How to hire a software development specialist

How to hire a software development specialist, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The software development specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A software development specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, software development specialists 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of software development specialists.

   Type of Software Development Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Software Development Specialist	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	$37-63
   Principal Software Engineer	A Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of an organization's projects. They diagnose, document, and troubleshoot systems to resolve problems identified through testing, as well as implement strategies to improve integration and efficiency.	$47-87
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Software Development
   • Java
   • Windows
   • SQL Server
   • Application Development
   • C
   • C++
   • JavaScript
   • Web Services
   • Python
   • Development Environment
   • Code Reviews
   • PL/SQL
   • GUI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and manage Unix base configuration management systems to maintain software assets.
   • Used Javascript, Ajax, Css etc.
   • Work with JQuery Validators for validations in MVC.
   • Design web interface using jquery javascript libraries to access automation.
   • Develop tools for EDI, NACHA, and XML files.
   • Used Log4j for debugging the issues and exceptions.

   More software development specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your software development specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A software development specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a software development specialist in Mississippi may be lower than in California, and an entry-level software development specialist usually earns less than a senior-level software development specialist. Additionally, a software development specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average software development specialist salary

   $102,196yearly

   $49.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level software development specialist salary

   $78,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average software development specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$139,556	$67
   2	Washington	$115,972	$56
   3	New York	$108,686	$52
   4	Massachusetts	$104,382	$50
   5	New Jersey	$103,358	$50
   6	Arizona	$101,011	$49
   7	Virginia	$99,146	$48
   8	Texas	$98,407	$47
   9	Utah	$97,025	$47
   10	Rhode Island	$94,878	$46
   11	Illinois	$94,611	$45
   12	Minnesota	$94,471	$45
   13	Georgia	$92,565	$45
   14	North Carolina	$92,318	$44
   15	Florida	$88,838	$43
   16	Kansas	$87,867	$42
   17	Ohio	$86,537	$42
   18	Tennessee	$85,056	$41
   19	Kentucky	$81,758	$39
   20	Nebraska	$77,894	$37

   Average software development specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Netflix	$141,225	$67.90	21
   2	Nasdaq	$128,217	$61.64	13
   3	AQR Capital Management	$128,076	$61.58	4
   4	Concentra	$126,778	$60.95	1
   5	Cengage Learning	$123,406	$59.33	38
   6	MAC Cosmetics	$120,590	$57.98
   7	SAP	$119,769	$57.58	40
   8	SAS Institute	$119,080	$57.25	39
   9	Novartis	$117,175	$56.33
   10	Ford Motor	$115,900	$55.72	492
   11	Country-Wide Insurance	$113,801	$54.71
   12	Experian Data Quality	$112,295	$53.99
   13	Amdocs	$109,737	$52.76	3
   14	Domino's Pizza	$109,645	$52.71	19
   15	APN	$108,139	$51.99
   16	UChicago Argonne	$106,471	$51.19
   17	3M Company	$106,227	$51.07	14
   18	Data	$106,077	$51.00	4
   19	TAJ Technologies	$103,159	$49.60
   20	Randstad North America, Inc.	$101,801	$48.94	32

4. Writing a software development specialist job description

   A software development specialist 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 software development specialist job description:

   Software development specialist job description example

   Job DescriptionBestica is a trusted provider of solutions in Information Technology and Healthcare sectors to the DoD, Federal and Commercial markets. Our guiding principle and core values help us care for our people and the community; and build a culture of excellence which in turn helps us achieve our organizational objective of exceeding customer’s expectations in each and every project. Headquartered in San Antonio, TX, we were founded in 2005.
   Sr. Java Developer
   Location: Reston, VA
   
   Overview:
   Develop and configure customized software product/system to meet client requirements. Build and support specialized customizations to the core asset software including conversions, interfaces, enhancements and user interface modifications. May include end-to-end software development starting from analysis moving on to design, implementation, QA, delivery and maintenance. Applies knowledge of technologies, applications, methods, processes and tools to support a client, project or entity.
   
   Job Responsibilities: Provide functional and/or technical expertise to plan, analyze, define and support the delivery of future functional and technical capabilities for an application or group of applications. Has experience in Scala programming and RESTful and SOA services Additional Preferred Skills: Java, Jasvacript MVC, Cloud Architecture, Maven, Spring, Everware MDA, Marklogic, XML, Linux Redhat suite, Alfresco, and Redis Cache Provide functional and/or technical expertise to plan, analyze, define and support the delivery of future functional and technical capabilities for an application or group of applications. Assist in facilitating impact assessment efforts and in producing and reviewing estimates for client work requests. 15+ years’ experience with Java Development. Additional Preferred Skills: Java, Jasvacript MVC, Maven, Spring, Everware MDA, Marklogic, XML, Linux Redhat suite, Alfresco, and Terracotta. Bachelor’s Degree Required
   Public Trust Clearance Required
   
   We at Bestica believe our success is a direct result of hard work and outstanding employee dedication. Our environment is dynamic, friendly, and collaborative. We foster a positive culture, where innovation and synergy are encouraged to build our workplace into a community of like-minded, passionate people.
   
   If this opportunity aligns with your capabilities and career desires, please take a moment to visit our website at www.bestica.com. Send us your resume, along with a cover letter indicating the contribution you will make at Bestica.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right software development specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your software development specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit software development specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting software development specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview software development specialist candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • 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 development specialist

   Once you've selected the best software development specialist 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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