So you decided you need to hire a freelance React developer. However, keep in mind that picking the right React.js developers for your project can be a long and daunting process. Why? Because JavaScript is getting bigger by the minute (take a look at StackOverflow Trends) and React is one of the most popular frameworks out there.
Companies like Facebook, Uber, Airbnb, Netflix, PwC, Amazon, Twitter, Udemy, and nearly 9,000 other companies around the world use JavaScript for web, desktop, and mobile apps. And everyone draws from the same pool of talents, which is not entirely limitless. So yes - your problem is very real.
That’s why we’ve prepared a short guide on how to hire a freelance React developer.
Step 1. Do your research (resume + experience)
What is the typical workflow for our Ideamotive HR team when selecting a new candidate? First of all, they start their candidate research by looking at these two things:
- Their resume. What projects have they worked on previously? What was their role? Were these React projects? What do peers and team leaders say about them (if any)?
- Their experience. What part of their experience can be used specifically in your project? Have they worked on similar applications? Have they implemented the technologies and features you need in your application? What is their experience with React? Did they work for a startup or a large company?
These questions shed light on the backstory of your potential team player: are they good teammates, have sufficient experience with the required technology, and generally fit your Scrum process structure.
If you can't find the information you need in public sources (such as a resume or LinkedIn profile), ask unanswered questions during your interview.
Also, HR teams of famous tech companies have several secret (well, no longer secret) tips that are taken into account during the verification phase:
- Tech companies work with technologies and never forget that they are developing rapidly. This is why we would prefer to hire React developers who only have a year of experience with React but within the past year, to those who have been using it for a longer time but 3 years ago.
- As a rule, employers clearly understand why they need a new employee and what they expect from them. In some situations, experience with specific features or technologies will matter more to these companies than general experience with React.
- Experienced HR teams also ask their CTO or React developers to check out the candidate code samples from Github. They are great for denoting experience levels and challenging skills.
And one more thing - we advise you to follow the Golden Rule “The No Asshole” by Stanford Professor Robert I. Sutton. It is very important that the candidate's soft skills match the mentality of our team.
Step 2: Interview
Once you've made all the preparations (checked a CV, etc.), it's wise to conduct an interview.
If you're looking for a remote worker, it's best to interview using Skype or another convenient video messenger. The video call will allow you to understand better how the communication between you and your chosen React developer is going on.
You will have to talk regularly as you work on a project, so if you experience any communication disruptions, you should consider looking for other React developers to hire.
During the interview, CTO tests the level of experience with the React framework.
This part of the interview in your company should also be done by someone who understands how React works.
Ideal partner: who are they?
We truly believe that partnering with a tech talent marketplace (like Ideamotive ;)) is often the best choice. Judge for yourself.
If you are planning to launch a long-term project that will be followed by Pre-Seed, Seed A, and other funding rounds with an MVP stage, you need a reliable, trustworthy, responsible partner focused specifically on your project.
When working with an agency, you can reassign a remote React developer who will become a member of your team just like any other, with the only difference that they are located in a different office. Plus, it's often not that expensive compared to the costs of independent React Native developers and keeps your cash flow under control early on.
Alternatively, you can outsource the entire project or any part of it and focus on selling and marketing your product. In our experience, this is an even more reliable and cost-effective solution if you don't already have your own CTO.
Takeaway
Hiring the best React developers takes time and effort. Searching can take you all over the world - or you can find the perfect candidate in your backyard. Working with freelancers requires relying on the reputations of the respective platforms and dealing with project management overheads yourself. On the other hand, outsourcing React development to a trusted technology partner saves time and allows you to focus on growing your business.
But why not go ahead and hire a skilled React Developer (or a dedicated team!) from the CEE region? This will help reduce costs and provide access to qualified and reliable professionals.
Our tech talent marketplace has broad experience with React ready to serve you. Contact us today, and the top-notch React devs will work on your project.
Why us?
Ideamotive helps Western European, and US startups develop cutting-edge mobile and web applications by expanding our customers' in-house product team remotely with our development expertise. Our domains include areas of interest such as TravelTech, HealthTech, FinTech, and many others.
We hope that our article will help you build your dream team! If you would like Ideamotive to participate or have other questions, simply contact us.
