How to recruit a good developer?

You want the best developers on your team for the same reason you covet the best chef in your restaurant, or the best musicians in your band: talented people always draw the line between average and excellent. And in a field as complex and fast-paced as custom technology development, superior products always perform better, faster, and most importantly, more cost-effectively.

But that means that every company striving to accelerate digital technology is competing with you for talented developers, no matter where you are located.

Thanks to the sheer number of collaboration services and tools available today, development teams have become famous for their ability to work in remote locations without sacrificing efficiency or compromising the product in any way. Bocasay is an example of that with its Vietnam offshore development center service.

What should you look for?

Whether you’re considering working with a freelancer, recruiting a new team member, adding temporary talent to your technical department, or even outsourcing the entire software development process to a third party, you can always keep these key points in mind to evaluate how they fit into your project. 

1. Look for someone smarter than you

They say that if you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. This is a statement you should keep in mind when recruiting developers. Intelligence, however, can be defined in many different ways. What’s important here is finding someone who has the kind of intelligence you need for your project.

And, what makes for intelligence in software development? Certainly creativity and technical knowledge, but most importantly, the ability to solve problems. While there is no doubt that the above characteristics are essential for the job, the problem-solving skills are what really drive your project forward. New problems will arise, constantly during development, that’s a given.

Look for someone who can demonstrate the ability to turn a problem around and come up with a solution that most people (including yourself) would not have thought of.

2. Look for talent rather than experience

If you’re lucky enough to come across a software developer who can prove their technical ability, that’s the best we can wish for you.

Talent is the scarcest resource in the industry and you need to be able to unearth and retain it.

However, you need to consider the role that person has to fill. If you are looking to do something in a specific way, a developer with experience in that area may be better suited to your needs. If you’re looking to grow an existing team and drive innovation, a fresh mind can help you think outside the box.

3. Flexibility in learning and working styles

In addition to technical knowledge, it’s essential that a developer has a flexible approach to their work. He or she must be willing to adapt to project requirements, organize a schedule around the deadline, and modify work methods as needed for the project.

A rigid approach to work can lead to collaboration problems and an inability to accept feedback in a constructive manner, which can be detrimental to the development process. The programmer must be equally invested in the success of your application or website and must take ownership of their work.

4. Look for strong communication and collaboration skills 

In a professional environment, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll want to place all your trust in one person to run everything. If you consider agile methodologies, there’s no reason to go with a lone wolf. A great developer will know how to work in a team and apply their talent where they can have the most impact. You want to find someone who is not only capable of fulfilling their role, but also quick to reinforce the work of others.

𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕕𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕛𝕖𝕔𝕥? 𝔹𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝔹𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕒𝕪’𝕤 𝟜-𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕜 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕞 𝕚𝕟 𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕖𝕥𝕟𝕒𝕞 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕡𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖.

What to avoid when hiring a developer

Employers tend to make many types of mistakes that affect the effectiveness and potential of new development team hires. If you want to get the most out of your company’s latest recruit, it’s best to avoid the following mistakes. 

Poor Onboarding Practices

One of the most common ways to get off on the wrong foot with a newly hired software developer is to throw them into a running sprint without explaining anything to them. One could argue that this is the responsibility of the project manager or Scrum Master, but there are many things that need to be clarified during or shortly after the final interview. 

Providing adequate support to new developers is an investment that pays off in productivity and morale. Introducing a new environment always requires an orientation to the project goals, the work being done, and the challenges the team is facing. It is also helpful to review workflows, company culture and responsibilities.

Unclear Expectations

Relying on assumptions and vagueness is a risky game. When you hire software developers without telling them what you expect from them, you make it difficult for the entire team to do their job. You don’t want people to have conflicting ideas about what missions they should accomplish and what goals they should focus on.

It’s best to be as clear as possible about the details of the job. Good communication will always result in better quality work. Keep in mind that your new hire should complement the capabilities of your current team. Talk with them to find out what they want from the new hire and where that person could bring the most value. 

Don’t Make it All About the Money

Depending on where you are and the type of developers you are looking to hire, you will likely encounter a fairly wide range of salary expectations. In this kind of situation, you might wonder if someone who asks for five times the salary will do a five times better job. Or whether a candidate asking for less than your estimated salary will be up to the task. 

First, you need to be clear about what kind of return on investment you expect from this hire. Like any other employee, developers have many motivations and needs.

In any case, retaining the best software development talent is about more than money. Company culture, team structure, quality of projects, and your company’s sense of purpose also come into play.

Bocasay, with more than 10 years of experience in software and application development, is able to offer perfectly adequate developer profiles according to your company’s needs and budget. Discover our Vietnam offshore development center service.