It’s getting harder and harder to find great talent. Companies fight fiercely for the best people, and everyone is upping their hiring game in various ways, from offering amazing perks to completely changing company cultures.

This competitiveness is particularly visible in software development, which is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world. It’s also quite meritocratic, which poses a fascinating dilemma for hiring managers: how can you employ the best coders before your rivals?

Here are some suggestions to help you solve the problem:

1. Learn the fundamentals

No one expects a recruiter to be a code expert, but getting to know the industry can be really beneficial. You’ll be better informed about the qualities you’re looking for in prospects, and you’ll find it easier to track interactions between the candidate and the hiring manager.

There are a few things you should be aware of:

What technologies do programmers use? Your development team can use a variety of programming languages, each with its own set of features. C#, for example, is an object-oriented programming language that’s frequently used in games, but PHP is used for server-side scripting and content-heavy applications. You don’t have to be an expert, but the least you can do is ask your hiring manager about the most important technology your team uses.

What is the current rate for this service? The salary of developers is determined not only by their seniority, but also by the technology in which they specialize. Objective-C developers, for example, are paid more on average than Swift engineers. You’ll have a better idea of ​​how easy it is to locate developers and what kind of salary you’ll have to spend to get them once you know which ones you want.

What will the candidate’s responsibilities be? Will this new recruit add expertise that the rest of the team lacks? Will they be working on your main project or a multitude of other projects? Familiarize yourself with the team’s unique expectations for this new developer.

2. Practical skills should be prioritized

When it comes to recruiting developers, actual experience should always take precedence over what is mentioned on a resume. That’s not to say you shouldn’t evaluate someone’s education; it should, but only as part of the whole, not as a deciding factor.

Giving code reviews a higher priority in your hiring approach is the most obvious way to emphasize hands-on expertise. If the candidate is hired, a well-designed coding test should reflect the obstacles that will be part of their job. During the one-on-one interview, offer your hiring managers the opportunity to go through the review more in-depth with the candidate.

Another technique for focusing on your prospects’ practical talents is to ask for a portfolio of their past work. You will be able to see tangible samples of their work. You can spend as much time as you need in the interview discussing how they accomplished those projects, what their biggest obstacles were, how they handled issues, and so on. Also, if you’re hiring responsive developers, consider asking responsive interview questions throughout the interview.

3. Independent developers should be considered

If your team needs a specialized employee with a certain skill set for a specific project, a freelance developer may be a better option. You can ask your current developers for recommendations; they will almost certainly have someone in mind. Popular freelance websites like Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal, and Fiverr are also worth checking out. Upwork is known for having a large pool of developer talent, with JavaScript being the most in-demand technical expertise on the platform.

References are crucial when evaluating freelance developers. Pay close attention to the profiles of freelancers: most freelance platforms are quite open, and customer reviews, whether positive or negative, are often public.

4. Expand your talent pool

If you’re having trouble finding the people you need, you may be dealing with too small a talent pool. You can expand your reach in several ways:

Make the job description a bit more flexible. A job description that is too specific can discourage potential candidates who fear that they will not meet all of your strict requirements. List only the technologies and skills that are really needed; you can find additional information about a candidate during the interview. It’s also a good idea to avoid using the term “requirements”. “Desired Skills” conveys a similar message, and prospects will be more likely to apply even if they don’t check a few boxes.

5. Soft skills should be prioritized

When it comes to recruiting engineers, never neglect soft skills. If you are only looking for technical expertise, you may find yourself hiring a candidate who lacks a strong work ethic and weak organizational skills. Plus, according to one study, soft skills training can provide a 256% return on investment, indicating that soft skills are more valuable than you think.

Because working effectively from home requires high levels of responsibility, work ethic, and task management, soft skills are especially vital for people who will be working remotely.

Don’t worry if finding the best developers takes a lot of time and effort. Recruiting A players can take a long time.

However, there are several things you can do to put yourself in a better position to succeed. Work closely with the leaders of your development team, expand your talent pool, and be patient. And it will get easier when you’ve made your first exceptional hires: good developers are always eager to join a team of exceptional experts!