How to Screen Java Developers' Skills
Though Java is one of the most popular and in-demand programming languages (with 9 million developers globally), it is a challenge to find professionals who can work with a technology stack that is being constantly updated.
The hiring and screening process is full of vital steps, like interview questions, test tasks, and an assessment of skills, which all affect the final decision. Apart from carefully assessing hard skills, it’s also crucial to test the candidate’s abilities in communication, values, and personal characteristics.
5 steps to screen and hire Java developers
Picking an employment model
Usually, headhunting is not restricted to the local talent market, because there’s a better choice in terms of service and price. Depending on your needs and in-house team’s capabilities, you might need a remote developer full-time, outsource selected tasks, or hire an entire outsourced development team to work on a particular project. It is imperative to define your requirements for developers to avoid misunderstandings moving forward.
Clearly stating your requirements
The hiring process begins with creating a clear and decent set of requirements, so both parties have a shared vision and expectations about collaboration. Designations include the description of required experience, tech stack, seniority level, and soft skills you would like to see in your developers. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s not only developers who try to sell their services to your company, but also your company marketing the project to developers, regardless of whether it’s a part-time job, a couple of tasks, or a long-term project involving a full team.
Describing your company and project
Apart from the project itself, many remote developers are concerned with the perception of the company they are working with, so don’t be reluctant to say more about your business, project, expectations, and purpose. Consequently, clearly outlining your offer and making it appealing greatly heightens the possibility of hiring top-level Java developers to fit your budget. Make sure to say what’s in it for developers, whether it’s an above-market salary, a unique tech stack, or a challenging, yet thrilling project. This will help attract a team with similar values and vision to you.
Resume overview
Regardless of how good your project description is, manual selection is still an important component of the hiring process. Once you have filtered through some candidates, carefully review their CVs. Note that resumes may not be fully demonstrative when selecting developers. Most programmers have portfolios with their projects available for review. This is something you should take a look at in the first place, as it demonstrates the unprecedented challenges that the applicant has been working on. After the initial screening, you can proceed to the test and interviews. While every company individually defines which test to assign, here are a few examples of skills that should be assessed for different seniority levels.
Interview
Though live communication is not possible, you can get acquainted with developers through the online interview process. Hopping on a call to discuss some key aspects of your collaboration will allow you to check the candidate’s language level and communication skills first-hand. Essentially, HR shouldn’t be the only department handling the screening process. Having at least 2 senior developers or architects present during the discussion will make the interview more productive.
Prepare questions which are relevant to your project, and be qualified to answer the developer’s questions as well. If anything sets you off in the initial interview, it makes sense to move forward with other applicants. At the same time, if the developer seems like a perfect fit, don’t take too long to make a decision. Skilled outsourced developers that work for a reasonable price are always snapped up quickly.
Coding session
It is recommended to arrange a coding session to prime candidates that you have selected. This allows you to properly estimate if the developer’s rate is reasonable, to check their abilities, and, additionally, to assess their organizational and time management skills. After seeing the results, you’ll most likely be able to choose the best options budget-wise.
Essential tests for screening Java developers' skills
While every company individually assigns a test task based on their independent requirements, here are some helpful guidelines on the basics that your candidates should know, whether it’s a middle and senior developer or Java architect.
Junior and middle Java developers' skills
Usually, junior developers are the ones that have less than 2 years of experience, whereas middle programmers have somewhere between 2 and 4 years of Java expertise.
They should display a good knowledge of the following topics:
Producing clean and readable Java code
Basic knowledge of Jakarta EE, EJB, and understanding of relational databases like SQL and ORM
Object-oriented analysis and design
Code optimization
Java-based web services
Advanced understanding of Servlets, Servlet methods, Servlet sessions, Servlet parameters.
Senior Java developers' skills
Senior normally developers have 5+ years of experience, and should exhibit an advanced understanding of the following:
Proficient knowledge of object-oriented programming, and overloading methods & argument passing
Extensive knowledge and experience of Jakarta EE with dependency injection, messaging queues, and EJBs.
Deep understanding of Hibernate
Ability to debug and handle errors
Extensive experience with My SQL basic notions and rules
Ability to compose complex SQL queries
Understanding of multithreading and synchronization.
Java architect skills
To produce superior software architecture, Java architects must be highly experienced in Java coding and have the ability to handle exceptions. Here’s the check-list for screening a candidate for this position:
Deep knowledge of Jakarta EE, Hibernate, and Core & Session interfaces
Proficiency with SQL tables, commands, indexes, and concepts
Extensive expertise with Java design patterns
Full proficiency in handling exceptions, multi-thread programming, collection interface, class fundamentals, information types, and control statements
Ability to debug and manage errors.
Hire offshore Java developers in Ukraine
Ukraine is one of the most attractive outsourcing development destinations, with its combination of an extensive talent pool, vibrant Java community, high-quality professionals, and moderate pricing.
According to Stack Overflow, there are around 166,000 developers in Ukraine (and over 8,000 Java developers), which is the second largest number in Eastern Europe. More than half of them have higher education and good English language skills.
Depending on the complexity of the project, Java development outsourcing rates start from as low as $15 and can reach $30-50 per hour for skilled developers.
Java development with Erbis
Erbis has extensive experience in creating projects with a Java development stack. Our experts have built advanced and sophisticated solutions in the supply chain, healthcare, and retail industries. Erbis’ Java development team can build your project from scratch or enhance its current technology with ease and professionalism.
