A strong development team is the foundation of any successful app or software project. Hire the wrong developer, and you’ll end up with headaches instead of the app or software you’re looking for. To ensure success, you need to find a developer or development team that’s not only skilled at coding, but also a good fit for your project and for your startup. This post will show you how to find a developer that’s right one for you and your project.
Decide if You Should You Hire Freelancers or a Team
If you don’t have in-house resources, you have two options for working with a developer: hire individual freelancers or hire an outsourced team.
Bringing on freelancers to work on a project can be helpful when you have an internal team but are missing one or two specific required skill sets. However, if you’re trying to herd several freelancers to form a development team, you’ll have more work to do in order to coordinate their efforts.
If you hire an outsourced team for your project, they have an existing working relationship with one another, and their company has processes in place to support both the team and their work with your startup. Each team member has deep expertise in their own specialization. This means that you will probably get a better product while spending less time managing them.
Know What to Look For
When you’re looking to find a developer for your project, of course, you need to know if the developers you’re considering have the required skill sets and technical abilities. But there are several things that are just as important. Be sure to look for the following qualities.
Deep Expertise
You’ll likely need to hire a team of developers with specific skill sets — knowledge of various coding languages, database design, etc. Look for developers with deep expertise, rather than one with a little knowledge in a lot of areas. The security and success of your app or software depend on it being built right.
Culture Fit
When you bring in a developer to work on a project, how they fit in with your startup is important. Do they use a process that works with your team’s workflow? Do they communicate well? Will they collaborate with you?
Curiosity
Good developers always strive to find the best solutions and don’t simply accept things as they are. Look for a developer that asks a lot of questions and makes smart suggestions based on your responses.
Regular Learning
Technologies change constantly, and a good developer will keep up-to-date. If they have current skills in their repertoire, then it’s a good bet they are taking advantage of continued learning opportunities.
Respect for Deadlines
Not only should developers be able to accurately estimate work, but they also need to respect deadlines. Ask what systems and processes the developer has in place to ensure deadlines are met. Do they set milestones? Do they use a project management system? Will they provide weekly updates to you?
Can Clearly Communicate Complex Ideas
A developer needs to be able to not only understand complex ideas but also be able to communicate them to stakeholders. Knowing the best way to share concepts so non-developers can understand them often marks the difference between a good and a great developer.
Attention to Detail
Details matter, and developers who recognize that are more successful and make better partners. Good developers demonstrate their attention to detail with everything they do.
Able to Understand Busines
A developer who understands the business is invaluable to your startup. This knowledge helps them to make smart recommendations and better decisions when coding based on what makes the most business sense.
Look in the Right Places
Asking colleagues for referrals is one of the best ways to find developers with a good track record who are easy to work with and can get the job done. You can leverage LinkedIn to ask for recommendations.
Another way to find developers is to look at thought leadership articles in reputable publications. Organizations like Clutch brings together organizations offering developers with startups in need. You can read reviews and view some of their work to learn a little more about the company. Google Places also provides information and is a good resource for finding local developers.
While there is no magical formula for finding good developers, there are ways to increase your chances of hiring a developer or team of developers that is a good fit for your startup. Knowing what to look for and where to find them is a great start. Hiring a team with deep expertise in many areas means a better product and an easier process for building it.
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