Hiring Java Developers: How to Recruit the Best Talent Possible

Java is the most in-demand programming language out there, according to Stackify. Given the role of this programming language in your core business operations, you’ll need to bring on the best talent for your organization when hiring Java developers.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to recruit Java developers, from what skills to assess to where you’ll source talent.

Technical Skills and Pay When Hiring Java Developers

Here’s a breakdown of both expected skills and Java developer salary by seniority. This should help you determine what skills to test during the hiring process and what compensation to offer.

Junior Java Developer

Java freshers need to have some basic understanding of the language and a knowledge of its ecosystems. Typically, these candidates have 0 to 3 years of experience.

Main skills:

• Data structures and algorithms
• Knowledge of Java/J2EE
• Relational databases, SQL, ORM

Secondary skills:

(These are nice to see, but not critical for new talent)

• Object-oriented analysis
• Design patterns
• Java-based web services
• XML, X query, XSL

Pay:

The average base pay for Junior Java Developers is $69,179, ranging from $49k to $98k per year. This does not include signing bonuses, end-of-year bonuses, or stock options.

Mid-Level Java Developer

When hiring mid-level Java developers, you’ll be looking for someone with 3 or more years of experience. These developers require little assistance and own more responsibilities.

Main skills:

• Knowledge of Java/J2EE
• Debugging and testing code
• Knowledge of frameworks
• Java-based web services
• Developing QA procedures

Secondary skills:

(These are nice to see, but not critical skills for this role)

• Multithreading and synchronization
• Enterprise Java Beans

Pay:

The average base pay for mid-level Java developers is $100,882, ranging from $74k to $137k per year. This does not include signing bonuses, end-of-year bonuses, or stock options.

Senior Java Developer

When hiring Java developers to fill more senior positions, the candidate typically has 6 or more years of experience with Java. These candidates are more well-rounded and have been exposed to many aspects of Java, including memory-related problems, debugging, and in-depth J2EE knowledge.

Main skills:

• Knowledge of Java/J2EE
• Object-oriented analysis
• Design patterns
• JVM and memory management
• Code optimization

Secondary skills:

(These are nice to see, but not critical skills for this role)

• Java-based web services
• Multithreading and synchronization
• Enterprise Java Beans

Pay:

The average base pay for senior Java developers is $111,528, ranging from $82k to $152k per year. This does not include signing bonuses, end-of-year bonuses, or stock options. This Java developer salary is the highest due to the years of experience required and skills obtained.

A Quick Note on Java Developer Salaries

You may be wondering what factors influence Java developer pay. There are three main contributors:

1. Location. Places with a higher cost of living, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, pay more.
2. Experience. If you’re hiring for a Junior Java developer position, even within that seniority level, more experienced candidates expect to earn more.
3. Skills. Developers with more desirable skills will be paid more. Those candidates with experience in Java/J2EE tend to be paid more on average.

Hire a Strong Culture Fit

While the technical skills mentioned above are vital for hiring Java developers, there’s more to a strong candidate than hard skills. Soft skills and proper culture fit are necessary, too. On average, 43% of employees are looking for new jobs, and poor culture fit is a top reason.

Further, since developers constitute a significant part of building your product, you want ones who share your company’s values. It benefits both parties in the long run since passionate developers often better reflect the company’s values in the final product that consumers see.  

One excellent way to verify the soft skills of your next Java developer is to ask for references. It’s easy for someone to claim they’re agreeable and otherwise pleasant to work with, but past teammates, bosses, or clients are better able to give you the full picture.

Sourcing Java Developers

If you’re looking to fill entry-level positions, hiring from colleges with Java programs is an excellent way to source talent. Visit various top and middle-tier universities and attend their career fairs.

However, especially for coding, the importance of a college degree is waning slightly. Many qualified candidates attend online school or are self-taught through various courses.

When hiring Java developers, you can source qualified candidates via GitHub. You’re able to filter by language, followers, and location; ensure that candidates are open to recruitment before reaching out.

GitHub profiles allow you to look at a developer’s past work. You can cross-reference with their social media profiles.

Another source of Java developer talent is StackOverflow. The primary purpose of this site is for developers to ask and answer technical questions. You can search for inquiries related to the role you’re hiring for and evaluate developers who provided a valuable answer.

On StackOverflow, your ideal candidate ranks highly based on both reputation and user badges scores.

The Importance of a Good Coding Challenge

To properly assess your Java developers, you’ll want to deploy some sort of coding test. Companies that use pre-hire assessments are 24% more likely to hire employees who exceed performance goals.

Additionally, hiring managers are 36% more satisfied with hiring decisions when pre-hire assessments are used, and candidates have a 39% lower turnover rate. That’s a huge impact.

However, terrible coding challenges can turn off the best talent. Most developers dislike these tests because of the appalling candidate experience. Given 87% of candidates consider interviews as a way to get to know an employer, you need to make a positive impression.

CodeSubmit puts candidate experience first with our take-home coding challenges. Our assignment library covers 60+ languages and frameworks to help get you started. Hiring Java developers has never been easier!

Still have questions? Learn more about using coding tests for interviews here.

Final Word

Now that you know the process for hiring Java developers, it’s time to go out and find the best talent for your organization. Once you do, feel free to check out our comprehensive guide on onboarding new developers to set them up for success.