According to Dr. Peter O’Reilly from Northeastern University, there are three types of experts who are responsible for the technical part of an Internet of Things project.
- Network specialists responsible for the connectivity of the device.
- Data scientists responsible for gathering and interpreting the data from the device.
- Engineers responsible for building and updating both the software and the hardware of the device.
When you want to hire IoT developers, you are looking for people from the third group. What makes them distinct from other groups of developers is the fact that they do not only code the software but also build the hardware. Most developers rely on the hardware built by third-parties, such as mobile devices or desktops. IoT developers, however, have to smoothly transition between working on the device and the software for it, aligning them to work together issue-free.
Because of this quite unique versatility of knowledge needed, it is sometimes difficult for companies (especially the young ones, with a limited budget) to hire IoT developers who truly fit their project.
To make the hiring process as easy as possible for you, we’ve prepared the guide below — it will take you through all the steps and areas to consider when hiring IoT developers so you will end up with experts who won’t disappoint and built for you a device that truly shines.
When hiring IoT developers in 2023, it is essential to consider the following hard skills:
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Programming Languages: Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in IoT development, such as:
- C/C++: Widely used for low-level programming and embedded systems.
- Python: Popular for its simplicity and versatility in IoT application development.
- Java: Useful for developing enterprise-level IoT solutions.
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Embedded Systems: Understanding and experience with embedded systems, including:
- Microcontrollers and microprocessors: Knowledge of working with hardware components and programming them for IoT applications.
- Firmware development: Ability to develop and optimize firmware for IoT devices.
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Networking and Communication Protocols: Familiarity with various networking concepts and protocols relevant to IoT, including:
- TCP/IP: Understanding the fundamentals of Internet protocols for data communication.
- MQTT, CoAP, HTTP: Knowledge of lightweight and efficient protocols used for IoT device communication.
- Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi: Experience in implementing wireless communication protocols.
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IoT Platforms and Frameworks: Proficiency in using IoT platforms and frameworks for development, such as:
- Arduino: Open-source hardware and software platform for building IoT prototypes.
- Raspberry Pi: A popular single-board computer for IoT applications.
- AWS IoT, Google Cloud IoT, Microsoft Azure IoT: Familiarity with cloud-based IoT platforms for scalable deployments.
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Data Management and Analytics: Understanding of data management and analytics concepts for IoT solutions, including:
- Database systems: Knowledge of working with databases to store and retrieve sensor data.
- Data processing and analysis: Ability to extract insights from large volumes of IoT-generated data.
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Security: Awareness of IoT security best practices and experience in implementing secure IoT solutions, including:
- Authentication and authorization mechanisms.
- Encryption and data privacy.
- Secure firmware and software development practices.
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Hardware Knowledge: Understanding of electronic components commonly used in IoT systems, such as sensors, actuators, and connectivity modules.
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Device Integration: Ability to integrate IoT devices with other systems and platforms, including cloud services, web applications, and mobile apps.
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Testing and Debugging: Proficiency in testing and debugging IoT systems to ensure functionality, reliability, and performance.
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System Architecture and Design: Experience in designing scalable and modular IoT architectures, considering factors like latency, scalability, and interoperability.
Remember that while hard skills are important, soft skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills are also crucial for IoT developers to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams and understand business requirements.
The most needed soft skills in IoT development
Soft skills — a feature often overlooked because of the hard, technical skills, considered usually as more important. And while technical excellence is, of course, crucial to effective IoT development, so are the soft skills. This is because they directly impact the cooperation and innovation across your whole company.
When you hire IoT developers, look especially for candidates with the following set of soft skills:
- Desire to learn new things
To often bring to the table new ideas that can truly revolutionize the still-young field of smart devices.
- Expert time management
To find time every day to tackle all the important issues and areas of IoT product development.
- Attention to detail
To strive to deliver a product that is as much as possible issue- and bug-free.
How to find and hire IoT developers who truly fit your business?
Both hard and soft skills are crucial to the effective and efficient work of your new IoT developers — but so is the company fit. The more your candidate matches your business, the better for you. And it’s not only about the effectiveness of their work but also how they feel about working for you and how much connection they feel to your company and product.
When you hire IoT developers, consider especially the following three areas of company fit:
- Project/product fit
You already know that you simply need to hire IoT developers with actual business experience with IoT products. But there are many types of such devices and they are all built a bit differently — both in terms of software as well as hardware. If possible, hire IoT developers who have experience with building IoT products similar to yours. They will already have some ideas on how to make your product better and therefore deliver first results faster.
- Industry fit
IoT devices can be utilized in virtually every industry, from construction and manufacturing to hospitals and farms. Try to hire IoT developers who already have experience within your business vertical — they will have the much-needed understanding of your target customers, being able to deliver solutions better suited to your users.
- Company culture fit
This one is especially often overlooked and by some even considered an HR gimmick — don’t fall into this trap! The company culture fit is actually incredibly important, especially in such areas like IoT development where healthy brainstorming between different teammates as well as cross-team collaboration are so important.
How to hire IoT developers who match the company culture present in your office? First, consider the values that drive your company to success — this can be anything, from the preferred style of management to the established work environment (startup-style vs corporate-style) to the approach to remote work and the working hours flexibility.
Then, pick the candidates who also consider these values as important elements of their preferred company culture.
Who else will you need to develop amazing IoT products?
IoT engineers are a crucial part of an IoT development team. However, as we’ve already mentioned in the introduction to this piece, they are not the only people you need. Get on board professional data scientists and network specialists or power up your product even further by investing in specialized cybersecurity engineers, machine learning engineers, and other experts relevant to your product.
Whoever you are currently looking for, Ideamotive can deliver. We run the industry-leading network of IT talents from all specialties, including many experts in the Internet of Things field. Just get in touch with us and our consultants will shortly get back to you with a list of IoT developers and other experts perfectly matched to you based on your company profile and any unique requirements you might have.
