How to Hire Developers: A Complete Guide

Hiring great developers is one of the most challenging tasks for anyone looking to grow and scale their organization. Great software engineers are in high demand, and as such, they are also difficult to attract. Finding the right candidate that not only shares your values but also fits into your team culture is no easy feat.

Fortunately, there are many resources available that can help you hire developers effectively, especially if you want to hire freelance developers. If you’re reading this article, you have come to the right place! This post covers everything you need to know about hiring developers: knowing what kind of candidates you’re looking for, identifying the different types of roles they play, and understanding their attributes and capabilities. If you want to hire developers to move your company forward, keep reading and learn more.

Step 1: Determine the Type of Developer You Need to Hire

Before you start posting job ads, you should first determine the type of developer you need for the job. Full stack, cloud, and big data experts account for 80% of all tech hires worldwide, so it is likely that you will need developers that fall into one of these three categories.

Let’s examine these types of developers a little closer:

Full stack developers: A full stack developer is a programmer who is proficient in all areas of the stack, including clients, servers, systems, and databases. Developers with a “full stack” of experience may be relied on to handle many technical challenges.

Cloud engineers: Cloud engineers are specialists in applying traditional methods and tools to cloud computing. They address concerns around commercialization, standardization, and control of cloud computing applications in a methodical manner.

Big data developers: Big data developers use technical tools and methods in ways that allow businesses to incorporate data analytics into their operations effectively. They design, code, test, and monitor data software and applications that are used to achieve company goals.

Step 2: Determine the Specific Role You Are Trying to Fill

Now that you know the type of developer you are looking for, it’s time to determine the specifics. Developers have many different specialties and use many different languages to do their work. The specific type of developer you need depends heavily on the goals you hope to accomplish. When you hire freelance developers, you have access to even more specialized candidates, so take time to determine the right type of developer.

Information and brief descriptions of many different developer roles are provided below to get you started on determining the skillset you are looking for to hire developers that best fit the job.

Full Stack Developers

Java developer: Over the years, Java has remained one of the most widely used languages for software development. Java engineers are highly sought after because of the essential roles they play in today’s businesses. Java is popular because it is an object-oriented language. Don’t confuse it with JavaScript, which is a scripting language for making interactive websites. Because of its stability and accessibility, Java has long been a favorite among software engineers.

JavaScript developer: Engineers skilled in JavaScript are invaluable in the operation of websites, as they can offer assistance across a wide range of platforms and browsers. To ensure a web program acts in a certain way, JavaScript engineers also apply front-end code and modify visual characteristics.

J2EE developer: J2EE is a catchall word describing a collection of related platforms, specifications, and technologies that facilitate the creation of high-performance Java-based applications. JavaServer Pages (JSP), Java servlets, and Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) modules are components of J2EE applications. These components make it possible for J2EE developers to create large-scale, distributed applications using Java.

Microservices developer: Microservices development creates single-function components with well-defined interfaces and activities. Amazon, Netflix, PayPal, eBay, and Twitter have switched to Microservices design. Microservices developers can divide down applications into smaller services for easier maintenance and faster development, therefore increasing efficiency.

Python developer: Python is a general-purpose language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Software developers use it in a range of applications, including website construction and the automation of operations. It is compatible with various programming styles, including functional, object-oriented, and structured approaches.

Angular developer: Angular is a TypeScript web and mobile app framework. Its greatest strength is its versatility, as it can be used to enhance the functionality of virtually any app or website. Many firms employ Angular developers to construct dynamic websites or innovative application solutions. Angular developers work alongside web developers and back-end engineers to create high-performance, responsive web apps.

Spring engineer: Spring is the most popular open-source framework for creating Java applications. The framework’s primary capabilities are great for building enterprise and online apps, but they can be utilized by any Java app. To produce efficient, tested, and reusable code, many software engineers worldwide rely on the Spring Framework.

Node developer: Node.js is a prominent JavaScript framework. As its popularity grows, various corporations are investing in its development. It’s a great tool for constructing database-driven websites or APIs. To put it simply, a Node developer can use JavaScript (or a version of it, such as CoffeeScript or IcedCoffeeScript) to write code that powers the front-end and back-end of a website.

SOAP engineer: SOAP, or Simple Objects Access Technology, is a web communication protocol that was created by Microsoft in 1998. It is widely used nowadays to offer online services and send data over HTTP/HTTPS.

Cloud Engineers

AWS developer: Amazon Web Services, also known as AWS, delivers pay-as-you-go cloud computing platforms and APIs to consumers, organizations, and governments. AWS developers set up, maintain, and improve web application cloud infrastructures. AWS developers must understand core services and follow security and scalability best practices.

Docker developer: Docker is a platform that separates apps from infrastructure to speed software delivery. Docker’s methods for shipping, testing, and deploying code quickly minimize the time between producing code and running it in production. Docker engineers are valuable to companies that want to execute applications with segregated dependencies. Developers that know how to use containers can boost a company’s productivity.

DevOps engineer: DevOps methodology merges software engineering with IT infrastructure and management. Its purpose is to reduce the length of time required for the creation of systems and to ensure continuous delivery of software of a high standard. DevOps engineers provide new procedures, tools, and approaches to strike a balance between competing priorities at every stage of software development, from initial design and development through post-release maintenance and enhancements.

SQL developer: Structured Query Language (SQL) is a programming language developed for managing data in a relational database management system or for stream processing in a relational data stream management system. Companies rely on the expertise of SQL developers for their database endeavors. They are in charge of every step of the process, from design to creation to maintenance.

MS SQL Server developer: Microsoft’s SQL Server is a prominent database management system. It is trustworthy, feature-rich, widely utilized, and provides a database user interface. MS SQL Server is designed on SQL standards and industry best practices to provide a robust, secure, high-performance database. MS SQL Server developers are experts with these systems and know how to work with highly complex data.

CI/CD engineer: Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) is an approach to app delivery that uses automation to speed up the process and increase throughput. These procedures allow teams to produce software more quickly and often. CI/CD engineers know much about testing and development and have a strong foundation in both areas to meet company objectives.

Git developer: Git is a free, open-source version control system for backups, collaboration, and change visibility. Many developers use Git to manage their source code repositories. Git has become a popular tool for software development because it allows users to experiment with code while still maintaining good version control practices. Git developers will be knowledgeable and understand best practices for using Git.

Unix developer: Unix is a widely used and widely respected OS that supports multiple users and processes simultaneously. As Linux distributions have emerged to meet the demands of cloud engineering, Unix’s popularity has skyrocketed. Although the Unix programming environment has a reputation for being difficult to learn, it is actually quite powerful and flexible. A Unix developer is someone who works with the Unix operating system to create and deploy software and applications.

Oracle developer: Oracle Database is the first database intended for enterprise grid computing, which is flexible and cost-effective. Large pools of standardized, modular storage and servers are created through enterprise grid computing. Oracle developers create or maintain database components for Oracle-powered apps. They also create new or transform existing apps to run in Oracle Database.

Agile engineer: Agile is an iterative methodology for managing projects and creating software that speeds up the process of delivering products to clients. An agile group does not risk everything on one massive release but instead releases work in frequent, manageable chunks and revises these chunks as needed. An Agile engineer can help move projects forward and get them done more quickly and with less difficulty.

Big Data Developers

Hadoop developer: Apache Hadoop is an open-source platform for storing and processing massive datasets. Hadoop allows the clustering of several computers to analyze big datasets in parallel, which is much faster than using a single large computer to store and process the data. Hadoop apps are developed and coded by Hadoop developers.

Hive engineer: Hive is a Hadoop-based data warehouse. It provides a database-like interface for querying and managing huge datasets in a cluster. Hiring a Hive developer allows your organization to create tables, insert data, query tables, and execute aggregations. Apache Hive helps developers with SQL abilities query big Hadoop datasets.

SPARK engineer: Apache Spark is a well-known open-source framework for handling massive amounts of data. The system employs in-memory caching and query optimization to process analytical queries quickly on datasets of any size. Spark developers write code to make Big Data accessible; they focus on providing the requested information as quickly as feasible when a query is issued.

GCP developer: Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers a variety of computational capabilities, scalable storage, and a user-friendly interface. Google Cloud Platform is a collection of cloud computing services that leverages the same architecture as Google Search, Gmail, Google Drive, and YouTube. GCP developers aren’t just programmers; they design and implement cloud applications that can expand company opportunities.

Kafka developer: Apache Kafka is a framework for distributed event storage and stream processing. It is an open-source system written in Java and Scala. For historical and real-time data analysis, it integrates communications, storage, and stream processing. Using the platform, Kafka developers create real-time streaming data pipelines and real-time streaming apps.

Step 3: Learn More About Their Development Skills and Attributes

Finally, once you have determined the specific developer type you need and have shortlisted a few candidates that best suit the role, you will want to learn more about their development skills and attributes. Of course, anybody can list a particular skill on their resume, but to ensure they have the desired level of knowledge for the job, you or a subject-matter expert should vet them during the interview process.

This could involve a technical skill test or an in-depth interview about their history, recent experience, and knowledge of working with a specific language or skill. This step is critical in keeping your developer hiring process efficient and your project timeline on track, so take extra care to gauge your candidates’ skills and experience during this stage.

Final Words On Hiring Developers
Software engineers and developers are in high demand with the increasing technology needs of companies worldwide. Whether you want to hire freelance developers or full-time developers, you want to identify the best developer for your company before starting the hiring process, then verify your candidates’ skills to ensure they will help you meet your company objectives.

It can be a challenging and time-consuming process to hire developers and find good matches for jobs. At High5, we help you determine the type of developers you need. Then, we pair you with pre-vetted candidates that are proven experts in their field. If you are ready to hire a talented developer for your team, reach out to High5 today.

Final Words On Hiring Developers

Software engineers and developers are in high demand with the increasing technology needs of companies worldwide. Whether you want to hire freelance developers or full-time developers, you want to identify the best developer for your company before starting the hiring process, then verify your candidates’ skills to ensure they will help you meet your company objectives.

It can be a challenging and time-consuming process to hire developers and find good matches for jobs. At High5, we help you determine the type of developers you need. Then, we pair you with pre-vetted candidates that are proven experts in their field. If you are ready to hire a talented developer for your team, reach out to High5 today.