Why are NodeJS Developers in Such Short Supply?

The challenge of finding quality NodeJS developers extends beyond the programming language. It is difficult to find and hire all kinds of software developers. Recruiters are finding that developers just aren’t seeking employment.

The talent shortage amounts to around 40 million developers worldwide. By 2030, it is expected that the number will reach around 85 million.

As the tech industry grows and evolves, demand for developers continues to increase. However, it isn’t just the tech industry that is affected. Developers are in demand in all industries. As the world further relies on technology, companies from other industries, like retail, require the skills of a qualified developer.

According to the data, this trend isn’t going to vary any time soon. So it’s time to think about why you’re struggling to hire developers, and what you can do to resolve your developer deficit. 

The Challenges

There are economic and social issues behind the developer shortage. It isn’t just your company that is feeling the pinch. Here are the challenges that developer recruitment brings. 

Shortage and Demand

The technology industry is booming. This will continue as long as our worldwide reliance on tech continues to grow. Technological capability is an expectation in health, retail, hospitality, and more. 

As the tech industry grows, so does the need for developers. However, supply simply isn’t keeping up with demand. The pool of developer talent isn’t growing as exponentially as technological advances. 

Whether this is due to issues within the education system, or a generational problem, is an argument to be had. However, this doesn’t solve the immediate problem. The tech industry will stagnate as long as the talent pool is limited.

Cost

As a result of the increased demand, the cost for skilled developers continues to grow. Like anything, lack of supply ultimately increases expense. As developers are a rare find, you need to pay to secure them for your company. 

According to Glassdoor, the average cost of a developer in San Francisco is $125,000 per year in salary plus relevant taxes and benefits. This means one developer could cost you more than $150,000 per year and that’s just the average. Depending on the number of hires needed for one project, this could have a serious impact on your financial resources.

Unfortunately, even paying an average salary for a developer doesn’t guarantee loyalty to your company. Due to the demand, many companies are willing to pay more just to find a suitable developer. Developers are leaving their existing jobs as they receive more lucrative job offers from competitors. In the extreme, it means that the companies with the deepest pockets can become a monopoly of developers.  

Turnover

Job hopping is occurring more as demand increases. The trend of job-hopping isn’t just occurring with developers, but many industries that hire young people.

This trend has been referred to as “The Great Resignation”. Progressed by COVID-19, younger generations are far more willing to leave jobs that don’t suit them. During the pandemic, staff were forced to remain in jobs that overworked them and made them unhappy. As the world began to open its doors, exhausted staff walked out of them. This caused a surge in resignations and hiring. 

People began to re-evaluate their working priorities. Remote working has become the norm, and is expected in many job roles. Millennials and Gen Z are comfortable leaving jobs that don’t meet their expectations, whether that includes remote working or other benefits.

For developers, this problem was exacerbated by the increased demand. Job offers for developers aren’t slim on the ground. This made it easy to leave employment for a better offer. Developers hold all the cards, and employers have to meet their expectations.

The Solution

The right solution for you depends on the method that best suits your business. There is more than one way to address this problem. Your solution could be internal, or external. Consider the best way forward to suit your company and your challenges.

Improve your Offering

As mentioned, salaries and benefits for developer roles are improving. The pandemic and the resignation numbers that followed mean that job offers need to be compelling to encourage a move. 

Take a look at your current offer for developers at your company. There are some requirements that it must meet in order to be interesting to this generation of developers. Research the offerings of your competitors. Consider what might make them choose your job role, over the competition. 

Ensure the details of your job offerings are transparent. Don’t be afraid to discuss salary expectations and benefits. Ultimately, available developers will have discussions with those companies that are more open. Your available positions should be attractive. 

However, be aware that this will increase costs. Consider your available resources, and how affordable a team of developers is for your project. Depending on your funding, this may not be the best option for you. 

Widen your Search 

Extend your search beyond your local talent pool. Ultimately, there is no requirement for a software developer to work in the office. As long as communication is open, they can perform their tasks anywhere. 

Consider hiring remotely. This will extend your search nationwide. By widening the net, you’re much more likely to find the right staff to suit your company. Remote positions offer flexibility, and flexible working is appealing to today’s workforce. 

You could also consider nearshoring, which means hiring staff from neighbouring countries. This could potentially lower costs, and widen your search. 

Hiring remotely, to work outside of your area or country, can present issues though. Many countries have regulations surrounding remote working out of the nation. This is generally due to economic restrictions to encourage the public to take up jobs in their resident country. 

As a result, you may need to set up a presence within the country of your hire. This could be costly, and would require the assistance of a lawyer to ensure all regulations are met. Consider whether this would be worth the expenditure for your company. If you’re hiring multiple staff from one nation, you may wish to discuss this. However, this may not be the case for one worker.  

External Consultants

Hiring an external development partner is a solution to the issues presented by hiring out of the country. External consultants are already established in the country of origin and meet all necessary regulations. 

They also take care of the hiring process. They will have a team of developers ready to work on a specified project, with varying expertise. These should include differing code languages, like NodeJS. The consultant company addresses all employment issues and pays the salaries of their own team members.

In some cases, projects can be agreed upon at a fixed price. Either way, hiring a development partner reduces the strain caused by searching for skilled developers. Research is key to finding the best development partner for your solution, so take the time to find compatible expertise. 

At Vertrical, we have a team of digital health and compliance experts ready to develop your health tech solution. Get in touch today to discuss your project requirements and a partnership for success.