How to find .NET developers: Step-By-Step Guide

How to find .NET developers: Step-By-Step Guide

There are over 6M .NET engineers worldwide, but you are still struggling to hire the one for your project? If you are looking to outsource .NET development, there are many things you need to know and take into account. In this article we will explore:

1. The demand for .NET developers
2. Hard and soft skills of .NET engineers
3. Compensation rates
4. Things you need to know to hire excellent dedicated .NET developers

.NET is one of the most prominent platforms in modern software development. This framework powers the majority of Windows-based applications and programs. .NET can be used for various projects, but it requires experienced engineers to handle the development process.

Why are .NET developers in demand?

The US labour market alone has 45,000+ unfilled .NET positions. The European Union also has over 75,000 jobs for .NET. What makes this technology so popular and desired by many companies? It allows creating virtually any type of software, whether it is mobile, web, or desktop application or part of a larger system. It is often used in gaming, microservices, Internet of Things, etc. Therefore, many businesses have .NET at the core of their technology and rely heavily on their .NET engineers.

But how do you find an experienced engineer or even a team of .NET experts?

What skills does a .NET developer need to have?

So what are the main pros and cons of IT outsourcing, and what makes it so attractive to companies worldwide?

While specific .NET developer interview questions may vary depending on a type of project, industry, or even the size of your own company, there are certain skills that any great developer should have.

Technical skills

1. Extensive knowledge of C#, F#, and Visual Basic
   As the primary programming language of the .NET universe, C# is a must for any developer. The majority of projects run on C# 7 through C# 9. However, if your project requires an earlier or later version, make sure your engineers have such experience. The same applies to F# and Visual Basic.
2. Profound understanding of the .NET platform
   The platform itself is sophisticated and huge. A good .NET engineer should understand how things work within this platform and be ready to play with the endless possibilities it provides.
3. Experience with ASP.NET
   An integral part of the .NET platform. Both ASP.NET Core and ASP.NET MCV are important parts of the .NET ecosystem. So a good developer should have experience working with both of them.
4. SQL and databases
   Another fundamental part of .NET expertise in understanding of SQL and databases (Microsoft SQL in particular).
5. Hand-on experience with testing frameworks
   You should also consider whether the candidate has experience working with unit testing frameworks like xUnit, NUnit, or MSTest/Visual Studio Unit Testing Framework.
6. Full-stack development (optional)
   .NET platform is rather flexible in its nature and allows building any type of solution, so a great engineer would need to have experience in full-stack development and preferably — solid knowledge of relevant technologies.
7. Certifications of .NET developer
   Another great factor is certification of the engineers you plan to hire. Microsoft has a plethora of certifications for every case and scenario, be it application development, cloud, or product-specific certifications.

Soft skills

While technical expertise is critical for outsourcing .NET development, we should also remind you about soft skills. Any experienced engineer should have:

1. Ability to quickly learn and adapt
2. Quick thinking and creativity in tech decisions
3. Understanding of your business domain
4. Strong leadership and teamwork skills

What’s the .NET developer average salary?

The question remains: how much do these experts get? In the table below, we have created a brief comparison between North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe (on the example Poland), and Mexico in terms of average salary of .NET engineers.

You can see why so many companies prefer to outsource .NET development to less expensive destinations like Eastern Europe or South America.

Okay, we have tackled the qualifications and skills your potential developers need to have, as well as their salaries. But what do you need to know about outsourcing .NET development?

What do you need to know to outsource .NET development successfully?

Apart from the basic understanding of the platform and its capabilities, it is also important to keep in mind that you need to get involved as well.

Gather and analyze requirements

1. What is the main business goal?
2. What needs to be done and what deliverables do you expect?
3. What is the expected delivery date and how much time do you have?
4. Do you plan any system integration with the existing processes, systems, software solutions?
5. What is the deployment platform?
6. How many experts do you need to successfully handle this project?

Prepare job descriptions

This step will allow you to understand specific roles within the team you are going to hire. It will also help you find the optimal team composition and address any issues you might have early on. This step will also help you

Find the reliable vendor

Create a list of companies within the chosen location. Focus on the vendors of the similar size as your own company. If the vendor is significantly smaller than you, they won’t be able to scale quickly. If they are much bigger, they might not care enough about your project.

Look for Certified Microsoft Partners and the companies that have plenty of .NET engineers onboard. It is important to find a company with a portfolio of relevant projects.

Interview potential candidates

Once you find the tech partner, it is time to gather the perfect team. Interview the candidates and find the right fit for your project.

Onboard the new team

Onboarding is a critical part for your success. You need to introduce the engineers to your processes, share your vision, explain your needs, and only then hand them their tasks. The better they know the context and understand your expectations, the better their work will be.

Wrap-up

Finding and hiring an experienced .NET developer or even a team of experts can be quite a challenge. However, with a diligent preparation and understanding of your needs, this task can be managed successfully. Choose qualified engineers that have both technical expertise and soft skills.

Whether you are looking to hire a dedicated ASP.NET developer or need a team of .NET experts, just contact us, and let’s do it together!

If you are ready to outsource your project, send us a message right away and we will plan your way to success!