Parallel Development: VCS allows developers to create branches to work on new features or bug fixes independently, facilitating parallel development efforts.
- Code Review: It supports code review processes, where changes are examined and validated before being merged into the main codebase.
Examples of Version Control Systems:
- Git: A distributed version control system widely used in software development due to its speed, flexibility, and strong branching capabilities.
- Subversion (SVN): A centralized version control system that was widely used before the rise of Git. It is still used in some legacy projects.
- Mercurial: A distributed version control system similar to Git, but with a simpler design and fewer commands.
C: What is the importance of automated testing in software development, and what types of automated tests are commonly used?
Answer:
Automated testing is a critical aspect of software development that involves using automated tools to execute tests on the software code to ensure its correctness and reliability.
Explanation:
Importance of Automated Testing:
- Efficiency: Automated tests can be run quickly and repeatedly, reducing the time and effort required to test changes in the codebase.
- Consistency: Automated tests follow predefined steps and conditions, ensuring consistent and reliable results.
- Early Bug Detection: Automated testing catches bugs and regressions early in the development process, reducing the cost of fixing issues later.
- Regression Testing: It allows developers to verify that new changes do not negatively impact existing functionality.
- Continuous Integration (CI): Automated testing is an integral part of CI/CD pipelines, where code changes are automatically tested and integrated into the main codebase.
Types of Automated Tests:
- Unit Tests: Test individual units (functions, methods, or classes) in isolation to ensure they work correctly.
- Integration Tests: Verify interactions between different modules or components to check if they work together as expected.
- Functional Tests: Test the software’s functionality from an end-user perspective, typically through user scenarios and user interfaces.
- Acceptance Tests: Ensure that the software meets the requirements and behaves as expected by the end-users.
- Performance Tests: Measure the system’s responsiveness, scalability, and resource usage under various conditions.
- Security Tests: Check for vulnerabilities and potential security issues in the software.
By implementing automated testing, developers can increase the reliability of their code, deliver higher-quality software, and streamline the development process.
Submit a Project With Zero Risk
Planning and executing a software development project successfully can take considerable effort. Plenty of factors need to come together to ensure the success of a software development project, and a great software engineering team is one of them. You need competent developers working on your team. Top companies can’t afford to take the risk of hiring anyone but the best software developers.
DevTeam.Space is a community of experienced field expert software engineering practitioners. Our dedicated developers are vetted, and we train them in our AI-powered agile process.
We provide only experienced software developers with relevant expertise. Do you want to learn more? Fill out our DevTeam.Space product specification form and an experienced account manager from DevTeam.Space will soon contact you.
