How to hire a junior developer

How to hire a junior developer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step junior developer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a junior developer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new junior developer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a junior developer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a junior developer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A junior developer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, junior developers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of junior developer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Junior Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Junior Developer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$26-47
   Software Developer Internship	A software developer intern is responsible for assisting the software engineers with the design implementation and shadowing their duties to understand the processes more efficiently. Software developer interns use their classroom knowledge on practical applications, suggesting recommendations on how to make the project successful... Show more	$14-23
   Mobile Applications Developer	A mobile application developer is responsible for designing programming applications for mobile devices according to clients' specifications and business demands. Mobile application developers must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as computer system commands to develop efficient scripts and smooth navigation of operating systems... Show more	$36-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • C++
   • JavaScript
   • Python
   • C Net
   • PHP
   • CSS
   • HTML
   • Html Css
   • Object Oriented Programming
   • Perl
   • GIT
   • API
   • Web Services

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work with a scrum team in deciding, organizing, and managing tasks.
   • Manage connectivity using JDBC for querying/inserting & data management including triggers and store procedures.
   • Design and implementation of front end web pages using JSP, HTML and XML/XSLT.
   • Design and develop GUI for multiple client applications by using ASP.NET controls, CSS, HTML.
   • Involve in creation of XML files from the UI to be send to the component for processing.
   • Contribute to email communication through JAVA application using Java mail API for notification purposes.

   More junior developer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your junior developer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A junior developer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, junior developers' average salary in south dakota is 37% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level junior developers 43% less than senior-level junior developers.
   • Certifications. A junior developer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a junior developer's salary.

   Average junior developer salary

   $75,006yearly

   $36.06 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level junior developer salary

   $56,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average junior developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$91,484	$44
   2	Washington	$88,096	$42
   3	New York	$81,694	$39
   4	New Jersey	$77,298	$37
   5	Maryland	$75,705	$36
   6	Pennsylvania	$74,339	$36
   7	Massachusetts	$74,327	$36
   8	Michigan	$74,050	$36
   9	Texas	$73,236	$35
   10	Virginia	$71,355	$34
   11	Illinois	$71,097	$34
   12	District of Columbia	$70,757	$34
   13	North Carolina	$67,900	$33
   14	Georgia	$67,819	$33
   15	Utah	$63,655	$31
   16	Florida	$62,507	$30
   17	Colorado	$62,063	$30
   18	Indiana	$61,063	$29

   Average junior developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Atlassian	$119,313	$57.36
   2	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$117,844	$56.66	891
   3	Citi	$114,370	$54.99	27
   4	Deutsche Bank	$111,077	$53.40	7
   5	Ci&t	$106,770	$51.33
   6	ICAP	$105,540	$50.74
   7	UBS	$104,143	$50.07	7
   8	Solera	$103,079	$49.56	14
   9	HedgeServ	$102,507	$49.28	1
   10	AvePoint	$101,049	$48.58
   11	YouMail	$99,982	$48.07
   12	Standard Chartered	$99,805	$47.98	16
   13	VanEck	$99,497	$47.84
   14	Parsons	$99,019	$47.61	45
   15	Thomson Reuters	$97,620	$46.93	37
   16	Magnetar Capital	$96,771	$46.52
   17	Bt Financial Group	$96,694	$46.49
   18	Bose	$95,647	$45.98	2
   19	SIFMA	$94,847	$45.60
   20	Equitable Holdings	$94,760	$45.56

4. Writing a junior developer job description

   A junior developer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a junior developer job description:

   Junior developer job description example

   Gallagher is a global leader in insurance, risk management and consulting services. We help businesses grow, communities thrive and people prosper. We live a culture defined by The Gallagher Way, our set of shared values and guiding tenets. A culture driven by our people, over 40,000 strong, serving our clients with customized solutions that will protect them and fuel their futures.
   Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. (GBS) , a division of Gallagher , consistently stands out in a competitive marketplace as an employer of knowledgeable, highly skilled and competitive talent. We are a company that touches businesses and their employees on a personal level. At the core, our job is to help protect the health and well-being of employees and their families and provide for their financial security-all while allowing employers to attract and retain the people they need to grow and succeed. As you consider the value of working for our team, remember our talent, winning attitude and strong performance will be highly valued and will maximize your future potential
   
   The Junior CRM Applications Developer is responsible for the:
   Implementation and validation of processes designed by development leadership Developing new and maintaining existing SSRS reports, particularly utilizing FetchXML Developing and extending PowerBI reports and visualizations, specifically from CRM data sources Collaborating with team members and project owners to develop the required custom applications The candidate must have a firm understanding of the importance of information security and be able to observe data security principles and best practices in ensuring that Gallagher's data is protected in accordance with IT Policy and organizational priorities. Essential Duties and Responsibilities :
   Gather and analyze requirements, design, develop, test, and, maintain custom applications on the Microsoft Dynamics platform, using declarative no code/low code development skills to achieve effective configuration and customization of out-of-the-box features Work collaboratively with team members and project owners to effectively execute development plans Maintain proper documentation of requirements, processes, and designs Comply with AJG IT Policies and Procedures and Professional Standards
   Qualifications :
   1+ years of Dynamics CRM 365 development experience (OOB customization and customization) Experience developing and maintaining FetchXML based SSRS reports for the D365 CRM platform Experience developing Power BI reports and visualizations against D365 CRM data sources Some experience with CDS, Model-driven app, and Canvas App Some experience with Power Platform (Power Automate, Power App, and Power BI) Some Experience working with application lifecycle management tools (TFS or DevOps) Experience in Agile or Scrum software development methodology Experience in the Microsoft stack of technologies Interpersonal Skills :
   Must be self-motivated and goal oriented Attention to detail and proven ability to follow through Strong analytical, organizational, and problem solving capabilities Ability to work on multiple projects and priorities concurrently Requires minimal supervision and motivation Ability to work collaboratively on team based projects Proven relationship building skills and high energy level Excellent oral and written communication skills
   U.S. Eligibility Requirements :
   Interested candidates must submit an application and resume/CV online to be considered Must be 18 years of age or older Must be willing to submit to a background investigation; any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States. For U.S. employment opportunities, Gallagher hires U.S. citizens, permanent residents, asylees, refugees, and temporary residents. Temporary residence does not include those with non-immigrant work authorization (F, J, H or L visas), such as students in practical training status. Exceptions to these requirements will be determined based on shortage of qualified candidates with a particular skill. Gallagher will require proof of work authorization Must be willing to execute Gallagher's Employee Agreement or Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement, which require, among other things, post-employment obligations relating to non-solicitation, confidentiality and non-disclosure Gallagher offers competitive salaries and benefits, including: medical/dental/vision plans, life and accident insurance, 401(K), employee stock purchase plan, educational expense reimbursement, employee assistance program, flexible work hours (availability varies by office and job function) training programs, matching gift program, and more.
   
   Gallagher believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against nor favor any applicant because of race, sex, color, disability, national origin, religion, creed, age, marital status, citizenship, veteran status, gender, gender identity / expression, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. Equal employment opportunity will be extended in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, compensation, benefits, layoff, and termination. In addition, Gallagher will make reasonable accommodations to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified applicant with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business.
   
   #LI-NP1
   
   Additional Information

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5. Post your job

   To find junior developers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any junior developers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level junior developers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find junior developer candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit junior developers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a junior developer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new junior developer

   Once you've found the junior developer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new junior developer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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