Where can I find developers willing to join my startup?

Developers willing to join startups are very in-demand - but don't give up - it's not impossible to find one if you make a plan and execute on it.

Decide on your value added

• What would make a developer want to join your startup over the many other options available to them?
• Decide your core benefit and the most exciting technologies around your startup idea.
• Then get good at pitching that idea in a quick and exciting way.

Learn some developing skills & follow trends

• Go to codecademy.com, RailsTutorial.org, etc. to learn basic coding (html/css) & get a knowledge of uses of each language and how they generally work.
• Decide what skills/languages you're looking for in a developer.
• Follow upcoming trends and tech news - this will be a tool for talking with developers and also knowing what to look for. Hacker News and TechCrunch are a start.
• Get to a level where you can communicate about different languages and upcoming trends with a developer.

Network in developer circles

• Use online tools to find co-founders like founderdating.com, founder2be.com, cofounderslab.com, etc. which can work as a good first step.

• On top of this, you need to explore as many outlets as possible to make sure you have options and don't settle for anyone short of an all star.
• If possible, go to events where mainly developers would attend - follow events on eventbrite.com, and meetup.com in your area. Some example meetups in my area are: Boston PHP, Boston Mobile App Developers, etc. (Search "app developer" or other interests for events/groups in your area).
• If you have a smaller opportunity for networking events, then you can search for and identify specific developers in your area (via linkedin, twitter, blogs, etc.) and reach out to them and hear about what they're doing.

Note: Make sure you don't talk too much when you meet people - instead decide on a few key questions to ask developers you meet that will give you an idea of their interests so you can modify your pitch accordingly.

Follow up with the interesting people you meet

• Even if the people you meet are not developers looking to join a startup, follow up with the interesting people you meet and get some coffee. It costs no more than $5 and an hour of your time.
• Learn from their experiences (with questions such as "why did you decide to join the startup you're at now?" and "what were some of the greatest challenges you faced when starting up and how did you overcome them?").
• Not only can you learn from other people's mistakes and successes, but developers know other developers. If you show a genuine interest in people, then chances are much greater that they will refer their friends to you than if you just meet once and say you need a developer.

Be selective

• It may be tempting after so much work to hire the first developer open to joining your startup, but really think about if they are an A player who can take your idea to the level you want
• If someone is not an all star, you may hire them as an early employee, but be very selective of your partners.
• Do a trial period if this applies - 3 months to see if your's is the right workplace for them. (This is not only for you to see, but for them as well).

What it takes to help a startup grow ?

“One of the key aspects of any startup is the team. As such it’s abundantly important to hire people who share a common vision, and passion to realise the potential of their ideas. We look for domain expertise along with a willingness to contribute in other facets of business as well. Laundrize has a culture of inviting ideas for betterment of the company as a whole and as such people who take an initiative are much more valuable to us. Here are some key qualities we feel are essentially important that we look in a candidate in the process of expanding our team:
1. Passion for the solution: Entrepreneurs want to find someone who loves their company almost as much as they do. They are hungry to find the perfect solution to the problem which company is trying to solve. So, do your homework and make sure you share the same passion about the product as they do. Do as much as research possible about their product and how you see it growing in the future.

2. Roll-up-your-sleeves mentally: Startups look for a mentally strong person who is an expert in a field along with openness to contribute to other areas as well given the small team size. They want people who have the ability to wear multiple hats. “That’s not my job,” or "I need results quick or I'll quit" can never be in your glossary if you are interested to make your mark in a fast-paced growing business. This forms to be one of the most key essentials skill set to get hired in a startup. You need to know the knack of switching gears quickly, with no complaining
3. Digital acumen: It is hard to find any startup brand that is not striving hard to make big in digital. In a world that's so heavenly inclined by social media influence, it's quite a mandate for an applicant to be well-versed with the basics of digital. You should understand the nature of the product and know the right social platform which can pull out maximum engagement. Demonstrate that you are always thinking ahead to uncover opportunities on digital media and technologies growing in the market.