As of 2021, there was a global talent shortage of 40m skilled workers, worldwide, with the number expected to reach 85.2m in 2030. Apart from a general lack of skilled workers, there’s a notable software developer shortage as the world transitions into digital.

One of the top three fastest-developing tech-startup nations, Israel is experiencing a 15% software developer shortage. And in the United States, there were 1.4 million unfilled developer jobs by the end of 2020. With an expected engineer shortage of more than 1.2m by 2026.

The Situation with Software Developers in Nigeria

Similarly, companies are struggling to hire software developers in Nigeria, given the increased competition for developer talent locally and internationally. The good news is that the numbers are swelling, and more young people are becoming developers. According to the GitHub CEO, Nat Friedman, Nigeria is “one of the fastest-growing developer communities on GitHub.” 

Companies and startups looking to hire software developers need to find suitable candidates efficiently and adequately. 

How to recruit the right developer?

There are a wide variety of languages, technologies, and frameworks in software development. Selecting a developer who is proficient in the required language, understands the necessary tools, and has experience performing specific tasks can sometimes be challenging. But it is not impossible. We have put together a list of tips to guide you on your recruitment journey.

What to include?

• A detailed advert: Communication is vital, which couldn’t be more true for a developer learning about a job opening for the first time. Ensure your advert communicates the role to be filled, the responsibilities involved, and the required experience and skills. A well-written ad will help serve as a preliminary screening process.
• Keep your recruitment process short and engaging.
• Technical Assessments: Assessment tests are a great way to evaluate a candidate’s analytical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Data Structure and Algorithm questions are a great way to do this. Leetcode and Hackerrank, among many others, offer many algorithm questions in multiple languages and various categories, e.g. hash maps, binary search trees, etc.
• Assessment project: One popular way to test a candidate is to provide them with a personal project, e.g. a simple problem a developer in that role may face. It is not advisable to give a task that is too tasking, as this may discourage interviewees.
• Ethics: Technical know-how is all well and good, but an employee with bad ethics could cause a lot of harm to the organization and other employees later. An excellent method of determining if the candidate has sound moral principles is presenting them with a hypothetical moral dilemma. Usually, the dilemma would not have an obvious answer. However, the candidate’s solution will give an insight into their ethical standards.

What to avoid?

• An exhausting recruitment process: Many companies fail in this respect, falling for the common misconception that the more stressful the recruitment process, the more incompetent candidates they can screen out. This could not be more wrong. There is a worldwide shortage of software developers, and competent developers receive daily opportunities and offers. A short, engaging, yet thorough recruitment process is best to entice and keep great talent.
• Relying too much on certificates: While certificates can prove learning or skill. As with any technical role, in the end, it all comes down to how the candidate handles the required tasks. Place higher importance on assessment test results and work experience.
• Vague job descriptions in the advert: This wastes everyone’s time as it results in more unqualified applicants to process.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, the demand for software developers is expected to grow by 22% in the next decade. This reflects what obtains in other markets, and even in Nigeria. The competition for quality tech talent is bound to heat up, and every organization will need to step up their hiring game. Good news for recruiters who know how to attract top talent, bad news for those who don’t. Which are you?

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