Recruiting a skilled and dependable programmer is always a challenge — even if you’re a professional developer yourself. But it’s especially difficult for non-technical recruiters.

If you don’t have the ability to sit down and scrutinize a candidate’s code, how can you decide whether to hire them? Here are some steps to avoid, and other steps to take instead.

Some of the tactics we recommend are objective: for example, there are ways to evaluate a candidate’s coding skills even if you don’t know how to code. Others will rely on soft skills and your best judgement about a candidate. After all, recruiting is still an art, not an exact science.

Steps to avoid when recruiting programmers

There are some things you can do as a recruiter that will increase your chances of hiring the WRONG developer.

1. Don’t hire a programmer before testing their skills

Would you believe that many developers are hired without proving they can actually write code? It’s true. In fact, computers are almost never used when assessing programmers.

An interview can tell you a lot about a candidate, but it’s no substitute for a real skills assessment. Be sure to test candidates before you hire them.

2. Don’t reach out to developers to ask them to apply

If you find a programmer who you think would be a great fit, don’t ask them to go through the regular application process. Instead, invite them for an interview.

Remember that, as a recruiter, you’re basically selling your company or organization to your prospects. You should make it as easy as possible for your prospect to say “yes.” Most prospects won’t be excited by an offer to complete an application.

3. Don’t just rely on job boards

Again, top programmers don’t want to spend their time responding to job applications and writing cover letters. When you post on a standard job board, you typically end up with a lot of unqualified applicants and a huge pile of applications to go through.

Instead, it’s more effective to actively search for the right person to fill the open position. You can do this through your own professional network, LinkedIn, or even programming communities like GitHub.

4. Don’t look for a specialist

Unless you have a job that requires someone with highly specialized skills, it’s better to hire a skilled and motivated generalist than a specialist. A great coder should be able to learn any new language.

Of course, you don’t want to over-generalize the job description. If you fail to provide enough context about the job, you’ll risk leaving prospects disinterested in the opportunity. The best programmers love to solve problems, so give them something exciting to tackle and they’ll come running.

How to hire a coder who’s the right fit

Now that you know what NOT to do, here’s our advice on how to master the art of recruiting software developers.

1. Provide an interesting challenge

Think of the role you’re trying to fill not as a job, but as an interesting problem that needs to be solved. Make it exciting and be sure to include examples of the real-world challenges the successful candidate will be working on.

The job needs to be interesting, but not necessarily fun. Highlighting your company’s happy hour policy or video game tournaments isn’t what will attract the best developers. The best developers are looking for the most exciting challenges to test and hone their skills.

Also, don’t forget to show your own genuine passion for your work. People are more willing to join an organization with employees who are happy and engaged in their work.

2. Respond to the best applications right away

Most people are familiar with the anxiety that follows the submission of a job application.

Will they actually read my cover letter? Will they see how qualified I am? How long will it take them to email me back?

Applying for jobs is stressful. Applicants want to know their application was received and read. But too often hiring managers decide to ignore applications or, even worse, wait something like six months to respond.

By that time, it’s usually too late: the applicant has moved on to another job, is no longer interested, or, worst of all, is insulted that it took so long to get back to them.

So if you receive an application from a qualified candidate, reach out to them right away. If you wait, you might miss your chance to hire the best person for the job.

3. Network with actual programmers

These days, there’s no shortage of online and real-world programming communities you can join. Any vibrant programming community is a good place to meet skilled coders who might be interested in new challenges — even if they’re not actively looking for a job.

The best way to find skilled coders is to go where they hang out, join them, and show a genuine interest in their work.

4. Give candidates a real and relevant coding challenge

Once you have a qualified candidate in your office for an interview, make sure to give them a real coding challenge. Don’t ask them to write out their code on a whiteboard. Give them a computer and let them do what they do best.

Work with your programming team to come up with something unique. Don’t just turn to Google for programming tests — there’s a good chance the candidate will have encountered the problem or something like it before.

Create a test that’s actually relevant to your organization’s work. You could even base the test on a current project you’re working so you can really evaluate how the candidate will perform if you hire them.

You could also use online coding tests as an initial screen for qualified candidates. For example, Indorse offers several coding evaluations and gives members the option to upload code via GitHub and have it validated by a crowdsourced group of expert developers. You can then choose to automatically reject candidates who don’t the basic skills you require.

Conclusion

Hiring the right programmer is a daunting challenge, but with patience, perseverance, and a little bit of testing you can find a developer who has all the right skills for the job — even if you have zero programming skills.

Remember to avoid:

Hiring without testing skills

Making it hard or tedious for top talent to apply

Relying solely on job boards

Looking for a specialist, unless the job is highly specific

Instead, you can master the art of hiring by:

Giving prospects a unique and interesting challenge

Responding to top applicants right away

Networking with actual programmers

Testing candidates, first with an online skills test, then with a test that’s more relevant to the work you have to get done

Save time and interview only tech candidates who meet your standards!

If you’re looking for a simple way to evaluate your applicants’ programming skills (without reading code yourself), consider using Indorse. With the help of renowned industry experts ready to assess your tech candidates, you will be able to save valuable time and directly interview those who meet your standards!