JavaScript Developers for Hire in 48 Hours

JavaScript, as well as its related libraries and frameworks, are one of the most demanded software development technologies today. According to StackOverflow’s 2021 Developer Survey, JS is the ninth time in a row the most popular programming language with almost 69% of professional developers covered using it in their work. 

Started as a front-end-oriented, now JavaScript has much wider applicability covering back-end, AJAX, rich web applications, user scripts, and many others. With ECMAScript compatibility, JS is rather popular for object-oriented programming, as well.

Now, interactive web apps are the most demanded field of JS applicability. Another popular focus is visual effects for websites. The best illustration of its popularity within web development is that top-3 of the most popular web frameworks are all JS-based: ReactJS at 41.2%, jQuery at 34.52%, and Angular at 26.23%.

Both a high variety of tools and wide focus make it rather hard to find a developer with the relevant experience for your project. This also makes it quite challenging to determine real professionals from newbies.

This article will help you understand how to approach hiring JS specialists; what is JavaScript and its derivatives are; what kind of skills you should check when assessing your candidate; and whether it is better to hire by yourself or rely on remote contractors depending on your own case.

What is JavaScript and where is it applicable?

JavaScript, or JS, is a programming language that is currently considered one of the core web development technologies. Once HTML is accountable for the website’s structure, and CSS is for its styles, JavaScript is most often used for the different interactive and dynamic features. 

Below are several examples of JavaScript usage for creating interactive features:

• dropdown menus and hamburger buttons
• playing multimedia or animation right on the web page
• color changing on hover
• sliding carousel of pictures with zoom in and out on click
• pop-up windows showing or hiding additional information
• many more.

Rather than visual effects, JS has occupied several other niches:

• some JavaScript frameworks and tools like, for example, React Native, are aimed at the creation of mobile applications
• others help build web servers or even ready-made server-side applications
• JavaScript is a good basis for developing browser games, as well.

Below you can find an example of JavaScript code:

const MultiselectCheckbox = ({ options, onChange }) => {
  const [data, setData] = React.useState(options);

  const toggle = index => {
    const newData = [...data];
    newData.splice(index, 1, {
      label: data[index].label,
      checked: !data[index].checked
    });
    setData(newData);
    onChange(newData.filter(x => x.checked));
  };

  return (
    <>
      {data.map((item, index) => (
        <label key={item.label}>
          <input
            readOnly
            type="checkbox"
            checked={item.checked || false}
            onClick={() => toggle(index)}
          />
          {item.label}
        </label>
      ))}
    </>
  );
};

Different JavaScript tools and libraries and their focus

There are plenty of JS-based software development tools, frameworks, and libraries, with quite different functions and purposes. For your convenience, we’ve presented them in table form.

Skills crucial for JavaScript developers

• All the JS-based technologies mentioned above are different enough to require specific previous experience only when we speak about development skills. In other words, your highly skilled React developer surely will have rather limited success with AngularJS without sufficient retraining.

So, the most important skill is always a sufficient previous experience with the required technology, not only within the programming language.

• If we speak about front-end development (as in most JS use cases), the developer must be highly familiar with the best development practices outside the technology they use. JavaScript-based tools aren’t just visual effects processors but also work with the data received from the back end, users, and third-party systems. And correct processing of this data requires a pearl of certain wisdom from the developer it implements.

• The deep knowledge of differences, bottlenecks and hidden pitfalls of the main browsers and platforms is also crucial for expert-level JS developers. This knowledge is priceless when avoiding multiple costly errors during the development process.

• An understanding of how databases work is a very valuable skill for JS developers, as well. All of the popular web development frameworks and CMS are using the existing standards of database management: MySQL, MongoDB, SQLite, Cassandra, etc.  

• Nowadays, tons of different CMS are more or less popular in web development. And all of them have special nuances related to data management, API architecture, and other fields where JS is involved. This doesn’t mean the developer must know them all but they should have a clue about different CMS, especially about those with which they will work.

• Within the web development tasks, there is no need for advanced math skills. What is much more valuable is knowledge of MVC and other web development patterns, as well as an object-oriented programming paradigm.

• Most of today’s software development teams are distributed, so the developer must be ready to work in a distributed environment with virtual communication.

• For skilled developers, it’s highly important to be flexible in terms of workflows employed in a project they work for. In web development teams, agile methodologies are highly popular.

• Version control is widely implemented in different development teams, so the developer you’re looking for surely must be familiar with how not to crush a server while deploying or how to roll the version back with no harm.

• Advanced soft skills are a must for developers who work in teams with a certain maturity level. This means they must be proactive, positive, communicative, collaborative, etc. For others, such skills are highly required, too.

• Other skills are less popular but not less important in certain circumstances.

Hire in-house or employ remote contractors: what’s to choose

When it comes to hiring specialists in-house, it’s time to consider remote contractor specialists. And that is why:

• You can seriously reduce costs. Salaries of the JS developers in the United States and Western Europe, and especially additional costs like insurance, are fairly high. At the same time, nearshore or offshore specialists can cost much less with the same or even better effort. Hourly rates of Expert Remote developers are within $40–$80, which is lower than the costs of similar specialists within the United States.

• You can avoid all the mess tied with the hiring process. Hiring today, you’re competing for staff with the whole world. This is truly challenging, and that’s why hiring in-house can easily last several months or even years, with no success guarantee. Using remote contractors is a way to start working on your hot tasks almost immediately.

• You can address your urgent tasks. As we said before, working with a vetted freelancer platform like Expert Remote is a way to start addressing your most urgent demand as soon as it is possible.

How much does it cost to hire a JS developer?

Many different factors form the final cost of hiring. Below are the main of them:

• Project scope. The more complex your project is, the more skilled developers you need. In addition, in shorter projects, hourly costs turn out to be higher.
• Framework or specific tool. Different technologies within the same programming language have various numbers of developers familiar with them. This affects costs, as well.
• Geography. The place where your potential JS developers live means how much they want to get.
• Required experience level. Juniors are quite cheap in almost every part of the world, while senior- and lead-level developers are multiple times more expensive.

An efficient framework for hiring JS developers

As you see, the hiring process must be well-polished and adjusted to be successful. If you still consider hiring in-house, the overall plan should look as follows:

• Craft your unique job description and post the application. Your job description must be attractive, transparent, and engaging enough to be considered by candidates. Otherwise, you’ll be outlooked for sure. Once the description is finished, it’s time to post it on the most popular hiring platforms.
• Receive applications and screen candidates. If you hire onsite only, there will be a relatively low stream of applications. In the case you consider remote work, the stream will highly likely be much heavier. In both cases, you must arrange the process of candidate screening allowing you to process them fast enough.
• Arrange initial interviews with the shortlisted candidates. For understanding your potential fit at the highest level, the initial interview hosted by HR is one of the best options.
• Offer test tasks to those who will move to the next stage or arrange technical interviews with them. Making either one or another can be inefficient when you hire senior-level developers. Many of them will be against test tasks, that’s why such a combined approach is preferable.
• Check the results, finalize your findings, and make an offer. At this stage, your aim is to find the best performing specialist, coupled with the most advanced soft skills. Sometimes it’s hard to determine your mutual fit even after a series of interviews and tests. In such cases, the trial period comes to the rescue.
• Onboard your new employee. Onboarding is an essential part of the hiring process. Remember that the trial period is mutual, so your new employee can part ways if the company hasn’t satisfied their expectations.

Some tips on efficient job descriptions and posts for hiring JS developers

• Make all the shortest forms (headings, titles, etc.) as relevant to the position as it is possible. There is no place for figural speech in your job description. Most of the applicants will use text search by keywords, that’s why all your headings must contain the right ones. Among them can be a certain technology or tool they will use in their work, position name, skill level, business niche of the project, etc.
• Pay enough attention to the job description. Of course, this is the most important part for the applicant, along with the salary size. The description always must include the scope of a project; its expected duration; the background you’re expecting the developer to have; pricing information in the form you’re ready to show. 
• Form a detailed job responsibilities list. This list, if it is designed well, helps your applicant understand the job scope better and make a decision. In other words, this is the main converting element of your offer. It also can be used as a checklist when assessing the professional level of your potential employee. 
• Form a similar list with the required qualifications. You can use it in the same way.

Conclusion

As you can see, hiring JavaScript developers in-house is a quite challenging and risky process. In most cases, using remote freelancers from a highly professional community like Expert Remote is a much preferable option. 

Expert Remote is a vetted developer marketplace that makes it possible for you to avoid all the challenges and get the best JavaScript talents just in 48 hours and for an affordable price.