The best Java developers will be in high demand since Java is one of the most widely used programming languages.
That’s why it’s important to have an excellent onboarding process if you want to attract and retain the best IT professionals.
Here I’ll discuss the essentials of a solid onboarding procedure for remote Java engineers, as well as some potential problems to look out for.
How Does One Work as a Java Developer?
Java was created specifically for use in the decentralised setting of the internet, and it may be used on a wide variety of platforms.
Java engineers are highly sought after for a wide variety of technological initiatives, from massive data and supercomputing to web and Android application development, showcasing the language’s versatility.
We have compiled a list of the most important things to think about before bringing on a remote Java developer:
1. Make sure they have everything they need before the first day.
It’s crucial that from day one, developers have access to all of the technologies they’ll need to do their jobs.
When they’re starting out remotely, this becomes more more crucial.
Ensure that the employee has the required business laptop before their start date. To make them feel welcomed and part of the team, consider providing them with branded merchandise, such as stickers and socks, which are often well-received.
In a similar vein, guarantee that your developer has access to all necessary tools and resources.
This includes the standard selection of business applications (such as email and Slack) and any IT infrastructure required (for example, an Amazon Web Services account and related tools).
Make sure your security staff knows in advance if the developer will be accessing any highly protected systems.
2. Include them completely into the team and the company
Critical next steps include introducing your new remote developer to the rest of the team and the organization.
As a result, it’s crucial that you make them feel welcome inside their group. In a faraway setting, you may have to be creative:
Lunches for new teams:
Gather the troops, even virtually, and charge lunches to individual Zoom accounts.We meet often for coffee or beer:
host a regular or always-on Zoom room where people can chat, share stories, and drink coffee or beer together in a casual setting.Teleconferencing for Workplace Meetings:
weekly or monthly meetings should be held to inform employees and give them a sense of where the organisation is.
The next step is to ensure that essential connections are made across the organization. Whilst these types of meetings may be more informal in an office setting, they must be organized in advance when working remotely.
Organize meetings between them and the relevant personnel they will be collaborating with, so they can become familiar with who to contact for any queries or issues.
3. Surround them with encouraging peers
Providing remote employees with the professional support of an experienced colleague can be a great way to give them the backup they need, especially in the complex world of software development.
Achieving this will aid in making them feel like they belong to a community where they can open up and be themselves.
Here, mentoring programmes are common.
If you have any queries regarding the company’s protocols or a technical issue, please do not hesitate to approach your mentor for assistance. They can help you in establishing objectives and ensure that you have the necessary resources to reach them.
To this end, it is common practice to pair up fresh recruits with an experienced veteran.
Essentially, this is a less formal version of a mentoring relationship. Rather than concentrating on ensuring they quickly understand all the technical knowledge, the focus is on motivating and befriending the individual to make them feel welcome in the team.
4. Make your expectations and priorities known.
Openly communicating the company’s goals and objectives is an essential but often overlooked step in providing the necessary support for a new developer to reach them.
This is particularly crucial while working remotely, when it may be more difficult to pick up on these subtle nuances of the workplace.
Provide your new employee with introductory tasks to help them familiarize themselves with your company’s procedures and any tools or frameworks they may not be so knowledgeable about. This will ensure they make progress and provide you with a desirable level of performance.
As they gain experience and confidence, you may expand the scope of their initiatives.
It is important to emphasise that mistakes are a natural part of learning, and should be expected. Encourage employees to take risks and experiment, and inform them that with the guidance of an experienced colleague, any missteps should be able to be quickly rectified.
5. Make available on-going training and internal resources.
A candidate who is recruited from afar won’t be able to simply join your team and immediately get immersed in its culture, beliefs, and procedures.
Educate them; they need it!
Resources like these might be very useful:
Intranet/Wiki:
a central location where information on the many departments, employees, and company-wide resources may be accessed and shared.Seminars and weblogs:
You can gain an insight into the company’s core values, as well as their technological approach and methodology, by examining the content created by the company’s founders and senior technical personnel.Please Enjoy This Free eBook:
a handbook for new employees that outlines the company’s core principles and tells them where to get the resources they’ll need.
6. Maintain a filing system for records
An essential part of a successful Java developer onboarding process.
The idea is to facilitate their learning of your company’s software development process and lifecycle as well as your tech stack.
Having well-written, organised, up-to-date documentation, coupled with appropriate mentoring from colleagues, is essential to ensure new staff members can quickly become integrated into the software development process. Regular reviews of the documentation should also be undertaken.
Some crucial factors include:
Tech & Sys.
Don’t have fresh hires go through the code to figure out how things are done. Provide them with detailed instructions in the following crucial areas:
Development
Applications:
How the team manages and maintains the applications they’ve decided to maintainTools:
how to work with tools for managing versions, configurations, tests, continuous integration, continuous deployment, monitoring, etc.Coding:
how the codebase works, its architecture, guiding concepts, coding guidelines, and so onFrameworks:
how and which development frameworks you employ
Operations
Architecture:
provide a synopsis of the business’s IT framework and architecture, with an emphasis on secure deployment.Connectedness and reliance:
clarify the many systems that are in place, as well as their interdependencies and linkages.
Methods and procedures
It is recommended that you provide assistance to your new Java developer in order to familiarize them with your organization’s standard operating procedures and the processes required for product development and release.
Some Examples are:
Access/authorization:
get your new hire set up with the necessary accounts and access before they arrive.Structured Workflow:
As quickly as feasible, get your new developer up to speed on the workflow tools you use, such as GitFlow.Management of incidents, problems, and transitions:
record their strategies for making alterations and resolving challenges in a risk-free mannerAdministration of versioning systems:
Make sure your Git history is well-organized and that your method for version control and branching is well-documented.Checklists:
use checklists to keep track of your most important proceduresPolicies:
Get your procedures for dealing with various issues out there (e.g. how to handle spikes in traffic)Stand-ups:
Describe your approach and the procedure you use for stand-ups and retrospectives, since every organisation has its own way of doing things.
Pitfalls
Imagine things don’t go as planned throughout the onboarding process. There might be repercussions.
Prominent people are leaving:
If you don’t help new hires feel welcome and supported, they may go elsewhere for employment.Reduced efficiency:
Investing in the development of your staff at the beginning of their employment will pay dividends in the long run, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to increase their efficiency.Staying in control:
Rather of burying new employees under a mountain of paperwork and meetings, ease their transition in a steady, manageable manner.Failure to maintain commitment:
Maintain communication and assistance for new hires once they’ve moved beyond the first onboarding phase.
Advice from the Finish Line
The competition for skilled Java engineers is fierce, therefore it’s essential to provide a smooth onboarding experience.
We have a pool of verified, international engineers ready to join your team and contribute their expertise in Java.
