How to hire a junior programmer

How to hire a junior programmer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step junior programmer 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 programmer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new junior programmer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a junior programmer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the junior programmer you need to hire. Certain junior programmer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect junior programmer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents junior programmer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Junior Programmer	Description	Hourly rate
   Junior Programmer	Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.	$21-39
   Software Engineer	A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer... Show more	$35-65
   Contract Developer	Contract Developers develop secure web applications for data collections, quality measurement efforts, and reporting purposes for large-scale performance, wireframes and UI specifications for interactive and static reporting and analysis features, and developing UI to interact with reporting engines. They are involved with system design and technical documentation and responsible for dot net development... Show more	$32-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • C++
   • JavaScript
   • Web Application
   • Java
   • HTML
   • Python
   • CSS
   • Database Objects
   • PL/SQL
   • Microsoft SQL Server
   • PHP
   • JQuery
   • Data Analysis
   • User Interface

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead solutions engineering that involve process automation, macro conversion and functionality enhancement.
   • Boost user interface performance through front end navigation menus in HTML and CSS.
   • Support development of a user interface for new web- base delivery platform including utilization of JavaScript and implementation of CSS.
   • Update many deprecate technologies such as old jQuery, ereg to preg, and PHP version support.
   • Develop JavaScript API for cross platform application development.
   • Develop the required CSS style sheets for the project.

   More junior programmer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, junior programmers' average salary in missouri is 37% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level junior programmers 45% less than senior-level junior programmers.
   • Certifications. A junior programmer 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 programmer's salary.

   Average junior programmer salary

   $61,448yearly

   $29.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level junior programmer salary

   $45,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average junior programmer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$88,493	$43
   2	Connecticut	$80,818	$39
   3	New York	$73,969	$36
   4	Illinois	$72,229	$35
   5	North Carolina	$71,098	$34
   6	Ohio	$71,040	$34
   7	Virginia	$70,503	$34
   8	New Jersey	$69,862	$34
   9	Georgia	$69,799	$34
   10	Pennsylvania	$67,429	$32
   11	Texas	$65,315	$31
   12	Michigan	$63,540	$31
   13	Maryland	$63,098	$30
   14	Indiana	$62,171	$30
   15	Louisiana	$61,713	$30
   16	Florida	$49,862	$24

   Average junior programmer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	PlayStation	$86,621	$41.64	34
   2	Westat	$83,509	$40.15
   3	Sony Electronics	$82,073	$39.46	8
   4	99 Cents Only Stores	$78,723	$37.85
   5	Activision Blizzard	$76,396	$36.73	2
   6	Transdev Services, Inc.	$76,164	$36.62	1
   7	Gremillion & Pou Marketing	$73,344	$35.26
   8	Trideum	$73,074	$35.13	3
   9	AnswerNet	$71,628	$34.44
   10	Eliassen Group	$70,914	$34.09	174
   11	TranSystems	$70,885	$34.08
   12	HBS Systems	$70,031	$33.67
   13	CyberCoders	$69,530	$33.43
   14	SHINE Systems	$68,387	$32.88
   15	Intertech	$68,369	$32.87
   16	Larsen & Toubro Infotech Limited Inc	$68,056	$32.72	1
   17	HealthEC	$67,549	$32.48
   18	Apex CoVantage	$67,429	$32.42
   19	Magnopus	$67,391	$32.40
   20	The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania	$67,391	$32.40

4. Writing a junior programmer job description

   A good junior programmer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a junior programmer job description:

   Junior programmer job description example

   We are looking for a Junior Audio Programmer to join the CRYENGINE Audio Team.
   
   As a Junior Audio Programmer, you will be working in a cooperative, cross-disciplinary environment to work on CRYENGINE Audio domain. On our innovative and friendly team, you can expect to grow as you make a real difference.
   
   *Please include your resume, cover letter and potential samples / private projects (e.g. GitHub, Bitbucket).*
   
   Relocation & Remote Work
   Although we believe living close to our studio helps foster team spirit and stronger bonds between team members, we understand that people have different needs and expectations for their place of residence. You have a choice of three location options, allowing you to work with Crytek from anywhere you wish:
   
   1. Come to our modern headquarters in Frankfurt and receive an attractive relocation package and have access to all of our benefits.
   
   2. If you are already living in a European Union member state, we are able to offer you a permanent work contract and allow you to work remotely as an employee from there.
   
   3. If you are interested in full-time remote work in any other country outside of the European Union, we can offer you a freelance contract arrangement.
   ResponsibilitiesContribute to the development and optimization of low-level audio engine systems.Improve existing DSP-functionality. Develop and implement new effects.Implement corresponding feature tests.Contribute to CRYENGINE documentation.
   RequirementsExcitement for software development with focus on audio technology.Basic programming skills and eagerness in growing with C++ and all the tools that come with it.Understanding the value of audio in games.Motivated and reliable team player who is self-driven and willing to learn.Proficiency in English and good communication skills with strong affinity for transparency.
   PlusesExperience with game engines, preferably CRYENGINE.Knowledge at a programming level of audio middleware, such as FMOD or Wwise.Knowledge about low-level audio topics, such as propagation and HRTF.Interest in sound behavior in dynamic environments.
   What you can expect from us
   
   Home Office
   Work-life balance is not just a hollow term for us. At Crytek, we offer you the option to either work from home or in our studio.
   
   Career Path
   Your professional development is important to us, so we have laid out a career plan to help you progress towards your goals and objectives.
   
   Company Apartment
   To help you get settled, we provide you with a fully furnished company apartment during your first three months in Frankfurt.*
   
   Relocation Support
   We offer a relocation budget and full coverage of flights to Frankfurt for you and your family.
   You can expect extensive assistance with visa, work permits, and communication with authorities during the relocation process, as well as help settling into Germany (e.g. setting up appointments with banks, government agencies, schools, landlords, finding apartments etc.).*
   
   Public Transport Pass
   Discover Frankfurt by bus, tram and metro - free of charge.*
   
   Gym Card
   A healthy body is a healthy mind. We offer a membership at the premium gym chain Fitness First in Germany. Work out, join group fitness classes, or relax in the wellness facilities.
   
   International Environment
   We truly embody diversity at Crytek. With employees from over 42 different countries, we define ourselves by our cultural diversity.
   
   German Classes
   Understanding the local culture will make your stay abroad more enjoyable, and Crytek supports that by offering German language courses for you and your family.
   
   Vacation Days
   At our Frankfurt office you can enjoy 24 days of vacation per year, and every 2 years you get 1 more (up to a maximum of 28 days). You will also have on average 10 public holidays on top of the days you take off. If you are working from another country, local standards apply.
   
   *only applicable to employees in Frankfurt.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find junior programmers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your junior programmer job on Zippia to find and recruit junior programmer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit junior programmers, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a junior programmer 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 programmer

   Once you've selected the best junior programmer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new junior programmer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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