Software engineers are valuable team members because they help maintain websites, build software applications, and ensure that your business’s IT infrastructure is working well. Fortunately, it’s easy to find a freelance software engineer. But how do you hire one and know which software engineer is the best fit?
How to Hire a Freelance Software Engineer?
1. Select a Freelance Site
The first step is choosing a freelance site. We list the best sites to hire a software engineer. You can browse various freelance sites at one time to get multiple options. However, it’s best to select one freelance site to help you with hiring. Some freelance sites will match you with the best software engineer, while others let you choose it and go through the hiring process.
2. Browse Freelancers or Sign Up to Get Matched
Most freelance sites allow you to browse freelancers and send them a message. Fortunately, freelance sites have a portfolio or review section along with their experience and skills. This helps narrow down your options and choose the freelancers that are a good fit for your business. Once you’ve made a shortlist of candidates, you can message them for an interview.
Meanwhile, some freelance sites allow you to get matched with a vetted software engineer. You don’t need to do the hard work of browsing and interviewing. Upon sign-up, an AI will match you with a software engineer based on your requirements!
3. Interview
Once you’ve messaged freelancers, you must interview them. It’s an important part of the process of finding a suitable freelancer for your team. It’s up to you how many interview rounds will be necessary, considering that you might need to test the freelancer’s skills as well. Here are some interview questions to ask:
- Which programming languages do you specialize in?
- Tell us about a successful project.
- What mistakes have you learned from your previous projects?
- Tell us a time you received feedback and criticism about your code or project.
- How do you assure quality?
- Which languages did you have to learn for a new project?
- How do you update yourself with recent trends?
4. Coding Test
Aside from an interview, you need to ensure that your chosen freelance software engineers know their stuff. You can find various coding tests that will determine their experience and skill set. You can find coding skills on Devskiller, Codeaid, and Testlify. It can be expensive, but it’s a must-have during the hiring process.
5. Onboarding
After the interview and test, it’s time to choose the best freelancer for the job. If your narrow pool of freelance software engineers isn’t a good fit, you can start from Step 1. However, if you’ve found the best freelancer for the job, let them know they’re accepted and start with the onboarding process for a seamless transition from candidate to employee.
Where to Find the Best Freelance Software Engineer?
1. Upwork
Upwork is considered one of the best sites for finding freelance software engineers. You can find software engineers with at least five years of experience in their chosen expertise. Most of them work for $40/hr and above. However, you can find freelancers with a lower rate, specializing in various development languages and rendering more than 30 hours worth of work a week.
2. Fiverr
Upwork’s main competitor, Fiverr, also has excellent freelance software engineers to hire. Fiverr is ideal for short-term projects. Most freelancers on this site offer bundles or packages. Although that’s the case, some freelancers provide quality service at an affordable rate. You can find freelancers for $5 per project. But you’ll get better results from experienced software engineers at a higher rate.
3. Toptal
If you want to partner with a vetted freelance software engineer, Toptal is one of our top choices. The site ensures that Toptal freelancers are vetted and should have a minimum number of years of working as a software engineer. You can find Toptal software engineers specializing in multiple programming languages and have educational certifications that help them advance their careers in their fields. Additionally, you can hire part-time or full-time freelancers.
4. Arc.dev
Arc.dev is a fantastic option to consider when searching for freelance software engineers. You have two ways of hiring a freelance developer. First, you can hire a full-time software engineer in 72 hours. After all, Arc.dev has also done their vetting. This is ideal for companies needing comprehensive web development or software engineering requirements. The other option is to hire a freelancer in the marketplace. You can filter your search by country, allowing you to connect with freelancers in the same place as your company.
5. YouTeam
Do you want to work with a diverse team of software engineers? YouTeam has you covered with hiring developers from Europe and Latin America! This is ideal for growing teams with a round-the-clock service and needing software engineers all day. YouTeam reduces your hiring period to 48 hours by matching you with the best engineers. Plus, you’ll have a contract with your software engineers. YouTeam also ensures that your future software engineers are mid and senior-level and available for full-time commitment or long-term projects!
6. Guru
Guru is another reliable site to hire freelance software engineers. Like other sites on this list, you can employ one freelancer or build a team to meet your requirements. You can choose freelancers who have earned money on the site, or new ones to help them build their careers. Most freelancers will indicate their hourly and per-project rates. Unlike other freelance sites, you have to get a quote first. Plus, most freelancers don’t have updated portfolios.
7. Turing
Our final freelance site on this list is Turing. The site guarantees that only 1% of the millions of software engineers around the world are in their elite club. They have a rigorous vetting process and ensure that the engineers pass their seniority test, too. Additionally, you can manage your team with their Workspace. Plus, they will match you with freelancers that will overlap with your timezone. Finally, it’s also zero-risk to use Turing because if in two weeks it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to pay anything.
