Hiring Java Developers: Tips to Find Some Great Talents for Your Team

Clean coding is critical when developing mobile applications or redesigning the user experience on your website. That’s why everyone is looking for the best programmers. However, when you try to hire Java developers, it feels like looking for a needle in a haystack since today there are thousands of engineers using this one of the most popular programming languages. Besides, how to find employees who really care about their job, rather than the one who works just for pay? Read the article to find some useful pieces of advice.

A masterpiece of software engineering

Have you ever thought why Java that was developed in the early 90s is still among the most popular languages used by developers, even though there are around 600 programming languages currently available?

To us the answer is blatantly obvious – James Gosling’s brainchild is just like Mona Lisa or Girl with a Pearl Earring – a true masterpiece!

Released in May 1995, strictly backward compatible, feature-rich, multi-paradigm, interpreted Java became the third most popular language just in five years and held a leading position for the next two decades.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the advantages of this constantly evolving language that make it a perfect match to develop desktop and mobile applications, big data processing, embedded systems, and what’s not!

Thus, it becomes clear why Java has remained the world’s most popular programming language even two decades after its creation.

Now it’s time to get to the essence of the article and see the best practices to hire the best Java developers. We’re also going to describe the most important soft and hard skills of good Java developers which allow them to write reliable code quickly and be a real asset for the team.

Furthermore, below you will find out how much it costs to hire Java programmers (or a team of Java engineers) in the USA vs Europe.

A guide on how to hire a team of Java developers

Here are the major tips from Qulix Systems on how to hire expert Java developers.

1) Make a comprehensive list of Java skills required

Unfortunately, hiring a great Java developer is not an issue that can be resolved in a couple of hours, but quite a time-consuming task. Don’t waste your precious time interviewing candidates that don’t have the qualifications necessary to be a good fit.

2) Hire the candidates which have commercial experience

Sure thing, in some cases young developers can be quite good building blocks for your team, particularly if you’re an SME. The lack of commercial experience is also OK if you recruit for a junior position. However, in general, theoretical Java knowledge taught in colleges is almost useless for business coding.

3) Choose the right outsourcing partner

If you decide to outsource your project, hire a contractor that specializes in the specific area of business (e. g. banking and finance, e-commerce, retail, healthcare, etc.). Look for vetted Java developers, which provide industry-specific services. To know more about outsourcing best practices read this.

4) Select an optimal Java developer engagement model

Analyze your project requirements and choose the most suitable Java developer engagement model (hourly pay, part-time, or full-time model). The two predominant hiring models in the market are a dedicated Java team and a fixed price model.

5) Take your employees’ advice

Don’t ignore employees’ ideas regarding technical skills your new Java programmer should have. Listening to employees’ opinions is critical to have a 360-degree approach to solving existing business problems effectively.

After you’ve learned some useful tips for hiring a great Java developer, let’s move on to the hard and soft skills that your new team member should have.

Essential qualities of a great Java developer

1) The candidate can prove his/her Java knowledge with Oracle Certified Expert, Java EE 6 Web Component Developer certification.

Any programmer coding in Java must be comfortable with most of the Java fundamentals.

Java certification exams ensure the candidate is knowledgeable about all the key staff in Java, which will result in high productivity levels. Moreover, a good percentage in Java certification exams guarantees industry recognition.

2) A Java developer keeps the code simple.

One of the priceless characteristics of a good Java programmer is the ability to keep the code simple. This facilitates the software maintenance process, as well as ensures an easy reading on code review and bug-fixing.

3) A programmer has the most in-demand tech Java skills.

Below are Java programmer’s essential hard skills:

• Database skills
• Development skills: MVC, JDBC, RESTful, OOPS, and OODS
• Object-oriented programming concepts and design patterns
• Collections and data structures
• JVM and memory management
• Tools: Android Studio, Spring, Struts, GradleMaps, ORMLite, Hibernate, Weld, Spock, Android NDK, EJB, and Corona SDK
• Debugging – Android Studio, Eclipse

4) The programmer is skilled not only in Java but also in programming languages like Ruby, Python, C#, JavaScript.

There are multiple benefits of hiring a polyglot developer. The most obvious one is that polyglot programmers are valuable talents for different development projects, not only for those where Java skills are used.

5) The candidate is a good communicator.

Sure, extensive knowledge of Java is the most important thing for a candidate. However, when hiring, you can’t ignore his/her ability to maintain good relationships with co-workers.

A healthy workplace environment is extremely important. A positive-minded Java developer, which can convey the ideas to other team members in different ways without irritation is an invaluable asset. Thus, hiring an optimistic employee exuding positive energy is a way to minimize communication problems that slow down each project’s implementation.

Well, now it’s time to look at the real cost you’ll face when hiring a Java programmer. Let’s compare US and European Java developers’ salaries.

How much does it cost to hire Java developers from the US vs. Europe?

To get a more accurate idea of a Java developer’s average annual salary, use the latest salary surveys.

In this article, we’ve compared average salaries for Java programmers in the United States vs. Europe, using relevant statistics from reliable resources like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Payscale, CWJobs, and Salaryexplorer.

So, in which country does an employer have to pay more for Java development services?

According to ZipRecruiter, Java developer annual salary in the US stands at $105,801 per year.

We dug a little deeper with finding out how Java engineers’ salaries can vary depending on their experience. Surely, it is not surprising that a junior Java developer’s salary is lower than that of a mid-level employee and much lower than a senior Java developer’s salary.

For example, Indeed shows that entry-level Java developers earn, on average, $76,288 per year. A mid-level Java developer’s salary is slightly higher – $90,252 per year – ZipRecruiter states. When it comes to senior Java programmers, whose wide skills set allows managing the entire lifecycle of various projects, the salary stands at $123,697 per year.

Now let’s move on to the European Java developers' salaries.

The average salary for a Java engineer living in Germany is €48525.

A person working as a Java developer in the UK typically earns £62,500.

The average salary for Java programmer jobs in Denmark is around 41,800 DKK per month.

The average salary for a Java developer in France is €46,166 per year.

Thus, the conclusion seems obvious — Europe offers much more affordable rates of Java development services than the U.S. does.

Concluding lines

When hiring a Java developer, you should evaluate the candidates based on their knowledge, skills, and certification. Best Java programmers are those who can quickly write a simple and reliable code, run, analyze, debug, recode, and restart on problems.

However, to find such a great engineer takes lots of time and effort.

By following the simple tips listed above, you can find a good Java developer easier and minimize the risks associated with the process.

At the same time, not every business can afford to hire an experienced in-house Java programmer, since the salary can kill the budget. For those who value time and want to improve a company’s wellbeing, Qulix Systems offers its outsource Java development services.

If you need a sustainable and high-quality Java solution for your firm, your search ends here! To clear up any further questions please contact our support team.