How to Hire Developers for Startups in 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Hiring talented developers can be a struggle, especially for startups. According to CB Insights, the top reason cited by 14% of founders for their company's downfall was "not having the right team."

With the abundance of job opportunities out there these days, developers are more selective than ever when choosing a place where they want to advance their careers. This article is aimed at providing startup owners with tips on how to successfully hire developers to build a professional team and avoid the most common pitfalls.

Challenges startups face when hiring developers

It's definitely not easy to find someone who is both qualified and willing to join your team. Here are five main challenges you should be aware of when searching for developers:

1. Scarce pool of qualified experts

Startups often lack the resources or budget to hire skilled senior-level developers right away. Given limited investments, startup owners often can’t afford to attract top talent who may command higher salaries than what startup businesses are able to offer.

But even if you have enough finance, you may still face a shortage of developers with related experience and skillsets in your region. The current situation in the US market only confirms this concern. According to IDC, a global market intelligence firm, the US market will experience a massive shortfall of 4 million programmers by 2025.

That’s why a lot of US-based companies opt for hiring developers for a startup overseas, mostly in Eastern Europe and Asia, that offer high developer expertise at reasonable prices.

2. Tough competition among employees

Large international organizations with big names are tough opponents when it comes to hiring developers. In addition to a decent compensation package, they may offer a wide range of benefits like corporate discounts, better health insurance, flexible hours, a longer vacation, and more – these perks look tempting for potential employees.

Plus, global corporations have access to a wider pool of talent, both in local and international markets. With this kind of reach, they are able to hire developers for startup who meet their specific needs and goals no matter where they're located. It’s a significant edge over smaller companies that may be limited by geography and resources. Moreover, implementing effective calendar management ensures streamlined scheduling and coordination․

3. Lack of startup recognition

The tech industry is a highly-competitive environment for newcomers. And the lack of recognition on the market may seem to spell doom for your recruitment efforts when it comes to hiring a developer for a startup. The fewer people know about your startup, the more difficult it is to convince potential recruits to join your team. After all, it’s natural to conduct some research about the potential workplace, or better get endorsements from friends and colleagues before accepting an offer and signing any papers, right? Thus, low awareness can significantly reduce your chances to hire developers for your startup.

4. Ever-changing tech industry standards

The tech landscape is advancing by leaps and bounds, and it can be a challenge to keep up with industry innovations. For those looking to hire a developer for a startup, it’s vital to always stay updated about the current mobile trends and also have an eye on what's coming next.

Having information gaps in this field is an obstacle on the way to picking professionals with relevant expertise and tech stack. In other words, you should put some extra effort into industry research to be capable of screening out candidates with obsolete skillsets.

By the way, remember that your existing development team also needs regular training in order to stay up-to-date with modern programming practices, quantum computer simulators or AI tools and keep their skills sharp.

5. Limited hiring timeframes

Oftentimes, the process of hiring developers for a startup takes months of searching and interviewing. But when you’re on a tight timeline with your project, finding someone quickly becomes even more difficult. If the need is too desperate, startups usually settle for someone with less experience or take chances on candidates without the necessary track record yet. Unfortunately, such a hassle can lead to costly mistakes down the line if things don't work out as planned. Leveraging an applicant tracking system can significantly streamline and automate this crucial process, enhancing efficiency and ensuring a more thorough evaluation of potential candidates.

The benefits of hiring remote developers for startups

While hiring a developer for a startup comes with a set of challenges and it’s not an easy process, let’s go through some key advantages when hiring developers remotely.

1. Ability to hire top developers worldwide

As a startup, you may face a limited pool of qualified developers in your local area. Finding the experienced senior developers you need can be quite challenging, especially when working with a tight budget. The top talent tends to demand higher salaries than most startups can afford.

However, when you're open to hiring developers for a startup remotely, the whole world becomes your talent pool. You are no longer restricted to just the developers in your city or even your country; you can search for and hire the best professionals regardless of their location. Even with a modest budget, the remote approach allows you to compete for the top talent.

2. Reduced costs for office and infrastructure

Beyond the ability to hire developers for startups globally, remote hiring also provides significant cost savings. With your team located in different countries, you can not only save on office space and infrastructure but also leverage sophisticated remote device management solutions to ensure seamless collaboration while maintaining high security and performance standards across all devices. This reduction in expenses, such as rent, utilities, furniture, and equipment, frees up valuable resources. These can be reinvested into other critical areas of your business, such as product development and marketing, or by expanding your team further.

Bonus tip: you can hire skilled developers in locations where salaries and living expenses are more affordable while still offering them competitive compensation packages. By doing that, your startup can maximize the value it gets from each hire while providing an attractive opportunity for skilled developers, which is a win-win approach for both the company and the employees.

3. Improved productivity and employee motivation

Remote work empowers employees with greater flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance, enabling them to optimize their workflow and minimize distractions. General remote work statistics show that an enhanced environment leads to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. For startups, these productivity and motivation gains can be a game-changer, allowing them to achieve more with available resources. By fostering a remote-first culture that brings out the best in their team, startups can drive faster progress on critical goals.

4. Building experienced, diverse, cross-cultural teams

Embracing remote hiring offers startups the opportunity to build diverse, cross-cultural teams. Poland, as one of the leading tech hubs in Europe, presents a rich resource of highly skilled developers known for their expertise and problem-solving abilities. Startups can tap into this pool of professionals who are fluent in the required languages and frameworks. Compared to local recruitment in Western Europe or North America, hiring developers from Poland for your startup can be more cost-effective without compromising quality, allowing startups to keep their budgets in the “safe” zone.

Factors to consider when you hire developers for startup

The success of your business depends on having the right people in place. Here's what you need to know when searching for top-notch tech talent:

1. Clear requirements & expectations

Building your development team from scratch may put you at risk of committing a common mistake that many startup owners make when hiring a developer for a startup – defining uncertain job requirements for your potential candidates. It’s fine, mistakes are a human thing, but forewarned is forearmed!

If you can’t precisely formulate what you expect your employees to deliver, this leads to frustration on both sides of the table. It’s also potentially wasted time and resources as developers who are not suited for the job may be hired by chance. With detailed requirements upfront, everyone involved can make sure that they're getting exactly what they need from each other.

2. Proven cultural fit

Let’s imagine a situation when you are about to make a job offer to a perfect-match senior developer with a solid technical background and fill a glass of champagne to celebrate. But two weeks later this employee quits because he hasn’t managed to get along with the rest of the team. You’re desperate and have no other option but start the recruitment cycle again.

So what went wrong? The brutal truth is that to hire developers for startup just because they meet all technical requirements isn't enough. Understanding how your future colleagues might interact within existing development teams is vital. For that, ask questions about past experiences, values, communication styles, and ways to resolve conflicts, to reveal if the applicant can fit your corporate culture in the long run.

3. Hidden fees for the recruitment

Hiring developers for a startup can cause additional costs that you don’t expect at the beginning. Speaking of the recruitment process itself, be aware that you need to cover such expenses as HR’s salary, costs of posting job ads, and an agency fee, in case you turn to one.

Moreover, some developers may leverage tools and services that charge additional fees so make sure you figure out these nuances at the interview. In fact, it can be easy to get caught off guard by unexpected charges or extra expenses, so keep track of what you're signing up for to eliminate any surprises.

How to hire developers for startups?

Once you know all possible pitfalls, it’s time to learn the art of getting professionals on board. Keeping track of the agreements and contracts you enter into will help you eliminate surprises and make informed decisions as your startup scales. In this section, we’d like to share a couple of actionable tips for hiring software developers at a startup.

Never miss an opportunity to network

Get out there and start meeting people at various tech conferences and meetups. Socializing with a tech community that might have connections or referrals will increase the likelihood to hire developers for startup. You never know what kind of leads this may uncover. If you don’t mind hiring suitable candidates with lower experience levels but still great potential, look for bootcamp graduates or recent college grads who are eager to learn and grow in their roles.

Make social media your ally

Look outside of traditional job boards because some of the best developers aren't necessarily looking through these channels. To hire developers for startup, consider using social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, as well as other online forums related to programming and technologies in order to widen your search pool significantly.

Highlight your competitive advantages

Don’t forget that candidates evaluate you too. As such, identify the strengths of your startup, whether it is a cool corporate culture or a solid benefits package, and articulate them at the interview. This will make a big difference when convincing potential candidates why joining your company should become their priority choice above anyone else.

Focus on soft skills

Apart from a vast technical background, pay attention to the developer’s soft skills such as communication, problem-solving ability, and creativity. These traits often make difference when you hire developers for startup as you’ll easily identify the one who truly stands out from their peers and ensure that a programmer will fit in effortlessly.

Follow up quickly

In today’s fast-paced world response speed is the key when it comes down to hiring talented developers. Make sure that you or your recruiter gives prompt feedback after the initial contact to not miss a valuable specialist.

Effective strategies and platforms to hire developers for your startup

When it comes to sourcing and hiring the right developers for a startup, there are several strategies to keep in mind. From partnering with experienced agencies to tapping into developer communities, each approach offers unique advantages. Let's delve into the details.

Leverage top lists of app development agencies

Begin by searching for a reliable list of the top app development companies. Our recent articles titled "Top Flutter Companies" and "Top MVP Development Companies" can be great starting points to identify reputable mobile app agencies with strong portfolios. Review the portfolios of the companies featured on these lists, and shortlist the ones whose work aligns with your project requirements. Request that they assign a professional team to assist with your project. You can choose either an outstaffing or outsourcing model of cooperation.

A key benefit of working with an established app development agency is that they have already built cohesive, high-performing teams. The developers have experience collaborating together, which helps ensure smooth, efficient project delivery. This mitigates the risk of interpersonal conflicts or challenges that can sometimes arise when assembling a new team from scratch.

Job boards and career websites

Traditional job boards and career websites remain a popular way for startups to hire developers. Let’s look through some of the well-known options:

LinkedIn. A business- and employment-focused social media platform where you can post jobs and find the right candidates.

Indeed. One of the biggest job aggregators, it's convenient for both job postings and provides tools for job search, resumes, company reviews, and more.

StackOverflow Careers. This specialized job board for developers is hosted on the popular programming Q&A site.

AngelList. This is a platform for startups. It aids in fundraising, connects startups with angel investors and limited partners, and offers hiring capabilities, including the recruitment of remote employees.

Glassdoor. This site allows job seekers to leave reviews about companies, which helps to build brand awareness. Glassdoor is also one of the world's largest job and recruiting sites.

Upwork. This freelance platform provides access to a large pool of freelance developers. However, startups should exercise caution, as not all freelancers are equally consistent and reliable.

Hired. Hired is a curated marketplace for the world's tech and sales workers. This is a specialized platform for hiring developers, providing a more personalized approach.

TopTal. Toptal is a global remote company that provides a freelancing platform, connecting businesses with software engineers, designers, and other professionals.

RemoteCo. RemoteCo is a place that connects small to medium-sized businesses to remote workers. The platform also offers consulting, training, and recruitment services to help companies and organizations transition to remote work seamlessly.

WeWorkRemotely. This is a large remote work job board with a wide selection of developer positions. They claim themselves to be the home of the largest remote work community in the world, with 4.5 million visitors.

Although these platforms allow startups to reach a large audience of developers, it also requires a large effort to find the right candidates after looking through so many profiles. 

Developer communities

Another way to connect with talented developers is to tap into specialized online communities. These communities provide a targeted and engaged pool of technical talent that startups can leverage for their hiring needs.

GitHub. It is the largest hosting platform for developers to share code files and collaborate with fellow developers on open-source projects. GitHub also serves as a social networking site where developers can openly network, collaborate, and pitch their work.

Reddit. You can scan the popular topical subreddits /r/forhire and /r/programming, where developers look for work. 

Specialized communities. Communities on Slack such as CodersCrew, WebDevNation, or RemoteJobs. Niche forums and communities on Facebook and Discord are also good places to find experienced developers according to your needs.

How SolveIt сan help your startup hire developers in 4 steps

As a savvy service provider, SolveIt has rich experience in hiring developers. Let us uncover our recipe for the step-by-step recruitment process and share how SolveIt helps startup owners to go through it.

Step 1: Define your idea & requirements

Every startup has its unique needs and goals, and we’ll help to identify yours. Are you planning to build a full-scale product or considering MVP development for your startup? How many developers do you need to achieve your goals? Can you allocate the budget effectively so that all your business needs are covered? At SolveIt, we always carefully collect customer requirements to recommend the most suitable approach to product for their unique needs and budget limits.

Once we’ve visualized the complete picture, it’s time to portray your future teammates. We’ll help you define the personality of a startup developer that would fit into your company culture, share similar values, and have enthusiasm for bringing new ideas into reality using the MBTI Personality Test. We also pay close attention to developer’s specific technical skills, such as coding languages or software development frameworks, to ensure they would make significant contribution to your project.

Step 2: Choose the proper tech stack & engagement model

The choice of an appropriate technology stack for app development is affected by many factors, including cost efficiency, scalability opportunities, and user experience, among others. What platform will your application run on? Will it be a native or a cross-platform application? All frameworks and programming languages have their own pros and cons. That’s why we help you conduct thorough research and provide consulting services so that you make a well-balanced decision on some particular technology.

The next step is outlining an appropriate type of engagement model that best suits your needs and budget. The fixed-price model involves setting up a fixed price based on specific milestones or deliverables while the TM (time & material) model suits those who agree to pay an hourly rate and allows flexibility in terms of feature updates. Or maybe you plan to turn to a dedicated development team?

From our experience, the TM model is the most convenient option. It helps the client to work with the team on flexible conditions and, if necessary, attract additional resources without overpaying for full-time specialists who are engaged only for a few tasks. Depending on the engagement model chosen, we may proceed with hiring developers for your startup.

Step 3: Conduct interviews & expertise review

An interview is a responsible moment because there won’t be another chance to make a first impression. Let us share a few interview tips for hiring developers at a startup.

Your preparation for the interview is no less important than the preparation of the applicant. It’s vital to compile a list of questions beforehand not to forget any important aspects during the interview. Since startups often require creative solutions, look out for developers who demonstrate an ability to think outside of the box. Ask questions such as “How would you solve X problem?” or “Describe a time when you had to come up with an innovative solution in order to solve Y issue”.

You can also test candidates’ coding knowledge by giving them practical tasks related to your project/product needs during the interview process or afterward (or at least ask them questions about coding). Whether you hire remote developers for a startup yourself or turn to an app development provider, verify their expertise before making any decisions regarding employment offers.

The SolveIt team carefully monitors that the resources are selected in strict accordance with your project requirements, application type, selected languages, and frameworks. After we gather the CVs of our best developers with proven experience, we send them to our clients for approval and organize interviews so that clients can make sure that the selected specialists fit their vision of an ideal team.

Step 4: Start working

Once you're satisfied with the list of chosen startup developers and formed a team, it's time to get down to business. After the job interview, make sure everyone is on board with all the terms and conditions that have been discussed. With these steps taken care of, you'll be well on your way toward building something great!

Partner with an experienced mobile app development company like SolveIt

Instead of scouring job boards and community forums yourself, consider partnering with an experienced mobile app development company like SolveIt. You can view our portfolio to see examples of the apps we have built. We have an extensive team of highly skilled mobile developers who have successfully delivered projects for startups like yours. 

SolveIt invests time to thoroughly understand your startup's unique mobile app requirements and development needs. This understanding allows us to assemble the perfect team for your project. SolveIt manages the entire process, from defining the scope, setting the timeline and budget, executing the development work, publishing apps in stores, to providing support and app updates later on.

By working with SolveIt, you gain access to seasoned mobile experts, a streamlined development process, and the ability to scale your team up or down as needed. This allows you to focus on your core business, while SolveIt delivers a high-quality mobile app to propel your startup forward. SolveIt's perfect 5/5 rating on Clutch showcases commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, and with 8 years of experience in the mobile app development industry, our professionals consistently deliver innovative, high-caliber Android, iOS, and cross-platform apps while prioritizing robust software architecture, user-centric design, meticulous code quality, and backward compatibility to ensure your app adheres to the latest platform standards and guidelines.

Summary

Planning to hire developers for startup? Be ready that it’s like trying to find the perfect puzzle piece – it takes some patience. But driven by a foolproof strategy, enthusiasm, and a bit of luck, you will inevitably find startup developers able to propel your business forward.

If you have no idea of how to find and hire developers for startups, and more importantly, don’t want to worry about this task, contact SolveIt team and we’ll be glad to offer the perfect fit for your company.

Get in touch!

FAQ: How to hire developers for a startup

Q. Where can I hire developers for a startup?

To find and hire developers for a startup, you can explore the following options:

• Review sites. Check trusted platforms like Clutch, G2, and Goodfirms to read valid reviews and get recommendations for reputable app development companies.

• Job boards. Look for tech-focused job boards such as Indeed, AngelList, and WeWorkRemotely to browse developer profiles and post your open positions.

• Professional networks. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn to connect with skilled developers, either directly or through referrals from your network.

Rather than going into detail about specific freelance platforms or code communities, we'd strongly recommend focusing your search on partnering with a reliable, well-established app development company with a strong portfolio. Seeking out developers with a solid reputation and a proven track record in the industry is the best way to ensure you find the right fit for your startup's needs. 

Q. How much does it cost to hire a developer for a startup?

Let's note that the cost of hiring a developer for a startup will be different depending on various factors. While the average hourly rate in the market can range drastically from $18 to $80 per hour, at SolveIt, it averages $25 to $49 per hour.

The final cost depends on the developer's experience level, the complexity of the project, the location of the developer, and the engagement model you choose — whether you need a full-time, part-time, or freelance developer.

Ultimately, the cost of hiring a software developer for your startup may differ, but SolveIt's average rates and flexible engagement models can help you find a suitable fit within your budget.

Q. How to hire developers for a startup in 2024?

Hiring the right developers is one of the key elements to a startup's success in 2024. Here's our four-step approach to assist you in hiring developers for startups:

1. Define your idea and requirements;

2. Choose the proper tech stack and engagement model;

3. Conduct interviews and expertise review;

4. Start working.