Building a team of software developers is a complex process. In many cases, it is one of the most important parts of ensuring that you have the right people to complete your product. If you select the wrong team, it could delay the time needed to create your product. Alternatively, it could cause you to fail to have the features you really need or leave you struggling. Not only that, a poorly selected team of software developers could make it very difficult for you to maintain your product even after it’s created.
Are you making these key mistakes as you build your team of software developers?
Mistake #1: Trying To Compete Within Your Local Job Market Alone
Your local market can only hold so many software developers. In many markets, there’s a distinct shortage of software developers who have the skills needed for a given product. In fact, across the tech industry, a shortage of qualified applicants has created very real problems for many companies–and that includes people in need of software developers. Even if you have a local college regularly pushing out new graduates, you may not be able to find the exact team you need in your backyard.
If you’re trying to compete with your local job market alone, you may find it very difficult to get access to the right people to fill your team. You may not be able to find the right hard skills or find someone who is a great personality fit for your company. The harder you look, the more difficult it may feel to find applicants who are a great fit for your needs.
Expanding to a larger market, on the other hand, can make it much easier to find the right software developers for your next project. Thanks to modern technology, people can work–and work together–from anywhere in the world. You may find that the right member for your team is halfway across the country. Furthermore, you might find that opening up your search to a larger market can find candidates who are better fits.
Outsourcing a Team of Software Developers
Another great solution? Outsourcing your software development needs. Often, you don’t need an in-house team of software developers, especially if you’re focusing on a single project or expanding your company’s existing offerings, rather than using software developers as part of your company’s daily way of doing business. Nearshore software developers can help provide the skill set you need, often at a much lower cost to your company as a whole.
Mistake #2: Not Attracting the Type of Engineers You Need
In order to build a quality software development team, you need to attract the right engineers to the table. You don’t want just any team of engineers, especially if you’re struggling to build a qualified team. Before you start building your team, make sure you know about different types of engineers and what they specialize in. You may need to consider:
- Front-end engineers, who handle user interface, visual elements, and other elements of the user experience.
- Back-engineers, who focus on the logic, performance, and core elements of the software or app.
- Security engineers, who manage the security of your apps and ensure that they have the right tools to help protect your users.
- QA engineers, who ensure that the application works well and fits your needs–and the needs of your users.
- DevOps engineers, who focus on creating the back-end software and application infrastructure.
When you’re building your team, it’s important to keep in mind what type of software engineer–or engineers–you really need. Most software developers focus on a specific area of the software development process. While you may work with full-stack engineers, who have a solid understanding of both front-end and back-end design, you may need a specialist to come in and help take care of your security. Likewise, you may need a specific QA engineer to help test your system and ensure that it will perform as anticipated.
If you don’t have the right team, you may end up with knowledge gaps that could drag out the process. It could cause problems with the ultimate user experience that could prevent your app from performing well.
Mistake #3: Building a Failing Compensation and Benefits Package
If you want to attract the top software developers in your field, you’re going to need a top compensation and benefits package. With the talent shortage across much of the field, many software developers have their choice of positions. If you aren’t offering competitive benefits and compensation, the odds are good that the best software developers will pass you by as they move toward roles that will allow them the compensation they really want.
Take a look at the compensation offered, not just in your local area (remember, you aren’t just competing with your local job market!), but across the board. What is the average salary for the type of software developers you need to fill these specific roles? Are you able to offer a competitive salary? Make sure you take into consideration compensation for experience as well as the basic compensation offered by the industry.
Then, consider your benefits package. For today’s employees, benefits are nearly as important as salary–and sometimes, they can prove even more critical. While insurance is of critical importance to many employees, you should also consider the other benefits you offer and how they can impact employee morale, attract top talent, and help ensure that you’re able to keep your software developers once they choose employment with your company.
Offer Competitive Advantages When Building Your Team of Software Developers
You may want to take a look at:
- How much paid time off, including both sick and vacation leave, you’re able to offer each year. Don’t forget your parental benefits package, including time off for new additions to employees’ families!
- Flexible working hours.
- The ability to work from home or work remotely, which may encourage employees who might otherwise be reluctant to choose you as an employer.
- Your training package. Software development is a fast-growing field that may require employees to regularly expand their knowledge. By offering training opportunities, you encourage them to stay current in their field.
Mistake#4: Avoiding IT Staff Augmentation Because It’s “Expensive”
Sometimes, having the right software development team isn’t just about choosing the right immediate, core team for your organization. That core team can do a lot–but it can only do so much.
Do you have a project that you need to get out quickly? Or one that will put more stress than usual on the members of your team? Have your software developers fallen behind on many of their deadlines? Are you unexpectedly juggling more projects than usual? You may find yourself putting off augmenting your existing IT staff, including your software development team because it sounds “expensive”. Adding full-time staff members, obviously, would cost you even more. So, you may simply try to weather those difficult periods and hold off on augmenting your existing team.
Unfortunately, failing to augment your existing IT staff, often through outsourced software development services or even using nearshore software developers to aid your existing team, could actually make it more difficult for your team to meet its goals.
Advantages
Consider some of the advantages.
- With outsourced software developers, you can quickly scale your team based on your current needs, including your existing project load.
- Outsourced software developers help put in some of the extra time needed to meet a tight deadline. They deal with problems that might have arisen while you were working on your project.
- A team of outsourced software developers can help you cut costs. This is especially true when you have a short-term need rather than a long-term need. With an outsourced team, you won’t have to worry about the cost of hiring and onboarding new employees, the cost of more office space, or the cost of your benefits package. Instead, you can simply focus on moving your project forward.
- Outsourced developers may require less onboarding than adding new team members. This means they can get to work faster and avoid potential delays.
Build Your Team of Software Developers
Building the right team of software developers is critical for your business. Do you need a team of nearshore software developers that can help you meet your goals? Contact us today to learn more about the options we offer and how our team can help you accomplish your software development goals more efficiently.
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Patrick Stéphane
October 23, 2021I find this very interesting, especially the first point; Trying To Compete Within Your Local Job Market Alone. With remote work resources, searching for talent outside one’s local market should always be considered by tech startups and well-established companies.