Software is dominating the world. The demand for software developers is at an all time high, it could be stated that Software developers chose their companies and start ups rather than the company choosing them.
However, with an increase in the number of Developers, it is difficult for companies to hire a software development team that is suitable for the job. Finding the right candidate is a strenuous and demanding task as miss-hires are costly and often devastating for companies. If someone asks a company, who is looking to hire a software development team, what’s their hiring criteria? Majority of them would say a company that knows how to code – well not everything is dependent on coding.
In this article we will highlight some of the key points that need to be considered before hiring a software development team.
Let’s dig in!
Where to search for a software developer team?
After you decide that what category of software team would be best suited for your company, you need to start the search, some of the methods are listed below
Recommendation
The word of mouth is the most reliable source as long as it comes from someone you trust and she/he has first hand experience with the team he/she is recommending. In a survey it was found that 64% of the executives said that they believe word of mouth is the most effective method of marketing. Write For US
So when someone you know and believe shares details of an amazing software vendor, ask them to set up a meeting with the vendor. However, you still need to evaluate the team yourself since everyone’s needs differ. It might have benefited your friend but it may not be useful to you depending upon the requirements.
Googling it
Another method is looking for a keyword in Google and then finding suitable results with respect to that keyword. If you are looking for a company in Pakistan to outsource the software development, you can simply look up “Outsourcing software development to Pakistan”
Freelancing websites
The last and the most popular option to opt for Freelancing websites like Flexjobs, remotive, Upwork, gaper etc.
All these above-mentioned websites are pretty common among people. However, not many know about the wonderful platform called. Gaper will match you with the most suitable engineer/engineers for your company and they give you a free trial run of two weeks. If you don’t think the engineer is for you then no charges.
Although at first it might seem that hiring on these freelancing websites is easy and time saving. It is not the case that you have to filter and invest time in these websites to find the software team suitable for you. You have to be careful while filtering as well, if you don’t take care you may end up with a wrong hire!
How to assess a software development team?
Get to know the company
Every establishment has a different background and a story, building communication by conversing about each other’s business. This will acquaint you with the company and person on the backfoot.
Inquire about the software development approach they generally take so that you have an idea of how they operate. In the next step, discuss your requirements with them. It is imperative that your potential software team grasps all the features and technicalities and the complete user flow. This will ensure success in development in later years.
Inquire about their technical knowledge and Experience
As we all know, practical Insight improves competence. Information and Knowledge about technology aids the project overall. Take extra care here. It is not necessary that the software team has solved a problem same as yours or developed something on those lines. What you have to ensure is if they have dealt with projects of similar intricacy.
In addition, experience in similar industries can help them understand issues and solve problems proactively and quickly hence, reducing the development time.
Communication level
As I mentioned earlier, hiring a team that just knows coding will not get you anywhere. Effective communication is the key to success in the Software industry. Get yourself a team that speaks fluent English but more importantly who can come up with logical reasoning and sensible talk and not just nod their heads to everything being thrown at them.
Common hiring mistakes to keep in mind
Give preference to quality over money. If your only goal is to hire a software development team at the cheapest of prices. Believe me it is going to cost you heavily at the end of the day. So get your priorities straight
Hiring without any initial research is one of the most common mistakes in this industry. Verify the company’s credentials, keep a check on their history and interactions with past and present clients. Lack of research can throw all your efforts down the pit
Not vividly stating your requirements is another blunder. If you don’t communicate your requirements properly or are struggling with having a clear vision of your software, it would just lead to unfavourable results and misunderstandings.