The success of your projects and software depends on the developers you hire, which makes it necessary to hire the right skills and culture fit for your company. Note that bad hires can ruin the productivity of the entire team. With a growing number of numerous software developers of varying qualifications and skills, hiring the best talent can be a daunting task. Below are helpful tips you can use to employ the best brains for your software development projects.

1. Hire Someone Smarter Than You

One of the best ways to secure high-quality hires when recruiting software developers is choosing those who are smarter than you. Not only do more intelligent developers bring fresh ideas to your company, but they also attract high-quality talent to your business. Most companies use the strategy of hiring more intelligent individuals to attract experts who will propel the company o success. You also increase your odds of completing more successful projects flawlessly and on time.

To achieve this, you need to evaluate yourself and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can then use the information to hire someone who can fill the existing knowledge gap. The exercise calls for you to disregard your ego and make an honest judgment of your abilities. Since software development is a complex job, you need an expert who will execute your ideas to the last detail.

2. Test for Practical Skill in Solving Real-Life Problems

Competence is crucial in software development. To ascertain how skillful a software developer is, consider testing their practical skills with real-life problems that your company has experienced in the past. You can do this after going through the candidate’s background and skill set. By giving the candidate a technological problem from your company’s history to solve, they get to know what to expect in their line of duty. It also establishes whether the applicant is the right fit for your type of project.

Always ensure that the test you administer is within your budget and takes a short time to complete. Problem-solving tests give you access to a candidate’s creativity and working style when they join your company. However, be careful when giving out tests as easy ones can lower the quality of our hires, while very complex tests can intimidate even the most skilled software developers.

3. Be Flexible

Innovation and technological advancement have made it unnecessary to master some technologies for a long time. When hiring a software developer, you should be flexible with the programming languages and tools you expect the candidates to have as they keep changing. Instead, focus on algorithms and concepts as it is easier for one to learn a programming language than problem-solving skills.

Also, be ready to compromise on the length of experience, especially if your company is a startup tackling new problems every time. If the position requires the candidate to perform repetitive tasks, you may need an experienced developer to boost productivity and speed. However, always consider an enthusiastic applicant who is ready to learn and passionate about the job. Software developers who enjoy their work are motivated and more committed to producing only the best results.

4. Search for Software Developers in the Right Places

Your source of applicants when hiring a software developer can determine the quality of talent you get. When looking for a software developer, it may be a challenge to find the right person as most qualified experts are always engaged. However, you can utilize opportunities such as events, conferences, and hackathons to source software developers for your company. An alternative way is by asking for referrals from your contacts, as they are more likely to recommend experts they have worked with in the past.

You can also look for potential hires in online communities such as Github or online freelance platforms. Specialized IT sites are also excellent platforms to acquire experienced and highly skilled software developers who may be interested in your project. You can then assess the candidates and hire the most qualified for the job.

5. Look for a Second Opinion

Since screening potential hires can be subject to bias, it is advisable to look for a second opinion during the interviews. After finding a suitable candidate for the position, you should ask another person to interview your selected software developer. Although it may lengthen the recruitment process, interviewing more than once helps minimize any biases that may jeopardize the hiring process.

What's more, hiring managers with little technical knowledge may not adequately assess a candidate's technical skills. Therefore, inviting a technical expert to conduct further assessment becomes necessary. Doing so will give you a perfect match of both the soft and hard skills you need for the role. Letting someone else interview your candidates of choice allows only the best software developers to get to the top.

The above tips should help you make better choices when hiring a software developer to join your team. When onboarding new employees, it is advisable to work with an employment lawyer to ensure the employment contract is legally binding and compliant with employment laws.