A recent study from Zippia found that only 1.88% of .net developers are unemployed.
That means if you’re looking to hire a developer, you’re going to be facing some tough competition from other companies.
How can you hire the best developer?
With the demand for apps and software developers increasing every year, it’s tough to find the right talent for your company. Not only do you have to find the right candidate; you have to prove that your company is one the best agile development team of .NET to work for.
When you hire an expert .net developer, you’ll be taking on a candidate with several key skills. .Net developers are extremely familiar with Microsoft, which is important since most businesses rely on Microsoft’s products. They will also be highly proficient in C# programming language and have experience with cloud computing platforms.
All of these skills are highly desirable, so you may be wondering how you should hire the best developer. If you want to know what you might need to consider before hiring one, keep reading to find out our best tips.
What is a .NET Developer?
.NET developers build applications on Microsoft’s .NET platform, a free, open-source, cross-platform framework used to create web applications, cloud services, desktop software, mobile apps, and APIs.
The platform has changed a lot over the years. The original .NET Framework ran only on Windows. Modern .NET, the successor to .NET Core, runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and it’s where new development happens. Many businesses still run older applications on the original framework, which is why developers who understand both are especially valuable.
Most .NET developers work primarily in C#, and many also use ASP.NET Core for web development and Entity Framework Core for working with databases.
What Does a .NET Developer Do?
The .NET developer you hire will be responsible for designing, implementing, and developing the software and applications your business needs. Some of the responsibilities of a .NET developer might include:
- Developing .NET applications
- Designing software architecture
- Building and maintaining APIs and microservices
- Providing technical support for web and mobile apps
- Improving the software and systems you already use
- Migrating older .NET Framework applications to modern .NET
- Testing and debugging software and apps
- Designing the interfaces of software and apps
- Deploying applications to the cloud using containers and CI/CD pipelines
- Identifying problems in existing software and putting together the steps needed to solve them
Decide if you want a freelance or full-time developer
Before you write your job description, decide if you want a full-time employee or a freelancer.
It’s important to be aware of when hiring a freelancer is appropriate versus a full-time employee. Freelancing is a good option if you only need someone for a short project at a low cost.
If you need a quality developer who will truly be invested in your company, you should look for a full-time employee. Even though the average salary of a full time .net developer is over $95,000, you’ll be getting your money’s worth by hiring the best developer.
Write Clear Job Descriptions
Next, you should figure out what skills you need your .NET developer to have. Being clear about what you expect from your candidates will help you attract the right people and filter out the wrong fits early.
As you develop your job description, think about both the hard and soft skills you want. Some examples of hard skills include:
- Proven ability in C# and familiarity with its modern language features
- Experience with ASP.NET Core, Web API, and Entity Framework Core
- Hands-on experience with Azure or AWS, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines
- Working knowledge of SQL Server or PostgreSQL
- Familiarity with Blazor or a front-end framework such as React or Angular
- Experience migrating older .NET Framework applications to modern .NET, if you maintain legacy systems
- Comfort using AI coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot, along with the judgment to review and validate what they produce
Hard skills aren’t the only thing that matters. Strong .NET developers also tend to have soft skills like these:
- Communication and collaboration, especially in distributed teams
- Problem-solving abilities
- Empathy
- Patience
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
Pick Interview Questions to Assess the Skills of Your .NET Team Hire
Choosing the right interview questions is a critical piece of the hiring process. Asking the right questions will show whether the candidate you are interviewing has the skills, qualities, and values your company needs to succeed. It’s important to ask questions that both reflect the candidate’s hard and soft skills.
Some questions to ask your .NET developer could include:
About the person and their working style
- What skills help you be effective as a developer?
- What does your ideal work environment look like?
- What are your goals as a developer?
- Tell me about a successful project you led.
- Explain how you would review a team member’s code.
About their .NET knowledge
- What’s the difference between .NET Framework and modern .NET, and how would you approach migrating an older application?
- How do you structure an ASP.NET Core Web API, and how do you handle dependency injection?
- How do you use async and await, and what common mistakes do you watch out for?
- How do you approach testing in a .NET project?
About how they work today
- How do you use AI coding tools in your workflow, and how do you validate what they generate?
These questions will show how experienced the candidate is and what they value in an employer. The mix of general and technical questions helps you assess both fit and skill, and it lets the candidate see whether your company is right for them too.
Open Your Search to Remote Candidates
Because the pool of qualified .net developers can be so limited, opening your job to .NET remote developers can widen your search. Working remotely offers flexibility that many people in today’s job market find attractive, so offering the option of remote work is a major benefit to potential candidates. If you’re able to provide flexible work options and health insurance, candidates will find your offer hard to say no to.
Additionally, hiring remotely can lower your costs. If you hire a full time developer somewhere where cost of living is lower, you can offer a lower salary. Doing this will allow you to save money without sacrificing quality in a candidate.
What is the Cost of .NET Developers?
The amount you have to pay your .net developer will depend on many factors, including the years of experience your candidate has, the skillset they can offer, and the requirements of your specific project. Cost will also depend on whether you choose to hire a freelancer or a full time employee, and where your candidate lives.
Hiring an Expert
Hiring a member for your team doesn’t have to be a headache. When you have clear requirements and look for candidates in the right places, you will be able to find the right .net developer for your team. If you’re looking for the best .NET developers, we have plenty of experts for you to choose from