Ruby on Rails is the most popular language in the PYPL (Popularity of Programming Languages) rating by GitHub.
So, finding and hiring the best Ruby on Rails developer would have been a challenge for you.
In this guide you will learn:
How to hire the right Ruby on Rails developer for your project?
Skills to look for while hiring a Ruby on Rails developer (beyond the basic certifications and experience)
Where to find the best Ruby on Rails Developer for the job (no matter your budget)
How to hire the right Ruby on Rails developer for your project (in 4 simple steps)
1. Be clear about your requirements
Apart from setting out the project scope, ensuring you are looking for the right kind of Ruby on Rails developer is crucial.
In fact, vague or inaccurate skill levels of developers could set your hiring process bit back by a few weeks (or even months) as well. And while you may be familiar with all the standard skill level categories, knowing which one to hire for your business project can be a tricky task.
So, save time and skip the initial confusion by using the following details to narrow in on the right type of developers for your needs. Here’s a quick breakdown of the general capability levels of each type of Ruby on Rails developer:
Beginner level Ruby on Rails developers
These are the developers who are just getting started and have worked only on 0-1 projects in the past. Individually, they can just handle only the basic level of web development projects.
But they work best in teams to offer support and can handle all the monotonous details of your projects for a lower price.
Skills to look for:
Ruby on Rails, programming languages
Knowledge of RoR and libraries (Resque or RSpec)
Knowledge of OOP.
Front-end technologies – such as JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3.
Main Ruby on Rails functions and MVP development
Ability to work with Deadlines
Well-versed with 1 major Ruby on Rails framework.
Mid-level Ruby on Rails developers:
Developers at this level usually have a few projects under their belt and can develop an entire web app by themselves. They can work independently on most medium-scale projects, and on larger ones as long as they have a support team under them.
Skills to look for:
Ability to analyze basic product requirements
well versed with 2-3 Ruby on Rails frameworks
skilled at the implementation of various databases
can add back-end features to improve app performance
following development standards for simple code refactoring and debugging
can code troubleshooting
Expert Ruby on Rails developers:
Developers at this level usually have expertise in a specific niche, and offer immense expertise in handling complex projects. So finding the expert with the right expertise is essential at this stage.
Skills to look for:
experience in analyzing complex product requirements
ability to suggest features to add improve source code
well versed with most Ruby on Rails frameworks
advanced tech skills (like blockchain, machine learning, etc.)
2. Look beyond their coding skills
Knowing what skills (and experience level) you need is essential for hiring the best Ruby on Rails developer for the job.
But this is no good if you’re going to look at just their Ruby on Rails development skills. A candidates’ soft skills are just as important. Without those, even a programmer would not be able to fit in and perform well, either in a team or individually.
Soft Skill
So here are the top 3 soft skills to look for, while hiring a Ruby on Rails developer:
Communication
Surprised this is at the top of the list? Yes, this isn’t an HR or even marketing role, but communication is still key.
A developer may not need to be eloquent enough to give rousing speeches, but they will need to be comfortable in meetings and presentations. They should be able to present, share exchange ideas.
But it doesn’t end with just language fluency. Ensure they are able to openly communicate any roadblocks they hit or support they need to ensure a smooth flow of work.
Learning abilities
Technology is evolving, and your ideal Ruby on Rails developer will need to stay up to date.
They will need to be someone who is able to quickly pick up new skills on the go as the project evolves. Plus they must be proactive in constantly upskilling themselves to stay relevant
Attitude
This might be a bit vague, but hiring a person with the right attitude is key to getting great results. Over 40% of new hires fail to perform in their first year of work, not due to a lack of skill, but because of having the wrong attitude.
Make sure you are looking for more than just their technical abilities during the interview process.
Get a sense of the candidate’s mindset by asking questions about their ambitions, goals, and how they’ve handled roadblocks in the past. Look for people with a confident, positive attitude, with an enthusiasm towards the projects and it’s goals.
3. Ask the right questions
Once you’ve filtered through candidates, interviews are your real chance to hit the jackpot. Here are the key interview questions you should be asking to ensure you hire the right Ruby on Rails developers.
How much practical experience do you have as a Ruby on Rails developer?
Which technologies and Ruby on Rails frameworks are you conversant with?
What projects have you executed, or assisted in executing?
What was a challenging development issue you’ve faced in past projects? How did you solve it?
Have you been able to think outside the box to find creative solutions in the past?
How do you handle being stuck or hitting a roadblock in a project?
Follow these up with detailed technical questions, based on specific tasks they will need to execute on the job. This will help you understand if their knowledge level meets your needs.
4. Test to evaluate their expertise
If you’ve narrowed it down to the last few candidates, and are unable to decide between them, a practical test might be your way out. This is especially crucial when you’re making the bigger commitment of hiring a full-time employee.
Get your senior programmer to put together a quick test, to ensure the candidate you hire is able to deliver on everything their resume promises.
Where to find the best Ruby on Rails developers (no matter your budget)?
LinkedIn ads might convince you otherwise, but there isn’t one perfect place to find the creme-de-la-creme of Ruby on Rails developers.
Where you need to look for talent depends heavily on your scope of work, the engagement type, and your budget for hiring talent.
Here are the best locations for you to start with, depending on your scope and engagement needs.
For a full-time hire in a limited time: Your standard job portals like LinkedIn, Indeed and ZipRecruiter will get the job done for you.
For a small scale, one-off project: Hire a freelancer on freelance marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork, Github Jobs, and Up stack. For larger projects, with a one-off or ongoing work: Outsource it to a reliable agency
Next, consider your budget for hiring this employee/freelancer/agency.
Now obviously the more experienced and skilled the developer is, the more you’ll have to pay for their services. But it’s not as back and white as that in real life.
The salary expectations for a Ruby on Rails developer vary greatly depending on the country or region you’re looking at.
Here are the average salaries for Ruby on Rails developers (full stack) based on location:
Salaries
So if you’re open to hiring remote offshore teams, your options are endless. You can afford to hire the best Ruby on Rails programmers by hiring talent in countries in Southeast Asia, like India.
Offshore outsourcing agencies offer to take it all off your plate with full-cycle development projects at a much more reasonable cost.
And many offer you access to a pre-vetted talent pool of affordable Ruby on Rails developers, for you to build a remote team. So you can hire Ruby Developers, with top-notch skills on a much lower budget.
