Why hire a software engineer?

Adding new staff can be a laborious endeavor. However, a great software engineer hire can help your business:

• Design and develop software to meet client specifications
• Create internal software programs that are unique to your company and increase its efficiency
• Scale your current systems up or down to manage data and informational increases or decreases

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance software engineer

Companies can employ a freelance software engineer for a short period to develop and launch specific software, such as operating and control systems and business applications. They can also hire freelancers to improve and repair existing software in the company. 

Start-up mobile gaming companies can work with freelance software engineers to develop their mobile game, launch it and monitor its performance. Mobile gaming companies may also hire freelancers to design, code and launch updates for their apps. 

Businesses that consistently develop software, such as tech companies, may hire a team of full-time software engineers. 

What are the types of software engineers?

There are many kinds of software engineers that each specialize in one area of the industry. Some of these specialists include:

• Front-end software engineer: Front-end software engineers specialize in designing and developing user interfaces for applications on multiple platforms. They’re also responsible for improving the UI’s aesthetics. 
• Back-end software engineer: Software engineers who focus on back-end work handle the internal coding of online applications. They develop the application’s logic.
• Full-stack software engineer: A full-stack software engineer has experience with both back-end and front-end development. 
• QA software engineer: A QA software engineer codes and launches software that’s designed to test other software to ensure it works properly. 
• DevOps software engineer: A software engineer who works in the DevOps field is responsible for managing the infrastructure of applications and servers. 
• Security software engineer: Security software engineers develop systems to protect other software. They also intentionally work to hack into existing software to identify and repair weaknesses. 

Where to find software engineers

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

• Search online. Look online for established software engineers who are searching for work. Reach out to these people and conduct interviews to see if they fit the position.
• Contact local colleges and universities. Colleges and universities in the area may be able to give you leads about recent graduates in the software development field. Make contact with these individuals to determine if they’re interested in interviewing for the job. 
• Post help wanted signs. Hanging up flyers about the position can let the community know about the job and encourage candidates to apply. 
• Post your job online. Try posting your software engineer job on Indeed to find and attract quality software engineer candidates.

Skills to look for in a great Software Engineer

A great Software Engineer candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, management information systems, engineering or a related field of study
• Program languages such as Python, C++, C#, Javascript, HTML/CSS, etc.
• Expertise in debugging
• Can work independently and within a team environment
• Attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Writing a software engineer job description

A thoughtful description is important to finding qualified software engineer candidates. A software engineer job description includes 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 software engineer 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 software engineer jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Software engineer
• Software developer
• Java developer
• Software
• Computer science
• Developer
• Web developer
• Java
• Python developer
• Programmer

Interviewing software engineer candidates

Strong candidates for software engineer positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Specific programming languages
• Prior software development projects that were successful vs those that failed
• How they prioritize multiple projects

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