Software development is a booming industry with hundreds of thousands looking for a chance at the software dev pie. But how do you know if the software developer is the right developer for your business?
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How You Can Find The Right Software Developer
There is a big difference between a software developer and the software developer you need. This is because every business or project is different. These differences can make one developer seem like the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates in one project and a sideshow clown in another. This is an extreme example but there are a few cases where a person looks impressive on paper but ends up being the worst employee you’ve had if they don’t fit with your needs or company.
To help you out, we’ve listed down some of the best things you can do to identify who your next Steve Jobs is among the other software developers.
Check their Portfolio
Nothing says “success” more than a person’s previous experience. A software developer’s portfolio is important to you as you can find out what projects they’ve completed over their tenure and how much time they’ve spent in the industry. You also get a chance to check their work firsthand as you can ask for references to that developer’s performance by calling the companies he or she previously worked at.
Ask Them About Their Best Practices
Best practices are an important part of the development process of software. If your candidate doesn’t follow established best practices, then you’re going to have a huge mess that will be difficult to fix. Sometimes even the software developer at fault won’t be able to help you as their code is too much of a mess to fix. This means that you’re going to need to start from scratch.
Challenge and Test Them
Challenges and tests are important to truly gauge the skill of a developer. Set aside a test or two to gauge the level of competence that your candidate will bring to the table. You can challenge and test them in a number of ways. You can have them do a specific task, like asking them to create a sorting application, or you can also have them work with your existing team to see if the new candidate meshes well with older and more tenured employees. The latter option is especially useful if you’re not just looking for a software developer, but a person that will be able to fit in with your company’s culture.
Check For Any Other Skills
Software comes in a number of languages that each developer could specialize in. One developer could be good with Javascript and C# while another can be good with Ruby. However, knowledge of various languages isn’t the only skill you’re supposed to be looking for. A hybrid resume template can best serve you if you want to know the skills of your candidate. With this type of resume, key skills are focused as the top category.
Excellent interpersonal skills could make for a great leader to rally the rest of your team together; Great communication skills could mean that they could convince other professional developers to come and join your team. Fluency in other languages could mean that they can connect with people around the world that your standard team would have difficulty understanding.
These are just a few of the opportunities that a developer with extra skills can bring to your company or project.
Employ the Help of an Employment Agency
It isn’t always so simple to find the perfect candidate to take the job. You might find someone who’s a good fit, but you might not know about some of their flaws until it’s too late. With the help of a professional employment agency, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. This is because they do most of the heavy lifting for you and all you have to do is to hire the right person from a list of hundreds of potential candidates.
Conclusion
With thousands of potential software developers out there with their unique skills to offer, it only makes sense to find the best that can fit in your business. With these simple tips in mind, you’re sure to find the right one and help your business move forward without any problems.
