There’s no two ways about it: hiring is an art. This is especially true when it comes to hiring software developers, whose skill levels, talents and specialities can vary wildly.
Employers often make a number of mistakes when hiring new employees, placing too much weight on some factors, and not nearly enough on others.
In this article, we’re going to be exploring how employers in the software and web app development world can ensure that they’re making the best hires. We’ll be offering up some valuable pointers and debunking a few common misconceptions.
A Couple of Tips…
If your role in the business requires you to assess individuals for employment, keep in mind the following tips.
Consider Portfolios
A portfolio, resume or CV may not be everything, and it can’t replace actually meeting with someone, but it’s certainly possible to glean a lot from a well-written one. Portfolios are a great way to assess the competence of a team of developers all at once, or to sort out the unsuitable candidates from those that might be worth hiring.
Consider each candidate’s portfolio in full, weighing up the technical skills that would be required to accomplish each item on it. Cross-reference those with the skills required for the role that you’re trying to fill, and you should be able to narrow down the candidates pretty quickly.
You’re looking for someone who has experience completing a number of assignments, ideally varied ones, rather than someone who has been part of just one larger project. A wider variety of past experiences will tend to denote a greater breadth of knowledge and competence.
Ask for Code Samples
Don’t be shy about requesting snippets of code from any potential candidates. You want to see first hand the sort of work they can do. It’s generally worth getting a technical specialist to take a look at these, and to assess them to see whether the work is up to the standards of your existing team.
Whilst many projects will be protected by non-disclosure agreements (and you don’t want your new candidates to violate these agreements), it’s often possible to get your hands on snippets. These won’t reveal too much about the project itself, but they can offer helpful glimpses into the coding styles and skills of an individual or team. Keep in mind that candidates will only submit the best of the best of their snippets.
Check Github
Github is used by more than 100 million developers around the world to source code from, and these developers tend to have personal Github accounts. Before making a hire, it may be worth checking to see if they have uploaded any of their past projects. It’s fine to ask prospective employees for a link to their account, but it’s probably best not to assume that everyone has uploaded things that will be helpful and relevant to you and your business. Still, it only takes a moment to check!
Pitfalls to Avoid…
There are plenty of commonly held misconceptions that often impact hiring decisions when they really shouldn’t.
Only Considering Rates
When choosing a developer to work on your project, look at more than just their hourly rate. It’s tempting to only think about the financial costs associated with hiring, but it’s often the case that you’ll get what you pay for.
There are many things to factor in, such as the experience of the team, which will in turn influence how many hours you’re paying for in total. It’s not always the case that the more expensive team is more experienced, but it’s certainly one thing you’ll want to consider.
Choosing the Most Fluent English Speaker
Communication is obviously important, and you need to be able to speak unhindered with your employees and the team that you’ve hired, but English fluency isn’t everything. Provided that you understand one another well enough, and as long as there isn’t a language barrier, it’s best not to let this be a factor.
Many people make the mistake of confusing fluency with intelligence, and in doing so they limit their access to some of the best development teams in the world.
In Summary…
Cover all the bases! There are many things to weigh up when considering whether or not to hire a particular individual or development team. We’ve really only scratched the surface here, but if you’re careful to avoid the mistakes mentioned above, and as long as you do your research, the hiring process should go relatively smoothly.
Hiring is an exciting business, because it indicates that you’re taking your company to the next level. Moving forwards, be sure to give yourself the best possible chance by taking on the best possible developers.
