Geoff CuddOver the past 20 years, my business partners and I have hired hundreds of different types of programmers for many different software companies. Through this experience, it’s safe to say we’ve gained plenty of knowledge regarding the dos and don’ts of hiring the right programmers for the job.
Here’s a checklist to reference the next time your company needs to hire a Python programmer.
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What is Python Used For?
Python is a general purpose coding language that automates a specific set of tasks to optimize efficiency.
Generally, it is used for coding and creating a blueprint for development projects and also aids in establishing and debugging projects. Here are some more specific uses:
General Web & App Development
Python is one of the most straight-forward programming languages. Unlike other programming languages, developers can use English keywords instead of punctuation, greatly simplifying tasks like web or app development.
NASA, Reddit and PBS use python for their websites because it has pre-built web frameworks and libraries that are especially useful for back end web development. According to Stackflow, it is the most popular coding language among developers.
Machine Learning & Data
Python also has science specific pre-built libraries that are ideal for computing and research. With the rise in value for data, these libraries have become extremely useful. Types of data Python is good at tracking include, astronomy, biology, statistical analysis and experimental psychology.
You know the feeling of confusion when you ask yourself, how did they know? When you’re on a streaming service or scrolling through the internet? Python has specific machine learning libraries including scikit-learn and TensorFlow that are eerily accurate in guessing a user's next move.
Financial Services
In 2016, HackerRank released a survey that showed python came ahead of other programming languages used by various Financial tech industries when it came to hiring programmers, developers and engineers.
Startups
The simplicity and scalability of Python has drawn many startups its way. Companies like Dropbox that started small and grew to be much, much larger started and stayed with Python. Others like Google, Spotify, Instagram and Quora use it and you can start from the ground up, the possibilities are endless.
What to Look for When Hiring a Python Developer
When hiring a Python programmer, there are a few things you have to consider including experience, rates, and the type of work arrangement. It also depends on the type of project you have and what skills you need to complete it.
Skills & Experience
Entry Level (0-2 years)
- Basic ability to make a simple web app from scratch
- General knowledge of Python syntax, data structures and SQL
- Basic CVS skills
- Experience with any popular web framework
Mid Level (3-6 years)
- Experience building Big Data solutions with Python
- Strong knowledge of object oriented design, coding, and test patterns
- Solid experience building and maintaining commercial or open source software platforms
- Experience with cloud computing services like AWS is a plus
Senior Level: (7+ years)
- Proficiency in writing complex logic in Python
- Strong understanding of object-relational mapper (ORM) libraries
- Solid knowledge of front-end technologies such as JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3
- Data visualization experience using tools like Tableau and Qlik and Query
- Experience with languages like SAS, SQL, and Hive Exposure to AWS or other cloud computing services
- Knowledge of Big Data technology such as HDFS, Pig, Hive, Spark, and Scala
- Strong debugging and test unit skills
- Good understanding of threading limitations of Python
How to Write a Python Job Description
Crafting the perfect Python job description is critical to ensure that you get in front of the right developers. It's also important to ensure that you set the proper expectations up-front to streamline the vetting process, saving everyone time and money.
Python Developer Job Description Template
Company Introduction
Use this section to write 2-3 sentences about your company. Make sure to provide information about the company culture and benefits. This would be a good section to link to your company website. The best candidates will do some advanced research.
Job Description
We are looking for a Python Web Developer responsible for managing the interchange of data between the server and the users. Your primary focus will be the development of all server-side logic, ensuring high performance and responsiveness to requests from the front-end. You will also be responsible for integrating the front-end elements built by your co-workers into the application; therefore, a basic understanding of front-end technologies is necessary as well.
Responsibilities
- Writing reusable, testable, and efficient code
- Design and implementation of low-latency, high-availability, and performant applications
- Integration of user-facing elements developed by front-end developers with server side logic
- Implementation of security and data protection
- Integration of data storage solutions {{may include databases, key-value stores, blob stores, etc.}}
- Add other responsibilities here that are important for the project/job
Skills
- Expert in Python, with knowledge of at least one Python web framework {{such as Django, Flask, etc depending on your technology stack}}
- Familiarity with some ORM (Object Relational Mapper) libraries
- Able to integrate multiple data sources and databases into one system
- Understanding of the threading limitations of Python, and multi-process architecture
- Good understanding of server-side templating languages {{such as Jinja 2, Mako, etc depending on your technology stack}}
- Basic understanding of front-end technologies, such as JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3
- Understanding of accessibility and security compliance {{depending on the specific project}}
- Knowledge of user authentication and authorization between multiple systems, servers, and environments
- Understanding of fundamental design principles behind a scalable application
- Familiarity with event-driven programming in Python
- Understanding of the differences between multiple delivery platforms, such as mobile vs desktop, and optimizing output to match the specific platform
- Able to create database schemas that represent and support business processes
- Strong unit test and debugging skills
- Proficient understanding of code versioning tools {{such as Git, Mercurial or SVN}}
- Specify other frameworks, libraries, or any other technology relevant to your project/job
- Education level or certification requirements
Python Interview questions
When looking to hire a Python developer, consider asking some of the following interview questions:
- What are the benefits of using Python?
- What is an Interpreted language?
- What is a dynamically typed language?
- What is PEP 8 and why is it important?
- How is memory managed in Python?
- What are Python namespaces? Why are they used?
- What is Scope in Python?
- What is Scope Resolution in Python?
- What are the common built-in data types in Python?
- What are some issues you’ve found with Python?
- Why do you think you’re a good fit for this job?
Freelance Python Developer Rates
The average salary for a python developer is $109,639 per year in the United States. When hiring a Python freelancer, you can expect to pay $52.88 on average per hour. Python freelancer rates can range from $25-$150 per hour depending on the developer's experience, where they are located, their availability, and other programming languages required.
Check out our detailed pricing guide for more freelance developer rates.
Where to Hire a Python Developer – Top Websites
Read our list of the top websites to hire a Python developer.
Developer Hiring Guides
If you are looking for other types of technical talent, we’ve put together hiring guides for these technologies as well.
- Express
- Django
- Ruby on Rails
- Laravel
- CakePHP
- ASP.NET
- Spring Boot
- Flask
- Phoenix
- Unity
- Salesforce
- iOS / Android
FAQs
Where can I find a Python developer?
There are many places where you can find and hire a Python developer online. If you're looking for a full-time developer, you can try popular job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn. For the best freelancers, consider using a remote hiring platform focused on placing programmers like Upstack or Toptal. You can also find Python developers on general freelancing marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr.
How much does it cost to hire a Python developer?
The average salary for a python developer is $109,639 per year in the United States. When hiring a Python freelancer, you can expect to pay $52.88 on average per hour. Python freelancer rates can range from $25-$150 per hour depending on the developer's experience, where they are located, their availability, and other programming languages required.
What are the most important skills to look for in a Python developer?
A good python developer, no matter the experience level, will have a strong knowledge sound knowledge of web frameworks. I also find it’s very important to hire someone who is good at communication and who can listen and understand your vision.
What does a Python developer do?
Python developers are software engineers who use Python as the programming language to code or create web apps and experiences. They design, deploy and debug development projects on the server side and can help organizations in a general sense, on their technological framework.
Stefan Schulz
