How to hire a software developer: Select the best fitting candidate for your team

In order to help you find the right new colleague that will fit right into your team, take a look at our list of tips on how to hire a software developer for your developer team. We collected the most important pieces of advice that we gathered throughout the years of successfully offering IT staffing services to clients across the globe.

1. Clearly define the role and responsibilities. Before starting the hiring process, clearly define the role and responsibilities of the position. This will help you identify the specific skills and experience that the candidate should possess, and will make it easier to evaluate their qualifications.
2. Create a detailed job description. A detailed and accurate job description will attract the right candidates and give them a clear understanding of what the position entails. Include information about the required skills and experience, the responsibilities of the role, and the company culture and values. Yes, this can be cumbersome work but it will pay off handsomely at the other end. 
3. Use a combination of technical and behavioural questions. In addition to technical questions, ask behavioural questions that will give you insight into the candidate’s work style and communication skills. This will help you determine if they will be a good fit for your team and your company culture and is an important part of the process of how to hire a software developer.
4. Evaluate their portfolio or previous work but remember that this is a view into their past skills and not their present time skill-set. 
5. Consider their potential for growth and development. In addition to evaluating a candidate’s current skills and experience, consider their potential for growth and development. Look for candidates who are eager to learn and adapt to new technologies, and who are open to feedback and improvement. This is especially important in environments like startups where there is a need for constant change and openness. 
6. Take the time to make a well-informed decision. Don’t rush the hiring process. Take the time to thoroughly evaluate each candidate and make a well-informed decision. Unsure? Sleep over it and make the decision tomorrow. Still unsure? Probably not the right candidate. This will help ensure that you how to hire a software developer that will be the right fit for your team and avoid costly hiring mistakes.

Selecting the right candidate for your developer team is crucial for the success of your company. By clearly defining the role and responsibilities, creating a detailed job description, using a combination of technical and behavioural questions (and knowing exactly which questions to ask a developer), evaluating their portfolio or previous work, considering their potential for growth and development, and taking the time to make a well-informed decision, you can select the best fitting candidate for your team. Once you’ve selected the best fitting candidate, let’s hope you’ve also excelled at presenting yourself and your company in order to win them over. If you decide to partner with Holycode, we’ll make sure this part of the process is covered well. 

Now that you know how to hire a software developer, good luck and happy hunting!