A guide to everything you need to know about finding, assessing, hiring, and retaining talented junior developers.

A recent report from the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) suggests that the tech industry is on target to reach a value of $5 trillion in 2019. The tech industry continues to pick up momentum every year, spurring demand for more technical talent.

While demand grows, the pipeline for talent has a serious bottleneck – lack of teachers! Universities throughout the US struggle to adequately staff their computer science programs, with students from Haverford college publishing an open letter in the independent student newspaper, The Clerk, saying “[a] dire shortage of faculty has created what can only be described as a crisis for students interested in computer science, lotterying us out of required introductory and upper-level classes.”

Similar concerns have been echoed at other institutions, such as Bryn Mawr, Princeton University, and Harvey Mudd. So, while the number of students choosing to study computer science has been increasing since 2006, the boost in enrollment is first, inadequate to the hiring demand for skilled developers, and second, overwhelming the resources of higher education institutions.

All this to say, recruiters seeking junior developers have the cards stacked against them… and then there’s the matter of assessment and retention.

The positions for junior developers are many and varied and the methods for assessing these candidates reflect that. Hiring a junior mobile developer won’t be the same as hiring a junior front-end developer. And, after all the effort of hiring and onboarding a junior developer, recruiters will want to make sure the candidate stays with the company for a good amount of time. To keep these highly skilled and in-demand employees takes strategic planning and care.

With all these factors to consider, we thought it would be a good idea to walk through the four key phases of junior developer recruitment, with practical advice and step by step guidance.

1. Source on Purpose

Your hiring strategy should aim to diversify sourcing efforts and reach high-quality candidates in a natural way.

Deploy multiple effective methods for finding talented junior developers. Let’s dive into our top five methods:

• On-campus recruitment improves the candidate experience because it’s more personal than sending an email. Narrow your focus to a few universities. Career fairs, meetups, and industry talks are effective ways to connect with recent grads.
• Hackathons give junior developers a chance to show off their problem-solving skills. Utilize code testing platforms like Codility to benchmark people.
• Job boards are used to reach a high volume of candidates. Find a job board with a pre-qualification function so that you don’t get as many unqualified leads.
• Coding boot camps can be an effective channel to recruit talented, diverse junior developers who may not have a traditional computer science background.
• Internships give junior candidates a chance to test their skills in a real work environment—this is also a chance for you to assess potential new developers prior to extending an actual job offer.

Use each of these methods to build a group of qualified individuals to fill future job opening – this is also known as a talent pipeline. If a candidate seemed like a good culture fit but didn’t make the final cut, maintain an open line of communication, and ensure them that they’ll be considered for future job openings. Talent pipelines are the product of trust, open communication, and excellent sourcing.

2. Screen Early

Screening candidates before inviting them for an onsite interview is a crucial step in the hiring process. You have the highest volume of candidates at this point, so the filter you have in place needs to be efficient. Always go into the screening phase with a plan to discuss:

• Expectations around salary range
• Professional and/or recreational coding experience
• Whether the candidate has competing offers
• Upfront soft skills
• General technical skills

Effective screening creates a clearer picture of candidates’ capabilities earlier in the recruitment funnel. Use technical assessment strategies to separate the skilled junior developers from those who can’t perform at the right level for the position.

3. Deep Dive Interviews

Once screening is complete, look deeper for the candidate’s behavioral fit, technical competence, and career potential. Your goal in an interview is to determine whether this person aligns with your core company values.

Follow these interview tips and tricks to gauge candidate fit:

• Ask behavior-based questions.
• Quantify technical skills and benchmark against other candidates by using code assessment tools.
• Use pair programming to test communication skills and create a casual environment for Q&A.
• Ask candidates to share their short-term and long-term goals—this is also a chance for them to reflect on their own capabilities and future potential.

4. Think Long Term Growth

Once you’ve hired strong junior talent, think about what you can do to retain them. Research from our Developer Report shows that junior developers are looking for mentorship first and foremost and that professional development is more appealing than salary. Use this data to inform your strategy – for example, mentorship programs can help candidates reach their professional goals and also opens mentors up to new ideas.

Here are a few more ways to retain talent for the long-term:

• Provide both positive and negative constructive feedback to ensure junior developers are growing and are in high spirits
• Set clear performance expectations – our data suggest that a majority of developers’ jobs don’t turn out as they expect after getting hired
• Encourage senior teams to field questions and be mentors to help candidates reach their full professional potential – they’ll open themselves up to new ideas too
• Create a standardized way of benchmarking people—skills testing tools like Codility can quantify technical skills, making them easier to stack rank

Key Takeaways

Junior developers who experience good management and meaningful work early in their career can bring immense value to your organization. It’s important to set both yourself and junior talent up for success by having a reliable and scalable recruitment process.

We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to improve recruitment for junior developers and the different tools hiring teams need to get high-quality insights without sacrificing the candidate’s experience. Check out The Complete Guide to Junior Developer Recruitment for more information.

Get a jump on the rush for developer talent with these great resources.

An increased demand for software means increased demand for the creative minds behind it. Companies need people with programming skills to be the architects of these digital worlds.

The US department’s Bureau of Labor statistics predicts a 24 percent growth in the need for developers between 2016 and 2026. A steep increase that overleaps the average predicted growth other occupations. To beat the talent rush we’ve compiled a list of 15 great job boards to get you started in your search.

First off, the Hiring Success 18’s  Recruiting Startup of the Year Winner, Honeypot.io.

Honeypot.io

Candidates create a profile and fill in details about your experience and ideal position to connect with European employers. Companies can then browse developer profiles (don’t worry, your current company can’t view your profile by default) and request an interview by sending interview invites complete with salary and tech stack. 

Jobbatical

A job platform that connects ready-to-relocate talent to businesses all over the world, with the firm belief that skills matter over passport Jobattical let’s people work where they’re happy.

The Ladder 

The Ladder tends to attract more experienced candidates because of their slogan. Great place to look if you need someone to step into a leadership position right out of the gates.

GitHub

An offshoot of the largest source-code repository in the world, GitHub is a bare-bones, to-the-point job board for web developers and techie types, plus, the search functions are great!

BlablaDev

A French startup that helps newbie developers find their first gig. We were all fresh once, so why not take a chance on a bright-eyed tech rookie eager to earn their stripes?

Krop

This is the job board that allows web creatives to build portfolios for employers to peruse. Candidates can use their portfolios to apply to jobs all over the world from the wide selection of participating businesses. Users also get the benefits of Krop’s popular newsletter network.

Mashable

Digital tech talent abounds on this simple interface. Posting on Mashable means active promotion of your job to 45 million unique monthly visitors, and 25 million social followers.

Authentic Jobs

Established in 2005, this platform has connected thousands of jobseekers to companies looking to fill jobs. Post here to find candidates that are attracted to building strong brands and want to be part of something bigger.

The Muse

This Millenial fan favorite gives applicants control over their search parameters, and helps companies create profiles that attract top talent.

Smashing Magazine

A magazine that now has a great job board, it’s easy to search for programmers and designers who meet your needs, whether it’s for a full-time gig or a freelance project.

Product Hunt

This is job board where candidates are sure to visit daily as the list is kept sparse but up to date.

Stack Overflow

Find developers and engineers of all levels. Candidates can even seek out jobs based on the conditions of visa sponsorship, which is a unique feature of this website!

AngelList

If you want to locate the best talent excited to work at a startup, look no further than AngelList. Candidates must fill out profiles which provide just enough of an entry barrier so you don’t get buried in resumes.

ITJobPro

Here you’ll be able to take advantage of affordable job ads that reach two million candidates a week, and are post alongside the likes of big guns like IBM.

The Hiring Success 18 conference is rapidly approaching and, of course, we’ll have all the top speakers, influencers and professionals you’d expect from HR tech’s biggest event. On top of all that, we’ve also planned something rather special.

SmartRecruiters will break new ground in the HR-tech space by launching our first annual Hiring Success hackathon. The event, which runs from March 13th-14th, will see 10 teams of SmartRecruiters customers going under the hood, and head-to-head, to create the next great SmartRecruiters feature.

Jumping into a hackathon can be a daunting prospect, especially if you’re not a master developer or coder. However, whereas hackathons traditionally cater towards these professions, SmartRecruiters want to change things up by extending the invitation to anyone who’s ever wanted to make a change to our platform.

With that mind, we’ve compiled seven tips which will help any hackathon newbies survive, and enjoy their first time.

Develop Your Ideas In Advance

We start with perhaps the most important tip of all: prepare an idea. It doesn’t have to be a fully fledged plan with pie charts and Powerpoint slides, but you should at least come to a hackathon armed with some kind of basic premise. It could even be as basic as identifying a problem with a piece of existing software, therefore allowing you to direct the entire team’s brainwaves towards finding a solution.

Additionally, try to develop your idea into a quick and snappy elevator pitch. This will help you quickly and clearly explain it to your teammates, an important tactic in the hectic opening minutes of a hackathon.

However, do not be too precious with your idea. Let others suggest theirs, or make adjustments to yours. Perhaps they have some experience or expertise which could prove invaluable. Remember: hackathons are collaborative events.

Get a Decent Night’s Sleep

Hackathons, as the name suggests, are extended gruelling exercises design to test both your speed and endurance. Usually they’re at least 24 hours, but can run as long as 48. With this mind, it’s going to pay to get a decent night’s sleep before things kicks off. Although it’s quite possible to sleep during the event, it’s not guaranteed and any sleep you do get will not be particularly restful.

Instead, perhaps stay in and work on your idea, or even better, just chill out and watch your favorite TV show. You’re not going to get much ‘me’ time during the actual hackathon, so don’t be afraid to pamper yourself before you dive into the coding chaos.

Swot Up on Some Coding Lingo

By no means are hackathons only the domain of coders and developers. In fact, non-technical team members can often be instrumental in other ways, such as managing the project and directing team members.

Having said that, if you’re not a developer, it wouldn’t hurt to learn some of the basics of their work. This doesn’t necessarily mean writing code, but it would be helpful to know some of the lingo behind building a product. This will speed up communication and avoid you spiralling into a mire of confusion.

Keep It Simple

The objective of a hackathon is not to create a complete, glossy and expansive app. There just isn’t enough time for that. Instead, aim to create a functional product with features which clearly address the problem you identified. Not only is this easier to produce, it’s also easier to sell to the judges during your presentation.

Building a fancy product with great user experience and all the bells and whistles might look good, but there’s no guarantee it’s going to win against a basic, well-defined and functional app. In a hackathon, a working product is always better than a pretty one.

Don’t Forget To Eat, Drink and Rest

It might sound strange, but once you’re stuck into a hackathon, it’s easy forget about your basic human requirements.
Hydration, in particular, is critical to keep all your systems going. Failing to attend to this will result in sluggishness, lack of creativity and probably headaches. So, make sure you always have a bottle of water on the go. Additionally avoid energy drinks and sugary treats as much as possible. They might give you a temporary boost but in the long run you’re probably going to end up crashing.

Beer is a controversial subject. Traditionally, it goes against the above mentioned hydration rule, but for some it can improve cognitive functions – to a point. In fact, it has often been a drink of choice among coders, even leading to a phenomenon known as Ballmer’s Peak. Named after Microsoft developer Steve Ballmer, this suggests that chugging a couple of brewskies can endow the drinker with a peak in performance, although continued consumption predictably results in a massive decline. According to anecdotal evidence, the sweet spot lies somewhere around two pints. A University of Illinois study even confirmed its existence, and suggested a blood alcohol level of 0.075 is ideal. Don’t over do it though, no one likes working with a hangover.

Rest, even if it’s not full-blown slumber, is also of critical importance. If you’re struggling with a line of code, or you find your eyesight going a bit blurry, it might be time for a bit of a rest. This could be anything from a five minute wander around the room, to a 20 minute micro-sleep or an hour long extended chill-out. It might seem like a waste of time, but you will generally perform much better after returning from a break than trying to break through a wall.

Communicate

When working with any team, communication is key. This is especially true for a hackathon where you might be working with new people and in a compressed, and potentially chaotic, period of time. Of course, with only 24 hours to work you can’t afford lengthy arguments, miscommunications or continued explanations. This means, as well as being able to communicate clearly, you need to employ patience with other teammates, especially towards the end of the project.

Furthermore, if you’re feeling confused, do not be afraid to ask questions. It will make everything smoother in the long run.

Perhaps most importantly of all, don’t forget to laugh. Sure, there might be some money on the line, but at the end of the day, hackathons should be an opportunity for making new contacts, trying out ideas and having fun. Losing your patience, manners and sense of humor is the antithesis of this.

Don’t Forget To Bring The Essentials

Although food and drink is generally provided at most hackathons, you’re still going to need some vital equipment to get through the day.

Perhaps most critically of all, remember to bring your laptop, tablet or whatever other gizmo (and their chargers!) you’re going to need to get through the day – otherwise embarrassment will ensue.

If you think you are going to try and grab some shuteye during the contest, you’ll probably also want to bring a sleeping bag or blanket.

Finally, a change of clothes is probably also a good idea, especially if you have been selected to present your project to the judges. Although not essential, you (and everyone else) likely appreciate a non-funky T-shirt after a long days hacking.

Want to put these tips to the test? Well, grab your tickets for Hire18 and register for your first-ever hackathon. Head over here to find out the rules and how to get involved.

Big Data Jobs

TechCareers by Beyond.com offers more than just job listings, but also educational tools as well as networking opportunities. TechCareers takes a well-rounded approach to the job search providing everything candidates and employers need.

RubyNow is THE job board for Ruby developers. This job board is particularly niche but it guarantees you find exactly what you are looking for in a candidate. RubyNow offers full-time positions as well as contract.

Python Jobs focuses exclusively on Python and related systems. They cut through the noise of mass job boards by providing a network of specific job descriptions, candidates with very specific skills, and employers who need them.

Careers2.0 is stackoverflow’s job board. Careers2.0 brings you the top tech jobs and top tech talent. Posting a job on Careers2.0 introduces hiring managers and recruiters to over 20 million developers to source from.

ITJobPro is a global tech sourcing solution. A job board, “without borders” IT Job Pro will help you find the best IT candidates regardless of location. The right candidate is out there; it’s just a matter of finding them. IT Job Pro helps you look.

Dice.com is the “career hub” for tech. Dice builds talent communities. Candidates interested in the same things or with the same skills will congregate in these digital communities making it easy to source for exactly what you’re looking for.

Mashable is not only a great news source, but also a great people source. Mashable’s job boards are not limited to tech, but they always have tons of tech positions. No matter the job description Mashable has got your match.

37Signals has helped Apple, The New York Times, Facebook and American Express find and hire top talent. Not only is 37Signals assisting industry leaders, they are leaders themselves in providing the best tech, design, and programming jobs.

Ruby on Rails Jobs is another niche job board aiming to erase all the pains of posting jobs through mass appeal job boards. Looking for strictly ruby and related environments? Look no further. They’ll even tweet your job ad to their 2,000+ followers.

GitHub is a code sharing community. When you post your open jobs here you are engaging with a dedicated and skilled group of talent. GitHub encourages building together- post your tech jobs here and you’ll build relationships with potential candidates.

Ad Ops Jobs guarantees candidates highly skilled in Ad Ops. This job board has been a favorite of media organizations and ad tech companies looking to find talent to take their brand to the next level. These professionals will help you meet web and publishing needs.

RailsJobs is a hub for rails developers. You can’t go three steps without hearing someone needs rails talent, but the candidates are not easy to find. Well, that’s not true if you post on RailsJobs, they’ve created a community of programmers waiting to apply.

CrunchBoard gives you access to millions of TechCrunch readers- an Internet savvy and technically inclined bunch. CrunchBoard is one of the most popular job boards for internet and tech jobs. Surprised? Didn’t think so…

Posting jobs in the right places and searching the right databases is only the first step of finding the technical talent you need. Remember, these candidates have tons of options so you need more than your run-of-the-mill job ad to get their attention. Create a great candidate experience from the start, post creative developer job ads, and create a company culture they can’t refuse. The other day Jerome Ternynck said, “I love the ideas, but at the end of the day you need someone who can make it happen.” Ladies and gentlemen – this is where you find the talent that can build your ideas and make it happen.

When it comes to advice on how to recruit software developers, you’ve probably heard it all before: look for someone with passion, technical expertise, an interest in your product, and a good cultural fit. Easier said than done. With nearly 4.59 job openings for every agile developer, the good ones get snatched up pretty easily and digging through pools of passive candidates can seem a bit daunting if you don’t know how to identify those characteristics. So what are you really looking for? As the team behind Stack Overflow, the largest Q&A site on programming (and a CEO who literally wrote the book on how to hire technical talent), we’ve created a science to finding top technical talent. Below, our 5 must-haves for any developer who wants to join our team.

1. Open source projects and/or a personal, technical blog

What it shows: Passion

Public artifacts like open source projects and personal blogs truly show that a developer is excited and interested in their field. We want to hire people who love their work and make a hobby of it on the side. Working on open source projects and blogging demonstrates that they are really into coding—and that’s exactly what we need at Stack Overflow.

2. Stack Overflow reputation points and a Github profile

What it shows: That they know their stuff

It may be a little meta to use our own site as a scale for hiring developers, but the fact remains: 25 million people come to Stack Overflow every month, and it’s seen as a site of record for all programming topics. We look for a high reputation score on Stack Overflow and sort through their code samples on Github to find evidence they show potential and depth of knowledge.

3. A variety of experience – and at least one exceptional skillset

What it shows: Intelligence and problem-solving skills

If someone has mastered more than one programming language, this shows they are smart, learn quickly, and can solve hard problems since they know the strengths and limitations of each language. We throw specific job requirements to the wind and just look for people who have truly demonstrated that they have achieved technical excellence in one particular area. This combination is the clincher – you’ll find a well-rounded developer who’s also an expert.

4. Completed projects, not just completed certifications

What it shows: That they get things done

We want someone who has a track record of finishing projects. It’s easy to complete a class and receive a certification; it’s much harder to build something from start to finish that actually works. That’s why we don’t fixate on education or experience. A full LinkedIn profile or a long list of certifications shows only one thing: that they have a lot of free time on their hands, which is something that all unemployed programmers have in common.

5. An ability to communicate as well as code

What it shows: That they’ll fit on our team

A developer who can’t explain his own code won’t help us collaborate and grow as a team. Whether in writing or in-person, this last piece of the puzzle helps us to measure how likely this developer would be to get along with our other programmers and our company objectives. To measure this, treat their personal blog or top Stack Overflow answers as writing samples to get a glimpse for how well they can actually explain their technical know-how.

Bethany Marzewski (@stackcareers) is the Marketing Coordinator at Stack Overflow Careers 2.0 (a SmartRecruiters Partner), the largest online talent community for professional programmers.

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform with everything you need to source talent, manage candidates, and make the right hires.