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How to hire a Software Developer

Software developer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring software developers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a software developer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new software developer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a software developer, step by step

To hire a software developer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a software developer, you should follow these steps:

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

What does a Software Developer do?

A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.

Learn more about the specifics of what a software developer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your software developer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a software developer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine Employee vs Contractor Status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect software developer 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.

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

    Type Of Software DeveloperDescriptionHourly Rate
    Software DeveloperSoftware 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$32-54
    Mobile Applications DeveloperA 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
    Web Application DeveloperA web application developer is responsible for designing website and system applications following clients' specifications and business' needs. Web application developers utilize their expertise in programming languages and system codes, ensuring the efficiency and smooth navigation of the website... Show More$31-52
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common Skills:
    • Java
    • Python
    • C++
    • Software Development
    • JavaScript
    • Database
    • Debugging
    • GIT
    • Linux
    • API
    • Jenkins
    • Scrum
    • CSS
    • Jira
    Check All Skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Restructure the project code in repository and use maven to manage project dependencies.
    • Used JIRA to manage and track the issues report by QA and prioritize and take action base on the severity.
    • Develop the front-end web page by using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, taking advantage of the frameworks Angular.JS.
    • Lead team and develop UNIX administrative and maintenance development tasks, supporting customer requirements.
    • Configure custom PL/SQL database to manage new database objects including triggers, user-define functions and store procedures.
    • Implement a centralize configuration system for managing application settings, consisting of a desktop application with a WCF backend.
    More Software Developer duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, software developers' average salary in wyoming is 38% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level software developers 41% less than senior-level software developers.
    • Certifications. A software 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 software developer's salary.

    Average software developer salary

    $87,521yearly

    $42.08 hourly rate

    Entry-level software developer salary
    $67,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 14, 2025

    Average software developer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly Rate
    1California$112,889$54
    2Washington$106,416$51
    3New York$91,206$44
    4New Jersey$89,535$43
    5District of Columbia$88,736$43
    6Virginia$88,269$42
    7Massachusetts$87,594$42
    8Pennsylvania$85,185$41
    9North Carolina$83,935$40
    10Arizona$83,348$40
    11Texas$83,174$40
    12Ohio$80,126$39
    13Illinois$79,378$38
    14Minnesota$78,876$38
    15Michigan$77,715$37
    16Georgia$77,031$37
    17Indiana$75,225$36
    18Missouri$74,940$36
    19Florida$74,317$36
    20Arkansas$72,217$35

    Average software developer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
    1The Citadel$146,422$70.40
    2Meta$142,376$68.451,794
    3Nuxeo$137,336$66.03
    4Google$136,747$65.74602
    5Chegg$135,626$65.20
    6Apple$135,566$65.181,008
    7Cambridge Associates$133,580$64.222
    8BitGo$131,882$63.4019
    9Atlassian$131,719$63.3311
    10Morgan Lewis$130,228$62.61
    11Pacific Investment Management Company LLC$129,065$62.059
    12PayPal$128,866$61.9595
    13Microsoft$127,702$61.40490
    14Safeway$127,643$61.37
    15MongoDB$127,425$61.2652
    16Cerberus Capital Management$125,386$60.28
    17NVIDIA$125,029$60.11363
    18Alphabet$124,647$59.93
    19Mitsubishi Motors$124,506$59.862
    20AQR Capital Management$124,494$59.851
  4. Writing a Software Developer Job Description

    A software 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a software developer job description:

    Software Developer job description example

    • Alignment to a mission-critical role that directly impacts the customer's ability to effectively prosecute its mission.
    • Direct engagement with contractor leadership that centers upon career development/mobility, enhanced performance evaluation, and corporate information sharing & networking opportunities.
    • Placement on a dynamic team of talented professionals that organically fosters an environment of innovation, collaboration, and trust.
    • Full-flex work week
    • 401K with company match
    • Internal mobility team dedicated to helping you own your career
    • Collaborative teams of highly motivated critical thinkers and innovators
    • Ability to make a real impact on the world around you

    Not sure this job's the one for you? Check out our other openings at gdit.com/careers.

    Do you have a friend or colleague this posting describes? Let them know about the opportunity by clicking “Share.”

    #OpportunityOwned

    #GDITCareers

    #GDITLife

    #WeAreGDIT

    #Jet

    Scheduled Weekly Hours:

    40

    Travel Required:

    Less than 10%

    Telecommuting Options:

    Onsite

    Work Location:

    USA VA Chantilly

    Additional Work Locations:

    COVID-19 Vaccination: GDIT does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, GDIT may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.We are GDIT. The people supporting some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We deliver. Bringing the expertise needed to understand and advance critical missions. We transform. Shifting the ways clients invest in, integrate, and innovate technology solutions. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. We are there. On the ground, beside our clients, in the lab, and everywhere in between. Offering the technology transformations, strategy, and mission services needed to get the job done.GDIT is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.
  5. Post your job

    To find software 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 software developers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level software 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 software 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 software 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.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    If your interviews with software developer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you 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 software developer

    Once you've decided on a perfect software developer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new software 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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How much does it cost to hire a software developer?

Recruiting software developers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for software developers is $87,521 in the US. However, the cost of software developer hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a software developer for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $32 and $54 an hour.

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