We've got plenty of brilliant ideas about building top-notch, mega-useful products. But sooner or later, we realize that our ideas are dust in the wind without a talented squad of developers. Here's your complete guide to hiring software developers who will turn your vision into reality.
Who Is a Software Developer?
Before diving into how to hire software developers, let's clarify what a software developer's scope of duties entails.
Software Developer Role:
Primary Purpose
Design and develop software—applications, programs, and other non-hardware solutions for specific purposes
Collaboration
Work with clients, colleagues, and end users regularly
Essential Skills
Strong communication, time management, empathy, remote work experience, excellent English proficiency
Why Hire GREAT Software Developers?
Great software developers differ from good and ordinary developers in several critical ways. Understanding these differences is essential to succeeding in hiring engineers.
What Makes Great Developers Stand Out
Extra Quality Results
Not just any results, not good ones—GREAT results. Good results won't give you a competitive advantage. Great developers maximize ROI on all investments.
Always Up-to-Date
They use the newest technologies, most recent databases, and latest frameworks. Staying current is non-negotiable.
Resourceful Problem-Solving
They know where to find everything they lack. No knowledge gap stops them.
Teamwork & Soft Skills
Bare coding proficiency won't make any dev superior. No dev is an island—efficient collaboration creates star teams.
The Challenge
Great software developers are spread thin among organizations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for IT talent will grow 21% by 2028—while other jobs average only 5% growth.
6 Qualities to Look For When Hiring Software Developers
These evaluation criteria will come in handy whether you're hiring remote developers, supplementing short-term team needs, or outsourcing full projects.
1. Look for Smart Problem-Solvers
The best talent is someone smarter than you, whether you're an entrepreneur with little tech experience or an IT specialist.
Search for developers who excel at addressing problems, not merely completing tasks. Dynamic problem-solvers move processes forward in many dimensions. When unexpected issues hinder progress, they'll be invaluable for corrections.
2. Polyglots Are Worth a Lot
Becoming an expert in every programming language, tool, algorithm, and framework is impossible. There are too many facets of the IT world with daily advances.
Finding developers proficient in 2+ technologies saves tons of HR money versus hiring multiple single-language specialists.
3. Search for Communicators & Collaborators
Even highly motivated developers working alone can move some blocks quickly, but significant progress requires teamwork.
Good communicators streamline workflows and join group efforts. Without clear communication, team members won't be on the same page—critical for Agile methodologies and both in-house and remote teams.
4. Creativity Is What You Need
You have ideas for your project—talented developers will give it more color.
They incorporate elements that improve usability and UX, employ imagination, and augment the project with details users need. Working with creative developers broadens your software project perspective.
5. Look for Clean Coders
Software development is complex, but clean coders make work easier—especially for maintenance, troubleshooting, and future updates.
Hiring messy developers bogs down core operations and makes communication tougher.
6. Talent Beats Experience
When choosing between talented and experienced developers, pick the former.
Experience is valuable for instant comprehension. However, prioritize talented executors if you want unconventional ideas that give you a lead over rivals.
Benefits of Hiring Software Engineers
Routine Testing
Constant evaluations improve product suitability. Without developers, products experience unanticipated implementation issues.
Subject Matter Expertise
Developers regularly consult with domain experts to ensure solutions align with industry standards and best practices.
Project Management
Even outsourced development needs internal oversight to ensure results align with business demands and expectations.
Efficiency
Outsourcing creates unwanted delays. In-house developers enable faster progress without waiting for third-party commands.
How to Hire Software Developers: 10 Proven Steps
Here's your complete roadmap for hiring software engineers who spur your company's growth:
Decide What Kind of Developer You Need
Identify precise needs at the outset—it's key for the hiring process, especially when creating job descriptions.
Web: Websites & web apps | Mobile: Smartphone software | UX/UI: User-friendly design
Build an Ideal Candidate Profile
Outline goals, skills, knowledge, and experience you value most. This profile helps sieve off unwanted applicants.
• What outcomes do I expect from this role?
• What effect will this position have on the team/project/business?
Analyze the Engineering Landscape
Study market trends, technology adoption levels, and employment data.
• Assess demand for particular technologies
• Understand competition for candidates
Compare Salaries
If hiring globally, examine IT market trends and yearly reports from tech companies.
• Sort regions by cost of living (influences median rates)
• Range outcomes by attractiveness for your startup
Craft a Winning Job Description
Formalize all demands, requirements, benefits, and bonuses before hunting for professionals.
Check Talent Availability
Research online stats on your target country's IT market.
• What are main engineer goals?
• What's the overall market tendency?
• Chances of finding unemployed professionals?
Optimize Your Hiring Process
Short and easy hiring procedures are preferable unless you're Google.
• Do you need 6 interview rounds or will 3 suffice?
• Should interviews last 2 hours or 30 minutes?
• How long will you hold off on final decisions?
Get the Most Out of Job Interviews
Use 2-3 interviews to assess technical skills and soft skills.
Personal Interview: HR specialist evaluates communication skills, personality, soft skills, employment background.
Propose Competitive Salary with Bonuses
Seasoned candidates know they're wanted and expect competitive compensation plus benefits.
Build Your Hiring Funnel
Construct this procedure using a thorough methodology. Here are the 4 key stages:
2. Screening: Preliminary call with HR to assess fit
3. Interviewing: HR + field specialist assess technical background & personality
4. Offering: Invite to join team or part ways based on results
Skip the Hassle with Pre-Vetted Developers
While this 10-step process works, it's time-consuming and expensive. What if you could skip straight to interviewing elite candidates who've already been rigorously vetted?
Why Boundev's Approach Works Better:
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to hire a software developer?
Traditional hiring processes typically take 3-6 months from posting a job to onboarding. This includes: 2-4 weeks to craft job descriptions and post openings, 4-8 weeks for sourcing and screening candidates, 2-4 weeks for multiple interview rounds, and 1-2 weeks for negotiations and offer acceptance. Using pre-vetted talent platforms like Boundev reduces this to 48 hours for candidate matching plus 1-2 weeks for interviews and offers—cutting the timeline by 90%.
What's the difference between hiring good vs great software developers?
Great software developers deliver 4 key advantages over good ones: (1) Extra quality results that maximize ROI and provide competitive advantage, (2) Always up-to-date with newest technologies, databases, and frameworks, (3) Resourceful problem-solving—they know where to find everything they lack, (4) Outstanding teamwork experience and soft skills—bare coding proficiency isn't enough as efficient collaboration creates star teams. According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for IT talent will grow 21% by 2028 versus 5% for other jobs, making great developers increasingly valuable.
What qualities should I look for when hiring software developers?
Look for 6 essential qualities: (1) Smart problem-solvers who address problems, not just complete tasks—dynamic problem-solvers move processes forward in multiple dimensions, (2) Polyglots proficient in 2+ technologies (saves HR money vs hiring single-language specialists), (3) Strong communicators & collaborators essential for Agile methodologies, (4) Creative thinkers who improve UX beyond requirements, (5) Clean coders for easier maintenance and updates, (6) Talent over mere experience—prioritize talented executors for unconventional ideas that give competitive advantages.
Should I hire in-house or outsource software development?
In-house hiring provides 4 key benefits: (1) Routine testing—constant product evaluations preventing unanticipated implementation issues, (2) Subject matter expertise—developers regularly consult with domain experts, (3) Project management—internal oversight ensures results align with business demands, (4) Efficiency—no waiting for third-party commands. However, outsourced development through vetted platforms combines benefits of both: you get pre-screened talent without lengthy hiring processes, maintain control through direct communication, and avoid delays from third-party intermediaries. The hybrid approach—hiring pre-vetted remote developers—offers the best of both worlds.
Ready to Hire Elite Developers?
You now know the 10-step process to hire software developers. But what if you could skip the most time-consuming steps and get matched with pre-vetted talent in 48 hours?
Our 98.8% rejection rate means you only interview the top 1.2% of developers—saving months of screening and thousands in recruiting costs.
Get Matched with Elite Developers in 48 Hours
Skip steps 1-7. Start interviewing pre-vetted candidates who've passed our rigorous technical and soft skills assessments.
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