When building a software development team, hiring the right engineers is crucial.
The difference between a good developer and a great one can shape the success of a product, impact overall team efficiency, and even influence long-term business growth.
However, distinguishing between different skill levels is not always straightforward. Total work experience does not always define excellence, so individual growth, mindset, and adaptability play a significant role.
In this article, we’ll explore the skills that set good developers apart from great ones and how making the right hiring decisions can transform your business.
Differentiating Good and Great Developers
Every company has unique technical and business needs, meaning the criteria for defining a “great” developer may vary.
While a startup may prioritize adaptability and rapid iteration, a larger enterprise might value stability and extensive experience in specific frameworks. However, certain fundamental qualities apply across all organizations.
It’s important to note that skill levels don’t solely depend on years of experience. A junior developer with a strong growth mindset and problem-solving ability can outperform a stagnant senior developer.
What truly separates great developers from good ones is their continuous evolution, problem-solving capabilities, and ability to make a lasting impact on their teams and projects.
Skills Expected from Good Developers
A good developer possesses a solid foundation in their tech stack, collaborates well with their team, and follows company processes efficiently.
These individuals contribute meaningfully to development cycles, ensure code quality, and maintain productivity. Below are key characteristics of good developers:
- Fluency in a specific stack or language: good developers have a deep understanding of at least one programming language or tech stack. Their expertise allows them to build robust applications with efficiency and confidence.
- Effective participation in meetings: they contribute valuable insights in client meetings and internal discussions, ensuring their perspectives help improve the development process.
- Team players: they actively support junior engineers, fostering a culture of learning and knowledge sharing that strengthens the team as a whole.
- Adherence to processes and improvements: they follow established workflows and best practices while suggesting process enhancements to optimize team performance.
- Accountability and responsibility: good developers take ownership of their work, acknowledge mistakes, and proactively seek solutions when issues arise.
- Time management skills: they manage their workload effectively, balancing deadlines and quality without compromising deliverables.
What Are the Skills of an Outstanding Software Engineer?
Great developers take their expertise to the next level by refining their skills, contributing to the business’s overall strategy, and elevating those around them.
Beyond technical abilities, they are strategic thinkers, exceptional communicators, and proactive problem-solvers. Let’s explore the key traits of top-tier software engineers:
- Strong technical expertise: they not only excel in their primary tech stack but also keep refining their talent. Great developers have a broad technical arsenal, allowing them to recommend the right tools and frameworks based on a project’s needs.
- Commitment to continuous learning: they stay updated on new technologies and problem-solving approaches. While they don’t need to master every tool, their learning mindset keeps them adaptable and ready for innovation.
- Clear and effective communication: great developers articulate their ideas concisely and practice active listening. They ensure they understand stakeholders’ needs, leading to better alignment between development and business goals.
- Product-focused approach: instead of merely writing functional code, they create clean, scalable, and maintainable solutions. They understand that well-structured systems are easier to enhance over time without unnecessary rework.
- Client-oriented mindset: they can tactfully challenge client requests that don’t add value while ensuring clients feel heard. By aligning technical solutions with business needs, they drive better outcomes.
- Team impact and mentorship: they elevate their team by sharing knowledge, encouraging collaboration, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
- Long-term vision: great developers anticipate the long-term effects of technical decisions. Their ability to predict future challenges helps managers make informed choices that align with business goals.
- Problem-solving mindset: they don’t just execute tasks; they analyze client demands, identify the root issue, and find the most efficient way to integrate solutions into the existing workflow. Their adaptability ensures they make the right trade-offs between quality and speed.
The Business Impact of Hiring Great Developers
Investing in top-tier developers is a strategic decision that can significantly influence business success.
A great developer doesn’t just contribute technically—they enhance team efficiency, improve product quality, and drive innovation.
Why Hiring a Great Developer Transforms Your Business
A high-performing software engineer can:
- Optimize development cycles, reducing time to market. This means products and updates get to users faster, keeping your company competitive and agile in an evolving market.
- Enhance product reliability, decreasing long-term maintenance costs. By writing clean, well-structured code from the start, top-tier engineers prevent technical debt and minimize the need for costly fixes down the road.
- Improve team dynamics, leading to higher employee satisfaction and retention. Their ability to promote collaboration and encourage problem-solving within the team makes the workplace more engaging and productive, strengthening team cohesion.
- Contribute to business growth, ensuring technical solutions align with strategic goals. Exceptional developers think beyond just coding because they align their work with the company’s broader vision. Their ability to balance technical decisions with business objectives leads to innovations that propel the company forward.
The Cost of Hiring an Average Developer vs. a Top-Tier Engineer
While hiring an average developer may seem cost-effective initially, it often leads to hidden expenses, such as:
- More time spent fixing bugs and rewriting poor-quality code.
- Delays in project timelines due to inefficiencies.
- Increased employee turnover from poor collaboration and knowledge gaps.
On the other hand, investing in skilled engineers leads to sustainable growth, a competitive edge, and a more scalable product.
Remote Collaboration: Accessing Top-Tier Talent Globally
With remote work being a standard in tech teams, companies are no longer restricted to hiring talent within their geographic location.
This opens up the opportunity to work with skilled developers from Latin America and beyond, accessing top talent at competitive rates.
Hiring remotely allows businesses to build world-class engineering teams while maintaining cost efficiency.
Software engineer skills: identifying the good and the exceptional
Understanding the difference between good and great developers can help businesses make smarter hiring decisions.
While good developers contribute to stability, outstanding engineers drive innovation, efficiency, and long-term success. Investing in the right talent—especially with the flexibility of remote collaboration—can transform your company’s technical capabilities and overall growth.
By prioritizing the right skills and mindset, you can build a software development team that doesn’t just meet expectations but exceeds them.
Ready to find the software engineer with the perfect skills and technical expertise for your company? Book a call with Strider to discover how we can streamline your hiring process.