How to Hire a Programmer

Why hire a programmer?

Hiring a programmer can be a highly effective way to scale your business and identify opportunities for innovation. The right hire can improve internal processes, build features and apps from the ground up and perform other complex computer tasks to keep your business running smoothly.

Contributions of a great programmer:

• Solve complex problems with elegant, well-documented and extensible code
• Troubleshoot and fix program bugs efficiently to reduce downtime and prevent system failure
• Develop in-house programs or customize existing software to meet your company’s needs
• Make improvements to your code base to improve website speed and load time
• Identify ways to expand and scale your business with cutting-edge technology

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance programmer

Companies can hire freelance programmers to create programs that will help their business run more efficiently. After the program is launched, they can rehire the freelance programmer to perform necessary maintenance on the program and fix any major issues that come up. Businesses looking to build and sell software, such as phone applications, can also hire freelancers to do the coding. 

However, companies that consistently have programming and coding needs should look into hiring full-time programmers. Depending on the size and type of the company, it may need to hire a team of full-timers. 

What are the types of programmers? 

There are many different types of programmers that focus on creating code to accomplish specific tasks. Some of these types of programmers include:

• Computer programmers: Computer programmers write, test and edit code that allows software on computers to function. This can include behind-the-scenes functions of the computers and applications such as the calculator.
• Web developers: Web developers often work hand-in-hand with web designers to create web pages. Developers focus on the background functionality of the site, while designers work on the site’s appearance. 
• Programmer analysts: Programmer analysts are hired by businesses to examine their existing systems and update them to function with current technology. They can also write guides telling business owners how to use these systems. 
• Mobile app developer: A mobile app developer writes the code that allows cell phone applications to run. They are also responsible for testing and improving the coding. 

Where to find programmers

To find the right programmer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Maintain relationships with colleges and universities. Colleges and universities can give you information on recent graduates who have promising skills in the programming industry. Reach out to these graduates to set up interviews and find out if they want the job.
• Search online. Due to the nature of the job, many programmers advertise their expertise online. Examine the past work of potential candidates and contact them to gauge their level of interest in the job. 
• Communicate with businesses in the area. Other companies in the area may be able to give you leads about programmers they’ve hired in the past. 
• Post your job online. Try posting your programmer job on Indeed to find and attract quality programmer candidates.

What are the types of programmers? 

There are many different types of programmers that focus on creating code to accomplish specific tasks. Some of these types of programmers include:

• Computer programmers: Computer programmers write, test and edit code that allows software on computers to function. This can include behind-the-scenes functions of the computers and applications such as the calculator.
• Web developers: Web developers often work hand-in-hand with web designers to create web pages. Developers focus on the background functionality of the site, while designers work on the site’s appearance. 
• Programmer analysts: Programmer analysts are hired by businesses to examine their existing systems and update them to function with current technology. They can also write guides telling business owners how to use these systems. 
• Mobile app developer: A mobile app developer writes the code that allows cell phone applications to run. They are also responsible for testing and improving the coding. 

Writing a programmer job description

A thoughtful description is important to finding qualified programmer candidates. A programmer job description should include a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your programmer job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on programmer jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Programmer
• Software engineer
• Game programmer
• Computer programmer
• Software developer
• CMM programmer
• CNC programmer
• COBOL
• COBOL programmer
• SAS programmer

Interviewing programmer candidates

A skilled computer programmer will be confident answering questions about their past programming projects, technical skills and educational background. Make the right hiring decision for your business by asking targeted interview questions to determine a programmer candidate’s level of technical expertise, work style and culture fit.

Topics for programmer interview questions:

• Programming languages and algorithms
• Passion for programming
• Past development projects
• Tech industry trends
• Debugging techniques

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of programmer interview questions for examples (with sample answers).