How to Recruit Software Engineers
These days, software engineers are more in demand than ever for startups and large corporations alike. So how do you go about finding someone with the right experience, a skillset aligned to your company’s goals, and a salary expectation that’s manageable for your organization?
It might not sound too difficult, but if you’ve ever been on the employer side of a job search, then you know that recruiting a software engineer is no easy task. There are plenty of qualified candidates out there – but in order to find them, you’ll have to sort through plenty of duds. And you might even need to reach candidates who aren’t actively searching for a job.
In this article, we’ll cover some best practices that you should follow when recruiting a software engineer. Plus, we’ll explore what to look for as well as five top options for finding the talent that’s best suited to your company’s unique needs. Read on to find out more.
What to Look for When Recruiting Software Engineers
Before you begin looking for a software engineer, you’ll need a clear idea of your expectations. Understanding the exact scope of your organization’s needs as well as any budgetary constraints, will help you determine who you’re searching for and what you can afford. Outlining these factors before you begin the recruiting process is crucial.
Once you have a better understanding of what you’re looking for, you can begin recruiting potential candidates. It’s crucial to evaluate their skills and measure them against your expectations for the role. One way to do this is by assessing their experience.
If your organization has the capacity to train someone, you might be able to hire a more junior developer. If you’re working with a leaner team, as is typical of many startups, you might consider investing in a senior developer so that they can work more independently and proactively right off the bat.
You definitely want someone who can write maintainable code and handle other tasks, but it’s also just as important to look for soft skills, including teamwork, communication, and other interpersonal attributes. It’s important to have a deep understanding of the technical skills you need, which is one of many ways that a specialized recruiter may be able to help.
5 Places to Recruit a Software Engineer
There are many different ways to recruit a software engineer, but some are better than others. Here is an overview of some of the most popular methods.
Job Boards
Job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn are one popular way to find software engineers. These large job boards have databases with millions of resumes, and you’ll be able to filter by location, skills, and level of experience. However, there will also be lots of duds to sift through.
You might have better luck on more specialized job boards targeted specifically toward software engineers. Of course, the flip side there is that you’ll have a smaller pool of options. While job boards can be cost-effective, they also tend to be time-consuming and not particularly fruitful in many recruiting searches.
Personal Network and Referrals
If you’re able to engage your personal network, you might be able to find someone who is a good fit for your software engineering role. If you don’t have a suitable candidate in your immediate network, you could try asking friends, family, and colleagues for a referral. Someone you know might know the right software engineer for your team.
Hiring Events
Events such as job fairs and campus recruiting can be good ways to find software engineering talent and introduce your organization to large numbers of potential candidates at one time. However, these events tend to be catered toward candidates who are on the earlier sides of their careers. If you’re looking for a more experienced software engineer, you might need to try another tactic.
Social Media Outreach
You can build your brand’s reputation and awareness level by harnessing the power of social media. To make this strategy work, you will really need to be active and promote your company on a consistent basis with strong brand messaging. Be prepared to sift through a lot of false opportunities before finding the right candidate through social media.
Working With a Recruiter
When you work with a recruiting agency, you’re getting expertise and inside knowledge that can help you find the right software engineer for your organization. Specialized technical recruiters can take your budget, needs, and expectations into account and do the legwork of sourcing the right candidates for you.
Believe it or not, working with a recruiting agency like Upside Jobs can actually be more affordable than taking on a job search yourself. You’ll spend countless time and resources doing a job that someone else could do faster and better – so why waste your time? Outsourcing your software engineer recruitment is a great decision to keep your business moving.
Trust Upside Jobs to Find Your Next Software Engineer
When you need an experienced software engineer who’s ready to take on a variety of specialized tasks, you need someone who understands the industry to help you find the best candidate for the role. That’s where Upside Jobs comes in.
We specialize in technical recruiting for startups. We’re not a big-box recruiting company – and we’re proud of that. We know our niche, and that’s where we excel. When you need technical candidates to bring your early-stage vision to life, we’re the place to turn. We’ll use our curated pipeline of candidates to bring you the best talent in just two days.
Leave DIY job searches in the past. Turn to Upside Jobs to find talent tailored to you.