How to hire a Python programmer

May 28, 2024 Roberto Magalhães

Hiring the best Python programmers is not exactly an easy thing to do. Following this guide should make things easier for you.

PYPL Programming Language Index Popularity , Python is consistently ranked as the most popular programming language in the world. This means that people of all backgrounds and positions are so interested in it that they keep it at the top. This interest comes from companies themselves who are looking for the best Python developers, but also from developers themselves, both beginners and seniors, who want to add Python to their skill set.

This popularity means there are plenty of people learning Python to meet the growing demand. You would assume this would increase developer availability, making it easier to find a good Python coder . But reality shows something different – it may be very difficult to find a good Python engineer.

This is due to two main reasons. The first is that the best talent in any activity is always scarce. A good Python programmer needs a series of skills that require a lot of time to improve, namely:

Technical knowledge , including in-depth knowledge of frameworks, tools, modules, classes and libraries, as well as the Object Relational Mapper, general Python syntax and semantics. The best Python engineers also show great skills in unit testing and debugging.
Problem-solving skills that give them quick thinking and the autonomy to solve problems on the spot as they arise in the development lifecycle.
Critical thinking , which gives the Python developer the ability to discern among the vast resources available and choose the perfect ones for their projects. Furthermore, critical thinking allows these developers to identify weaknesses and defects in the development processes themselves.
Communication skills as Python developers (even the most experienced and skilled ones) do not work alone, but with a team that elevates the code they write.

The second reason why it's difficult to find good Python developers is that more and more companies are seeking candidates from the same talent pool. Given the scarcity of top talent (something especially true in the US), competition for these profiles can be fierce.

How to identify a Python expert?

As if the scenario wasn't challenging enough, identifying qualified Python developers can be tricky during the recruiting process. This is because you need to know what you are really looking for in a candidate, something that goes beyond the mere listing of technologies on a resume.

Screening candidates to find the true Python rockstars requires you to combine a number of strategies, tools, and approaches, including:

Resume screening . Here you will have to look for specific technologies and tools that any experienced Python should have already mastered. Some of the most notable include web frameworks (such as Django and Flask), ORMs (Django ORM and SQLAlchemy), build tools (pip, tox), testing frameworks (py.test, UnitTest), and data analysis tools ( NumPy, SciPy). You need a candidate with strong experience in this if you really want the best.
Interviews . As with any recruitment process, you will need to interview candidates via phone or video call. In these interviews, you will have the opportunity to get to know the candidate more closely, ask in-depth questions about the skills on their CV and, at the same time, assess their communication skills. The key is to have a strong questionnaire vetted by your IT team with advanced-level questions that test not only the candidate's knowledge but also their problem-solving skills.
Technical screenings through tests. Since you can't simply take any candidate's experience at face value, you need to validate the skills on your resume with proper testing. There are many coding tests available online and you can also create one of your own, but the best way to test Python skills is to present the candidate with real-life coding problems that you can take from your latest Python projects. Naturally, they should cover more than just the basics, but also specific frameworks and libraries, as well as test scenarios.

Some candidates may include certifications on their resumes and even brag about them in interviews. While certifications may be indicative of courses and seminars, there is no official Python certification program, so you can consider these certifications as an indication of basic competence, but this is of no relevant value until they are met with technical tests.

Python Interview Questions You Should Ask

It's worth taking a deeper look at the interview process and, more specifically, the questions you can ask during the process. While there are obvious questions that will be part of your questionnaire (mostly about general qualifications, formal education, and previous experience), there are other questions that are key to unlocking true insight into any candidate's Python skills.

A. Questions regarding developer experience with Python

What Python-related technologies have you most recently worked with on a non-personal project?
What were your responsibilities on the development team?
What were some of the obstacles you encountered along the way? How did you solve them?
Discuss the final product and your contributions to it.

B. Questions about developer knowledge and opinions about Python

Name three essential Python libraries relevant to my industry and explain your goals to me in no more than 5 minutes.
Why do you consider them valuable to my company?
Our team uses frameworks like X and Y. Which do you prefer? Do you think there are better alternatives? Why?

C. Questions to assess developer decision-making about Python technology

Have you ever led a Python development project? Walk me through the main decisions you had to make about technologies and project setup.
Have you ever recommended a specific Python technology to your engineering manager? Which and why?
Tell me about the most difficult decision you had to make during the development process.

D. Additional questions

Name a failed project you were involved in. Why didn't it work?
Looking back, what things would you have done differently to make the project a success?
What general things about Python and development did you learn from this experience?

How to create a job offer template for a position in Python?

One of the things that most often gets overlooked when hiring Python programmers is the job offer itself. Chances are, whenever you start a search for a Python developer, you'll write an offer to post on your company's LinkedIn page, job boards, and other platforms where you can find Python developers. However, if the offer is poorly written, you could end up shooting yourself in the foot, as your company will look amateurish, which will drive away senior talent.

To prevent this from happening, be sure to include the following in your job description:

Precise position. Don’t just say “Python developer”, but something more detailed like “semi-senior Python developer for web project at a fintech startup”.

Company introduction. Briefly describe who you are, what you do and list a few things to convince candidates that you are the ideal company for them. However, don't go overboard as you will appear overly promotional and dishonest.

Required technical skills. Be as specific as possible, but don't overload the job offer with a huge amount of detail. Prioritize skills and put them in order, leading with desired experience. Don't forget to include the relevant industry you are looking for.

Desired skills. You can include other technical skills here that you would love to see in a candidate, but that for one reason or another you don't want to list as required (for example, you might want a Python developer with experience in performance tuning within the fintech industry, but, given the high specificity of the function, using it as needed may rule out potentially good fits).
Personal skills. Interpersonal skills are just as important as technical skills, so you need a dedicated section for them. Be clear about them, but if possible, avoid clichés like “proactive team player and passionate about innovation.” Use your own words, which will reflect the type of company you are and the type of person you are looking for.

What are the best practices when hiring a Python programmer?

While following all of the above should get you closer to hiring the Python engineer you want for your development team, it's not enough. There are a few additional things you can do to ensure you come face to face with the best Python developers the market has to offer. These things have to do with the recruitment process itself, including:

Use smart tools to help you with your recruitment. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have come a long way in recent years and can now help you with your recruiting efforts by ranking candidates, highlighting the best resumes, and even suggesting jobs based on your skills.
We certainly have experience in this area, as BairesDev uses a proprietary AI-based platform to identify the top 1% of technology talent in the Americas from an impressive pool of over 1 million candidates each year.

Be aggressive and persistent. By this we mean that you should be very active when looking for Python developers in your network. You shouldn't sit around and wait for CVs to come to you – you have to look for talent through online platforms and forums, use your contacts for references and even look at other companies that might have the right candidates for you in the wrong position. .

Be very strict with references . When interviewing candidates, ask for references from past clients and colleagues, and when you're done interviewing, reach out to those references and ask for feedback. This can provide a lot of insights into how your candidates work, their ethics, personalities, and even untapped potential that can be useful later.
Show some flexibility. Keep an open mind about the candidates you get. Don't look for the perfect candidate who covers all the skills required in your job offer. If there are some good candidates who lack one or two required skills, take them into consideration as these skills can be developed under the guidance of senior talent in your team. Additionally, being flexible also means considering alternatives if hiring in-house doesn't work out, which mostly means working with an outsourced company, a freelancer, or a remote team for your Python development needs.

Outsourcing as a gateway to top Python talent

This flexibility we just mentioned is essential in a market with a shortage of Python professionals that is impacting US companies especially. If you're obsessed with hiring in-house talent and don't consider other options, you might end up searching for Python engineers for months on end without success. Keeping your options open allows you to turn to other hiring channels that can provide you with the talent you're looking for, when you're looking for it.

This is nothing to scoff at, as hiring the right professionals at the right time can mean a significant competitive advantage that can increase your productivity and improve the efficiency of your business. Additionally, letting someone else take care of recruiting Python developers can free you from a very time-consuming process and allow you to focus on your core business.

Outsourcing to a reputable Python company has a number of benefits that can dramatically boost your Python projects, including:

Access to a broader pool of talent. Outsourcing companies have access to talent that is not in your city, state or even country. They bring together the best of the best across regions to provide on-demand staffing services. For example, BairesDev provides its clients with the top 1% of technology talent in the Americas to form distributed teams that can handle any Python project you may have.

Outstanding experience and knowledge. The combined experience and skills of senior professionals at some outsourcing companies cannot be rivaled. These companies hire the most talented Python professionals who are well-versed in the latest technologies and development methodologies.
On-demand sourcing services, even for highly specific roles. A company like BairesDev can find the right Python candidate to grow your team in a matter of days. That's because we have a comprehensive list that includes a plethora of highly qualified professionals who can jumpstart any project you may have on demand.

Hiring Python developers doesn't have to be difficult

As you've probably already noticed, hiring the best Python programmers isn't exactly an easy thing to do. It requires you to precisely define the role you are seeking, intensely search among applicants for the right fit, and rigorously interview and test those who seem a good fit, a process that can take months and cost a lot of money.

We have a proven track record of developing in Python for some of the world's largest companies in sectors such as healthcare, fintech and retail. We have a robust AI-aided recruitment process that allows us to analyze millions of candidates per year to find the best one, who will ultimately work for you. What's more, we're an agile and constantly evolving company, so you can rest assured that our Python teams have deep knowledge of the latest technologies and development methodologies.

If you liked this article, check out one of our other Python articles.