Posts tagged "software developer"

7 Characteristics You Need In a New Software Developer

September 17, 2019 Comments Off Roxana read

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.

Developer Employer

How to Create Fair Salary Ranges for Developer Jobs

November 28, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

With the changes in the times and business models, companies often adjust their salary structures with each major shift in the organization structure or remarkable increase/decrease in profits.

Creating fair salary ranges for developers, however, slightly takes a more practical approach. Employers will have to research what developers earn in the local market as well as what they earn as employees of similar organizations.

What companies consider

While the market value greatly influences the compensation ranges in an organization, other pressing issues like what the company can afford and how important that role ordinarily takes precedence. Even with these in mind, organizations still have to develop an edge to compete to get and retain talented developers into their employ.

Facebook and other popular companies use a structured pay structure that is simple and offers the same pay for a level of employment. For example, employees who come into the organization have the same pay across the board. If for example a programmer is set to take home an annual salary of $164,000, then there is no much room for negotiation upwards.

Curbing pay discrepancies

In a similar fashion, the firm will also not pay employees based on their previous salary. This happens to be sustainable and objective in the sense that companies end up paying for value added and not based on negotiation skills. It also curbs the discrepancies in the pay structure that may lead to dissatisfaction among members of staff.

Other companies have their salaries based on a formula for each level. However, they add onto the salary based on that individual’s work experience or potential value of what they could bring into that organization.

Value-based remuneration

The need for a formulaic salary was arrived upon due to discrepancies in the pay between the two genders. For a long time, female developers have been paid much less than their male counterparts. With the changes in legislation and activism for equality, companies developed sensitive salary ranges based more on value than gender.

Employee salary history

Companies often fall into the trap of inquiring about the salaries their potential staffers earned while in their last job. In the US, this has been abolished in nine states. Employers in these states, therefore, offer salaries based on the original allocation of that particular position.

Left open, some employers would generally ask developers what they used to earn in their last job and add a few bucks onto that as a bargaining chip. These employers would then box these staffers into thinking they are getting a better deal. However, this may backfire at some point.

Just like employers, developers too research a company’s pay structure before they apply for a job there. If they find out in the course of the discussion that they are not getting paid according to the anticipated standards, they could leave at the earliest opportunity.

Finding a standard salary range for developers may be an arduous task. This s occasioned by the fact that all organizations have what they can afford to pay staff based on how important the role is to the firm. The other factor that comes into question is the size of the firm and its profitability.

Employer

The Recruiters Guide to Front-End Developers

October 31, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

Today, we live in a world where technology is being incorporated into almost every aspect of living. With the increase in the use of technology is also a corresponding increase in the demand for talents in the field. Among these well-sought IT talents are front-end developers.

Front-End developers are those software developers who work mainly on the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of an application or website. Their job is to ensure that the website or app has a readable layout that anyone can see and easily interact with at any time.

Understanding how important the role of the front-end developers is, to the overall success of the app or website, it is vital that only those with the adequate skills are brought-in for hire. How then are recruiters to know and be certain of the quality of front-end developers they are hiring? Contained in this article are helpful tips to provide adequate answers to this question.

Check for their Technical Skills

A front-end developer should be well conversant with programming languages and frameworks including; HTML/HTML 5, CSS/CSS3, JavaScript, AJAX, XML and have Responsive design. Also, you should look out for certain terms such as;

UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) which both play an increasingly vital role in the development of any application
Visual (including; Visual Studio, Visual C++, and Visual C#)
API (Application Programming Interface) which indicates the specific purpose of an application as well as the platform on which it will operate (e.g. mobile phone, desktop computer or tablet)

Ability to effectively work with these tools will increase his/her chances of doing excellent jobs.

Creativity

As the one responsible for the graphical interface through which users of an app or website can explore its content, the front-end developer should be creative enough to plan the visual and aesthetic side of web/app development. He/she must be able to make the interface interesting and attractive and at the same time, keep it simple enough for easy understanding and navigation.

Be aware of the Challenges they face

After understanding the responsibilities of front-end developers which include; ensuring the website is well accessible on all devices and browsers, looks good on all devices, loads quickly and works well, it is equally important to know the challenges they encounter. These challenges may include; Relearning CSS the right way, what to test, how to test and how to use Bootstrap. Understanding these will help you to be able to better gauge your expectations from them and know the assistance they need per time.

Know what makes them Enthusiastic about Work

Front-End developers want to work for someone who values the aesthetics of a website or application as much as they do and gives them opportunities to dive deeper into web 2.0 concepts which include carousels, fly-outs, overlays, and drop-downs. By understanding this and providing the necessary opportunities, you increase your chances of getting them for hire.

By considering and putting the given suggestions to practice, recruiters can be better assured of hiring the appropriate and well-qualified front-end developers needed for their IT jobs.

Employer

Why are developers so hard to keep?

October 16, 2018 Comments Off Roxana read

6 Reasons, Software Developers Quit Your Company

The field of software development is a fast emerging and very interesting yet challenging one. Hiring a software developer is one of the most important tasks for a start-up, if not the most important, but it can also be a very frustrating process. However, unfortunately, finding developer talent is only half the battle. Now, the work of engaging and retaining your new employee just starts

Creating something entirely new, as many can testify is not particularly an easy thing to do as it requires the bringing into existence of something that never existed before. Regarding software development, a number of factors make creation even more difficult. These factors include:

Frustration due to recurrence of errors in codes
Ease of entry into programming, resulting in poor programmers who adversely affect projects
Hindrances from external factors [government regulations, legacy data formats, scalability, performance preference, etc.]

Thus, those involved in the creation of new software (developers) may find it difficult to remain in an organization for a long period of time due to these factors and a varying number of other reasons. Below are some of the reasons why it is difficult to keep a developer.

Boredom

As said earlier, software development is very interesting. But one challenge many developers face is getting the kind of work that they fully enjoy. This issue is more frequent with hobby coders who would rather settle for a coding job that excites them than one that doesn’t.

Long hours of Work

Personal time is a precious entity to every human. Some project managers who have little or no knowledge about programming set unrealistic time frames for developers to complete projects. Therefore, for developers who are required to code for several hours, leaving such companies that take much of their time and at the same time cause them discomfort (from long hours of sitting) is one choice they usually make in order to get back their time.

Ideas being turned down

When a developer’s suggested ideas in a company are being consistently disregarded, such person can feel invaluable to the company and thereby go in search of one where he/she will be better valued.

Not getting enough help from Mentors/Instructors

Creating a new software is hard enough for developers. Working in a company where support is not sufficiently provided makes it even harder. Developers don’t want to just feel they are being managed. They want to be part of a team that they can converse with and get more insights and knowledge regarding their work.

Little Payment compared to Service Rendered

When a developer is hired and eventually paid far less than his/her skills deserve, such developer ends up seeking jobs where pay can correlate with the skills offered.

Not having a Career Road Map

Lack of clarity regarding goals and expectations on the part of the developers is one other vital cause of the inability to keep them in a company for long. Without a clear and well-defined career path, a developer will tend to more frequently move from a job to another.

Once the above factors are put in check, and a very healthy workspace is created for developers, then companies may be able to keep them for long periods. However, it should be noted that these factors are not necessarily responsible for the choice of some developers in leaving companies frequently. Some just like to freelance and explore as much as they can.