Software Developers Gravitate Towards Flexibility
Did you know that 83% of Software Developers value flexible work arrangements? With skilled software developers needed by organizations across North America, companies are optimizing how they hire, while offering opportunities for growth and structured compensation.
In addition, opportunities to expand on existing skillsets and receive support across the organization are some examples of how companies are changing up how they structure their candidate experience, and the way in which they onboard their contingent workforce and new hires.
Learn How to Hire and Retain the Top Software Developers
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn how to source the top Software Developers for your organization. Software developers that drive innovation and growth with the required skillset and talent you need to achieve your project goals on time in a seamless fashion.
Whether your organization is building new applications or looking to keep systems running smoothly, finding and retaining the right talent will make all the difference. To build a strong team of software developers, it’s key to know what Software Developers look for before accepting an offer.
Some of the top criteria Software Developers look for today are competitive financial compensation, flexible hours and chances to grow professionally.
In this guide, we’ll share strategies for hiring software developers in today’s market to meet many of those aspects as well as how to customize your offer to meet your organization’s budget and goals. You will learn how to attract, assess, and hire top talent in software development.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the importance of flexible work arrangements and competitive salaries in attracting software developers
- Dive into personal networks, developer communities and leverage a talent partner
- Assess both technical skills and soft skills during the hiring process
- Streamline your recruitment process to secure the best candidates faster
- Prioritize continuous learning and professional growth opportunities to retain Software Developers
Preparing for the Hiring Process
Before you aim to recruit top Software Developers for your organization, it’s important to ensure you are fully prepared. Whether you’re looking at IT staffing solutions, offshore coders, freelance developers, outsource development teams, or contract coding professionals, getting ready is crucial.
The first step in getting ready is fully understanding your organization’s unique needs. Then, it’s about creating a strong employer brand, offering competitive salaries, and access to upskilling so that your organization can attract the best talent.
Define Your Business Needs
First, clearly define what your business requires from a Software Developer. Knowing the exact software your organization needs to develop, timelines to bring your new product to market and its ideal time to value adoption (TTV) are a few key aspects that will help you define your needs before you begin recruiting.
Take a look at your company’s goals and what skills you need to reach them, as this will be crucial in pinpointing the skill level required for your incoming Software Developer. Think about the technical skills, programming languages, and frameworks needed for the role, as well as how proficient your Software Developer will need to be in each of these areas. This is another crucial step in recruiting the right IT talent.
Build a Strong Employer Brand
Building a strong employer brand today is non-negotiable. A new generation of workers comes with a new list of demands and pre-requisites, and top talent will screen employers by examining your brand and what it stands for.
Your brand will certainly affect how well you can attract top talent, so do your best to show off your company’s culture, values, and benefits on your website and social media, in addition to implementing policies and frameworks for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). It is also a good idea to talk about growth opportunities and how your organization supports work-life balance. Real examples integrating storytelling, interviews and testimonials are a great way to attract some of the top talent, so consider working this into your recruitment strategy.
Set a Competitive Salary
Salary is one of the most important aspects of hiring Software Developers, however it’s not the only aspect. Research shows that both junior Software Developers and senior Software Developers look at salary as a key factor, with salary being more important to Senior Developers.
To offer a competitive salary, keep up with industry standards and market rates. Use sites like Indeed, and Glassdoor, or work with a talent partner with access to thousands of industry insights on salaries. In addition to adequate compensation for contingent workers, offering opportunities for personal growth and development also plays a major role in attracting and retaining top talent.
Strategies to Hire Software Developers
When looking to hire programmers and coding professionals, it’s key to use many channels. This way, you can find the best talent for your business. By searching widely, you increase your chances of finding the right fit for your team.
Moving Beyond Job Boards
Traditional hiring boards and online job sites are great for finding skilled developers, but they often fall short and require you to take on the responsibility of vetting candidates. While you can filter candidates by experience and location, many unqualified candidates also slip through, meaning more time sink for your organization.
To make recruiting a Software Developer easier for your team, consider working with a talent partner like Procom and moving beyond job boards for quicker access to more qualified talent as well as the latest industry intelligence.
Tap into Personal Networks
Personal networks are very powerful when hiring developers. Ask colleagues and contacts for referrals. Studies show that referrals are a top way to find quality hires, however they are not a long-term solution to hiring qualified candidates for projects that require highly specific skills.
Leveraging a talent partner with access to a contingent workforce is a more reliable strategy to accomplish these hiring objectives.
It is important to know that for this reason, many jobs are never advertised. So, using your network might come in handy if your organization is in a time crunch.
Explore Developer Communities
Join developer communities on sites like Stack Overflow and Reddit. These places are where programmers share knowledge and work on projects. By being part of these communities, you can meet talented developers and learn about their skills.
While this is a unique outside-of-the box approach, it also requires a significant time sink and can make recruiting difficult as you will need to move talent off platform to initiate the hiring and screening process. For this reason, use this approach as more of a long-term scouting process for top talent.
In addition, attending tech meetups and conferences is a great way to network. It lets you meet developers in person and discuss working together.
Review Portfolios and Code Samples
When looking at potential hires, check their portfolios and code samples. This shows their technical skills and how they solve complex problems within software development. Look for clean, well-structured code that follows best practices.
Also, check their GitHub contributions. This shows their involvement in the developer community and their commitment to learning. By looking at their work, you can make a better decision about whether they’re right for your team.
Conduct Technical Assessments
Do technical assessments to check candidates’ skills. These can include coding challenges and problem-solving tasks. These assessments demonstrate how talent can handle real-world challenges and work with others.
Technical assessments help you find the most skilled developers, ensuring your team can succeed regardless of project demands or their complexity.
Assess Soft Skills
Today, soft skills are just as important as technical skills, because Software Developers will often have to communicate throughout the organization and report to different departments. Leverage interviews and screening within the hiring process to check the communication and teamwork skills of potential Software Developer candidates. Your organization should also look for candidates who can explain complex ideas clearly and work well with others.
Soft skills are especially important for larger organizations who need to communicate both down and up, ensuring information does not get misconstrued. Good communication and teamwork are key for successful projects and operational efficiency both in software development and in business. By looking at both technical and soft skills, you can build a strong software development team that functions seamlessly throughout your organization.
By using these strategies and resources like Procom’s Specialization Guides, you can recruit the best IT talent for your organization. Remember, finding the right developers and IT solutions can greatly benefit your organization. It leads to better productivity, quality software, and growth, all while protecting the integrity and security of your highest value organizational assets.
Conclusion
Hiring top Software Developers is key for organizations to innovate and stay ahead. To do so, organizations need to prepare well, define clear needs, and use smart hiring strategies to overcome the talent gap.
A good hiring process includes several rounds of interviews and takes weeks, but can be accelerated by leveraging a talent partner. A talent partner like Procom checks if candidates have the right skills, can solve problems, as well as have the right soft skills to function throughout the organization.
To make hiring easier and attract top talent, companies should simplify tasks and limit interviews. They should also screen candidates for knowledge and skills, providing clarity about work policies as early as possible. Using a contingent workforce or outsourcing teams also helps.
It’s also important to have a strong employer brand, offer good salaries, and support employee growth. A positive work environment encourages innovation and teamwork. Investing in tech talent acquisition and building strong teams is crucial for success in the digital world.
If your organization is looking to hire Software Developers, fill out the form below to request more information and a Procom recruitment expert will be in touch.
