Backend developers are the experts who work in the background of websites and online apps to ensure they run smoothly and effectively. They are in charge of developing and managing the databases, APIs, server-side logic, and other elements that support the front-end user interface.
When hiring backend engineers, finding applicants with the necessary knowledge, experience, and fit for your project can be difficult. We’ll cover some advice and best practices for hiring backend developers in this post, including how to specify your needs, do interviews, and present offers.
What Is A Backend Developer?
The role of a backend developer is one of the most critical for your backend development team. They are someone who oversees the development and maintenance of the website’s application, server, and data by leveraging relevant web technologies such as Java or Python.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Backend Developer?
According to Indeed, the average salary of a backend developer is $159,370. However, it varies based on experience, expertise, portfolio, and employment type.
What Is The Backend Developer Salary Of Major Cities Of The United States?
Backend developers in the United States are one of the top earners, with an average hourly rate of $68.
Here are the average annual salaries of the following major cities of the United States from top to bottom.
- San Francisco: $166,488
- Miami: $163,626
- Chicago: $157,511
- New York: $152,819
- Los Angeles: $145,850
- Houston: $123,928
Tips And Best Practices For Hiring Backend Developers
Hiring a backend developer is essential for web development. They are responsible for the core functionality and data management of your web applications. So, to find the best web backend developer for your team, here are some of the tips and best practices that you should follow:
Establish Your Project’s Needs
Know exactly what you want before you start looking for backend developers. This will enable you to focus your search and draw in the best prospects. When determining your criteria, consider the following inquiries:
- What is the size and level of difficulty of your project? Are you looking for a straightforward website or a sophisticated web application with many features and integrations?
- What are your project’s key aims and objectives? What deliverables and outcomes are anticipated?
- What are the project’s technical needs and specifications? What languages, frameworks, databases, and other backend technologies do you require or prefer?
- What is the project’s budget and schedule? What is the backend developer’s rate range, and when do you need them to start working?
- What abilities and credentials are you seeking in a backend developer? Do you require someone with a certain set of skills or credentials?
- What character qualities and soft skills are you seeking in a backend developer? Do you require someone who can work both alone and collaboratively, who can effectively communicate, or who can find innovative solutions to problems?
After you have the answers to these inquiries, you can write a thorough job description that specifies your demands and expectations for the position of backend developer. To pique the interest of potential candidates, you can also provide details about your business, culture, beliefs, and benefits.
Source Candidates
Look for candidates for your backend developer position once you have specified your needs and written a job description. There are numerous approaches to searching for backend developers who are qualified, including:
- Posting a position on online job boards, social media, forums, blogs, newsletters, and other venues. You can use developer-specific websites like Stack Overflow, GitHub, Hacker News, etc.
- Searching for potential employees online at sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. Utilizing filters and keywords to focus your search and identify applicants who meet your criteria.
- Contacting potential employees directly via phone, email, or social media. To locate the contacts of probable applicants, employ technologies like Lusha, Voila Norbert, or Hunter.
- Requesting recommendations from your current network of coworkers, customers, partners, friends, etc. For successful recommendations, you can provide incentives or awards.
- Hiring a freelance recruiter or a recruitment firm to assist you in finding and vetting applicants for the position of backend developer.
- Platforms like Upwork, Toptal, or YouTeam are good places to look for recruiters who have experience hiring engineers.
Screen Candidates
After gathering a pool of applicants for the backend developer position, you must screen them to determine which ones are most suited for further consideration. You can select candidates using a variety of techniques, such as:
- Reviewing portfolios and resumes. You can look at the candidates’ educational background, employment history, projects, abilities, accomplishments, etc. To review their code and contributions, you can also visit their online profiles on sites like GitHub, CodePen, or Devpost.
- Interviewing candidates through phone or video calls. You can take advantage of this chance to introduce yourself and your business, lay out the job’s responsibilities and objectives, probe the candidates’ motivations and backgrounds with some fundamental questions, and evaluate their communication abilities and personality compatibility.
- Sending assignments or tests online. This approach can be used to gauge a candidate’s technical proficiency and understanding of backend programming. You can build and manage online examinations or assignments that simulate real-life scenarios using platforms like Codility, HackerRank, or DevSkiller.
- Requesting testimonials or comments. To learn more about a candidate’s performance, work ethic, attitude, strengths, flaws, etc., you can get in touch with the applicant’s prior employers, customers, coworkers, and so forth.
Interview Candidates
You can invite candidates for in-person or remote interviews after screening the applicants and selecting the top ones. The goal of the interview is to learn more about the candidates, delve into their qualifications and experience, and determine how well they would fit into your project and team. For conducting interviews with backend developers, consider the following pointers and best practices:
- First off, Make a list of questions that covers all the bases of backend development. For instance, ask your candidate about proficiency in programming languages, frameworks, databases, algorithms, design patterns, testing and debugging techniques, and deployment. Moreover, you need to inquire about their soft skills, including communication skills, interpersonal skills like how well they interact with others, and more.
- Use a format for the interview that is well-structured and dependable. Begin with a greeting and icebreaker, then continue to the technical questions, and finally conclude with some general inquiries and feedback. You can also do video interviews or share screens using programs like Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet.
- For the interview, have a cooperative and engaged stance. Create and run code snippets or projects with the candidates using tools like CodePen, CodeSandbox, or Repl.it. Hold live coding sessions or pair programming activities with the applicants using websites like CoderPad, CodeInterview, or Interview Cake.
- Based on their qualifications and fit, evaluate the candidates. Use a scoring system or rubric to evaluate candidates based on technical expertise, high-quality code, problem-solving capability, communication skills, personality fit, etc. Also, gather and evaluate interviewer feedback using programs like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Typeform.
Make a Proposal
You can make them an offer after you’ve interviewed the applicants and chosen the best one for the position of backend developer. The following components must be present in the offer:
- The compensation and benefits offered. To provide a competitive and reasonable salary that is appropriate for the candidate’s qualifications and expertise, Conduct research on the market rates. To gather wage data and insights, visit websites like Payscale, Glassdoor, or wage.com.
- The employment agreement and conditions. The contract’s type, duration, start and finish dates (if applicable), working hours and schedule, place and style of work (such as onsite, remote, hybrid, etc.), probationary period (if any), and other details should all be included.
- The obligations and expectations. The key aim and objectives of the project, the deliverables and due dates, the performance metrics and methods of evaluation, the structure of reporting, the routes of communication, etc., should all be outlined.
- Be prepared to bargain with the applicant if they have any queries or issues with the offer. Flexibility and openness are important, but so are firmness and realism. Additionally, until the candidate accepts or rejects the offer, follow up with them frequently.
Conclusion
Although the process of hiring backend engineers can be challenging and time-consuming, it can also be gratifying and advantageous for your project and organization. You can locate and recruit skilled backend developers who can assist you in creating high-caliber online applications and websites by using these suggestions and best practices.
If you still struggle to hire a reliable backend developer, then contact VinnCorp. We have a diverse talent pool of backend developers with expertise and experience. All our backend developers go through rigorous recruitment processes, and only top-tier candidates become a part of VinnCorp’s dynamic team. These developers are highly skilled at providing you with bespoke backend development services that meet and exceed your expectations.
Contact Us to Book An Appointment Today!