How to Hire a Full-stack Developer

The IT industry is full of tech talents, but finding the right software developer is still mind-boggling. Especially when you are looking for a full-stack developer. 

Front-end and back-end are the two basic aspects of web development. Now, when you hire two different developers for front-end and back-end, they deliver their best in their respective spectrum irrespective of their other side.

This is where a full-stack developer comes in handy by understanding the issues on both ends and turning them into effective and clean code.

This post offers valuable insights into the roles and responsibilities of a full-stack developer and the best way to hire them.

Scope of a full-stack developer: Roles & responsibilities

Whether it is a website, a mobile app, or any other software development project, you must understand the scope of a full-stack developer to leverage maximum benefits from his services.

Full-stack developers are experts in handling aspects like front-end, back-end, database, APIs, servers, and architecting.

They are well-versed in multiple web languages, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Their versatility puts them in great demand in the software development industry. Here are some key responsibilities that a full-stack developer needs to fulfill.

• Coordinating with software design & development
• Testing & debugging
• Ensuring clean code for front-end & back-end
• Developing server & database configurations
• API development & REST services
• Keep exploring software optimization opportunities throughout the development phase
• Assuring the security, maintenance, and scalability of the product
• Ensuring smooth communication among team members

You must ensure these performance aspects from your full-stack developer and discuss your project requirements in detail.

Where can you find full-stack developers?

There are several ways through which you can approach full-stack developers. The source of hiring must be decided depending on your project requirements and the complexities involved. Here are some proven ways to get top talented full-stack developers.

• Full-stack conferences

These conferences focus on constant innovation in software development and welcome ideas from emerging and experienced full-stack developers regarding the prevailing trends in full-stack development.

The best thing to approach a full-stack developer from such conferences is that you will find passionate developers here.

DevTernity, Full-stack Europe, Craft Conf., and Q-con London are some best full-stack conferences that you can consider to approach a full-stack developer.

Most conferences allow you to set up a booth there and you organize a mini-hackathon that will attract developers toward you. You can pitch to them and discuss your project requirements with them to work on it.

• CodinGame sourcing

This is an online platform that allows you to assess and filter candidates. Various recruiters trust this proven platform to get the best technical talent for their organizations.

The top talents don’t look for jobs; they just engage themselves in services like CodinGame and keep receiving notifications for better opportunities.

All you need to do is to submit your requirements and the robust matching mechanism of this platform brings a range of full-stack developers for you.

• GitHub

You might be aware of this code hosting platform where developers collaborate among team members and work together on a project irrespective of their place and time.

You can easily check ample GitHub repositories to look for what kind of programs developers have uploaded there and track their activities.

You will also get various resources on GitHub for cross-referencing and then can write a letter to your preferred developer regarding your project.

• LinkedIn

This is another social media platform most commonly used for professional purposes. Its robust mechanism helps you find the most suitable full-stack developer for your web development project.

You can look for the number of endorsements a full-stack developer has on its profile, and the one with the maximum number of endorsements is certainly an expert full-stack developer. Get in touch with them to discuss your project requirements.

• Freelancers

You can visit some websites like “Upwork” and “Freelancer” to get a wide range of software developers, including full-stack developers.

These are the two best websites to find freelance developers, and if not satisfied, you can search for other websites like Toptal and Topcoder.

A freelance full-stack developer is best suitable for small-sized web development projects. In addition, you must also know how to gauge their skills to finalize them for your project.

• Reputed web development companies

This is the most preferred and convenient way to approach an expert full-stack developer or a team of developers. You can use your IT contacts (if any) to get a trusted name or can simply explore the internet.

To confirm the credibility of a web development company, you can visit some rating & review sites like Clutch, Trustpilot, Yelp, and Google Reviews.

These companies have a flexible hiring process where you can hire a full-stack developer or a dedicated team depending on your project requirements.

The best part is that you get assured quality development along with much-required post-launch technical support for your website.

Look for their client reviews, work portfolio, and experience, and ask for some client references to get in touch with them. This will help you to get acquainted with the company’s workflow.

Top interview questions to ask a full-stack developer

You must gauge the skill set of a full-stack developer before hiring and knowing certain things about him will prove to be much advantageous for your project.

• Knowledge of programming languages: 

A full-stack developer must be comfortable in at least two programming languages. These languages can be Python, JavaScript, C++, Ruby, and PHP

• What type of projects have you worked on till now? When did you finish your last project?

Good programmers never sit idle for a long time and keep coding for different projects.

• Which was the biggest programming mistake that you ever made in a project and what remedies did you apply for it?

This will help you gauge his genuineness and oversight-handling approach.

• What do you consider your greatest strength in software development?

This is a very common question but critical in analyzing a developer’s confidence.

• Which database languages are you familiar with?

A full-stack developer must be an expert in how to query any type of database used in a tech stack. MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, Sphinx, Cassandra, and Apache Storm are the most commonly used database languages.

• What is your approach toward creating SEO-friendly code?

The developer must mention how he deals with titles, descriptions, data structure, content shift, and schema aspects.

• What is trending in full-stack development?

Make sure the developer is aware of the evolution of Vue.JS Functional, real-time web apps, Progressive web apps, and Single-page applications.

US, India, & China are the biggest markets for full-stack web developers 

These three countries have the maximum number of full-stack developer populations globally. According to Evansdata, the US has the maximum number of full-stack developers and India will overtake it by the end of 2023.

A study by Berkely states that there are over 23 million full-stack developers, and there will be an increase of 27% in job growth by 2024.

The cost of hiring a full-stack developer

The cost to hire a full-stack developer may depend on various factors, including experience, technical expertise, and geographical location. Combining all these factors, we can conclude that you need to pay an average per-hour development rate of $25 to $35.

You can even get some lower development rates if you choose freelancers for your project, but we don’t recommend it for a full-fledged or complex web development project.

Endnote

Hiring a qualified and talented full-stack developer in 2022 is a hard nut to crack, as most proficient developers are always in great demand. Following these above-mentioned critical tips, you can approach this problem strategically.

Or, you can look for a web development company with a high-quality workforce and a decent market reputation. This is a more trusted way to get a reliable and efficient full-stack developer.

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith is a Web Developer at Technoscore- a leading full-stack web development company in India. He constantly brings updated information on the latest tech trends. His passion for transforming technologies encourages him to inform and educate people through his write-ups.

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