How to Hire NFT Developers & Experts – A Definitive Guide

NFTs, man! Non-Fungible Tokens have taken the world by storm and the whole world wants one, everybody wants to get on the hype train, and there is a lot of talk about NFTs and if they are a scam or not, but there are people out there making millions because of NFTs.

Now when we talk about fast, we mean fast! But the question is, what is fast? Well, usually, it takes a company around six months to complete the hiring process and only then the work begins. Can you imagine? Six months of interviews, going through hundreds of resumes and trying to shortlist the best candidate. That is a scary amount of work and might not be cost-effective!

On the other hand, we here at ProCoders usually take less than 6 weeks to set up a team for you to work with. We have been helping our clients for more than 7 years now and after understanding what you want, we have a clear plan of action and it helps us do a great job within a small time frame. Now you do the math! And to be honest with you, that is not the only advantage of working with us!

If you are here, I think you want to know more about it, so let me help you to understand how to hire an NFT developer with and without our help. Then you will be able to understand the whole process and decide!

What are NFTs?

If you are reading about how to find NFT developers, then I am sure you already know. However, let’s get this out of the way quickly, so you can get the information that you need.

NFTs are non-fungible tokens that are unique assets that are located on the blockchain.If you buy an NFT it means that you own all the rights to the asset, and the certificate of ownership (NFT) is on the blockchain while the asset can be digital or physical.

When do you need to hire NFT developers?

Well, I think the answer is quite simple here. You need to hire NFT developers when you need to create an NFT project. So there are different NFT projects out there, and it depends on what you are aiming for when starting your project. There are some that are just images that you own and then there are those that come with a physical asset, and some may even make you a shareholder of a business that someone is running! Currently, there are hundreds of different types of NFT projects. Let’s go through some of the most common ones:

Digital Art Projects:

The most popular type of NFTs out there are usually collectibles, and every single NFT has a different rarity. The rarer the NFT is in a given collection, the more expensive it gets. When you talk about Digital Art projects, Bored Ape Yacht Club comes to mind, and the NFT coders that have created this collection have indeed become millionaires!

Collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club are making it easier for the average individual to own a piece of art. It increases the interest in the art of the general public while making it easier for artists to get recognised in a world where they were almost forgotten about!

Sports Projects:

So sports brands like NBA and UFC have been putting out unique collectibles, ranging from gear worn by athletes to just pictures for fans to collect, and it has been a hit. A clip of LeBron James dunking was sold for around 380,000 USD, making it the most expensive sport NFT out there.

This kind of NFT allows fans to indulge themselves even more in the sport they love, get hands-on exclusive stuff, and have the opportunity to collect memorabilia that can later be sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Play-to-Earn Video Games:

Often called P2E games, these are video games where you have an opportunity to play and earn real money. The in-game items are NFTs and if you want to play, you need to own an NFT and then redeem the corresponding item in the game. It can pretty much be any kind of item, like a weapon or a character, etc.

When we think about NFT games, Axie Infinity, CryptoKitties, Gods Unchained, etc come to mind. Most of us still pay to buy a game to play it and have fun, but imagine a future where you buy a game/item/character in the form of a Non-Fungible Token and can earn hundreds of dollars. Seems like a pretty cool idea!

Metaverse:

If you use the internet, you must have come across the term metaverse. It seems like everyone is talking about it nowadays. Sometimes I wonder, what happened to the good old days when everything was less complicated and we didn’t have to learn so many new things! But I digress, Metaverse, you say? Well, what is it?

Well, it is thought to be the 3D version of the internet, where we have evolved further from the world of pictures, videos, and live streams. Basically, a world within the internet where we live our digital lives! Imagine being homeless in real life and being a homeowner in the metaverse.

Recently, we gave Meta Quest virtual reality glasses to our CEO Oleg, after trying them out we asked his opinion.

He said that it completely changed his attitude toward virtual reality and the Metaverse! He believed when Facebook was renamed Meta that it was just a marketing ploy or brand renewal, just to show investors that the company is constantly evolving.

But, when Oleg put on these glasses and looked at what it was like from the inside, he realized that Meta is not just a name, it really is a whole new universe and soon our life will be completely different – everything will be in the metaverse, people will have property there, realized through NFTs, virtual offices, etc. So the question ​​”how to make a metaverse” is of current interest.

Skills that the NFT programmer will need

Okay, so far we have reviewed the different types of NFT projects out there, but now we need to understand what desirable skills an NFT programmer should have to create an NFT project successfully:

• Knowledge of programming languages like JavaScript, C++, React and Vue are the most popular frontend frameworks right now
• Blockchain and Crypto knowledge is a must
• Ability to design/create artwork if you don’t have an artist involved (usually you would have to hire an artist separately)
• They should know their way around game developing tools and frameworks, like Unreal Engine, Unity, etc.
• Have basic knowledge of dApps, decentralized networks
• What about soft skills? Are they valuable for NFT developers? Being a team player, having a positive mindset, showing responsibility, etc.

Now that we have gone over the skills that our NFT developer should have, let’s not forget that you need to be knowledgeable to find the best candidate too! Let me ask you this, do you know what blockchain and web3 are? If the answer is yes, then great If not, then let me enlighten you, my friend.

Blockchain

The blockchain is a system that records information in such a way that no one can alter, hack, cheat, or change it! Sounds interesting, yeah? It is! In the past whenever an idea of digital currency was put forward there was this question, “Who will be in control?” Well, with the blockchain we found the answer!

There is no one in charge. It is a Digital Ledger that records transactions and is distributed and duplicated throughout a whole network of systems. The chains are being updated and new blocks are constantly added to the chain making it almost impossible to hack!

Blockchains you need to know

Ethereum:

Ethereum is the main blockchain where most of the popular NFTs are stored, from Bored Ape Yacht Club to Crypto Punkz. It is one of the most popular blockchains for NFT developers that you will be hiring and most will be more than willing to work on the Ethereum blockchain. There is only one drawback of this blockchain, high gas fees. It can be costly for beginners or people who don’t want to invest huge sums.

Solana:

What can I say about Solana? Before the current bear market, it was almost at the same level as Ethereum in terms of new projects. However, after the bear market it has significantly dropped in value. Although, it is still trendy amongst NFT experts for hire. Beginners use Solana because it usually has NFT projects which don’t cost much and the gas fee is close to nothing, thus making it easy for everyone to use without a problem.

Web3

To put it simply, Web3 is decentralized web. With the help of NFTs, Bitcoins, Blockchains and of course other cryptocurrencies, it gives the everyday user ownership of the internet, and it relies on these technologies so as not to rely on other parties. Your data is stored on the blockchain and if you own something, for example an in-game item that you bought as an NFT, it cannot be deleted even if the creator wanted to!

Right now the internet is run by major companies, i.e. Google, Meta, Amazon, etc., which kinda creates e-feudalism. Whereas Web3 is decentralized, meaning you,me, and all the other 8 billion people own it!

Where to Find NFT Developers for Your Projects?

Now to the main question, how does one find NFT developers? When looking to hire an NFT programmer, you will have a couple of places in which to find the professionals you want. Let’s dive deep into the world of hiring developers for your NFT project!

Networking:

Remember your friend Josh? Yeah, the guy who used to help everyone with all their IT assignments from school. If you remember him, you must have recalled by now that he is also a developer. All that is left to do is to call him up and tell him about your amazing NFT idea, and viola! You have a developer!

That is basically how networking works. Look for people who might share the same interests as you and may have the skill set you require. It can be an old friend, an acquaintance, an ex-colleague, or anyone else in your social circle.

Freelance Platforms:

To hire an NFT developer you can use one of the numerous platforms for freelancing — UpWork, Fiverr, etc. There are hundreds of developers to choose from, and it is a nice place to be if you want an NFT developer for hire. You have to be sure what kind of a professional you are looking for, though. All you gotta do is either put up a job offer with your requirements, or find freelancers who suit your preferred skill set and send them a message.

But beware! Sometimes they can miss deadlines, and the quality of the work provided may not be up to the mark. In other words, they are easy to find and easy to lose. Imagine if the NFT developer that you hired leaves the project midway, then what? Fortunately, when you are working with a reputable company, you can be sure that something of this sort will not happen. You always have contact with their managers, directors, etc. So they cannot just disappear like that!

Furthermore, the only guarantee of a freelancer’s quality are their reviews, and even if you find a person who has a lot of reviews, he can always make a mistake in your project. What will you do then? Who will correct these mistakes if a person cannot do it himself? When you work with a company, they always have other developers who, in case of a problem, can help with it. On top of that they have their reputation on the line, and if a company ruins your project, you can ruin their business too.

Hiring Agencies:

There are loads of hiring agencies out there which will help you find the best candidate. You won’t have to worry about how to find an NFT developer — just reach out to them and they will take it from there. Seems pretty easy, but it can be more expensive than other options.

There are several things that you need to consider when you use their services to find NFT developers for hire. They will have a pool of candidates and quickly find NFT coders for you, and they will take a commission like any outsourcing/outstaffing company.

Their main disadvantage is that only managers and recruiters work in such agencies, and they lack technical experience. So they cannot be responsible for those they hire, because they cannot assess how competent their developers are.

In addition, after the developer is hired on the project, the agency is no longer associated with him in any way. The developer is your employee now. On the contrary, we don’t do that! Our developers remain our employees throughout your project, and after they finish helping you out, they return to us. Therefore, we are interested in having the most competent developers available because they are a part of our family and we compensate them even when they are not allotted a project.

Ask Google or Try ProCoders Hiring Service:

You must be wondering, “How are we different from the rest?” Yes, I can read minds! Imagine a company that wants you to succeed as much as you want to be successful, we do not allocate 15 developers to a project where only 5 are required!

If you want more developers, we ask, “Why?” It’s not only about the amount you will be paying them but the management as well, what is easier? Managing 6 people or 60? See, that is what I mean!

Instead of having a one-time fling with the client, we believe in a long-term partnership, working together over the years, getting old together, and then sipping piña coladas on the beach together while reminiscing.

On a serious note, we have a proper process in place when hiring developers and working with a client. Each participant in our business relationship is protected and understands their rights and obligations.

We have extensive geographical knowledge of developers with an excellent balance of price and quality. We have conducted in detail analyses of different developer markets, and furthermore we know where to hire professionals with the best expertise. Apart from that, you can always ask Google, if you know what you need, you can find the right person.

Average NFT Developers Salary Overview:

Now that we understand where to find developers, let’s figure out how much we need to pay when looking for NFT coders for hire. To be honest, the numbers vary greatly. You can check out web3 developer’s salary for a better breakdown. Imagine I am an NFT expert for hire, how much would you have to pay me in order to get the job done?

The amount you will be paying will basically depend on where the NFT programmer is located, for example, in the US, a developer may earn up to 170,000 USD annually. Don’t worry though, you won’t be paying these amounts. Typically, a senior developer might earn only around 115,000 USD if they are from Central Europe!

There are usually 2 factors that influence the amount we will pay to the developer. Number One, as I said, is the geographical location and the other is their work experience. For example, а junior developer might earn 80,000 USD annually, which is around 6650 USD per month and around 40 USD per hour. On the other hand, a senior dev may bag 170,000 USD per annum. Now that is around 80 USD/hr!

Average Developer Salaries By Country

Country	Annual Income For A Senior Dev
USA	$120,000
UK	$110,000
Germany	$105,000
Poland	$100,000
Estonia	$95,000

Interview Questions to Ask when Looking for NFT Developers:

Imagine you found 5-6 potential developers, and their profiles suit your requirements. The next step is the interview. Here you will be able to ask them a couple of questions, and hire the NFT programmer that best fits your needs.

• What is your prior experience in NFTs?
• How well do you function in a team?
• How good are you with deadlines?
• Can you show your portfolio of NFT and non-NFT?
• What is your availability?
• What blockchain do you prefer working with?
• How long do you usually take when developing a project?

I would also like to add that you need to ask technical questions, maybe give them a test task as well. Of course, you might not have knowledge of coding or technical knowledge of NFT development. You have two choices here, either you learn all that by yourself or you talk to a company that will help you, for example, us! We would be more than happy to hold interviews and manage the test tasks for the potential devs!

How Can ProCoders Help to Hire NFT Developers for Your Blockchain Project?

It’s quite simple! We at ProCoders always help out our clients, no matter if it is a small or a midsize business. Our aim is to do our best. Without hesitation we’ll go out of our way to help you achieve the results you desire!

There are a couple of different work models at ProCoders that will be available for you to choose from.

Discovery Phase:

So this is where the plan of the project implementation is created, where the Roadmap will be created and of course, you will get an estimate for how long it might take from the beginning to the end. We know that a lot of people who use outsourcing companies get promised that everything will be done within their budget, but in the end, they find out that the actual cost will be more than twice their budget and they end up with an unfinished project and penniless.

Sometimes, your budget is more than the required amount for a project but they will still charge you the full amount. Here, we recommend that you start by paying a little amount during the discovery phase so you are not bound by anything, if you like the work you can continue the collaboration, and if you don’t then you did not end up losing your whole budget and you still have a detailed plan of your future project in hand.

Dedicated Development Team:

I know you are thinking about where after the discovery phase, the person wants us to work on the project, yes, I just read your mind right there! (I know you are smiling). Now, back to where we were. If the person wants us to develop their already made business plan, we give them an estimate and if they agree, we start the work ASAP!

The client has complete control over the project, and we keep you updated with the milestones, progress made, and whatever is going on. The time taken to finish the project and the tasks which should be done are already with the client in their business plan. They are basically just renting out a whole IT department throughout the course of their project development.

Staff Augmentation:

By far the most popular of our services, people just can’t get enough of it. You just have to tell us what kind of developer you are looking for, and we will cover your needs! You don’t have to worry about hiring, firing or sick leaves. We do all of that. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride!

Steps to Hire NFT Developers and NFT Teams with ProCoders

We know that your idea might be unique and nobody, in general, wants to share their business ideas with the world. That is why we make sure that everyone involved has signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) so all the information remains confidential, and your business idea is secure!

Only after the NDA has been signed, we will ask you to share the details of your business plan with us and ask you some questions in relation to the idea. Once we have the information, we will have a developer ready for you that best suits your needs.

We try to have a constantly growing pool of developers, so we are constantly hiring new employees who go through all the stages of hiring that will be described below. Thus, we can be sure of the skills and reliability of our employees.

The process of hiring at ProCoders is as follows:

Research

Over the years, we already know where to look for competent developers who do not charge a fortune. We research the market, looking for people who suit our skills. This is where we browse through resumes and portfolios, and understand if the developer suits us in general. We consider everything based on their experience, where they worked and for how long and what technologies they can comfortably work with.

Pre-screen/Checking English

The manager then contacts a potential employee and gets to know them a little better. For example, what is their motivation, soft skills, mindset, outlook on the world, plans for life, and whether a person likes to look for answers to his questions on his own on the internet or seeks help. Also we see if they are independent or like to depend on their colleagues for help, what resources they use to find information, and so on.

All this takes place in English in order to immediately understand whether their level of the language is sufficient. Our task is not just to hire any coder, we want to hire a troubleshooter. Someone who can be depended upon when needed.

Test

The developer is then given a test task that they have to complete. This then tells us more about their technical skills, basic knowledge, and basic hard skills. During this step, all the people without sufficient knowledge and/or quality of work are filtered out.

Technical Interview

Our technical leaders have an interview with the potential developer who completed their test task successfully and we think that they would be a good addition to our team. During this interview, the experts assess the competency of the candidate thoroughly. Our technical leaders are practicing developers, so they are aware of all trends and evaluate the developer’s knowledge as well.

Interview with the client

In the final step, the client then gets a chance to interview the developers that will be working on their project and they can ask absolutely anything they want. The client can skip this step if they trust our judgment, or if they do not have the time for an interview.

This whole process takes about 2 weeks. Ideally, we go through the first 4 steps within a week, and the rest of the time is spent communicating with the client.

Conclusion

Now you know how to find NFT developers, where to start your research, what kind of projects interest you, what you want to do in terms of choosing the blockchain, where you want to recruit your talent from, and how long it might take and if you still need a consultant to help you out. The next step is to just let us know how we can help!

The main thing is to have an idea of what you want, know how much you are willing to spend, and to be patient because these things take time. Also, ideally, you would do research before you start your own project and I would recommend that you read about how to hire web3 programmers, how to create an NFT marketplace, and how to hire cryptocurrency developers.

Other than that, What are you waiting for? Send ProCoders a message and we will make sure that you have the NFT project you desire!