Hiring a skilled developer isn’t just about finding someone with strong technical expertise—it’s about ensuring they also have the soft skills necessary to communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve effectively. Whether you’re hiring remote developers, nearshore talent, or an in-house team member, a balanced evaluation process is critical.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to assess a developer’s technical skills and soft-skills, the key competencies to look for, and the best practices for hiring top-tier developers.

Why Both Technical and Soft Skills Matter When Hiring Developers

A great developer doesn’t just write clean, efficient code—they also need to work well in a team, adapt to challenges, and communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders. Many hiring managers focus solely on technical assessments, but neglecting soft skills can result in miscommunication, lower productivity, and team conflicts.

According to a report by Harvard Business Review, soft skills are increasingly critical for developers in today’s workforce. Companies now seek engineers who can problem-solve beyond code and contribute meaningfully to project success (Harvard Business Review).

How to Assess a Developer’s Technical Skills

1. Conduct Real-World Coding Assessments

Instead of relying on theoretical questions or outdated whiteboard tests, give candidates real-world problems that reflect the actual work they’ll be doing.

• Take-home assignments – Provide a small project relevant to your business needs.
• Live coding interviews – Use platforms like CodeSignal or CoderPad to observe a candidate’s coding approach in real time.
• Pair programming tests – See how well they collaborate and articulate their thought process while coding.

💡 Tip: Research shows that real-world coding challenges are more effective at predicting job performance than traditional algorithm-based tests (Google’s Hiring Guide).

2. Evaluate Problem-Solving and Algorithmic Thinking

A developer’s problem-solving ability is just as important as their coding knowledge. Test this by:

• Asking them to optimize existing code and explain their approach.
• Presenting debugging scenarios to see how they troubleshoot under pressure.
• Using open-ended questions, such as: “How would you refactor this function to improve efficiency?”

According to the HackerRank Developer Skills Report, problem-solving skills are ranked as one of the most sought-after traits in software engineers (HackerRank Developer Skills Report).

3. Conduct Peer Technical Interviews

To ensure candidates don’t just memorize answers, let your senior developers lead technical interviews and ask scenario-based questions such as:

• “How would you handle API rate limiting in a high-traffic application?”
•  “What’s your approach to managing database query performance?”
• “Explain a time you had to debug a complex issue in production.”

Peer interviews give you insight into how candidates think, communicate, and apply their knowledge in real-world situations.

How to Assess a Developer’s Soft Skills

1. Test Communication Skills

Good developers should be able to explain technical concepts clearly, whether to team members or non-technical stakeholders. Assess their ability to:

• Break down complex ideas – Have them explain a technical topic as if they were teaching a junior developer.
• Write clear documentation – Ask them to write a short README or API documentation snippet.
• Actively listen and ask clarifying questions – Observe how they respond during discussions.

A study by Forbes Tech Council highlights that communication is one of the top skills remote developers need to succeed (Forbes: Top Skills Remote Developers Need).

2. Assess Teamwork & Collaboration

Even the most talented developer can disrupt a team if they lack collaboration skills. Evaluate this by:

• Reviewing past project experiences – Ask about teamwork challenges and how they handled them.
• Observing their response to constructive feedback during a coding review.
• Using behavioral interview questions, such as: “Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a teammate. How did you resolve it?”

3. Evaluate Adaptability & Problem-Solving Under Pressure

The tech industry evolves rapidly, and developers must embrace change and think critically. Gauge adaptability by:

• Asking how they stay up-to-date with new technologies.
• Presenting an unexpected coding challenge during an interview.
• Checking if they have experience working with multiple tech stacks.

The World Economic Forum predicts that adaptability and problem-solving will be among the most in-demand job skills by 2025 (WEF Future of Jobs Report).

Best Tools for Developer Assessments

Streamline your hiring process with these top tools for evaluating developer skills:

• 🛠 Technical Assessments: HackerRank, Codility
• 🎙 Soft Skills & Behavioral Interviews: HireVue, Spark Hire
• 👩‍💻 Coding Challenges & Pair Programming: CodeSignal, CoderPad

Final Thoughts: Hiring Developers with the Right Skills

A well-rounded hiring process ensures you recruit developers who are technically skilled, adaptable, and excellent team players.

💡 Need help finding top-tier developers? Plugg Technologies specializes in connecting businesses with highly skilled nearshore developers. Let us help you build a high-performing team.