Key takeaways
Average timeline: It typically takes 35 days to hire a software engineer, though complex roles can take up to two months.
Influencing factors: Hiring speed is dictated by company size, location requirements (on-site vs. remote), and specific industry popularity.
High demand: The "developer shortage" is often a mismatch between complex technology needs and available specialized talent.
Efficiency tips: Streamline the process by defining precise business goals, automating screening, and utilizing vetted talent services.
About Software Engineering
Software engineering is a broad field in the IT industry. It encompasses more vocations within itself. By definition, software engineering is a process of analyzing the requirements of the user and later designing, building, and testing a software application by following the guidelines (and feedback) of those same users.
Software engineering is not equal to software development, the latter being a subcategory within software engineering. The wider branch of software engineering includes roles such as:
Cyber security analysts
Information systems managers
Multimedia programmers
Game developers
IT consultants
Web developers and designers
The average time needed to hire a Software Engineer
Now that we have already covered the vocations of software engineering, some fields will take longer to hire a developer. And for others, that time will be shorter because they involve different tasks.
The average needed time to hire a software engineer is 35 days; however, this would be on the lower end. From start to finish, the hiring time can reach up to two months.
And, usually, job ads stay open around that time for around two months.
Overall, it takes time to source the candidates, pre-screen each candidate, schedule, confirm, conduct the technical interview tasks, and create an offer post-interview.
Which factors influence the time needed to hire software engineers?
These are the main factors that determine the overall hiring time of a software engineer:
The hiring policies of the company
The company’s hiring policies aren’t used once, so you'd better have them as well-formulated as possible. Their use is to funnel down or sift through the candidates, making it much better to find the perfect fit.
Policies of this kind can include tests of personality types, substance use, cognitive skills, teamwork skills, communication skills, and more. Usually, they are determined/used by larger companies.
Another example of a policy in this context is (preferably) having a trial period for a potential new team member before making them a permanent addition.
The location and company size
Location is a significant factor in the hiring process. If the job ad states mandatory on-site work, this could vastly reduce the number of quality candidates that would otherwise apply.
But it might be faster and much simpler for smaller businesses and companies to find a good engineer than for large, corporate-type companies to do the same. With larger budgets come more complex responsibilities and expectations.
The industry
It’s nothing new to state that some industries are always popular for software engineers, and others are not so much.
High Interest Industries | Lower Interest Industries |
|---|---|
IoT, Gaming, Blockchain | Healthcare |
Defense & Aerospace | Government & education |
Biotech | Banking |
The demand for software engineers
Software engineers are in high demand. The need for mobile apps and software is always high, and it all falls under the category of software engineering.
Undeniably, there will always be a need for faster technological growth, software innovations, and code updates (limited code lifespan that requires recreating or rebuilding), among other factors. Therefore, there will always be a sizable talent pool of software engineers ready for work.
Why mention the demand? There is a chance of ‘higher demand, lower supply’, depending on the precise skills and technologies sought by recruiters and managers. The more complex the technology, the more difficult it is to reach the best of the best candidates.
Software engineering encompasses more subcategories of development and engineering (as mentioned above in this article), broadening this talent pool’s job titles that can fit the role.
Tips for faster hiring of software engineers
There are some things you can do to make this hiring process shorter:
Defining business priorities and goals
Knowing which specific software engineering category/role needs to be filled is a good starting point.
What needs improvement in the business? What would be the future goal to reach? What software innovation would be good to see/use next? Questions like these make the candidate's search more precise and in-depth.
Then there has to be a decision about whether it’s more important to hire someone based on years of experience, education, a mix of attitude and skills, or everything all at once.
Another factor to consider is whether to “splurge” on the desired candidate or not go overboard with the budget, which is something only you decide.
Having a concise hiring policy
This means having a plan for the entire process: how interviews and calls are conducted, what to do during screening interviews, and how to review applicants after the scheduled calls. Then, recruiters should also consider what paperwork is necessary to complete for the onboarding of the candidates, who reviews referrals, who is responsible for various interview stages/tasks, and similar.
A hiring policy should be seen as a handy, valuable FAQ guide that complements the job ad listing and hiring process.
The entire point of hiring policies is to help companies identify the best tech experts quickly. Plus, hiring policies reflect the company’s values and culture, too.
Improving the coaching of recruiters
There are always some new things to learn in every profession. If there’s room for improvement in recruiting practices (and using them better), there is a higher chance of having a successful ‘talent-hunt’ for software engineers when those improvements are implemented.
Investing in recruiters specializing in a tech field is a significant investment for any business.
Posting a concise and captivating job ad
A good, clear, and captivating job ad goes a long way. A strong base format to consider is a clear description of the obligations, location/premises, skills, salary, benefits, and perks – among other requirements.
With clear goals and expectations, it’s not difficult to hit the sweet spot with the ad and attract more top-tier software engineers.
Sifting through the applications carefully
There will be (many) candidates who apply, and some could prove to be a good match for hire. The application review process could be complex or lengthy, but it’s better to do it carefully and effectively than to rush it and then do it all over again. Reviewing applications from the start would take double the time than when done carefully and thoughtfully.
Referring to various tech experts' services
Collaborating with services that have vetted developers and engineers is an excellent way to accelerate the hiring process. For starters, an entire team of professionals will engage in recruitment and contracting, and there is always a choice for specialized fields in recruitment as well. This guarantees a better talent hunt, with outstanding vetting.
The whole point of these services is to receive certain flexible strategies for hiring specific types of talent/candidates through external recruitment assistance.
Having the right HR, recruiters, and experts in their fields/technologies will save time and money in the long run.
Conclusion
As described throughout the sections above, we see how broad and valuable software engineering can be, especially since it encompasses more job titles related to software engineering and software development.
For a shorter hiring process (that’s also successful), all it takes is sorting out priorities, defining goals, describing requirements precisely, and, in some cases, relying on recruitment experts.
Hiring software engineers doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. It also doesn’t have to be a tedious and lengthy process, as long as everything is prepared and formulated clearly.
