Your team of software developers comprises creative professionals who are skilled in developing applications for the web and mobile. If you are hiring a software developer for your team, searching for the right aptitudes is important. Various skills are required to carry out the role efficiently, and, of course, looking for top programming skills is fundamental.
Front-end developers vs. back-end developers
Front-end developers are responsible for producing a website’s code from the user experience (UX) perspective. This means they are involved with creating a web page's structure and design and ensuring its design can be optimized for mobile.
Their role also involves working alongside user experience analysts or designers to oversee a wireframe’s development. This includes identifying user experience issues and suggesting solutions that help to influence the design positively. They are also responsible for getting the right balance between a webpage’s design aesthetics and its functions.
According to CareerExplorer, a back-end developer "builds and maintains the technology needed to power the components which enable the user-facing side of the website to exist." Back-end development is what makes the front-end developers' work function.
Other back-end developer responsibilities include debugging applications, building code and libraries that can be reused in the future, and working with system administrators to identify new features. They also liaise with front-end developers to ensure the UX and user-facing elements can be integrated with server-side logic.
What about full stack developers?
A full-stack developer is responsible for designing user interactions on webpages. Their role consists of developing websites from the UX perspective, but they are also involved with server-side development.
Full-stack developers write code to enhance the cross-platform optimization of applications for mobile. They are also responsible for developing Application Programming Interfaces, which allows applications on different platforms to connect.
Each of these software developer roles relies on various skills, which you can assess in different ways.
Which skills should you look for when hiring a software developer?
The aptitudes required for software development roles include several specific key skill areas, including technical skills, team-based skills, and soft skills. These are essential skills that you should prioritize when hiring a software developer.
Technical skills
The fundamental technical skills required for your vacancy should include a range of programming languages. Depending on the software developer role you are hiring for, your candidates should show super technical skills in different areas.
Your front-end developer, for instance, might need proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In contrast, your back-end developer will most likely need to be familiar with PHP, Python, MEAN, Ruby on Rails, and Java. And if you are hiring a full-stack developer, you should prioritize candidates with a combination of these programming languages.
Team-based skills
Team-based skills are now essential for all developers. The days of the lone developer have now gone. Your team’s success depends on candidates who can communicate effectively and work within a team.
To achieve this, you might look for a developer who can work using an agile methodology – a candidate who can organize themselves and work within cross-functional teams. Searching for a good fit for your company culture is also important, so finding candidates that align with the way your team works is essential.
Soft skills
Looking for nontechnical aptitudes is also important when hiring a software developer. For example, as remote working is on the rise in this field, you might prioritize candidates that are comfortable working from home.
You might also search for a candidate who is:
Approachable and supportive
Empathetic and patient
Open-minded and willing to adapt
A real problem solver
Creative and insightful, and
Good at time management
Each of these skills in these key areas can be screened in different ways.
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