Startup Tips - How to Hire the Best Software Engineers?

Hiring software engineers is a multi-faceted skill that lies at the crossroad of social networking, technical acumen, process management, and intuition.

Are you a founder of a startup with the responsibility to understand all-too-well the extent and depth of the hiring challenge?

It is a fact that exceptional software engineers are difficult to evaluate.

• How do you explore the candidate’s ability to innovate and think creatively?  
• How do you determine if they are team players?
• Is the candidate willing to take constructive feedback?
• How do you investigate someone’s moral fiber?

Evaluating soft skills is not an easy task. And doing so is an essential aspect of the quest to hire software engineers. Attempts at evaluating crucial and elusive attributes consist of questions that are sufficiently transparent for the correct answers.

The major pitfall is to solely focus on technical minutia, rather than testing the candidate’s ability to solve a problem. Think creatively to work in collaboration with the rest of the team.

In this particular post, we will talk about a list of screening, interviews, sources, and software engineering hiring processes. Without further ado, let's get started.

Good Hiring Process for Software Engineers

1. Screening Process

Immediately after sharing the project requirements, the first step is to screen the software engineers. Nowadays applicant tracking systems and recruiting tools are available to make this process easy.

In the traditional recruitment method, companies invite applicants, screen them mutually, interview the shortlisted candidates, and then finally hire them.

But this complete hiring process was not flexible, cost-effective, or accurate.

Nowadays, startups reach out to remote staffing or offshore software companies. These companies have a large talent pool of certified and vetted software engineers.

This method is more budget-friendly and efficient.

2. Interview Process

This is certainly a crucial aspect of the software engineer hiring process. Once you have got in touch with the potential candidates, it's time to evaluate the following;

• Is that software engineer passionate?
• Can he/she communicate effectively in English?
• Is that software engineer proficient in your required programming language?

We recommend you to hire software engineers based on their knowledge, experience, and flexibility. Review their previous projects, work approach, and knowledge about the industry.

Moreover, go ahead and ask them general questions. Engage them in a conversation and it will help you know a lot about mental agility and problem-solving ability. 

If you are a non-techie entrepreneur, it is best to take help from any of your reliable in-house team members. See how the software engineer fares in the audition and this will make the hiring decision very simple and clear for you. 

Nonetheless, the key metrics you should consider are competence, creativity, problem-solving skill, and overall amicability.

3. Software Engineers Technical Acumen

An effective determination of technical proficiency goes far beyond the nuances of the programming language or the technology stack. (If you are building a mobile app, this post will help you choose the right technology stack.)

Well, these technical details should certainly not be ignored, they are one of the most important elements of the evaluation process. Subsequently, the leading software engineer never wastes time on committing unrealistic expectations.

Moreover, learning a new language and technology is a trivial exercise for a senior tech lead. This has to be the fundamental technical strength of a software engineer.

Also consider evaluating their understanding, creative thinking as well as problem-solving skills. Apart from this, the proven method for accomplishing this is to pose a programming challenge unconstrained by language.

Present the candidate with a particular problem and ask him/her to code the solution.

Furthermore, the only requirement should be: the solution should be correct. Remember the objective here is to evaluate the software engineers:

• Ability to solve
• Knowledge 
• Coding style

4. Communication Skills

You have to choose the best software engineer, so being tech-savvy should not be the only factor to consider. Communication and soft skills also matter. These professionals should be able to communicate clearly, effectively both verbally and in writing. 

In addition, these skills are easy to evaluate in the course of an interview. Verbal skills are important for maximizing effective team interaction and interchange of the idea.

Now, we are sure that you have got a clear picture of the hiring process for software engineers. So, it's time to find out the top sources to hire software engineers easily. Let's begin!

Top Sources to Hire Software Engineers

1. Define your Specific Project Requirements

Before hiring software engineers, it is crucial to define the project requirements in terms of the tech stack to use, features to implement, etc.

The more specific you are the better filters you have. A defined set of skills will help you start looking at the right place. Also, the clarity of what you are looking for should be there in your communication.

2. Sources to Hire Software Engineers

Once the requirements are clearly defined, gather all the information to prepare a detailed description, and then begin the search for hiring software engineers and set up a development center offshore.

If signing up for paid services isn’t an option, the following are the legit resources that you can tap into;

a) LinkedIn

Create an interesting profile and legit company page. Linkedin is a great platform to create a referral chain and helps in getting recommendations/testimonials to humanize your brand.

It can be easy to hire software engineers via networking through new, past, and present contacts. Additionally, this talent solution can help leverage the magic of data-driven recruiting to get the best people you can.

Similarly, with the help of posts and participating in LinkedIn's group discussions, it is easy to enhance the visibility of the brand among developers thereby fostering a relationship with them.

b) Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

As the focal point of the online interaction, these websites help you promote your company and culture through an existing employee. And cut through the noise to find niche networks using eye-catching ads, videos, anecdotes, photos, and hashtags. 

c) GitHub

GitHub is an online project hosting service where software engineers share open-source projects. When there is a public account that is up and running, you can get complete contact information, websites you chose to display, number of followers, Github contributions, and repositories. 

d) Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow is an online community for programmers to learn, share their knowledge, and advance their careers. Basic details and summary regarding developers are accessible; use the filters to refine your search.

Nonetheless, for passive candidates, check out the career section. It is important to engage in meaningful discussions with people of interest.

e) Reddit

Reddit is an online community where users submit content, like text posts or direct links, in very specific “subreddits.” Software engineers and thought leaders ask questions and discuss technology-related topics here. 

This can be a valuable source of highly skilled programmers. Note that Reddit has its own Boolean search terminology. 

f) Quora

Quora is a Q&A website that is able to facilitate social interactions and interesting conversations. It is important to first build your reputation by answering questions regarding hiring.

You can then identify domain experts by exploring the topics of interest and initiate conversations.

Despite this, it is a possibility that Quora doesn’t help source candidates directly, it helps in designing a more relevant software engineer hiring process.

g) Glassdoor

A promising tool for recruiting, Glassdoor exerts a huge social influence on job aspirants. Everyone goes on Glassdoor to write and read anonymous reviews about companies and company life.

So, it is important that you build an awesome brand while being honest and transparent. Recruits can gather valuable metrics from this website. 

h) Meetups and Developer Events

Meetups help in uniting people while sharing professional interests. It is important to find potential candidates without having to go to any events as many attendee lists are public.

Once the interest list is made, it is important to filter your candidates. You can send them a personalized email.

It should be noted, that events for software engineers can help by giving you an opportunity to network with the most sort-out technical experts. It is easy to make connections and build mutually beneficial relationships with them.

i) Hackathon

Hackathon is an amazing place to network with exceptional talent and industry experts. Additionally, it is easy to build a talent pipeline of hardworking, smart, and passionate software engineers by attending the right events.

j) Offshore Software Companies

These companies work in a way, that they have a pipeline of potential software engineers, well versed across a wide range of technologies. So, all you need to do is share your requirements with them.

The offshore company will take care of everything else. For reference, you can review the list of top offshore software companies.

Conclusion

Last but not the least, start by ensuring you understand your product and what all will it take to complete. Do in-depth research as it will help you select the right software engineer for your project.

Apart from this, the aforementioned tips described can serve as a valuable source for finding, hiring, and retaining software engineers for startups that are best in the industry.

Additionally, we have shared the top tips to hire software engineers for your startups. Finally, be precise about the requirements, expectations, weigh all the options, and look at the right places.

Find the path that is right for your company and execute it.

There will be a success and you can be assured to be on the right path. However, you have to keep in mind that effective hiring is not a destination, it is a journey.

Need some help in hiring software engineers? Get in touch with our business head now!