Revolutionize Your Hiring Process: Discover 5 Best Practices for Recruiting Software Developers

Recruiting software developers in 2023 is becoming increasingly challenging in today’s competitive market. According to recent research conducted by Monster on a global scale, most employers (90%) face difficulties in hiring suitable candidates for their vacant positions. Out of those employers, approximately 29% agreed that the skills gap has widened compared to previous years. Even though many companies have frozen hiring or even reduced the number of employees, recruiting skilled developers is still in high demand. Recruiters have to utilize professional approaches to find an excellent fit for their clients, or even use the current situation in the market to attract the best candidates at lower rates.

“Acquiring the right talent is the most important key to growth. Hiring was and still is the most significant thing we do”.

— Marc Benioff.

Sure, but where do we locate competent candidates?

Every day, hundreds of companies create new software products and services, and their development requires highly qualified developers. Companies need to be able to stand out to find the best candidates. For example, participation in specialized IT events, conferences, and hackathons can help companies take it to the next level. In this article, our team will explore 5 best practices in recruiting software developers that can help your organization succeed. Learn all the details of this successful process from a specialized StaffingPartners agency. Let’s roll!

Current IT Recruitment Market Challenges 

Kate has extensive experience in recruiting software developers for global IT companies such as Ciklum, GlobalLogic, DataArt, Redspher, Diatom Enterprises, etc. She has had unparalleled success in different locations and has fulfilled many a client’s request.

The current challenges facing the software developer hiring market are a large number of layoffs around the world and projects winding down in Ukraine. Accordingly, this affects the situation in recruiting:

• In 2020, when Covid and the quarantine began, companies worldwide were in crisis. Employees were laid off, and new ones were rarely hired. Companies took some time (up to six months) to re-adjust to remote cooperation and only then began to actively hire off-site. 
• At the end of 2020, the market began to revive, and from the beginning of 2021, companies began to hire very actively, improve their working conditions, and increase hiring budgets. The high demand for new talent continued until the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine. 
• However, this situation lasted longer in the global market, and the global downturn began to be felt around the fall and winter of 2022. Then, against the backdrop of large-scale layoffs in big companies (Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, etc.), the IT market began to change. In general, this is due to the difficult global economic situation.

How has the geography of developer hiring changed over the past year?

Our StaffingPartner research shows redistributed demand between locations where companies hire talented developers. Previously, companies switched from Ukraine to Poland and Bulgaria, but now they are also hiring in Croatia and Romania, and relocating specialists to these countries from Turkey, Georgia, Egypt, and India. Recently, many companies have become interested in the Latin American market.

Which vacancies have become more relevant?

The demand for IT talent differs depending on candidates’ specialities. For instance, DevOps, Data, Machine learning, and IoT positions are much more popular than more “regular” positions such as front-end, back-end developers and QA. As a result, rates for less requested positions go down, while companies compete for highly-experienced experts in newer technologies like ML, IoT, and so on. 

Market Challenges in Ukraine: IT Recruitment

• Skillful Candidates are Open to Proposals

Currently, if we talk about Ukraine, many skillful candidates are open to proposals. But, companies can afford to hire the best candidates at significantly lower rates than in 2021. After all, competition for candidates is less, and there is no need to increase the number of benefits.

• The Global Trend of a Decrease in Hiring Needs

For example, in the global market, large Ukrainian outsourcers/outstaffs began to hire more actively in Eastern Europe, which caused great competition among companies. But nowadays, there is a global trend of a decrease in the number of hires and an increase in the number of layoffs due to funding cuts. At the same time, candidates in Ukraine are more attuned to the realities of the market, while in Europe, candidates are much less aware of the realities, and sometimes their expectations differ greatly from what the company is ready to offer.

• The Impact of COVID-19

Another problem is the consequences of the covid crisis — candidates are now used to having remote positions, so they often do not accept positions with office visits or a hybrid schedule.

After all, in the current reality, when companies value the quality of specialists rather than the quantity, it is important to satisfy top employees with careful cooperation. Provide them with financial and career opportunities for growth and development, work on motivation, and be sure that this employee sees a future for themselves in your company. In addition, it is much easier to retain a top employee than to find a worthy replacement.

Top 5 Practices in Recruiting Software Developers

Recruiting software developers can be challenging, especially with the current demand for technology talent. To ensure you get the best people for the job, it is crucial to follow certain practices. This article will discuss five essential practices you should consider when recruiting software developers. From understanding their skills and experience to assessing their technical abilities.

Practice №1. Clear job requirements — key to success

One of the primary tasks when seeking to employ software developers is to articulate the job requirements precisely. Be honest with your candidates. The more transparent you are when you talk about the duties of a specialist, the more successful his or her onboarding will be. Job requirements are the foundation of any successful hiring process. They should be clear and concise so that candidates can easily understand what is expected of them. 

Why is it important for recruitment? 

Clear job requirements help attract the right talent and ensure that they are well-suited. They also provide a framework for employers to evaluate potential hires and ensure that they have the necessary skills and experience to do the job. By outlining clear job requirements, employers can ensure their hiring process is efficient and fair for all parties involved. 

For example, if the recruiter is looking for the position of Junior Frontend Developer but requests 5 years+ of commercial experience and knowledge of the semantic layout, creating adaptive interfaces, and choosing the proper method of grid construction for a specific task — it’s a challenge. In addition, the candidate’s experience must fit the job requirements.

Practice №2. Choose the best social media platforms for hire

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Social media and online platforms have become crucial to our daily lives. What’s there to say about hiring in this regard? Nowadays, candidates are searched for on specialized websites and social networks.

What platforms are most often used for looking for relevant IT candidates by statistics? 

1. LinkedIn (4.6 *mark) — recruiting for professional roles

LinkedIn is the most widely used professional network available today. This social platform has an active community of engaged members that’s 706 million strong. More than 25 million people apply for jobs on LinkedIn every week, making it an excellent platform for recruiting. This is the best option for finding office-type jobs, hands down, with the largest professional network available in the world. You won’t find more active applicants looking for those types of jobs on either of the other two platforms.

Pros and cons:

• Pros: Massive user database, multiple pricing options, effective candidate filters.
• Cons: Lacks pricing transparency for their Corporate plan, limited customer support, hard to stand out because dozens of recruiters writing to great candidates.

2. ZipRecruiter (4.7 *mark) — for medium to large businesses

More than 110 million job seekers have used ZipRecruiter to find work and connect with the more than 2.8 million businesses using the platform. ZipRecruiter is a job site that aims to match businesses with the right people for their open roles. Its AI matching tool finds and reaches out to specific job candidates to apply for your open position as soon as it goes live.

Pros and cons:

• Pros: Intuitive interface, instantly post jobs to 100-plus job boards, scales easily for growing businesses.

• Cons: Short free trial, candidate filters could be improved, ATS not included.

3. Breezy HR (4.6 *mark) — for fast-growing companies

With an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, Breezy is known as a modernized recruiting product that takes the pain out of the hiring process. Recruiters can also reduce hiring time with a searchable database of candidates. The Breezy HR software integrates with LinkedIn, Zapier, 1Password, Slack, Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, GoodHire, Microsoft 365, and Google Calendar.

Pros and cons:

• Pros: Free plan and a free 14-day trial on paid plans, user-friendly design, quick posting of jobs to 50 job boards.

• Cons: No phone support, premium plans are pricey (starting at $143 monthly).

Practice №3.  Create a strong employer brand to attract virtuosos

Software developers are often attracted to companies with strong and positive cultures. It is significantly important to create the right first impression of your company. You should show the best representation of your company culture, values, and mission, to appeal to candidates who share your organization’s goals.

The ability of modern technology to attract the attention of candidates has become much easier and faster. However, if a small or large IT company does not promote its activities on social networks and does not talk about itself publicly, it loses both coverage and profits. 

But how do you make a company brand recognizable?

Social media is a powerful tool for recruiting software developers, particularly when it comes to reaching passive candidates. Digital marketing helps to reach audiences online through digital channels to turn them into customers. For example, you can invite candidates to take a look at your company website. 

Thanks to social networks, you can get potential candidates interested in your exciting workshops, your thoughts and ideas, or even pertinent statistics, and with effective e-commerce, you can remind them about your great offers. It creates brand recognition in new — sometimes even global markets, which can drive sales and make products and services accessible to a wide variety of people.

“I’m able to operate as a creative, as a strategic thinker, and also as a problem-solver with the end goal and mind of helping and promoting our brand to customers who love and use our products and services. And that’s a key characteristic — to know and understand customer behavior, to hear persona, and to be able to play to that. If you work and interact with people and promote and spread awareness about a brand or product, you have a place in the competing market”.

ZURI, AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER AT GOOGLE.

Practice №4. Attract and keep top talent by using your negotiation skills

It’s always pleasant to receive various benefits at work for a team member. Provide your people with fun team-building practices, health insurance benefits, strong salaries and regular raises, flexible schedules, etc. Candidates, when choosing an offer, while having several on hand at once, will most likely choose you because of your recruiter’s skills in first describing the company’s benefits and then convincing them in a non-intrusive and exciting way.

• Presentation of the Company as an Attractive Brand

It is essential to tell it like it is to satisfy the candidate during the onboarding period. Before touching on the candidate’s work commitments, and expected KPIs, talk about what the company has to offer them. For example, experienced recruiters emphasize the best benefits for the candidate:  health insurance, career growth, tuition reimbursement, gym membership, maternity pay, salary retention in emergencies, financial assistance for relocation, and much more.

• The BATNA Model for Successful Negotiations

This technique helps pull you out of a losing bargaining position and effectively close the deal with the candidate. The abbreviation BATNA stands for Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement — the best alternative to the discussed terms. This principle was developed by mathematicians Roger Fisher and William Urey as part of the Harvard School of Negotiation. 

• Build an Open Relationship

Communication is key to building an open relationship with candidates. Encourage candidates to ask questions and take the time to answer them thoughtfully and honestly. This will show candidates that you value their input and are committed to creating a transparent and open-ended relationship. Take the time to build rapport with your candidates, and make sure they feel valued and respected throughout the negotiation process. 

• Listen Carefully and Remember the Power of Silence

A savvy negotiator is a good listener. Listening is a critical skill when it comes to recruiting candidates. Take the time to listen actively to your candidates, ask them open-ended questions, and show a genuine interest in their background, skills, and aspirations. Moreover, silence can help you facilitate conversation initiated from your candidates. You should be careful with this, however, because silence on the part of the candidate can provoke awkward pauses and leave a negative interview experience, so remember to be sensitive to them and use your intuition. It can be really positively impactful when you give your candidate your undivided attention. 

• Remember the Human Factor

This means recognizing that the candidates you are interviewing are real people with unique needs, concerns, and aspirations. Throughout the recruitment process, it is essential to treat your candidates with respect. Respond promptly to their emails and phone calls, and ensure you are courteous and professional in all of your interactions.

Practice №5. Unlock potential with growth and development opportunities

As far as both income and self-realization, people in their careers are looking for a source of constant development. If you provide growth and development opportunities, your specialists will want to remain a part of your team. This practice includes training, mentorship, and career advancement programs.

What are the best staff improvement opportunities?

• Coaching & Mentoring

Providing coaching and mentoring programs can help employees improve their skills and knowledge in a more personalized and focused way. These programs can be either internal, with managers or senior employees taking on mentoring roles, or external, with professional coaches brought in to work with employees one-on-one.

• Career Advancement Programs

Offering programs to help employees advance in their careers can be a powerful motivator and help attract and retain talented staff. These programs could include training, shadowing programs, and access to mentors and coaches.

• Time Management Workshops

Time management is a critical skill for many employees, and offering workshops or training sessions on this topic can help them become more efficient and productive. This can lead to better job performance, less stress, and an improved work-life balance.

To Sum Up

Finally, in this article we must stress both the importance of providing a positive candidate experience to retain your candidates and also to promote your employer brand. By following these best practices, organizations can revolutionize their hiring process and attract the best software developers for their needs.  This can be difficult to accomplish successfully, and we’re here to help you.

StaffingPartner is a global IT recruitment agency that can give you access to a global tech talent resource to save costs, scale your development team quickly, and achieve round-the-clock productivity. Together with us, you will find a relevant software developer and hire them for your project. Because we have 300K+ manually verified middle to senior-level candidates in our database, and it’s consistently growing. Our recruiters have hired IT talent for product and project companies, either outsourcing or outstaffing, and even for startups in different locations in Europe, the USA, etc. Just make your recruitment process less costly and more efficient!

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