5 Tips for Vetting African Developers

Over the last few years, there has been a growing demand for African software developers.

Across the continent, the pool of professional developers increased by 3.8% year on year. The total number of developers in Africa is now about 700K.

By 2025, the continent is expected to have 1.7 million software developers, making it one of the largest markets for software development.

According to Google, more African developers are getting full-time jobs due to both the rise in demand from local start-ups and the global demand for remote technical talent.

Having a starting point of exactly what you want to be delivered is critical.

This may seem like the most obvious tip for hiring the best developers for your business, but physically outlining the exact skills needed to complete your project helps more than you may realize.

This helps everyone involved in your project know where they are headed and what needs to be done.

A written project description gives every developer a scope for the desired outcomes and requirements.

Once the scope is defined, ensure that it includes all possible options, challenges, and workaround decisions.

Most projects require a team with a diverse set of skills and expertise. Suppose the developers have experience working on similar projects. In that case, they can anticipate potential risks and avoid them in advance.

The developer you choose should have the expertise and experience to understand the technical and business considerations of your project.

While passion is definitely important, developers also need to have the right kind of knowledge, expertise, tools, and skills to work effectively.

To determine their suitability, they should be able to provide case studies on projects similar to yours and testimonials from previous clients.

This is usually done by giving a skill test to the developer and then performing a code review (the process of assessing their code to ensure it’s legible by future developers and can be easily maintained) to test their understanding of the project.

A thorough skill test usually involves the following steps:

• Check out their programming portfolio.
• Use programming skills tests.
• Perform a live-coding assessment.

When hiring developers, a skill test is especially important because coding is much more than just typing in codes and making things happen.

It requires thinking about the final product and then creating a plan to get there that will work for the company within budget.

At the end of the day, even if you have the best programmer working on your project, it will not matter much if they do not get along with the other team members.

They will therefore need to have strong interpersonal and people competencies.

In other words, a developer must possess soft skills like tolerance, empathy, communication, time management, etc. Because sometimes the way a team works together and interacts is more important than the code they develop.

When setting up a software engineering team, you should assess whether the team members can communicate with one another, engage effectively with one another, or collaborate on ideas.

Software development teams are looking for team players who will fit in well with the culture of their workplace. It is important to evaluate each candidate before they are brought on board. One way to do this is by having them complete a trial period with the company.

Developers demonstrate their skill, competence, thoroughness, professionalism, and integrity during this time.

The goal of choosing the right software developer goes beyond the project alone. An ideal developer understands the mission of your company, is aligned with your goals, and collaborates with you to achieve these goals and realize the company’s vision.

The overall vetting process is long but 100% worth it.

It saves long-term costs, reduces risks, and secures the best talent.

African developers, with their strong technical skills, cultural diversity, and ability to work during European and American business hours, are valuable assets to remote software teams. Companies looking to hire top talent for their software development needs should consider African developers and Bridge Labs provides an excellent solution for accessing this talent pool.

What are some tips for conducting a successful technical skill assessment?

Here are some tips for conducting a technical skill assessment:

• Tailor the assessment to the specific skills required for your project. Don't use generic tests that may not be relevant to the developer's role.
• Provide clear instructions and expectations. Let the developer know what you are hoping to assess and how the test will be evaluated.
• Offer a variety of assessment methods. Combine code reviews, programming tests, and live coding exercises to get a well-rounded picture of the developer's abilities.

What are some benefits of having a trial period for developers?

A trial period offers several benefits:

• It allows you to assess the developer's fit within your team culture. Can they communicate effectively with other team members? Do they work well independently and collaboratively?
• It gives the developer a chance to learn more about your project and ensure it's a good fit for them.
• It helps to identify any potential red flags before bringing the developer on board full-time.

What are the benefits of working with a recruitment agency like Bridge Labs to find African developers?

There are several benefits to working with a recruitment agency like Bridge Labs:

• Access to a wider talent pool: We have a network of vetted African developers with diverse skills and experience.
• Expertise in vetting candidates: We can help you assess technical skills, cultural fit, and soft skills.
• Streamlined recruitment process: We handle the entire recruitment process, saving you time and resources.