How To Hire a .NET Developer in 2024

The .NET technology is a top choice for building the backend of web applications. You can use it to design almost anything, be it a simple app or a high-performance supply management platform. Due to versatile .NET uses, the popularity of this framework is genuinely striking. No wonder .NET 5+ ranks at the top of the list of the most popular frameworks and libraries, according to the 2023 Stack Overflow survey. And the number of .NET developers is constantly growing, with over 307 thousand .NET engineers currently being employed in the United States.

However, despite a large pool of .NET engineers, the Western IT labor market cannot meet the demand. There are around 11,000 open .NET job vacancies on LinkedIn. So, how do you hire a .NET developer for your project?

This article will guide you on hiring .NET developers in 2024. Follow our tips to simplify the recruitment process.

Top Reasons to Build Your Web App with .NET

.NET deservedly remains one of the top-used technologies. It’s universal, secure, cost-efficient, and has many other benefits.

• Language independence

You can develop a web app using any languages that target .NET implementations, including C#, F#, and Visual Basic. It gives you more freedom regarding the tech stack for web app development.

• Reduced costs and development time

.NET web app development is comparatively fast due to the easy-to-use interface, integrated development environment (IDE), and MVC architecture of the framework. Hence, you need less time and human resources to launch an app.

• Enhanced app performance and scalability

.NET is faster than any other popular framework. .NET apps have better response times and require less computing power. Apart from that, .NET offers excellent scalability, allowing you to adapt the app based on changing performance demands.

• Microsoft-ensured security

.NET is supported by Microsoft that puts a lot of effort and investment into eliminating vulnerabilities. The company regularly updates the framework to make it more secure and robust.

READ ALSO: Should You Choose .NET for Enterprise Application Development?

How to Hire Skilled .Net Programmers: Things to Focus On

When hiring .NET engineers, start by checking their tech qualifications. If a candidate can write clean code and understands what it takes to develop a decent app, evaluate troubleshooting and communication skills.

• Technical expertise. Generally, a .NET developer must know at least one of the .NET languages and be familiar with architecture styles/APIs. Other tech expertise depends on the complexity of your project and team size. If you have a large team, you may hire software engineers with different seniority for different processes.
• Completed projects. If you need a web app for a specific industry, it’s better to hire .NET developers that have already worked on similar projects. They know how to design a successful solution for this market niche and can share valuable insights.Searching for an all-encompassing solution? You should consider the option of hiring a full-stack specialist.
• Soft skills. Since custom software development requires close collaboration between multiple specialists, engineers must have good communication skills. They should be able to explain their decision to teammates, compromise, and follow the rules within the team. Checking soft skills may be difficult if you have never done it before. Hence, you may want to involve professional recruiters who know how to choose the right candidate.

Where to Find .NET Developers

You must know that finding a .NET developer open to new projects online is challenging. However, there are effective strategies to navigate this process. Let’s explore actionable steps to connect with skilled .NET developers and fulfill your project needs efficiently.

Build In-House Team. An in-house team consists of full-time employees who work directly for your company. These .net developers are part of the company’s staff and are fully integrated into culture, processes, and workflows. Companies invest in recruiting, training, and retaining talent to build specialized .NET development expertise within their organization. If you still want to try luck at headhunting, consider the following web resources:

• LinkedIn. A professional networking social media with over 800 million users, including many tech specialists.
• Upwork. A platform connecting freelancers and businesses with secure in-app payments for completed work.
• GitHub. The largest developers’ community with many .NET engineers sharing their expertise and projects.
• Stack Overflow. A question-and-answer website uniting millions of developers worldwide.
• Social media groups. Communities dedicated to .NET programming where engineers communicate about their work and interests.

Outsource .NET Development. Outsourcing involves delegating specific tasks, projects, or services related to .NET development to external third-party vendors or companies. Companies may choose to outsource .NET development to leverage specialized expertise, reduce costs, and access a broader talent pool. Outsourcing .NET development projects can include tasks such as discovery phase, software development itself, testing, maintenance, and support.

• Clutch. Reputable platform featuring reviews and ratings for various service providers, including .NET development companies. It helps you make informed decisions based on the experiences of other clients.
• GoodFirms. Research and review platform that lists IT service providers, including .NET development companies. It provides detailed company profiles, client reviews, and overall rankings to assist in the selection process.
• Upwork. Popular freelancing platform where you can find individual .NET developers or development teams for outsourcing projects. It allows you to browse profiles, review work history, and hire based on your project requirements.
• DesignRush platform showcases top agencies across various industries.
• UpCity is a comprehensive platform that helps businesses find reputable service providers, including .NET development companies. You can search for top-rated companies, read customer reviews, and request quotes directly from the platform.

Offshore software development involves outsourcing .NET development tasks or projects to companies located in different countries, typically with lower labor costs. Companies opt for .NET software development to leverage specialized expertise, reduce operational expenses, and access a broader range of skilled .NET developers.

• Tech Company Directories like Clutch, G2, Upcity, ITFirms, and Goodfirms compile lists of .NET software development contractors.
• Freelance Platforms like Upwork often have a pool of .NET development professionals.
• Work with .net development agencies directly: reach out to established development agencies that specialize in offshore services.

READ ALSO: What Is ODC — Offshore Software Development Center?

Note that these resources only help to find candidates. Once you shortlist the most suitable .NET developers, you will need to reach them, conduct interviews, and convince the engineers to work for you. The latter one may be the most difficult.

Tips When Hiring .NET Developers

If you want to simplify the hiring process as much as possible, follow the tips from professional recruiters. Leobit has communicated with our specialists and wants to share the best practices:

• Write a clear job ad with requirements, responsibilities, and tech skills summary
• Publish a job vacancy on your website, use social media and specialized job aggregators
• Prepare test tasks to check the practical skills of candidates
• Launch an employee referral program with financial and social bonuses for successful recommendations
• Look for remote developers in distant locations for the best price-quality ratio
• Optimize the screening process to send feedback within the shortest time
• Watch your reputation among past and existing employees as word of mouth is very powerful

READ ALSO: How to Set Up a .NET Product Development Team

The Cost to Hire a .NET Developer

The experience and qualification of a .NET engineer are the primary factors defining their hourly rates. The location of a software development team also matters. According to ZipRecruiter’s data, hourly wages for .NET Developers vary widely, with the highest reported at $72.36 and the lowest at $14.42. However, the bulk of .NET Developer wages fall between $46.39 (25%) and $61.30 (75%) across the United States. The Western markets have much higher average rates than Eastern Europe or Asia, for example.

.NET Developer Salary in Ukraine

The salaries of .NET developers in Ukraine are generally comparable to other countries in the Eastern European area. They are slightly lower than in Poland and the Czech Republic. Other considerable benefits of Ukraine include a large talent pool, strong .NET community, flexible working approaches, and a well-established software outsourcing IT infrastructure.

Hiring .NET developers in Ukraine, you can expect the following hourly rates:

What to Ask a .NET Developer During an Interview

An interview with a .NET developer is one of the key moments when you can check their skills. Consider using these basic questions that can help you evaluate the candidate.

• What languages is .NET compatible with?
• What is the core difference between managed and unmanaged code?
• What is common language run-time, and how is it related to .NET?
• What are the most critical aspects of .NET?
• What can you tell me about JIT?
• Explain OOP in terms of the .NET framework. What are the basic OOP features?
• Can you name the types of JIT compilers?
• Why is the .NET framework suitable for this project? What else would you recommend?

These questions are suitable for initial screening. If you need to evaluate specific skills, ask a tech lead to conduct the following interview stages or provide a tech task before the candidate is approved.

.NET Case Studies

.NET development is one of core Leobit’s specializations, with many projects completed. Here are just a few of them:

Global B2B Payment Platform

Leobit’s .NET engineers expanded the functionality of an existing Global B2B Payment Platform. Our specialists created code to integrate the system with various payment gateways under Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). It allowed the customers to generate more conversions, enhance digital payment security, and start supporting a full set of payment transactions.

Indoor and Outdoor Cycling Solution

Leobit gathered a dedicated team that grew from 3 to 20 people in four years only and started to cover most of the customers’ development tasks. We used .NET Core, among other technologies, to develop an interactive cycling solution and make it compatible with the hardware. With our assistance, the user base has grown from 20,000 to 200,000.

Conclusion

Hiring .NET developers may get pretty complicated if you lack experience and in-house recruiters who can screen candidates. Even though you may use online resources popular among .NET engineers to assemble a team, it would be very time-consuming.

That’s why outsourcing the hiring process to a third-party IT company like Leobit is an optimum choice. Leobit is a Ukrainian company with offices in Lviv (Ukraine), Tallinn (Estonia), and Krakow (Poland). We can assemble a dedicated team of developers skilled in .NET and other technologies based on your unique project needs.

Contact us to find out more about how we work.

The article was originally published at Leobit website.