Java is one of the most popular programming languages in use and hiring the right Java developers for the technology function is essential for several organizations. According to Stackify, Java is the most in-demand programming language among employers, with more job listings on Indeed (as of March 2017) seeking developers with Java skills than any other language.
Java is the closest thing to a Lingua Franca (idiom meaning common language) in the IT industry. It is a computing platform used for portable codes for desktop and server environments. In simple terms, it helps develop an application and share it across platforms. Java is an object-oriented programming language which comes with the niche facility of a just-in-time compiler.
Java is often used in every possible application in software. Thus it is essential to understand that learning it in college or getting basic certifications are hardly useful unless the recruitment is for a beginner’s role.
Java is changing almost every year and with new build and framework releases, hands-on experience in the latest or required libraries and framework should be the priority. These libraries contain pre-written essential required functions; you can save time by not having to rewrite anything. A candidate working on J2SE 5.0 released in 2004 may not be knowledgeable enough to work in Java 8 released in 2014.
Before we begin discussing the process of hiring Java developers, one should understand common terms used in Java hiring. Many of these terms are often used interchangeably, and we will be sharing only the important ones.
Check out this glossary of all the Java terms here .
While looking at hiring fresh talent in Java, it is important to test candidates on their proficiency in the language, with a strong knowledge of its ecosystems. The candidates should also have a clear understanding of object-oriented programming. In addition, they should also be familiar with data types, threads, and Servlets and the basics of the class loading mechanism.
Here, a candidate typically falls in the experience range of 0 to 2 years. Candidates who fit the bill should be good at writing readable and clean Java code. He/she should have a good understanding of JavaScript, Servlets, Servlet methods, and parameters.
If you want to hire a junior Java developer for a network or distributed application, the candidate should have knowledge of protocols such as IP, HTTP, FTP, etc., and sockets such as RMI and RPC.
A developer for Java-based web applications should be skilled at service-oriented architecture or web services such as SOAP and REST. He/she should also have knowledge of web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery), JSP/Servlets, markup languages such as XML, and web frameworks such as Struts and Spring.
If a developer needs to work on Java UI, he/she should be good at Triggers, Cursors, Stored procedures, and querying using SQL.
When you want to hire a senior Java developer, you should be looking at someone with 3 to 6 years of experience in Java. Such candidates should have the skill of writing optimized code that is clean and readable. They should have a strong foundation in object-oriented programming and in-depth knowledge of J2EE. They should also be good at error handling and debugging. As this role would also require the writing of some complex SQL queries, developers will need to have hands-on experience with query handling. As memory-related problems are very common, great Java developers have a good knowledge of runtime and garbage collection.
Java architects tend to have the most experience coding in Java. They must be proficient at handling exceptions, multithreading, class fundamentals, and data types. They should have experience in J2EE and have in-depth knowledge of Hibernate and Core & Session interfaces. They should also be great at design patterns and be proficient in SQL.
If you want to hire a junior Java developer for a network or distributed application, the candidate should have knowledge of protocols such as IP, HTTP, FTP, etc., and sockets such as RMI and RPC
If you want to hire a junior Java developer for a network or distributed application, the candidate should have knowledge of protocols such as IP, HTTP, FTP, etc., and sockets such as RMI and RPC
Java Developer’s in New York earn an average of 13.8% more than the national average.
If you want to hire a junior Java developer for a network or distributed application, the candidate should have knowledge of protocols such as IP, HTTP, FTP, etc., and sockets such as RMI and RPC
Skills in Java/J2EE and Spring are correlated to pay that is above average. Skills that pay less than market rate include JavaScript, SQL and Java.
According to Indeed, these are the most popular companies for Java developers in the US –
Tech communities are full of potential hires waiting to be discovered. Here are 2 such communities from where you can source talent for free.
GitHub is one of the world’s largest code hosts, with close to 31 million developers. It’s like a tech recruiter’s dream. A developer’s GitHub profile gives you a wealth of information.
Before you start shortlisting profiles on GitHub, make sure that the Java developer is open to recruiters approaching him with jobs. Once this is sorted, follow these steps to find the best talent on GitHub:
Here are a few things to remember before you connect with potential Java developers.
For more info, download our in-depth e-book on hiring GitHub developers.
StackOverflow is a Q&A site for professional and enthusiast programmers. Just like GitHub, StackOverflow is also a great platform to hire amazing Java talent.
The process of shortlisting Java developer profiles is similar to GitHub. However, here are a few things to remember before connecting with your first Java developer via StackOverflow:
StackOverflow is more of a Q&A site where developers post and answer technical questions. You would need to look at candidates addressing such specific questions to see if they fit your requirements.
Developers are segregated based on their user badges and reputation scores. An ideal candidate ranks high for both.
Every question which is posted has tags associated with it. You can use these tags to find users who fit the bill.
Here is a sample Java developer job description for hiring challenges at HackerEarth –
HackerEarth provides enterprise software solutions that help organisations with their innovation management and technical recruitment needs. HackerEarth has conducted 1000+ hackathons and 10,000+ programming challenges till date. Since its inception, HackerEarth has built a developer base of over 2 million+.
Subject – Join our amazing team of developers at <Company name>
Dear <First_Name>
I am <Name> and I work as a Recruiter for <Company name>. I came across your profile on <Social media or Job board> and I was very impressed with your skills especially <describe a project or a particular programming skill set>.
We are currently looking for a Java developer to join our amazing team and I think you would be a great fit. Here are some of the cool projects that we are working on currently – <provide a link to projects at your organization>
If this is something that interests you, please write back to me and I will be happy to explain more over a call.
Have a great day, and I hope to hear back from you soon!
Best,
<Your name>
Subject – Following up!
Hi <First_Name>,
Hope you are doing great!
Have you had a chance to read my previous mail?
We are looking for some super talented Java developers to join our team at <Company name> and I thought you would be a great fit.
Our team of developers has been working on some cool projects <link some of your work> and I thought you would find them interesting.
And if you are wondering what it is like to work for <Company name>, here is a short video of what our employees think – <Include an employer branding video>
If you are interested in this opportunity, do drop me an email so we can take this forward. Have a great day!
Best,
<Name>
A sample basic programming question that can be included in the test for freshers in Java:
A few MCQs that you can test candidates on:
A sample programming question with difficulty level hard
A few MCQs that you can test candidates on
The following is a test created for a Java architect role:
A sample programming question with difficulty level hard
A few MCQs that you can test candidates on
developers
worldwide
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