How To Hire a Ruby on Rails Developer: 7 Things To Consider

Ruby on Rails (RoR) provides a robust framework for many popular websites. Shopify, GitHub, Netflix, Airbnb, SoundCloud, and Fiverr are only a few of the 770,509 live websites using Ruby on Rails today. So, it makes sense if you want to hire a Ruby on Rails developer for your development projects.

Now, you have two options for hiring Ruby on Rails developers: recruiting an in-house developer or an outsourced one. Both methods have pros and cons, but outsourcing offers more benefits if you follow the right procedure. 

Fortunately, many RoR outsourcing companies offer junior to senior developers on-demand. But how can you know which company has the best candidates for your business needs? 

This comprehensive Ruby on Rails hiring guide will discuss seven critical factors to help you make an informed hiring decision. 

Key Takeaways:

• Outsourcing a Ruby on Rails developer offers more cost-effectiveness, scalability, and quicker access to the market than traditional hiring. 
• To hire a Ruby on Rails developer, always access their technical proficiency and soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking capabilities.
• Ensure the candidate has a strong RoR development portfolio and is a cultural fit for your business. 

The Benefits of Hiring an Outsourced Ruby on Rails Developer

Hiring an outsourced Ruby on Rails developer differs from adding an in-house professional to your team. The outsourced developers collaborate with your development team on a short-term basis at their own working terms and wage requirements. 

Here is why you should hire a Ruby on Rails developer from an outsourcing company:

• Cost-effectiveness. Outsourced Ruby developers are not your regular employees, so you don’t have to pay them a fixed salary with additional costs. These include operational overhead, employee benefits, software licenses, housing fees, and conveyance. Instead, you will only pay them for the work they do, whether it’s project-based or hourly.
• Access To a Diverse Talent Pool. Outsourcing widens your search across borders, allowing you to screen and engage with skills that may not be present in your own country. This gives your development team a new pair of eyes to analyze things and produce better results. Moreover, outsourcing companies vet their RoR developers for experience and expertise, so you don’t have to invest resources into training them. 
• Quick Access To Market. LinkedIn’s hiring statistics suggest the average time to complete the hiring process is around 36 business days. That’s quite long, especially when you urgently need to hire Ruby on Rails developers. This is when outsourcing the developer is preferred. You can hire Ruby developers on a short-term basis for small projects, saving time and energy from hiring in-house talent.
• Scalability. With outsourcing, you can always have access to specialized RoR developers whenever your workload increases. This method supports scalability more than in-house hiring.

Key Factors To Consider To Hire a Ruby on Rails Developer

You may be convinced to hire a Ruby on Rails developer, but the hard part is to do it right. You must consider many factors to find the best developer from a good Ruby on Rails consultancy. Here are the seven most critical ones:

1. Assess Technical Proficiency and Experience

Of everything, a Ruby on Rails developer should have technical proficiency and extensive experience. They should be familiar with the basic to advanced concepts, algorithms, and development methods required to work with a RoR framework. 

When searching for the developer, check if they possess the following tech expertise: 

• Proficiency in Ruby programming language and Ruby on Rails principles: Convention over Configuration (CoC) and Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY)
• Familiarity with object-oriented programming concepts (Oops), including polymorphism, abstraction, inheritance, and encapsulation
• Basic or advanced database knowledge 
• Understanding of data structure and algorithm, which helps improve web apps

When it comes to experience, it’s preferred to go for a senior developer with at least four years of experience. However, they may have a higher rate than junior developers with less than two years of professional experience. So, if you’re on a budget, go for the second option, but make sure your chosen developer possesses the suitable skill set for the project. 

2. Evaluate Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Abilities

Almost every RoR developer has the technical skills we listed above, but only some have the logical mindset to execute them properly during development. Thus, besides assessing a candidate’s technical skills, you should evaluate their problem-solving and analytical thinking abilities.

Developers with critical thinking abilities can easily handle minor to major issues or demanding clients. They focus more on better understanding, conceptualizing, and developing impactful features than just writing and executing code.

These soft skills also reduce development time. The developers know how to solve certain problems during development, so they materialize the concepts quickly instead of starting from scratch again and again. 

3. Review Portfolio and Code Samples

How can you know if any web development services or developers are actually experienced and skilled? By checking their portfolio, previous code samples, and client feedback. Doing so will give you more insights into their skill set, allowing you to evaluate them better as the best fit for your project. 

However, different hiring platforms have different interfaces. While Upwork and Fiverr have dedicated spaces for portfolio and client feedback, you may have to do more research on other platforms. 

Just be sure to invest significant time in browsing the portfolios of each candidate to make the most of your efforts.

4. Assess Communication and Collaboration Skills

Ruby on Rails development is all about collaboration. Your development team has to work with multiple professionals, including marketers, designers, product managers, and quality assurance (QA) experts, to ensure the app’s code quality. 

So, make sure your posted Ruby on Rails jobs mention communication and collaboration skills at the top. Also, check if your shortlisted developers know how to use communication tools like Zoom, Skype, and Slack. This will ensure your development teams are always in sync.

5. Consider Cultural Fit and Team Dynamics

Finding a cultural fit refers to ensuring a candidate’s work style, values, and ethics match your company’s culture and goals. While prioritizing cultural fit during the hiring process may not seem important, it actually has a massive impact in the long run.

RoR developers who are a good fit for your company’s culture promote collaborative team dynamics, where everyone plays a role in tackling project complexity. These individuals are more capable of adapting to your business requirements than others.

Joining together hires who all fit your company’s culture eventually leads to a friendly work environment and better employee satisfaction. So, always consider the cultural fit when looking to hire a Ruby on Rails developer. 

6. Determine Availability and Workload

If your RoR development team handles your current workload quite well, that’s good. But what if your workload suddenly increases or you acquire a bigger project? Will your team be able to manage the pressure?

In such situations, you should hire a Ruby on Rails developer depending on their availability and the amount of workload they can manage. While some Ruby on Rails consultants are available 24/7, others may have specific working hours or workload limits. 

Thus, to hire RoR developers efficiently, always see if a developer’s availability and workload capacity align with your needs.

7. Define Your Project Requirements Clearly

Establishing your project’s requirements helps you quickly narrow down the RoR developers during hiring. It familiarizes both parties with each other’s expectations about the job responsibilities, the project’s scope, and the level of expertise required.

It’s a good idea to detail everything in the job description. This approach also reduces the chances of conflicts or misunderstandings that may arise later. More importantly, it simplifies the hiring process. Instead of browsing through the entire talent pool, you will only focus on the candidates who best match your requirements.

Conclusion

To hire a Ruby on Rails developer, you need to be proactive with your efforts. Always start by clearly defining the project’s requirements in the job description so candidates know what to expect. 

Check the RoR developer’s technical proficiency, RoR experience, problem-solving skills, communication skills, and portfolio to narrow your options. Remember to evaluate their workload capacity and availability as well. 

Does all this seem too much for your plate? Consider relying on reputable RoR development services like Flatirons and let the experts do the heavy lifting. Our dedicated team of Ruby on Rails developers will devise the best strategies for your development projects to achieve maximum results.