Firstly, if you do not have any technical software development experience yourself, chances are you won’t quite know what to look for. Hiring the wrong software engineer or a web-development team will create more setbacks for you than solutions. Secondly, if your business cannot afford the time or monetary pressures that come with hiring skilled software developers, you probably don’t want to take away any of its already constrained resources.

In the past couple of years, the tech industry has seen the rise of several companies that specialize in addressing this very problem: helping firms hire highly skilled and vetted software engineers. Some call it talent-matching. Either way, it is recognized as a major gap in many markets; but a gap that has been identified.

But firstly, we need to identify the problem that we all make when it comes to hiring a software engineer. The most important thing that you need to consider is hiring a senior software engineer. The more experienced the engineer is, the better he/she will help your venture. For example, a senior software engineer would have a degree in computer science or higher and better certifications than an entry-level programmer. Also, having a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree won’t really affect the capabilities as much as genuine hands-on experience does.

Understanding The Importance Of Seniority

With the improvements in information technology, the demand for software engineers has skyrocketed. The even rare gem to find is a senior software engineer. The high demand and relatively short supply have generated a gap in the market. The cream of the crop companies have employed most of the senior engineers. Thus, leaving other companies truly unable to compete and having to make do with second-rate engineers who are undeserving of the title. This is only one of the many reasons why companies demand senior software engineers.

Every manager and business needs to know what makes senior software engineers more desirable than junior software engineers.

The most simplistic way of summing up the credibility of a senior software engineer is the higher seniority level of an engineer, the better likelihood of them being able to solve complex issues with astonishing solutions. However, we are looking at it in depth. Therefore, we can categorize the level of growth within a software engineer into different tiers according to their ability problem-solving and design products accordingly.

In the first tier, the software engineer should have the fundamental ability to identify and solve the identified problem quickly and effectively. The solution needs to be sufficiently documented, well functioning, and well tested enough to meet the standard set by the team. Most firms appear to believe that this is the degree of performance that can only be expected from a senior software engineer, but in reality, this should be considered the standard.

The second tier takes things up a notch. A software engineer at this tier is required to have an essential understanding that not only is he required to solve the problem according to a specific standard, but the solution needs to be done in a manner that enables the company to solve future problems at relative ease. The solution should also allow easy integration of various pieces of functionality that may be added in the future. Furthermore, the solution should be easy enough for the entire software team to understand, debug, or extend. In short, the engineer needs to pay wider attention to the current and future system being worked on, as well as the team.

Hiring a Vetted Remote Software Engineer on Your Own

If you are hiring software engineers yourself, you will also have to vet them on your own. There are a few key skills to look out for:

• Data Structures and Algorithms: Any potential hire needs to have a basic understanding of data structures and algorithms since these concepts are essential to the field of coding. Algorithms are a sequence of detailed instructions that the computer executes to arrive at a certain output. Data structures are organized collections of information in the databases.
• Knowledge of multiple programming languages: You should look for agile individuals who are proficient in at least two coding languages but also have some basic to intermediate fluency in others such as Full-stack, ruby, etc. Not only will this ensure that they are well-versed in the technical knowledge required of a good software engineer but will also enable them to tackle a diverse range of projects and problems.
• Understand the importance of cyber-security: You do not want to hire developers or engineers who will create risky and unsafe computer applications etc for you or your clients. Make sure that they are incorporating up-to-date cybersecurity features in their work.
• Soft skills: You may find someone with good technical skills but if they lack some necessary soft skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and productivity may suffer. Make sure the software engineer is able to collaborate well within a team to keep up good communication. Also, ensure that they are good at time-management so as to not overwork themselves but also to meet work deadlines.

Hiring Vetted Remote Engineers from Firms That Know How To Do It

As mentioned, there are professional firms that look towards bridging the gap between software engineering talent and businesses that need it.

Gaper.io is an emerging business that vets software engineers who can then be hired by any business that needs their services. Before letting a software engineer join their team, Gaper conducts a rigorous process of vetting which means that their teams are able to meet very high standards for any product they are developing. Furthermore, they also offer internships to those who wish to learn from the best. additionally, Gaper has a coding BootCamp which trains you to be a software developer within 4 months. In short, no need for an extended degree program anymore. All you need to do is study for four months and complete your course work on time and you are all ready to start gaining experience.

Similarly, Trio is another firm that maintains a roster of senior software engineers, programmers and consultants ready to impart their services whenever required. Like Gaper, there is no risk of hiring someone with a below-par skillset since their firm thoroughly evaluates the professionals they take on board. Turing also operates in a similar manner.

There are huge advantages if you adopt this approach. Firstly, you don’t have to go through the arduous and tedious task of posting job listings, shortlisting, interviewing, and shortlisting again, and then hiring remote software engineers. There is pretty much no risk of someone turning out to have poor programming skills. Teams from the aforementioned companies are known to be skilled in a very wide variety of languages and are capable of making web applications in a jiffy. Additionally, they are ready for a software related query at all times.

Your final choice ultimately depends on how much time and money you are willing to spend and how risk-averse you are. It isn’t exactly straightforward to hire pre-vetted software engineers in an office, let alone remotely. Assess your situation well before taking any major decisions. And remember, a degree in software or a bachelor in science does not guarantee the expertise of an individual but time and experience do.