How To Find Developers For Startup In 2024: A Complete Guide

In today’s digital age, having skilled software developers and engineers is crucial for the success of a tech-driven company. However, it’s increasingly time-consuming and challenging to find developers for startup – let alone hire and onboard them. The task is even tougher because only 2.1% of professional software developers actively seek a job.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to find a Software developer for startups. It includes a comprehensive hiring process to find and recruit the best software developers quickly. 

Step 1: Define The Type Of Software Developer You Want To Hire

Not all developers have similar responsibilities or share similar expertise. Therefore, it’s crucial to identify the skill set of the type of developer you require to ensure the right fit for your company.  

Frontend Developers: 

The frontend is what users interact with – whether it’s an app, a website, or some other interface. Creating the front end typically requires the know-how of programming or scripting languages such as JavaScript or Python and design talent.  

Backend Developers: 

While the front end is a software’s chassis, the backend is an engine. These developers usually work in compiled languages like C++ or Java. Plus, they have a better understanding of database technologies like SQL. 

Full-Stack Developers: 

A full-stack software developer can manage frontend and backend tasks. They can even help with project coordination and application design in an enterprise setting. 

In addition to the above, there are other types of developers, including ones skilled in Artificial Intelligence, security, big data, and middleware. 

To recruit effectively, consider the software your company builds and the skills required for your development team. 

Understand The Key Software Developer Skills And Qualities

Want to find a programmer for your startup? Determine the key software developer skills and qualities that make them stand out. 

Look for key skills in potential applicants, such as strong problem-solving, programming proficiency, and excellent communication.

Software developers need technical know-how of programming, algorithms, and data structures. This will help create new features and creative solutions to scale your company.  

In addition to technical expertise, developers should know how to communicate effectively to understand end-users requirements and provide functional apps or software. Their meticulousness ensures error-free, optimized code.

Another important skill to consider in a potential developer is how they perform under pressure. Often, they handle complex projects and tight deadlines; however, the ability to remain focused and calm enables them to provide quality software solutions. 

Also, look for candidates who are passionate about learning and adaptable to new techs and further their learnings. The software development field is evolving constantly, requiring developers to stay updated on the latest trends.

A good developer is always eager to learn and enhance their skills.

Define The Scope Of Their Role

Make sure to clearly outline the tasks and projects the developer will be managing. Some of these can include coding, debugging, or collaborating with cross-functional teams. 

Be specific about what you expect from them. This will help you shortlist the best software developers for your startup and streamline your recruitment process. 

Step 2: Write A Compelling Job Post

Writing job descriptions of any kind can be challenging. It’s incredibly easy to get bogged down in jargon and tempted to copy-paste details from internal or other job postings. However, writing a job post for a role as crucial as a software developer has some additional complexity. 

If you lack a technical background, you’ll find it hard to correctly understand and use job-specified lingos. In addition, software developers and engineers are in demand and often can be selective about which positions to apply. 

For this reason, you need to craft an engaging job post that grabs a prospect’s attention and convinces them that your organization can help them achieve their career goals. 

Also, since you work with a narrow candidate pool, employing inclusive language in your job posts is crucial so it attracts as many skilled applicants as possible. 

Now that you know why writing compelling job posts is important, let’s learn how to write one.  

How To Write A Compelling Job Post

Believe it or not, writing an effective job post is vital when seeking top-notch software developers. 

Listed below are a few killer steps for how to create a compelling job post that helps attract the best talent:

1. Craft A Clear Job Title

While you should be concise in every aspect of a software developer job description, remember to include the right information – particularly in a job title. 

Job titles are the first things candidates see when searching for a job. You can easily make your title stand out from others by adding relevant, compelling information like:

• Seniority level.
• Type of developer such as full-stack or backend.
• Sub-field within the position, if applied (e.g., artificial intelligence or mobile applications).
• Required programming languages.
• Other relevant details that may compel software developers to click on the job post include starting salary or location. 

For instance, use a title like “Full-Time Senior Backend Developer” or “Entry Level Full Stack Developer – Digital Development – Chicago.”

Your job post should provide a comprehensive job description covering project details, developer responsibilities, required technical skills, experience, and unique qualifications. However, ensure that your requirements are relevant and match the profile of your ideal candidate.

As per Statista, 19% of software developers have 1-4 years of experience, while 29% have 5-9 years of coding experience. 

2. Add Relevant Keywords

Make sure to use keywords specific to the software development field. This helps optimize your post for relevant candidates and makes it easier for job boards to match expertise and qualifications. 

For instance, if you need a software engineer proficient in Android development, use keywords like “Android development” and “Android developer” in your job posts. 

You can also include job locations so local applicants can easily find your listing.

3. Define Application Instructions

Clearly outline in your job post how applicants should apply, specifying any required documents such as cover letters, resumes, and code samples.

4. Proofread & Publish

Ensure your post is error-free and well-written. This reflects your company’s competency and professionalism. Edit thoroughly and only publish it on relevant platforms after you verify its grammatical accuracy.

Step 3: Post The Job Ad To Broaden The Search

You have crafted a compelling job post for a software developer position, but where will you post it?

From general and niche-specific job boards to social media platforms and networking, numerous options are available to post your job opening and find a software developer for your startup. 

Let’s discuss each separately to give you a better understanding:

Post the Job On General Sites

According to one report, 60% of applicants use online job boards – whether general or niche-specific. Post your job ad to general posting websites, as they get good traffic and are free to use. 

Make sure to post the job on as many general sites as possible to find a developer that meets your criteria. Here are a few examples:

• Indeed: A free resume search engine to connect with potential job applicants ready for new opportunities.
• Glassdoor: A free platform with employee reviews, company information, salaries, and job openings.
• Wellfound: This platform enables you to post your job openings for free, vet applicants faster, and enhance the hiring rate. 

It’s incredibly easy to post job openings on these general sites. All you need to do is choose a platform, create an account, fill in your software developer job details, set a budget, review, and publish it.

While general sites are great, their popularity means more competition for talent. It would help if you put in extra effort to stand out in the competition. 

Share Job Openings On Social Media

Social media is one effective medium in your software developer talent acquisition. You can advertise your job openings on it. This will help you reach a wide audience of software developers. 

Some popular social media channels like Facebook and LinkedIn have extensive networks that enable you to share and disseminate job postings among professionals quickly. 

Make sure to create professional, informative, and engaging job posts. No matter your social media platform, you should remain active and respond promptly to various comments or queries. 

Still confused? Follow the best practices to the T to find a software developer that fits the bill:

• Set up different social media channels for software developer recruiting. 
• Post several times a day. Ensure 70% of the job posts contain original content while 30% come from other listings or sources. 
• Use videos and images to show company culture, software quality, and tech projects.
• Whenever possible, engage with your target audience. (e.g., like or share posts).
• Advertise job posts on Facebook.
• Encourage current employees to share, comment, and like your posts.
• Be proactive. Use LinkedIn and Facebook to research and hire software developers/engineers from your competitors. You can also target and recruit recent graduates. 

Use Paid Ad To Promote The Position On Google

When creating a job post, you aim to ensure that people see it. However, your success largely depends on where you put the job ads and which job boards you choose. 

While free job boards seem like a good option, they’re only useful if they attract candidates who are a good fit for your job and are in the right location.

It would be best to consider using paid ads such as Google For Jobs. They will display your software developer job post and other related job openings so potential candidates can easily find you and apply for the role.  

Google For Jobs has some excellent features that help companies reach many applicants. For instance, you can target certain locations and demographics and set specific requirements like experience and education. 

This helps you attract candidates that best meet your job descriptions.  

Post The Job On Board Dedicated To Software Developers

In addition to general posting sites, you should post job openings on different tech job boards. This will help narrow the search for good software developers for your company. 

Many companies use job boards specific for developers and engineers to find the next skilled tech pro. They have a wide pool of excellent candidates to choose from. 

Additionally, when you post your job opening on these specific, high-traffic job boards, your listing will appear credible and attract the most exposure. This helps you find the right fit. 

Some popular niche-specific job boards include Dice, Crunchboard, Mashable, Indeed Prime, and DevITjobs. Check out our guide on the best software developer sites. 

When it comes to posting, the process is rather easy. Choose a job board, create an account, and fill in job details. Plus, include your company information and set job preferences and application deadlines. 

Review your job post and then publish it. 

Ask Employees For Referrals

Besides social media, you can also ask employees for a referral – it’s a tried and tested method to find developers for startup. 

When an employee refers to a person, there’s a high chance that they will be a good match. That’s because the referrer knows what your organization does and project requirements. 

In addition, referrals not only help you find suitable candidates but also help considerably cut recruitment costs. 

Rather than spending resources to advertise job posts, you can easily acquire applicants with essential software developer skills using employee referrals. 

Wondering how to execute it? It’s simple! 

Create employee referral programs to encourage employees to partake in your software developer recruitment process. The program provides rewards for referrals that lead to hires. 

Make sure your employees know that the software engineers or developers they refer must have the required qualifications, skills, work ethic, attitude, and experience. 

Network At Online Tech Events

Although job boards are convenient and offer a good pool of applicants, you should also use online, face-to-face interactions. One efficient way to connect with developers is to attend tech meetups and online networking events. These online events attract professionals who actively seek new and better opportunities. 

Unlike other options, networking enables you to build relationships and understand the applicant’s skills and personality. In addition, you can even show your organization’s values and culture to attract top talent.

From industry conferences and hackathons to developer meetups, there are various events you can explore. Check out some upcoming developer events on this page.

While engaging, you can mention your job opening and follow up with interested individuals. Make sure to conduct conversations with curiosity and genuine interest. Also, listen to their stories and what motivates them. 

Share The Opening In Software Developer Communities

You can join communities for software developers, specialized programming languages, or mobile developers. 

Software developers use these forums to share their knowledge, expertise, and solutions to help their fellow developers.

Going through their content can help you understand whether they have the required experience and are a perfect fit for your project or team. 

Wondering how to do it? 

First, find resources and communities where potential software developer applicants share their expertise and observe. Some dedicated developer communities include GitHub, StackOverflow, Hashnode, and Freecodecamp.  

Build your presence on the platform by responding to queries, sharing quality content, and following community guidelines. This way, you can invite qualified candidates for a quick chat. 

Step 4: Vet Software Developers

Finding the right software developers or engineers for your projects is important for their success. 

How you vet candidates is crucial in finding reliable and skilled tech professionals who meet your company’s culture and project requirements. 

Check out our comprehensive guide for how to vet software developers. 

Nevertheless, here are a few steps you can take to vet and find a software developer for a startup effectively:

Conduct A Pre-Screening Interview

Also called a preliminary interview, pre-screening is an early stage of the recruitment process. 

It helps you evaluate various software developer candidates and identify if they meet the basic requirements for the job. 

You can use a pre-screening interview to:

• Check if a candidate’s expectations align with the applied position.
• Review if they’re qualified for the job.
• Determine if they fit the company culture.
• Verify if the candidate’s salary expectations match the offered range.
• Ensure the candidate has the required qualifications and skills for the position.
• Avoid investing time in unsuitable candidates.
• Reduce the number of candidates for managers and leadership teams to interview.
• Evaluate the current job market and available skills.

There are three types of screening interview including,: questionnaire, video and phone screening interviews. Screening interviews typically lasting around 15-30 minutes. 

To learn more, check out our screening interview guide. 

Conduct A Coding Assessment

It can be increasingly challenging to gauge a developer’s capabilities by checking their resume only. A coding assessment can help determine if a software developer fits a role and has the required technical expertise to manage software apps or projects. 

Many HR managers and recruiters use random online coding tests, which isn’t very efficient. This is because only some tests are suitable to review a software engineer’s skills.

Instead, it would help if you created a coding challenge or presented a real-life situation to gauge their abilities. You can use many online coding test platforms and automated vetting tools for software developers such as Codility, CoderPad, HackerRank, or  Coderbyte. 

They allow you to offer custom coding challenges, helping you see how candidates approach and solve problems.

Besides, these platforms provide features like drawing mode, live coding challenges, and take-home projects to present various coding challenges to applicants. 

You’ll be able to thoroughly evaluate the applicant and find the most proficient one with exceptional coding skills.

Note: You can ask candidates to solve coding challenges/problems your company tries to solve or has solved before. 

Conduct The Remote/In-Person Technical Interview

Once satisfied with the live coding interview or coding test, you should jump straight to the remote/in-person technical interview. 

This interview will help you understand applicants’ thought processes and problem-solving skills. Ask candidates some coding-related questions. 

Here are some questions you can ask software developer applicants in a technical interview:

• How would you find and fix bugs in an app?
• What quality control processes do you use in software development?
• Can you name ways to make a site faster?
• What’s black-box testing?
• What does a sandbox do, and are there alternatives?

Want to know how to perform a successful technical interview to find the right developers for your startup? 

Here are some quick tips (You can also read through our guide on how to conduct a technical interview):

• Know exactly what you want to find out in the interview.
• Set up a clear and consistent way to conduct interviews to keep things organized.
• Plan your questions ahead to prevent improvising. Check out our article, Software Developer Interview Questions, for more ideas on what questions to ask. 
• Pay attention to what the candidate is good at and what matters most to them. 
• Use the interview to understand the candidate’s personality and if they’ll fit well with your software engineering team. 
• Keep a balance between bias and objectivity. 

Note: You should use the remote/in-person technical interview to impress candidates and persuade them to accept your offer if selected. 

Step 5: Hire The Best Software Developer

It’s time to finalize your hiring process. Once you find the right applicant for the role, you should make an attractive offer to them and start on-boarding. Let’s explore this in detail:

Make An Offer

At this point, you should know which software developer candidate you want to recruit. Give the applicant a call to share the good news of their success. 

Then, you can send an email with the formal job offer. Ensure your email contains the job description, additional benefits, salary amount, and starting date.

Onboard New Software Developers

Onboarding is the final stage in a software developer recruitment process that you should pay attention to. Make good first impressions and get your new employee up and running quickly with an organized and detailed onboarding process. 

Poor onboarding of new software developers often leads to high turnover and isolation. Regardless of how technically proficient and experienced your new hires are, they can benefit from good orientations. 

Ensure they get every support they require. You should also give them constant and clear feedback and open communication lines. Learn more in our complete guide on how to onboard software developers.

Here are a few steps on how to onboard a new software developer:

• Explain to the new hire your workflows.
• Make sure the developer understands their job responsibilities. 
• Provide all the required documentation. 
• Ensure that a senior reviews their programming skills and provides the necessary feedback in time.

Find Software Developers For Startup

Companies of all sizes and shapes and across industries require a team of developers to stay competitive.  

No matter whether you’re a startup founder or tech executive, your company’s success hinges on hiring the right software developer. 

Although finding and hiring the best developers can be tricky, you can easily attract the top pool of candidates with the right guidelines and steps. 

From defining the kind of developer you want and writing compelling job posts to exploring multiple channels to broaden your reach and vetting, the guide will help you find software developers who can help scale your company.  

Happy recruiting!

Find Software Developers For Startup: FAQs