Hiring Developers and Common Challenges

The challenges faced by hiring developers require distinctive solutions

Observing the challenges companies face while hiring software developers, has led to a conclusion of possibilities on why, as well as different solutions. One noticeable change seems to be a lack of talent within computer science graduates, although there is no shortage of new graduates.

“Companies must start hiring developers with “soft skills,” as complimentary skills can be learned throughout the process.”

Developer Talent Shortage?

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact problem, but talent shortage is a possibility. It is not difficult to find applicants in software development, but it’s been shown that after the screening process, most of the applicants fall short of impressing employers. With insufficient candidates, man jobs are being outsourced, or issued to immigrants, along with the H1B visa so they may come to the U.S. and work. Talent, or lack thereof, is not the only issue. Another challenge software developers are facing is the compensation.

Companies are challenged by rivals when making proposals to their ideal candidate, and it is possible that the contenders for your company could also be using your offer as a starting negotiating point with another company, in efforts to obtain the best compensation and benefits. With the demand for qualified developers on the rise, software companies in competition for qualified developers will have to deal with negotiations from other companies offering higher salaries and preferable benefits, even after hiring your selected developer.

The competition is cutthroat and there is no time to be lax between the hiring process and officially working. Another mistake that does not garner enough attention is the importance of diversity, or lack of with software developers.

The employee demographic of major software companies is mainly composed of the Caucasian and Asian men demographic, however this does not only fall in fault with employers, as both women and minorities are not fairly enticed by universities to change this picture.

The challenges faced by hiring developers require distinctive solutions. Software development teams are focused on hiring people with skills such as programming languages, frameworks, coding etc. Today’s developers offer a variety of skillsets, so for companies looking for specific skillset will find their applicants swiftly reduced to just a few.

This is a mistake. The remaining applicants may not be the best overall performers either. Structured interviews should be created when hiring developers. What companies should keep in mind is that skills can be learned and diminish as well.

Companies must start hiring developers with “soft skills,” as complimentary skills can be learned throughout the process. One developer may pick up a new coding language must faster than his peers, despite not meeting the “hard skill” requirement that was originally posted. Leveraging your data is vital, and for larger companies, hiring based on your intuition is no longer acceptable.

This is where the Cangrade comes into play.

What Cangrade does is use AI and Machine Learning techniques in order to create a Success Model. The model is used to most accurately predict employee success based on whatever skill sets that you deem as most important and necessary for your company. The Cangrade holds no built-in bias, which is wonderful when aiming for a diversity initiative as well.

Making efforts in recruiting processes can positively impact your company in the long run. The hiring process should be completed with the idea that you are hiring for long-term. Using solutions like Cangrade offers recruiters a more diverse candidate base along with focusing on soft skills first instead of hard skill. The ultimate goal is to hire developers who will raise the value of your company by producing specialized skills in the long run for your company.