How to Hire High-Level Software Developers for Your Startup?

The development of startups is always associated with risks. According to researches, only 10% of such projects are successful, and only half of them can stay afloat for no more than 5 years. Among the reasons for such statistics are unsuccessful marketing strategy, limited budget, duplication of an existing idea on the market, and low-quality software. Today we offer you to talk about how to protect yourself from the last problem by hiring highly qualified developers.

Channels to find developers for a startup

When it comes to choosing specialists for your project, the first thing every entrepreneur thinks about is creating their own team. But a startup can rarely offer a decent salary, so hiring software developers either does not work or, after a while, they leave for a successful company with better financial prospects. An alternative to a full-time team is the services of freelancers or outsourcers. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these hiring models? Let’s get to the bottom of it.

Hiring developers

Hiring a team of full-time specialists is a classic recruiting model. It implies official registration of employees, regular payment of salary, and full control over their activities. But for a startup project, this option is not always acceptable, even despite its many advantages:

• availability of the team 24/7;
• lack of problems with communication;
• formation of corporate culture;
• full control over the work process.

More often than not, it is the disadvantages of creating an in-house team that are decisive for a startup:

• the cost of salaries, even during periods of downtime;
• additional costs for the maintenance of office space, training of IT staffing, etc.;
• technological limitations: not all regions have developers who know the technology stack needed to work on an innovative project;
• duration of recruitment: it may take up to a month and a half to recruit one employee.

Because of all the disadvantages, the classic hiring model does not satisfy the main goal of any startup: to break into the market quickly and with minimal costs.

Reaching out to freelancers

Freelancers are specialists who work for themselves, offering their services on special platforms like Upwork. Their work will cost the starter many times less than hiring in-house developers. But the advantages of working with them end in the financial benefit. As for the disadvantages, they are as follows:

• Questionable quality of work: no one will be able to guarantee the high qualifications of the freelancer; you will have to take their word for it;
• Lack of control on the customer side: a freelancer may not meet deadlines or even go to a competitor without completing your project.

So is it worth aggravating the riskiness of a startup by cooperating with unreliable performers?

Services of outsourcing companies

The best option for a startup is to outsource its software development. In this case, you have several options:

• hire a whole team of developers and altogether remove yourself from project management;
• take dedicated specialists into your team, fully controlling the software creation process.

In any case, the outsourcing model has some advantages:

• Fast product release. Outsourcing companies quickly find specialists with the right skill pool and expertise in your field.
• Reduced costs. The cost of outsourcing services is significantly lower than hiring a developer on staff, plus in this case, there are no additional costs for material and technical support of an office.
• A guarantee of the quality of a digital solution. The relationship with an outsourcing service provider is legally formalized, so their work results will be guaranteed high.

There are two problems that can mar cooperation with dedicated teams: the language barrier and time zone differences. After all, the most common outsourcing model is offshoring – hiring specialists from distant countries.

Requirements for developers for a startup

So you’ve decided on the best hiring model for your project. Now it is important to clearly articulate for yourself what you expect from a developer. As a rule, recruiters pay attention to candidates’ hard and soft skills.

Required hard skills

Given the rapid development of today’s IT industry, it is essential to look for a startup specialist who knows advanced technologies and development tools:

• Cloud computing. With the growing popularity of remote work, cloud-based apps are more relevant than ever. According to McKinsey research, 58% of respondents may work from home most of the time, which requires reliable, functional software deployed in the cloud.
• DevOps expertise. DevOps teams can solve security problems twice as fast and data recovery 24 times faster. This is indispensable for startup projects for which high product release speed is a priority.
• Workflow automation. Business automation allows you to increase profits, reduce costs, improve customer service, and reduce the time required to perform routine tasks. That is why a specialist in this field is so valuable for startups.
• Full cycle development. Due to a limited budget, a startup owner cannot always afford to hire front-end and back-end developers. It is much more profitable to hire a full-stack specialist for a project.
• Advanced programming languages. According to the TIOBE index, the most popular programming language in 2022 is Python. But that doesn’t mean you only need Python developers. Depending on the type of software on the project, you may need React.js developers, PHP developers, and other specialists.
• Mobile development. A modern startup cannot do without a mobile app because according to statistics, mobile devices generate almost 59% of all Internet traffic. So you cannot do without Android and iOS developers.

Required soft skills

In addition to technical skills, the developer must have a certain list of personal qualities to help them perform their tasks well. Among them are:

• communication skills;
• time management;
• experience in problem-solving;
• ability to adapt;
• ability to inspire a team and make decisions (for managerial positions).

When you turn to the services of dedicated developers, the outsourcing service provider takes care of the recruitment of the right specialists for your project. But some companies allow their customers to participate in the interviews themselves.

To summarize

A qualified software developer is, if not a guarantee, then at least one of the components of a startup’s success. Before you start looking for a candidate, clearly define the goals of your project, how to achieve them, and the developer skills needed. After a detailed analysis, choose a recruitment channel depending on your capabilities and go ahead and conquer the top of the world business!

The article was provided by the software development company Moqod