Guide To Hiring Great Freelance Visual Studio Developers
An important tool for the rapid design and development of cross-platform apps is Visual Studio. Consequently, companies across industries are competing to hire Visual Studio developers.
Additionally, consumers expect the integration of artificial intelligence and enhanced “smart” features into their existing apps. If they do not get these improvements, they are likely to move to a competitor. These upgrades require app modifications or new software entirely — further motivations for hiring Visual Studio specialists.
The effectiveness of Visual Studio in creating time-saving apps and consolidating services is evident in its widespread use. For example, developers for British Airways used the system to create robust apps for scheduling and communication. Hewlett Packard also manages apps on different platforms with solutions that Visual Studio developers created.
With such a high demand for Visual Studio programmers, securing top talent can be difficult. On one hand, the platform has a passionate fanbase, including a digital industry journal, community groups, and live conferences. On the other hand, statistics indicate you may have to sort through a lot of individuals to find a qualified Visual Studio specialist:
-
70% of technical workers get multiple job offers.
-
Tech jobs are growing twice as fast as other occupations.
-
The unemployment rate for tech workers is much lower than the general workforce.
Though the hiring market for Visual Studio developers is competitive, this guide can help. Get a deeper understanding of what these tech professionals do. Also, discover the advantages of working with freelancers and how to hire elite talent with a well-written job description and solid interview.
Hiring a Freelance Visual Studio Developer
Many organizations find it advantageous to hire a freelance Visual Studio developer instead of bringing on a part-time or full-time employee. A freelancer’s portfolio, reviews, and references can provide a clearer view of a candidate’s quality of work than resumes and recommendations from past employers. Besides, if you are dissatisfied with the work, it is much easier to move on to a different person.
Freelance software developers are typically capable of working remotely and independently. As a result, you can source workers from a worldwide talent base and bring diverse experiences and viewpoints into your team easily.
What Does a Visual Studio Developer Do?
Visual Studio is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) from Microsoft. It is not a language or framework. Rather, it is an app with a set of tools to make writing, testing, editing, and packaging code easier.
Be sure not to confuse a Visual Studio developer with someone who merely uses Visual Studio Code. Visual Studio Code is a free code editor. However, it is not the extensive environment that Visual Studio is.
This distinction is important because some hiring platforms only offer to connect you with VS Code developers. As a result, you could end up with a coder who lacks the skills your project requires.
What does a Visual Studio Developer do to give companies an advantage in the modern marketplace? Organizations hire dedicated Visual Studio engineers to create web, cloud, desktop, mobile, and gaming apps. Importantly, you can design a single app that works on any device or platform, helping you create solutions quicker to stay ahead of your competitors.
Jay Schmelzer, a director on the Visual Studio Team at Microsoft, made these comments at a Visual Studio Live! Conference: “[Developers are] being asked to work across different operating systems and devices, work faster and get to market quicker . We're creating tools and runtimes that allow you to do that — to work more productively and more quickly .”
If your tech team created your existing apps with Visual Studio, it makes sense to hire programmers with these skills for modifications or new apps that can easily integrate. Also, consider finding Visual Studio developers for hire if your existing programs use the Microsoft .NET framework.
“[Developers are] being asked to work across different operating systems and devices, work faster and get to market quicker . We're creating tools and runtimes that allow you to do that — to work more productively and more quickly .”
Why Hire Visual Studio Developers?
The main reason to hire Visual Studio developers is to rapidly build scalable, cross-platform apps. The IDE has a robust toolset that streamlines coding, testing, and deployment. Once you have built such software, your Visual Studio specialists can help you keep it secure, fix bugs, and add integrations.
What Can a Visual Studio Developer Do for Your Business?
Hiring a Visual Studio developer provides multiple advantages.
Custom Application Development
An app needs to have distinct features to stand out from similar products. Visual Studio provides tools to streamline the creation of custom apps for any device or platform. Though one of the most common languages for the environment is C# on the .NET framework, Visual Studio supports 35 other languages. Plus, IntelliSense accelerates the process with code completion, member lists, and easily accessible info about variables, parameters, and functions.
Cross-Platform Development
Developers can create apps that work across Windows, Android, and iOS with the Xamarin framework. Instead of designing separate apps for each platform, efficiently build a single solution for all of your customers. You will get your apps to market more quickly and have a consistent user experience and performance.
Integration and Automation
APIs allow apps to connect and communicate securely to augment their power and processing capabilities. Hire Visual Studio engineers to give your apps boundless access to other databases and automate workflows for maximum efficiency.
Performance Optimization, Testing, and Quality Assurance
Experienced Visual Studio coders take advantage of advanced profiling and debugging tools. For example, IntelliTrace gives them a snapshot of the application’s state at past moments to figure out where rare or hard-to-reproduce errors may lie. Mastery of these tools helps them reduce latency, boost load times, and increase user satisfaction.
DevOps Implementation
Projects that require reliable delivery processes or continuous updates need the backing of Visual Studio developers who also know how to use Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions. A keen understanding of DevOps tools also enhances security, real-time monitoring, and resource management.
How To Hire Visual Studio Developers
The easiest path to hiring a Visual Studio developer is by working with a tech freelancer marketplace or outsourcing projects to a software development agency. These skilled professionals will walk you through how to hire Visual Studio developers or handle hiring completely for you.
Often, tech and specialist freelancer platforms are the quickest way to get excellent talent with the greatest return on investment. The reason is freelancers generally have better rates than software agencies. Freelance platforms also have a wider talent pool for a greater selection.
Whether handling hiring on your own or getting help, start by defining:
-
Project scope, goals, and timeline
-
Your budget and current project resources
-
Which sourcing and hiring methods you prefer
-
Required and desirable developer skill sets
Whenever possible, it is advisable to work with senior programmers because of their well-rounded knowledge base, as well as their ability to work independently and lead other developers. These individuals usually have over five years of experience, at least a bachelor’s degree, multiple certifications, and active profiles in developer communities.
On the other hand, a mid-level dev can be a capable choice if your project does not require extensive consulting or is not complex. For large projects, they may work better under a senior dev. Only hire junior Visual Studio coders for straightforward tasks under the guidance of a more experienced tech expert. They do charge the lowest fees up front, but late timelines, inefficient apps, and rookie mistakes could ultimately make them more costly.
Also, look for someone who has experience and interest in your industry. Solid candidates also stay current on the latest trends and technologies, either through membership in developer communities or by attending conferences and other tech events.
What Skills To Look for When Hiring a Visual Studio Developer
To be effective as remote freelancers, Visual Studio developers must understand how to work with the following technologies:
-
.NET software and the ASP.NET framework for building and deploying web apps
-
Xamarin, .NET MAUI, or Uno Platform for quick cross-platform development of mobile apps
-
API integration to exchange data with other apps
-
Database integration with SQL server
-
WPF and WinForms for graphics and animation
-
Version control tools such as Git
-
PHP, HTML, JavaScript, C#, C++, F#, and Visual Basic programming languages
-
IntelliSense code hinting tool for feedback and insights about code
Of course, this list is not everything you should look for. Carefully review your project requirements to figure out which other Visual Studio programmer skills you need.
Importantly, check that they are working with the latest version of Visual Studio. Microsoft no longer supports the IDE on macOS, so developers should generally be running it on Windows.
Determine which interpersonal skills suit your team as well. Are you mostly a serious, business-first company that has to meet tight deadlines? Is there more of a carefree and laidback spirit? Do you need lots of updates and explanations or only occasional check-ins? Search for a Visual Studio developer with the communication, leadership, and work style that matches your group.
No matter your way of operating, a software engineer must have strong accountability and reliability. Even in the most straight-laced organizations, creativity for problem-solving complements analytical thinking skills to handle unexpected challenges and setbacks.
How Much It Costs To Hire Visual Studio Developers
Visual Studio developers earn $101,750 annually on average. That figure equals about $49/hour . However, you can easily find top specialists who charge over $100/hour on freelance sites, especially when they have niche competencies.
Tips for Writing a Visual Studio Developer Job Description
A winning Visual Studio developer job description needs to be engaging to attract top talent. A skilled engineer will know if you do not truly understand the scope or requirements of the project. Asking too much experience of applicants, requiring too little, or a low offer will turn quality candidates away.
Give a brief description of your brand, the job, your company culture, and past projects that you are proud of. Put developer responsibilities, education, and skill sets in bulleted lists.
Shorter job posts tend to attract more attention, so keep the description close to a page long. You can get into finer details during the interview.
Common Interview Questions To Ask When You Want To Hire a Visual Studio Developer
Use the following questions or some that are similar to evaluate Visual Studio developers:
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Which languages have you worked with in Visual Studio? | Over 30 languages work within the platform, but top developers should mention at least a couple of the following: C#, ASP.NET Core, Razor, TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, or F#. |
| What is boxing and unboxing? | Boxing involves converting a value type to a reference type object and copying the value from the stack to the heap. Unboxing turns a reference type back to a value type and copies the value from the heap object to the stack. |
| What is the QTP Testing Process? | - Create a testing plan - Record a session - Enhance the test - Debug the test - Run the test - Analyze your results - Report any defects |
Plan your interview questions and testing methods carefully to ensure you are not overlooking a quality candidate because of an unconscious bias. Blind technical evaluations are a good start.
Situational interviews or behavioral assessments can help you evaluate soft skills. If you do not have the time to invest in executing these strategies, you should probably consider working with a hiring platform or consultant.
How To Find Freelance Visual Studio Developers for Hire
You now have multiple options for where to find Visual Studio developers for hire. If you are ready to do a lot of legwork in contacting candidates for vetting and interviewing, you can try your professional networks or search coding communities.
To save time and effort, our list of the best sites to hire Visual Studio developers supplies you with outsourcing agencies and freelance marketplaces that can do much of the work for you. When perusing these options, weigh which service can deliver the highest level of talent within your budget with the least amount of work on your end. (As of our latest rankings, Toptal is #1.)
Visual Studio developers are an excellent asset for creating powerful cross-platform apps in rapid time. Hiring these software experts puts you on a path of staying competitive in almost any market. Determine how your team will find top Visual Studio developers for hire and execute your strategy to lead the pack.