Hiring the ideal candidate for software development is challenging. The job requires specific skills and personality traits that allow for success. These days, recruiters seek the most qualified candidates for software development because there’s so much demand for the positions. Let’s consider the essential skill sets the best prospects will possess.
Robust Technical Skills Are the Foundation for Success
Technical skills and proficiency are essential for software developers. Inexperienced or untrained developers can result in liabilities for a company. People who are looking to hire developers should seek self-motivated individuals with a solid grasp of the core technologies in use.
According to TopTotal, only 3.6% of freelance dev applicants pass their technical screening requirements. That means a majority of applicants seeking employment lack the needed skills to complete required tasks. Recruiters need to make realistic assessments about their candidate’s qualifications to find the best talent available.
Online assessment tools are helpful for employers – pre-employment tests and challenges in multiple coding languages to identify the most reliable entrants for open positions.
Assess the Candidate’s Communication Skills
An applicant’s CV gives valuable insights into the candidate’s communication skills. If you have difficulty understanding it, this could indicate potential red flags.
A conversation through email, over the phone, or via chat will give you a good idea of what to expect when speaking or communicating. If the person struggles to correspond effectively, will they be a good team player?
Consider the Soft Skills and How They Apply
Assessing soft skills requires delving deeper into an applicant’s CV. Any company hiring a software developer would benefit the most from applicants who possess the seven most in-demand soft skills. These skills include:
- Strong Work Ethic
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Interpersonal Skills
- Clear Communication
- Problem Solving
- Flexibility
Anyone can claim they possess these skills. It’s up to the recruiter to test and assess the candidate to ensure they’re accurate. If they meet these credentials, it might be worth hiring them on the spot!
Can the Applicant Handle the Required Learning Curve?
It’s worth examining if the applicant can meet the learning curve for the project. Depending on their skills, the person may need to fill in educational gaps to excel in the position.
- How much training is required to make this person eligible?
- How long will education and training take?
- Is the extra effort to teach new candidates worth the investment?
If a candidate requires significant training, it could be a wise idea to keep searching for someone better suited to the role. Placing a candidate without the fundamental skills or training could add time and complexity to your projects.
Is the Job Seeker a Quintessential Team Player?
Being a team player might sound cliche, but it remains at the top of the required skills for software developers. Working on complex software projects in a team environment is challenging. Only candidates with superior skill sets are cut out for the work. Recruiting the ideal person for the job requires looking for a broad base of training and experience. After that, it comes down to researching and analyzing their intangible personality and behavioral traits.
With a worldwide pool of developers available for hire, recruiters are sure to come into contact with developers of all skill sets and experience to fill open positions.
Don’t have time to recruit or need to streamline your software development project? Contact the experts at Sprinterra today!