How to Find Developers for a Startup? 10 Best Sources — QIT
Without rigorous execution, no business or idea can provide satisfying outcomes. You must understand how to find developers for a startup if you want to establish your own business. Especially if your background is non-tech, you have to comprehend the nuances of selecting the best candidate for the position.
Programmers are wizards in their own right. They use their coding to produce miraculous digital solutions. Therefore, you must hire a programmer to work for your company. You understand that hiring a developer or developers is necessary for your startup. But do you know how to go about doing it?
7 Steps to Follow Before Hiring a Developer
1. Describe what you want to create
First, you should ask yourself what your project is about. You may recruit developers for your company in the appropriate way if you clearly define the solution you want to create. Are web users, smartphone users, or both your intended audience?
Native technologies must be built to create a digital solution for web and mobile platforms. You need to know how to find a developer for your startup that is knowledgeable in hybrid development technologies if you want a solution that will work on both mobile and the web. Examples of frameworks for hybrid mobile apps:
- Ionic
- React Native
- Xamarin
- Flutter
You might have to choose between iOS and Android regarding mobile solutions. The development of the application has no overlaps. An Android developer cannot create a comprehensive, native iOS application. The same applies when it’s reversed.
A distinct SDK is furthermore needed for the creation of applications for iOS and Android. Because of this, it’s essential to choose the platform before learning how to employ a programmer for a business.
2. Analyze Competitors and Their Products
Examine the already-existing solutions that follow the same principles after choosing the platform. Studying competitors can help you improve the acceptance of your solution and choose the best programmers for the startup. Before learning how to hire programmers for your business, it is important to understand the practicality of any solution.
Once you’ve compiled a list of related solutions, make a note of the following:
- Their characteristics
- What issues do they address?
- Who is your ideal customer?
- How do they approach the customer?
- Recognize the concerns and issues
You may better understand the type of solution you want to develop by finding the answers to these questions. Consequently, hiring programmers for a startup will be easier if you are aware of the essential application needs. Thus you will then be aware of the questions to pose to the developer to better understand their skill set.
3. Establish the Value Proposition of Your Product
You may create a strong value proposition for your solution using the following three factors:<br>
- Quantitative benefits for users
- Differentiation
- Relevance
For these goals, developing a value proposition is essential. On the other hand, you’re trying to figure out how to find a software developer for a startup or an end user. Sharing your values, mission, and vision with the potential developer will help him resonate with your perspective.
4. Describe Your Application and The Ways It Operates
Make a how-to strategy for your solution to locate the best programmers for your startup. Write everything down for the solutions’ operational sequences or develop a rough version.
Create an application’s UX and UI mockup if you can. It is essential to find a coder and demonstrate what they may anticipate from working with your firm. Make a user path to demonstrate how you anticipate the user interacting with your product. For startups looking to hire programmers, this knowledge is essential.
Next, write down the things you want the MVP version to include. This will help you throughout the interview.
The following basic characteristics are necessary for any application:
- Notifications
- Contact
- Profile Creation
- Registration or Sign-Up
In addition to this, you also need to make a list of certain solution-specific characteristics.
To learn how a programmer approaches the development process, you might inquire about features before hiring them for your startup. We’re producing this guide to give company owners of all technical backgrounds a better notion of what to look for in a candidate.
Even a non-technical founder has to know where to go for software developers for their business. Your ideal coder should be able to choose the appropriate technology and framework from all the listed qualities. Additionally, they must be aware of how long it will take to include them in the program.
Road map plan
Finally, develop a solution road plan. You need to understand how to proceed with each milestone to locate a programmer for your startup. As a result, before calling prospects in for interviews, set a budget and a timetable. Up until this point, we concentrated on developing a thorough plan for your application. Again, for the founders of non-tech startups, this component is vital.
Let’s proceed right now. In this article, we’ll discuss how to identify the best candidate when hiring a software engineer for your startup. You are familiar with the software creation part. Let’s talk about who will create it and select the best candidate for the creation process.
5. Recognize What to Look For
Always keep these two things in mind:
- Software development is a team effort.
Although you could employ a full-stack developer for the assignment, no one individual could do it perfectly.
- Not everyone will find software development to be straightforward.
Finding the proper individual is essential before hiring engineers for a business. Employing iOS mobile app developers won’t be beneficial if your app is web-based.
There are several groups of developers, indeed. Some people work on front-end projects, while others are involved in back-end work. Middle-tier, full-stack, desktop, web, mobile, and so forth are all available.
Also read: How to Build an Effective Software Development Team Structure?
6. Recognize Where to Find Developers
The vital component of how to locate a software developer for a company is this. According to a CB Insights survey, poor teams cause 23% of startups to fail. It also takes 3.6 times longer to succeed while working alone. Before you recruit developers, think about these two factors. This suggests that you cannot operate alone and that you should form a strong team if you do. To proceed, you must comprehend the value of a developer to your startup.
7. Begin the Interview With the Applicant
You will sit down with a large stack of resumes before the interview, gathered from sitting down with a large stack of resumes before the interview, gathered from both online and offline sources. Therefore, the initial objective is to narrow down this group of possibilities based on:
- Experience (Academic and practical)
- What do they do?
- A number of jobs
- Companies they worked for
- Products they contributed to
- Praise and Recommendations (for online portals, see customer reviews).
You must be knowledgeable about two different sorts of factors before attending the interview to hire programmers for startups:
- Hard Skills
- Soft Skills
The general personality and manner of people are examples of soft skills. Technical expertise and subject-specific knowledge are considered hard skills. The candidate can outwit you in this case. So, be careful about what you ask and how you ask.
Also read: 6 Tips for Hiring a Software Developer at a Startup in 2023.
A Quick Summary of Developers
Roles | Explanation | Key Duties | Used Frameworks |
Architect | Senior-level developer having familiarity with CI/CD and the major cloud service providers. Additionally, the system’s scalable, cost-effective design allows for the creation of automated, effective, flexible, and rollbackable release pipelines. | A sophisticated solution is built by architects under the demands and objectives of the business. Additionally, they oversee the team, perform code and design reviews, and mentor and support various developers throughout the whole development process. | Typically, the development team’s architects are well-known in both the frontend and backend frameworks. |
Backend Developer | A backend developer’s responsibility is to oversee server-side development. By managing databases, scripts, and architecture, a back-end developer creates interfaces that users may access between the database and platform. | They are in charge of creating the logical code that runs the solution as well as designing and implementing it. A backend developer also takes care of the solution’s general performance and scalability. | Four key areas of development are handled by backend developers:Programming language;Server;Database;API.Programming languages like PHP, Java, and Python are used for these purposes.Additionally, they should be familiar with MongoDB, SQL, SQL Server, Redis, and MySQL when it comes to databases. |
Frontend Developer | A front-end developer works on the client side of the solution. This indicates that they take care of the presentation and aesthetic value.A front-end developer is responsible for the user experience that the application or website provides. | A front-end developer creates interactions and experiences for the digital solution.They must resonate with the human mind since they do not function with machines.Let’s say you are a company looking to hire programmers to work on hybrid or dual solutions for iOS and Android.They would then need to be completely knowledgeable about cross-compatibility and device-specific layouts. | The most crucial technologies and frameworks used by front-end developers include HTML, CSS, Angular JS, React, and Ionic.A front-end developer must have previous expertise using tools for prototyping and creating mockups because they are also responsible for the design elements. |
Full-Stack Developer | When trying to employ, you will also run with full-stack engineers for companies.A developer that is proficient in both frontend and backend technologies is known as a full-stack developer.These are the experts in CSS, HTML, ASP, PHP, Node, Python, JSON, and other technologies. | A full-stack developer will be in charge of carrying out the activities required for both sorts of functions since they comprehend the nuances of both the client side and the server side.Everything, from creating excellent interfaces to making sure API connections are swift and extremely effective. | There are several options available to full-stack developers in terms of frameworks.However, to write this advice on how to hire programmers for your business, we’ve compiled a list of the most significant, practical, and reliable frameworks they employ.The most popular ones include Ruby on Rails, jQuery, Node JS, Angular, Django, Flask, and React JS. |
Mobile Developer | It’s interesting to note that before the beginning of the 21st century, you would not have heard of a mobile developer if you were starting a firm.Today, however, the responsibility of developing mobile-based solutions falls to mobile developers. They might be for any platform and device. Windows, iOS, or Android are all options. | The primary duty of a mobile app developer is to create native applications with platform-specific features and functionality.Assume you are creating a mobile-only application for your online store that will work with all platforms.For your startup, you’ll need to know where to look for programmers with experience in mobile development. | The main development frameworks and platforms used by mobile developers include Objective C, Swift, and Java.In addition, employ developers who can bring knowledge of Xamarin, PhoneGap, and Flutter. |
The Top 10 Sources to Find Developers for Startups in 2023
1. GitHub
The biggest online developer community is on GitHub. It’s where developers host and review code, oversee projects, and create software. The platform, which is used by more than 50M developers, might be an excellent way to find developers for your company.
2. Gun.io
A platform called Gun.io was created to make it easier for business owners to recruit developers on a full- or part-time basis. One advantage of utilizing Gun.io is that they screen developers before enabling them to use their platform, confirm their programming abilities through exercises, and obtain recommendations from prior employers.
This implies that you will immediately have access to a community of 20,000 strong and successful developers.
3. Upwork
The largest freelancing online community is Upwork. It should come as no surprise that it’s an excellent platform for recruiting engineers. You may post a job on the site after signing up. Freelance developers will then “bid” on your job. The platform may then be used to evaluate applicants and choose whether to invite them for an interview.
4. Wellfound (Formerly AngelList Talent)
One of the most used platforms for hiring developers and all other disciplines that entrepreneurs seek is called Wellfound. The website brings together businesses, angel investors, and job seekers under one roof. Candidates may easily locate your job vacancies thanks to the platform’s social media-like dynamics.
You must visit the recruit page of Wellfound to post your position on the platform. After logging in, you’ll be asked to complete a form with information about your business.
Once your account is set up, you may post jobs for free or for $250 per month in a premium posting. Additionally, if you get in touch with them directly, they will choose individuals for you.
5. Stack Overflow
One of the most well-known online developer forums is Stack Overflow. It enables engineers and business titans to exchange information and educate one another.
Stack Overflow is a job board where you can post job listings and employ developers, similar to LinkedIn. Additionally, you may pay Stack Overflow to arrange Enterprise solutions for your company.
6. Dice
The exclusive job board for computer professionals is called Dice. For your startup, they make it simple for you to employ engineers.
You may post a position or search through the resumes of more than 2.2M developers globally using their “for employers” feature.
7. Guru
Another employment board where you may advertise jobs to find developers for your particular needs is Guru.
You may narrow down your search using the platform’s categories, which include specialization, location, ratings, pricing, etc.
8. Upstack
Upstack is the following specific platform for hiring developers for your company.
Although Upstack is more interested in helping you grow an existing development staff, they have assisted several entrepreneurs in developing their products.
After you submit a brief application explaining your requirements, Upstack uses its extensive “eight-point hiring process” to screen over 650 candidates from around the world to find the best developer for you confirming that they possess the appropriate hard and soft talents for your company.
Additionally, they provide you a 14-day free trial period to collaborate with one of their developers to ensure that their services are the best option for you.
9. Lemon.io
A platform called Lemon.io is only dedicated to connecting developers with entrepreneurs. They’ll pair you up with a startup developer within 24 hours (or less), which is their main selling point.<br>
The developers they deal with are screened in four steps by them. A check of the resume comes first, then a screening call is made to gauge language ability and soft skills. The hard skills test follows to ensure they have the technical know-how to assist you. After that, senior team members do a “final reckoning” to see whether the prospects truly love the “startup hustle”.
10. QIT Software
QIT Software helps companies to strengthen their digital presence with high-quality web and mobile development services. Our development team uses the latest technology to ensure the efficiency, aesthetics, and seamless operation of the web and mobile products we create.
Our Python, Java, C++, Golang, Kotlin, Solidity, PHP, React Native, React.js, Vue.js, Node.js, .NET, Angular, Flutter, Swift, and Ionic developers successfully build web and mobile applications and high-load services with this high-level, versatile technology. Hire developers from QIT and they will handle your project professionally and skillfully. With QIT Software, you can hire developers for startups to build web portals, B2C and B2B web apps, content management systems, mobile apps, and other solutions.
Subscribe to our blog
We are glad you’re interested in QIT! We'll let you know when appearing something