Posts tagged "hire software developer"

An Effective Guide to Hiring Software Developers in a Candidate-Driven Market

It is no easy task trying to recruit software developers in the current market. Due to the shortage of talent, it’s certainly not getting any easier. This article is going to provide some advice on how to conquer the candidate-driven market.

  1. Understanding the Developer Tech Market

Generally speaking, the unemployment rate for developers is at an all-time low. The latest study in the US showed that the unemployment rate for software developers was down to 1.3%. Each tech candidate in the US has an average of 4 jobs to choose from. When looking at San Francisco City, there were 10,000 vacancies that come under this engineering criteria. In the same area, there were only 1,400 receptionist jobs and 600 postings for non-technical positions.

  1. What does a Recruiter Do?

One could look at the Law of Diminishing returns to look at the requirements of a recruiter. The law simplified means that the greater the input, the lower the output. So, a recruiter actually needs to reduce the number of emails, calls, messages, etc. in order to find tech talent. A recent study showed that to recruit one developer, you should contact 20 quality candidates instead of the 100 you would be tempted to reach out to.

Rather than sending a general message to every potential candidate, a recruiter should focus on personalized communication with a select few that meet the needs of the business.

  1. Learning How to Source Candidates Correctly

 Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes and ask yourself “what’s in it for me?”, essentially, how is this candidate going to benefit from working at this company rather than where they are now.

  • Be specific. Tell them straight away what they have the chance to work on, the learning opportunities, and the future they could build within the company.
  • Don’t try and do it alone. You are a recruiter; don’t try answering tech questions when it’s not your field. Make sure you have the right people at hand to talk to candidates. You may need an engineering manager or if you are recruiting senior developers, general managers or CEOs.
  • Less is more. Focus your attention on 10 extremely well written and personal emails instead of 100 general emails. Your contact must be personalized, which includes understanding the progress they have made in their careers so far.
  • Keep it short and sweet. LinkedIn statistics show that messages and emails with less than 100 words tend to get more responses than those with more than 200 words.
  • Be helpful. Don’t just talk about the job. Ask candidates if they have questions or doubts. Clear up any myths about the company that can be found online.
  1. Keeping the Candidate Engaged

Give the candidate a chance to talk about what drives them. Find out the things that you can’t read on their curriculum. Ask them what they want to talk about. Your candidate needs to feel like they are valued and it’s important at this stage to make a connection.

It is necessary to be honest with the candidate, particularly with the feedback you provide. Show that you appreciate the achievements they have made in both their professional and private lives.

  1. Back your Candidate during the Hiring Process

Part of the role of the recruiter is to make the candidate believe in themselves. They need to feel that they have your support throughout the hiring process. Talk to them about what to expect and each stage and anything they should watch out for. Hiring tech talent is a long process and you don’t want to leave them along the way. Keeping them informed prevents the feeling of not knowing.

It is necessary to assess the candidate on their relevant skills. Their curriculum may have a range of skills and qualifications but try to focus on those that will be used in the job.

Understand what they are looking for to improve their current situation. Some people want more money, but there are many others who would like improved working conditions like flexibility or an alternative location. Boredom is also another reason for a candidate to look for another job. It is necessary for you to actively listen to what the person is saying.

Be completely honest about the compensation and what is required of them. Also, ask what they are expected in this area.

  1. Closing the Offer

This is the final chance for the recruiter to appreciate what is important to the candidate and to emphasis how this job is going to benefit them. It is the moment to address false myths about the company and provide the right environment for the candidate to say yes.

Don’t just focus on the financial benefits. In many situations, a developer is more interested in the tasks they will have, the culture they are working in and the work-life balance. Developers are interested in professional growth; show them the potential in this company.

Even if you have done everything in your power, there will be times when a candidate says no. It’s important not to take this personally and to respect the decision of the candidate. Try to use it as a learning opportunity and always leave the candidate with a positive image of the company.

  1. Everyone Should Play Their Part

While you might be tempted to take on all of the responsibility of hiring, this will often work to your disadvantage. Make sure your hiring manager is involved. Finally, don’t just rely on the Internet for resources, as there are still a number of people who avoid social media. Attend meetups, conferences, and hackathons in order to actively seek new talent. or take the easy way and work with a staffing company to find the right employee.

 

 

 

7 Characteristics You Need In a New Software Developer

For your company to succeed in today’s world, an excellent software engineer is crucial. While many are focusing on the coding abilities by using software and tests, they still need to pay attention to the more traditional qualities. If your candidate has passed all the coding assessments, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the following 7 traits.

Passion

This can be said about any job, but a programmer who isn’t passionate about software and codes is not going to be very effective. They need to be in this job for more than just the money if you want outstanding results. Many programmers see programming as part of who they are, a hobby as well as a job. They are constantly stepping out of their comfort zones and excited about exploring new technology. They do this because they want to, not because it is part of their job description.

Pay attention

A good programmer needs to show great passion for the IT industry, but they also need to know when to reign the passion in and stay focused. This focus has to be on the short-term and long-term objectives. Everybody wants the best from their developers but not with risks. Those who aren’t focused may try to insert the most modern idea into a program where it is completely unnecessary. This puts his or her personal interest above the main focus of the team’s.

A quick, independent learner

The IT industry moves at a pace like no other. New ideas, concepts, and technologies are constantly coming into play and your hire needs to be able to keep up with all of this without constant reminders from you. It is important they are able to learn new programming skills without additional support or lessons from other members of staff. If your programmer can’t keep up with the latest innovations, nor will your company.

(Sub-) Domain expert

Companies have moved away from hiring what are known as ‘generalists’. They have a general knowledge of computer science and many different types of technologies, with probably one favorite. A generalist web developer will have a good grasp of front and back-end development but they won’t be up to date with the best techniques for either. With the speed of this industry, it is almost impossible to keep up with all that is new in every area. So it is more common for companies to seek specialized talent but also with a solid knowledge of the fundamentals and their domain. An ideal candidate will have expert knowledge of the sub-domain required of them. For this reason, you need to consider specific testing for the skills the job will require.

Team player

It is highly unlikely that you will find two developers that will come up with the same solution for a problem. They are very individual in their own style. Nevertheless, they need to be able to adjust their individuality to suit the dynamics of the whole team. The code that one developer writes will have to be worked on by others in the team, so their style can be unique as long as it is logical. The documentation they write should also be understandable to others in the team. Being part of a team is also about handling feedback in an appropriate manner. This is not something you can spot in an interview, so keep an eye out for this trait early on.

Problem Solving

Essentially, problem-solving is the job of a programmer. It’s not just about solving the problem, engineers need to be able to first identify the problem. Finally, they need to be able to solve the problem with eagerness and speed. For some employers, there is nothing worse than someone who complains about problems. Problems that might have to be faced include bugs, scalability, or handling the increased demand.

Craftsman

As a carpenter would marvel his handmade wardrobe, a programmer should be proud of his/her work. Each code must be well-considered and tested with a huge amount of effort gone into the details. A good craftsman will consider the deadline without sacrificing quality. One thing is having the skill, another thing is having creativity.

It can be challenging finding your perfect developer, especially if you are feeling the pressure of time. Staffing partners like StaffAugmentation have years of experience finding quality cultural and technical fits for a variety of companies. Our recruiters are trained to acquire talented and qualified employees to ensure the most effective staffing solutions for you. Posting and advertising the position, background checks, employment verification, testing, and screening, checking references, —all these tasks will be taken care of the staffing agency, freeing you up to focus on more important day-to-day company operations. By taking the appropriate steps to align work goals, performance, and character, there is a greater employer/employee satisfaction and therefore better retention.