Hiring a Software Developer from IT Recruitment Agency - HwSelect.com

When hiring a software developer, it's essential to know the level of skills the role requires. It's very easy to fall into the trap of assuming a certain number of years means a higher level of expertise. However, in the world of software development, that isn't always the case.

 

Obviously, if you use an IT Recruitment Agency, you shouldn't have to worry about this. All the candidates you receive should be at the required level. However, if you are doing the recruitment yourself, it's a different story.

 

Specific skills and attributes can indicate a level of skill irrespective of the number of years spent in the industry. It may take one junior developer ten years to reach a senior developer level, but another can achieve the same level in only five. There are even those that just don't have what it takes, no matter how hard they try.

 

Here's a high-level guide to help you shortlist software developer applicants effectively.

 

Junior Developer

A junior developer is someone who is just starting their professional career. They generally have good closing knowledge, know the correct syntax, and can develop small projects. They will be lacking experience working as part of a professional development team.

 

Over time they will build their skills and experience by learning how to break problems down into manageable chunks, how to connect different systems, such as connecting to a database using server-side code.

 

Intermediate Developer

Once an individual becomes an intermediate developer, they are productive and guide junior team members.  

 

They will be able to build basic systems and continue to build skills such as:

●     Teamwork

●     Using professional tooling

●     Understands design patterns, code smells

●     Understands basic of system architecture

 

Senior Developer

By the time a developer reaches a senior level, their skills level is recognised by their peers. Often they become the mentor for other team members and the "go-to" whenever problems arise. Typically by this point in their career, they have advanced programming skills and can build complex systems using advanced techniques.

 

Some traits of a Senior Developer include:

●     Knowledgeable regarding design patterns, refactoring, code smells, etc.

●     Experience full development life cycle

●     Understand and can leverage asynchronous programming.

●     Excellent debugging skills

●     Able to transform a set of class diagrams into quality code

 

Lead Developer

A lead developer must be capable of providing high-level guidance to their development team and keep a project on track. They act as a conduit of information between the development team, Systems architect, and other departments or project stakeholders.

 

Tech Leader

A Tech Lead is a specialist. They tend to have a narrow skillset, but the skills they do have are exceptional. They have honed their skills in a particular area and know it inside out. Generally, a Tech Lead is an active participant in skill-related communities and is regarded as a subject matter expert by other members. When an idea or concept catches their attention, they will be a vocal champion of the cause. 

 

This is a high-level guide to help you judge the skills levels of applicants. If you are struggling to gauge abilities or are getting bogged down with too many resumes, it may be time to talk to an IT Recruitment Agency London. Not only can they speed up the recruitment process, saving you time and effort, but they can also spot red flags and prevent costly hiring mistakes.