Software development is one of the fastest-growing professions on the planet. But it’s also one of the hardest jobs to hire for.
Here’s what you need to know about recruiting software developers — from job descriptions to search strategy, screening candidates, and hiring remotely
What you should know before the recruitment process
Between a skills shortage, a tight labour market, and rising employee expectations, it can be tough to recruit talented software developers. Over a third of businesses say they struggle to fill job vacancies.
Skilled, experienced, and effective software developers do exist. But it takes some work to find them. That’s why more and more companies are turning to specialist recruitment agencies.
Whether you run your own recruitment or work with an IT recruitment agency, it pays to be clear about your needs, creative about searching for candidates, and committed to a thorough screening and interviewing process.
Recruiting this way might take a bit longer, but it gets infinitely better results.
How to start recruiting software developers
You can make recruitment easier by establishing some fundamentals before you start the search.
Step 1: Decide if you need an in-house developer or contractor
Recruiting is completely different for in-house and contractor roles. Deciding which you need will shape your hiring strategy.
Some key questions to ask yourself:
- Do we have multiple projects in mind, or just one?
- Is this a short-term or ongoing role?
- Will this role stand alone, or are we hiring to lessen the workload on other employees?
Step 2: Define your developer needs
“Developer needs” doesn’t just mean the job title that you’re looking for.
Your needs depend on what projects you have coming up, the existing developer team, and specific job vacancies.
- What role are you trying to fill? Is this a job for a front-end dev, back-end, full-stack, DevOps, machine learning, embedded systems, a security engineer or a data scientist? (You'd be surprised how many companies can't answer this question clearly.)
- What type of person are you looking for? Do you need a senior developer who can hit the ground running, or do you want to train a junior developer to understand your business inside out?
- What are the basic parameters of the job? This includes things like regular duties, remote/in-person expectations, and which software languages the developer will be using.
Step 3: Write a compelling job description
Now you have the basics of the job description: whether the job is contract or in-house, where it sits within the team, and what the basic requirements and expectations are. But you’re going to need more.
The job description is applicants’ first introduction to your company, so you want to make a good impression. As well as describing the role, a compelling job description will also give people reasons to apply.
These are the job features which matter most to software developers:
- Opportunities for professional growth
- Positive company culture
- Competitive pay
- The chance to work with specific programming languages and technologies
Different companies tend to focus on different features. For example, some businesses are proud of their culture, while others will prioritise training opportunities. A third of software development organisations now offer remote work. The more benefits you can offer candidates, the more effective your job description will be.
Expert tip: If you’re organising the recruitment process yourself, you could look back on past job descriptions or use a language AI, such as ChatPGT or Google Gemini, to generate ideas and get you started.
Alternatively, many IT recruitment agencies will write job descriptions for you as part of their services. They’ll have the expertise to produce a description that appeals to your ideal candidate.
Step 4: Find candidates through efficient channels
There are so many ways to distribute a job description — and so many places to find good candidates!
Your business website and job boards are a great place to start, but in the battle to find software developer talent, there’s a lot more you can try.
- Personal connections. Speak to people in your network and let them know you're hiring. Ask other developers that you work with if they can recommend anyone for the role.
- LinkedIn and other social media. Don't underestimate the power of social networks. As well as speaking to your contacts in person, a quick post on LinkedIn could help expand your search.
- Tech conferences. These events aren't just for companies to exhibit. They're also a great place to meet new connections and discover new talent.
- Tech websites. Keep an eye on sites like GitHub, StackOverflow, and Quora, where developers share open-source projects and trade advice.
- Developer meetups and hackathons. These events are a great way to see developers in action, whether you attend a local meetup or even host your own.
- Campus recruitment, job fairs, and bootcamps. If you're looking for junior developers, these are effective places to recruit.
- Recruitment agencies. An IT recruitment agency can help you tap into local and professional networks to expand your search even further.
Explore nearshoring and offshoring
If it’s difficult to hire the developers you need locally, then you could consider outsourcing. There are two main ways that this happens in tech:
- Offshoring means recruiting talent from other regions and continents.
- Nearshoring means recruiting from neighbouring countries.
Nearshoring and offshoring can help you hire talent at a lower budget. However, there are potential trade-offs too. You’ll need to weigh the impact of different time zones, culture fit, and ease of communication.
Whether you’re hiring locally, regionally, or offshore, a recruitment agency can make your search more effective. Greenfield IT has been a trusted software development recruiter for 15 years. Get in touch to find out how we can help you
Step 5: Interview stages
If you work with a recruitment agency, they’ll screen candidates for you and possibly even hold a first round of interviews. However, the final interviews are always up to you.
Like every other step of the recruitment process, you’ll need a strategy.
- Who will attend the interviews? Some companies like other employees to speak to candidates, as well as the hiring manager.
- What questions will you ask? Plan in advance so that you get all the information you need from the interview.
Tips on interviewing software developers
Your recruiter may be able to help with interview strategy and questions. They should also help you communicate with candidates, making the experience as smooth as possible.
Here are some of the techniques we’ve developed over 15 years of recruiting software developers:
- Create a standardised list of requirements before the interview, so that all candidates are assessed in the same way. This makes the process fairer — and more efficient.
- Keep it conversational. You don't have to speak in a stiff, formal tone just because it's an interview. Remember that you want to get a sense of each candidate as a potential co-worker.
- Ask open-ended questions that give candidates a chance to talk about their experiences and soft skills.
- Ask about technical experience to understand their skill level. You could develop this into a "technical conversation" to test their skills, but you might need another software developer to assist you.
Step 6: Conduct technical competency tests
Talking about technical experience is just one part of assessing a candidate’s skills. You’ll also need concrete evidence of what they can do.
There are several different ways to check technical competency:
- Technical tests or tasks
- Pair programming
- Asking candidates to present open-source projects they've worked on
Tips on assessing software developers
It’s important to strike a balance between assessing software developers and respecting their time.
- Keep the assessment short. Remember that candidates have other commitments and responsibilities, and their time is valuable.
- Keep the assessment simple. Focus on what you want to measure — don't add extra tasks just for the sake of it.
- Give feedback afterwards. This shows applicants that you appreciate their time and could help strengthen a future application.
Step 7: Choose the right developer
When you write a job description, you should already have a mental image of your ideal candidate. As you search for applicants, screen them, and work through interviews, that image might become more blurry. But these are the key points to come back to:
- Technical skills. Do they have the technical skills required for the job?
- Experience. Are they at the right professional level for the role? Have they worked on similar projects before?
- Soft skills. Will they work well with the people you already have? When you were setting up interviews, did they seem communicative and reliable?
If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, then you’ll need to think carefully about the candidate. Consider whether you want to train a developer for the role, or whether you need them to hit the ground running.
9 Tips on hiring software developers
The final decision on who to hire always rests with the hiring manager. But at Greenfield IT, we’ve recruited a lot of software developers — so here are our tips on getting the best results.
1. Speak to a recruitment agency
The right recruitment agency will save you time, effort, and money. They’ll also have access to more contacts and networks than you would on your own, giving you a greater pool of candidates.
2. Don’t judge candidates solely on resumes & qualifications
Unlike other professions, a significant number of software developers are self-taught. They might not hold degrees or certificates, but they could still have the skills and experience that you’re looking for.
3. Test candidates with real-world problems
Practical tasks are a more effective way to assess candidates than quizzes about obscure technical points. As well as seeing their skills in action, you’ll also get a sense of their working style.
4. Highlight mandatory skills from the outset
Make a list of “must-haves” — essential skills, experience, or qualifications — and make them clear in the job description. Then design your screening and interview process to test for everything on the list.
5. Consider if the candidate would fit your company culture
The most qualified candidate in the world will still be the wrong candidate if they can’t work with your team. Interviews are a good way to test for soft skills like communication and collaboration.
6. Be transparent
Make sure that candidates know your requirements, expectations, and what you can offer them. Be specific (“this role will be in-person every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday”) rather than vague (“our team works in the office some of the time”).
7. Prioritise soft skills
Software development isn’t just about coding. Developers also need the soft skills to understand user requirements, collaborate with other teams, and receive feedback.
8. Offer training programmes
Opportunities for professional growth are one of the most important factors that developers look for in a new job. If you can offer training or funding to gain new skills, mention that in the job description. As well as attracting new hires, this can also increase employee satisfaction and retention.
9. Act fast
Good software developers don’t stay on the market for long, so act quickly and decisively when you find the right candidate for your role.
How does the recruitment process differ when it’s carried out remotely?
An increasing number of software teams work remotely — which means they hire remotely, too.
If you’re hiring remotely rather than in-person, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Use technology to your advantage. Collaboration software and pair programming could help you monitor assessment tasks in real time, for example.
- Be mindful of time zones when you're setting up interviews. Choose a time of day that suits everyone, so that the candidate and interviewer can both be at their best.
- Set clear expectations for how your team communicates when they're working remotely.
How Greenfield IT can help
Companies all over the UK trust Greenfield IT to help them recruit software developers.
Here’s what makes us stand out.
- Expertise. With 15 years in IT recruitment, we understand software development inside out.
- Adaptability. The job market changes all the time, so our recruitment strategies change to match.
- Knowledge. Our recruiters stay up to date on market trends and in-demand skills.
- Communication. We'll be by your side all the way through the recruitment process, from job descriptions to onboarding successful candidates.
- Extensive network. Every recruiter at Greenfield IT is a specialist in tech recruitment, with access to local contacts, networks, and professional groups.
- Attention to detail. We believe that every stage of the recruitment process is equally important. Every detail will be tailored to your business and the role you're hiring for.
Greenfield IT can help you recruit software developers quickly, efficiently, and with powerful results. Speak to one of our specialist recruitment consultants today.
