How to Find & Hire Developers for Startup?

If you’re an entrepreneur, chances are good that you’ve struggled with how to recruit developers for startup. And it’s no wonder. In North American and Western European markets especially, there are severe talent shortages for software application developers of all levels.

In fact, the latest numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that about 1.4 million software development/engineering jobs go unfilled, with only 400,000 IT graduates entering the market every year. That’s only about a third of what’s needed, and creates a real problem for hiring a programmer for a startup.

If the talent shortage continues to make it harder to find web developers for startup companies, the Bureau reports that the US could be losing $162 billion in economic growth each year, just from a lack of talent to implement to keep innovation going.

Competition for finding and hiring web developers, developer partners, and software developers is intense, especially for startup companies. Why? Because startups are high risk ventures—not just for the founders, but for everyone in the company’s employ.

Whether a company succeeds or fails at this stage is often tied directly to issues of site performance. To find web developers for startups, you need to find talented team members who are fast, highly skilled, and have an appetite for the roller-coaster world of startups.

We can help. At ProCoders, we’re a Ukraine-based IT outsourcing firm dedicated to matching startups to the talent they need to succeed. To show you how it’s done, we’ve developed this report that will show you step by step how to find software developer for startup companies you’re developing.

With the research we’ll give you, you’ll see finding and hiring developers as partners, software engineers or designers is not nearly as scary as it sounds. The secret is having a plan. In this case, it’s a simple eight- step plan that can help you think through the considerations that will help you find app developer for startup companies, no matter how small. Let’s get started.

How to Find a Developer for Your Startup in Eight Easy Steps

Whether you’re hiring programmers for startup purposes (maybe you are thinking about how to make an educational app) or looking for information on how to find a developer partner for a startup, this guide takes you through your decision- making process, in a very specific order.

Why? Because making wrong hiring decisions can cost you. And wrong hiring decisions often happen because company leaders neglected to anticipate their needs, didn’t know what they’re looking for, or went looking for help in the wrong places.

Success, after all, comes not just from conquering how to find software developer for startup companies making a hire. Success comes from hiring the right talent, developing the right project parameters, and setting up the right project management system for your business.

Stepping through this process will show you how to find a developer for your startup that will not just do the job, but help you meet your goals. It shouldn’t be painful to find developers for startups, if you follow these eight simple steps.

Step One — Define Your Scope:

Is your upcoming project a high-tech project or a low tech project? This may seem like an obvious question, but it’s one you must answer before you can even begin. How do you answer this question will determine everything about your project, and help you find app developer for startup conditions that match the difficulty level that’s required.

How do you know the difficulty level of your project? Ask yourself these questions before hiring software developers for startup:

• Can my website or mobile application be developed without extensive back- end data systems being developed?
• Can my project be developed using off the shelf tools such as Wix, Word Press, WooCommerce, or other widely available platforms?
• Is my site small, needing not that many pages? This will affect how to find a web developer for startup, and how you should set your budget parameters.
• Do I have a long lead time that would allow just one developer to do most of the work?
• Can this project be completed without needing extensive customized programming, design or imagery?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then you’ve most likely got a low-tech project on your hands. In this case, you should be able to find and hire mobile app developers and other experts without the need to find a senior-level developer partner, or take on a CTO co-founder.

If the answer to these questions is no, then you have a high-tech project on your hands, one that will have you hiring software developers for startup development teams, maybe even in multiple groups.

At ProCoders we’re familiar with working on the difficult and not-so-difficult jobs. When you’re ready to vet a consulting firm, make sure to ask them about the projects they’ve done lately. You’ll need a firm that can rise to your level.

Step Two — Determining the Need for a CTO Co-Founder:

Before discussing how to find a developer partner for a startup, consider whether you need one. If your company’s success heavily relies on technology, having a CTO or tech partner could be invaluable. This person should be able to think strategically about the product, constantly iterate on new tech offerings, and lead the development process.

Finding a developer partner is more challenging than hiring a developer. It’s not just about technical skills; you need someone who can lead people and projects and align with your company’s vision and culture. Start by networking: attend startup events, industry conferences, and engage with tech leaders on social media. Building relationships with technology professionals in your field can help you identify potential partners.

Once you have a shortlist, approach candidates with your business idea. This isn’t just about finding someone to develop your product; it’s about finding a long-term ally who can contribute strategically to your business’s growth.

Step Three — Define the job:

• When starting a company, structuring your initial project, such as building an application, is crucial. Providing a clear job brief for your developer team is essential. Here’s what to consider:
• Project Features: Define what your application should do, its benefits for users, and whether you need developers with specific industry knowledge. This will help determine the required expertise level, such as senior or junior developers.
• Database Considerations: Decide where the application will source its data, how it will be accessed, and manipulated. This clarity will guide you in hiring backend developers suited to the project.
• Schedule: Set a timeline for project completion to determine the number of developers needed and plan the hiring process accordingly.
• Budget: Assess how much seed capital you have for development and whether you’re looking for a CTO willing to invest in the project.

• Understanding these aspects will provide a solid foundation for finding the right developers. At ProCoders, we guide you through these decisions, ensuring all necessary information is considered before starting a project. The questions asked by your prospective development firm will also indicate their diligence and thoroughness in project planning.

Step Four — Define the skillsets you need:

Whether you need to find and hire a web developer, software developer, app developer or developer partner, how you do that will be largely determined by the skillsets you need. And now that you know what features you need, you’ll be able to build that list more concretely.

Here’s an example: If you are building a tech platform that must work equally well on mobile or the web, then you’re going to need to know how to find a developer for your startup that’s proficient in hybrid technologies for development. Make an expertise wish list that includes:

• Flutter
• Ionic
• Xamarin
• React Native
• JavaScript
• And others

Use this wish list to vet developers you interview or seek out on job boards. Or, if you’re going to an IT consulting firm, this will be a critical bit of project brief you’ll need to supply for them to match the right developers to your needs. Understand your tech needs, and its perhaps the most important step you can take to find web developers for startups.

Step Five — Determine whether you want to hire programmer for startup internally or use consultant/freelance help.

Deciding on hiring developers for startup internally or through consultants/freelancers is crucial. Consider the duration, intensity, and stability of the work needed. If you have long-term, challenging projects and can offer competitive salaries, hiring internally may be the best choice. Use platforms like Glassdoor, Indeed, Stack, GitHub, and Stack Overflow to post jobs and find top talent.

However, if the projects are short-term or the company isn’t ready for full-time hires, consultants or freelancers might be more suitable. While freelance work can be more expensive per hour, it offers flexibility without a long-term commitment. You’ll need to plan for ongoing maintenance and security, possibly with entry-level staff to manage these tasks affordably.

For long-term consulting needs or surge capacity, IT consulting firms are ideal. They provide a pool of ready talent and can quickly match you with developers who have the specific skills required. This approach allows for scaling up or down as needed and helps maintain continuity and understanding of your business processes. Consulting firms are particularly valuable for finding and retaining top talent efficiently.

Step Six — Managing Your Developers: Direct vs. Indirect:

When choosing a consulting firm to find web developers for startups, consider how you want to manage your developers. Consulting firms vary significantly in their approaches and costs, often based on location. Some firms provide a hands-off experience where account executives and project managers handle daily interactions, which can be beneficial if you lack in-house IT leadership. However, this approach may lack transparency and direct communication.

If you prefer a more hands-on role, firms like ProCoders offer direct access to developers. Clients can communicate with developers daily, direct their tasks, and integrate them into their project management systems. This approach suits clients who have internal IT resources and want more control over their projects, ensuring a seamless collaboration and integration of outsourced developers into their team.

Step Seven — Conduct a Thorough Interview

Now that you know how to find developers for startup projects, the key is to choose the right one from the candidates presented. That can be tricker than it might appear, at first glance. If you’re fortunate, you’ll have more options than you need presented before you, and you can narrow it down by comparing resumes against the specific technical expertise you need.

Once you’ve gotten a short stack of candidates, your interviews will be key. This may seem not as important, especially if you’re working with an IT consulting firm that is vetting candidates. But don’t skimp on this step. Finding the right fit is a critical part of hiring software developers for startup companies.

Here’s some of the questions you should consider asking:

• Have you worked with any other companies in our industry vertical?
• Tell me about projects you have completed that are similar to ours.
• Where did you get your programming education?
• What, in your mind, does an ideal collaboration between consultant and client look like? This allows you to check to see if your prospect thinks like you do on management issues, and ensure you find web developers for startups that understand the unique pressures you face.
• Knowing what you do about our needs, what do you think will be key areas we should focus on with this project?
• What are your additional areas of expertise? Do you know additional programing languages or have experience with other libraries or platforms we might find useful? Consulting firms who know how to find a developer for your startup should automatically factor this into the candidates they suggest. Staffers with extra capabilities, after all, are always able to participate on the next, more challenging project.

Step Eight — Negotiate a Trial Period

Now that you know how to find app developer for startup teams, and you’ve found a developer you’d like to work with, negotiate a trial period, if you can. Not every developer is a perfect match, and it makes sense to reverse course if the talent you’ve hired isn’t the right fit. This is especially important if you are working with an individual consultant, keeping you from having to extricate yourself from lengthy contracts.

A good IT consulting firm should be able to handle this ably, quickly switching out developer resources should you need a different staffer. Whether you’re hiring a web, app, software or developer partner, get flexibility baked into your deal, no matter how you have to negotiate for it.

Hiring a Developer for a Startup: The All-in-One Solution

Is there a perfect solution for finding web developers for startups that seamlessly integrates them into your project? The answer varies based on your budget, management, and timeline, but generally, yes. At ProCoders, we believe an ideal team should be:

Flexible: Able to scale up or down based on your needs, something difficult with internal hires but feasible with consulting firms. Ensure your contracts allow for flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.

Affordable: Cost is a major concern for startups. Offshoring development can save up to 50% compared to North American or Western European talent, offering more value for your investment. Consulting firms also cover additional costs like healthcare and benefits, making them a cost-effective choice.

Capable: Look for developers with expertise that closely matches your project’s technical needs and industry. Experience in your specific field ensures that they can deliver high-quality work without the risks associated with on-the-job training.

Manageable: Choose developers who are collaborative and integrate well with your team, rather than those who work in isolation. This approach maximizes productivity and ensures that the developers are valuable contributors to your startup’s success.

Benefits of Hiring Offshore Software Developers

At ProCoders, we recognize the unique advantages offshore IT developers offer for startups:

• Scalability: In Ukraine, IT consulting is rapidly growing, with many fresh IT graduates entering the workforce annually. ProCoders can quickly help you scale your team by tapping into this talent pool.
• Cost-Effective Quality: Developers in Central Europe provide world-class programming at about half the cost of developers in other regions. You can see it yourself if you compare app developer cost per hour in different regions. ProCoders clients often save 40% or more on hourly rates, maximizing startup budgets.
• Round-the-Clock Service: Offshore teams can provide continuous development cycles, with work continuing as your local team ends their day, speeding up project timelines.
• International Perspective: Offshore teams bring diverse, global perspectives, enhancing your product’s appeal to a worldwide audience. ProCoders’ staff, fluent in English, ensures smooth communication and integration with your team, no matter your location. This international outlook is crucial for startups aiming for global reach.

Find a Developer for Startup: Conclusion

Finding the right developer partner for a startup is crucial, and ProCoders can help you navigate this process effectively. Doing thorough research and partnering with the right consulting firm can ensure you quickly find and hire software developers for startups who will propel your business from concept to successful launch. 

Whether you need web, app, or software developers, managing the team-building process well is key to your success. Invest in partners that can make a significant impact on your project’s outcome.