How to Hire Java Developers
Are you looking to recruit and hire Java developers? Creative professionals and talented engineers, Java developers are vital players in their employers’ core businesses. It’s no surprise that landing top Java talent can require a complex recruitment process.
The following recruiter tips will help you hire java developers and find the IT skills your team needs.
Key Java Developer Certifications and Degrees
A computer science degree is desirable but often not required of Java developers. However, there are pertinent Java certifications you should look for, such as the following:
- Certified Professional Java EE Web Component Developer
- Certified Professional Java EE Business Component Developer
- Certified Professional Java ME Mobile Application Developer
- Certified Master Java SE Developer
Recruiter Tip:
“Certification doesn’t just validate what you know, it demonstrates your commitment to skill development,” says Kate Jones at Oracle University. “Training can help differentiate between two candidates of similar talent,” says Rogers Cadenhead, author of Sams Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days. “Having a certification shows you’ve tackled difficult issues, that you can look at source code and find the error or logic flaw.”
Essential Java Developer Skills
When looking to hire Java developers for your team, there are certain skills you’ll want to include in your job description and want to ask about in the candidate interview, such as
- The ability to code fluently in JavaScript and related technologies such as Java Platform, Enterprise Edition, Java Beans and Java Server Pages, as well as HTML, CSS and databases.
- The ability to meet the specific challenges of coding in Java, such as developing distributed applications that are both efficient and error-free
Recruiter Tip:
“If you are looking to develop a project on Grails, then it’s better to have an adequate developer who already has hands-on experience on Grails rather than having a rock-star Java developer who will work on Grails for the first time,” says the Cygnet Infotech blog.
Key Java Developer Experience
To get the right candidates to the interview, your job posting should also seek the following types of experience:
- The ability to create Java applications to meet project specifications
- The ability to coordinate the design, development, testing, debugging and implementation of Java projects
- Broad knowledge of web and database development and software integration experience
Recruiter Tip:
“You want someone with the core competencies, not necessarily all the cutting-edge technologies,” says Cadenhead. “[You want] someone who’s good at the language and doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel, but rather use all the open-source Java that’s out there,” says Cadenhead.
How to Source Java Developers
Colleges and universities with Java programs are certainly a source for candidates. You can win their loyalty by providing career guidance to these emerging Java developers.
But don’t forget non-traditional institutions such as online colleges. These universities are providing an increasing share of graduates with Java skills. Mainstream social media can also be a recruiting ground for Java developers.
Recruiter Tip:
“We visit a variety of top 25 universities, and we do career fairs for graduating students,” says Jenny Chynoweth, talent outreach manager at WhitePages. “When resumes come in, I go over them with the hiring manager and get him to point out which qualifications he’s looking for in a given search.”
How to Conduct the Interview to Hire a Java Developer
To develop interview questions for Java candidates, seek input from a Java expert. These questions should test the candidate’s ability to communicate the business implications of technical issues, in plain language.
Recruiter Tip:
“If you ask questions that are too simplistic, you risk insulting the IT candidate, or worse,” says John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology. Reed recommends that you take time to research your interview questions, jot down notes about the correct answers and then listen for key phrases.
Closing the Deal With Java Developers
Java developers have their pick of job opportunities, so your company and position need to stand out by offering exciting or innovating projects and career paths.
As you think about how to sweeten the pot, keep in mind that devoted Java programmers will relish opportunities to work on novel projects with cutting-edge technologies. Also, developers may not have traditional career ambitions of moving up in the organization. That’s why it’s important for recruiters to elicit and respond to the individual goals of candidates.
Recruiter Tip:
“We meet with recent hires and ask, ‘How could we find you again? What is it that attracted you to the recruiter who connected you with job?’” says Jon-Ray Rivera, vice president of client delivery for recruitment process outsourcing for ManpowerGroup.
Hire Java Developers You Need — With Monster’s Help
Competition for hiring Java developers is intense, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for whoever you can find. You need a candidate with the right skills and training. It can take time to find the right candidates, but Monster has a shortcut. With our global database of well-qualified candidates and our years of experience in matching them to the right positions, we’re ready to help. Learn how you can access our resources and post a job for free today.