How to hire top junior C developers for your team

Whether you’re a hiring manager at a startup or an HR professional at a middle-market enterprise hoping to hire an exceptional junior C developer, you probably already know that recruiting top talent can be difficult.

If you need to hire junior C developers with C programming skills, matching candidates with your project’s requirements may seem impossible. However, there are ways to make this task much simpler.

This article is the best guide to hiring the most promising junior C developers. It will also explain to you what C coding tests are and why you should use them to assess your next hire.

Why should your business use the C programming language?

If you’re looking for a versatile programming language that provides exceptional speed and combines low- and high-level features, the C programming language is what you need.

Using the C programming language, developers can script for software applications, drivers, or kernels.

It’s even possible to use the structured C programming language to break down complex programs into functions and move data between them freely.

If you’re looking for ways to take advantage of these many advantages for your projects, it’s time to hire junior C developers for your business. But before we explain how to hire junior C developers, let’s consider the skills your developer should have.

What skills are required from a junior C developer?

Junior C developers must understand how to write code in the C programming language. They must also understand operating systems, such as Linux and Unix, and what databases are for, including MongoDB and NoSQL.

In addition, your applicants should understand JavaScript and XML and recognize what agile software development means.

So, when you hire junior C developers, consider whether they have these skills.

What soft skills should a junior C developer have?

Some of the soft skills your junior C developer should have include:

1. Communication skills

Whether your next junior C developer works remotely or on-site, communication is a critical skill for their work. Your next hire should be able to communicate effectively with team members who may think differently and have different values.

Can they communicate appropriately to solve complex issues and implement ideas by working with others in their team?

2. Problem-solving skills

Software development is a career that centers on solving challenging problems. From fixing bugs to maintaining software systems, your next junior C developer will have to confront complicated issues. They require excellent problem-solving skills to handle complex problems.

3. Time-management skills

Software development projects must be delivered within a planned timeframe, so developers need top time-management skills. Ensure your applicants will not constantly shift the deadlines you give them by assessing their time-management skills.

What steps should I take to hire a great junior C developer?

Two vital steps to hire a great junior C developer include inviting applicants to complete a skills assessment and conducting interviews with applicants.

Here’s how you can complete these two important steps without unnecessary hassle.

How to integrate a TestGorilla C coding test into your hiring process

First off, when should you use a C coding test?

The best time to use this skills test is when your developers first apply for the open role. If you use this approach to hire junior C developers, you can narrow down your applicant pool early on and you’ll have no trouble achieving exceptional time-to-hire metrics.

Secondly, how should you use a C coding test?

Simply follow the four steps below to use a C coding test to hire junior C developers.

1. Create an assessment for your applicants that features a C coding test

Start the process by visiting the TestGorilla skills-testing platform and creating your assessment. Include a C coding test and select four extra skills tests for a more thorough and well-rounded assessment.

2. Make use of the custom options to customize the assessment

Do you need to ensure your brand beats your competition? You can stand out from the crowd by customizing the assessment and making changes to the color scheme. Add your logo to the assessment, and you’re ready to start making an exceptional first impression on your applicants.

3. Send out assessments that feature the C coding test

It’s invitation time. Request that your applicants complete your assessment when the applications roll in. Choose from various invitation options, such as sending a shareable link, inviting applicants via your ATS, or through our platform.

4. Build your shortlist, prepare for interviews and invite top candidates

Now’s the time to start shortlisting based on the results of your applicants’ skills.

Compare the automatically generated results and filter out unsuitable applicants, and then invite the most suitable candidates to an interview. You can hire junior C developers for your role using all the information you’ve learned about your applicants.

5 top tips for interviewing junior C developer candidates

You’ll easily find out which applicants have the best skills by looking at their C coding test scores. But conducting interviews is still vital. The following five tips will guide you through conducting interviews.

1. Inform applicants about your business and introduce yourself

Begin the interview by building on what they already know about your business to give them a fuller understanding of the role. Explain which programming languages your business uses, introduce yourself, and let them know your role in the organization.

2. Ask applicants general C programming language questions first

Learn about your candidates’ wider C programming knowledge by asking them general C programming language questions. For instance, you can ask applicants about their experience with C programming and find out about their recently completed projects.

3. Use beginner-level C programming language interview questions

When hiring junior C developers, stick to questions appropriate for their level. In this case, use beginner-level C programming language interview questions to evaluate your junior C developers’ skills. Consider adding some kernel interview questions if your developers work in this area.

4. Use scorecards and take note of your junior C programmers’ responses

Use a scorecard to make candidate comparisons for the interview stage easier. Take notes when your junior C programmers answer your questions.

If you’re completing video interviews, tell applicants you’ll be typing and recording their responses. If you’re completing in-person interviews, tell applicants you’ll be writing notes about their responses.

5. Review the interview results and hire junior C developers 

With the responses you’ve received and your notes, you can now review all the responses and make a confident decision to hire junior C developers whose skills and values best align with your role’s requirements.

How can I mentor a junior C developer?

After you hire junior C developers, you may wish to mentor your new hire. Mentoring involves helping junior C developers learn how to develop their skills independently and may involve the following approaches:

• Holding code reviews regularly

• Teaching best practices early on

• Answering their questions 

• Providing frequent feedback

• Giving them the required tools

How much experience should a junior C developer have?

Keep in mind that junior C developers will typically have between one and three years of experience. They should know about software configuration management and database administration. As well as being proficient in two programming languages, they may have experimented with a few others.

Hire junior C developers the easy way: use our skill tests

Although you should consider several skills when you hire junior C developers, you can make the recruitment process easier with skills testing. Create an assessment that includes a C coding test, and then proceed to the interview stage when you’ve received your applicants’ results.

It doesn’t matter if you’re hiring a remote or on-site junior C developer, or if you’re hiring internally, skills testing will make hiring simpler. Sign up to TestGorilla to see how effortless hiring can be.