Hiring a Full-Stack Developer? Start with This Guide

You've finally secured funding for that new product feature. Your team is excited, your timeline is aggressive, and you need someone who can jump in and start building immediately.

But three months later, you're still stuck in endless interview cycles, watching qualified candidates get snatched up by competitors who moved faster. Every week that passes pushes your launch date further back, and your team is starting to question whether you'll ever find the right person.

This hiring bottleneck isn't just frustrating—it's killing your momentum and costing you market opportunities. Meanwhile, your existing developers are getting stretched thin trying to cover both front-end and back-end work, leading to technical debt and burnout.

In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to hire a full-stack developer who can hit the ground running. We'll cover the skills that matter most, salary expectations, sourcing strategies, and the evaluation methods that reveal whether someone can actually deliver in your environment.

What Is a Full-Stack Developer?

A full-stack developer works across both the front end (what users see) and back end (server-side logic) of applications, handling everything from user interfaces to databases and APIs.

Think of them as the Swiss Army knife of development—they can build a complete web application from scratch, handling both the visual elements that users interact with and the underlying systems that power the functionality.

According to Stack Overflow's 2024 Developer Survey, full-stack developers represent the largest category of developers at 31%, a position they've held for six consecutive years.

However, "full-stack" doesn't mean they're experts in everything. Most full-stack developers lean toward either front-end or back-end work, bringing stronger skills in one area while maintaining competency in the other.

Here's what they typically handle:

• Front-end development: Building user interfaces with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular
• Back-end development: Creating server-side applications, APIs, and database integrations using languages like Python, Node.js, or PHP
• Database management: Designing and maintaining databases, writing queries, and optimizing performance
• DevOps basics: Deploying applications, managing servers, and handling basic infrastructure tasks
• Problem-solving: Debugging issues across the entire application stack

The key advantage of full-stack developers is their ability to see the big picture. They understand how front-end and back-end systems interact, which makes them valuable for architectural decisions and troubleshooting complex issues.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Full-Stack Developer?

Understanding the true cost of hiring a full-stack developer helps you set realistic budgets and explore all your options for finding the right talent.

In the US, full-stack developer salaries vary significantly based on experience level and location, with rates reaching up to $255,000. 

With high US salary levels, many companies find themselves priced out of the talent they need. 

Hiring internationally opens up more options and can stretch your budget significantly further. Based on our experience helping US companies hire across Latin America, here's what those same roles typically cost in the region compared to US salaries:

These savings aren't about compromising on quality—they reflect different costs of living and market conditions.

According to our recruiters who specialize in this role, when US companies hire LatAm developers, they are often surprised by "the seniority and depth of experience they possess. Many developers in LatAm have worked with US and global teams already, have strong English skills, and are highly independent and product-oriented." 

Of course, these savings can be realized in other regions too. Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia are also popular destinations for sourcing skilled tech talent, each offering their own advantages in terms of cost and expertise.

When considering international hiring, you're not just saving money—you're accessing global talent pools with diverse skills and perspectives that can strengthen your development capabilities.

What Skills Should You Look For When Hiring a Full-Stack Developer?

Finding the right full-stack developer means going beyond surface-level technical skills to understand how they think, work, and collaborate.

However, skill evaluation depends heavily on the seniority level you're targeting. A junior full-stack developer might excel at implementing features following clear specifications but need guidance on architectural decisions, while a senior full-stack developer should be able to design system architecture, mentor other developers, and drive technical strategy across the organization.

These distinctions matter because they help you evaluate candidates fairly and set realistic expectations. If you're looking for someone to lead technical initiatives and make strategic decisions, you'll need different evaluation criteria than if you're hiring someone to contribute to an existing codebase under supervision.

Understanding these experience levels also helps you structure your interview process, determine appropriate compensation, and plan for the type of support and mentoring your new hire will need.

Here's how full-stack developer skills typically progress across experience levels:

Regardless of seniority level, all full-stack developers should demonstrate certain fundamental capabilities. 

Here are the core skills to evaluate:

Hard skills (the must-haves)

Proficiency in both front-end and back-end technologies

Look for candidates comfortable with at least one front-end framework (React, Vue, Angular) and one back-end language (Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby). They don't need to be experts in everything, but they should demonstrate solid fundamentals in both areas and be able to explain their technology choices.

Database design and management

Full-stack developers need to understand how to design database schemas, write efficient queries, and optimize performance. Whether it's SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL) or NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis), they should be able to explain their choices and trade-offs.

API development and integration

They should know how to build RESTful APIs, handle authentication, and integrate with third-party services. Experience with GraphQL or microservices architecture is valuable for more complex projects.

Version control and collaboration tools

Git proficiency is non-negotiable. They should understand branching strategies, code reviews, and how to collaborate effectively with other developers.

Testing and debugging skills

Look for experience with unit testing, integration testing, and debugging across different layers of the application. They should be able to identify and fix issues quickly without extensive guidance.

Soft skills (equally important)

Problem-solving approach

The best full-stack developers don't just write code—they solve business problems. According to our recruiters, excellent developers "write clean, scalable, and testable code, and they're proactive about understanding the broader purpose of their work (business needs or product goals)." 

Communication across technical and non-technical teams

Full-stack developers often serve as bridges between different stakeholders. They need to explain technical decisions clearly to both developers and business leaders.

Self-direction and ownership

In remote or distributed teams, full-stack developers need to manage their own time, prioritize tasks, and take ownership of their work without constant supervision.

Adaptability and learning mindset

Technology stacks evolve rapidly. The best full-stack developers are comfortable learning new frameworks and adapting to changing requirements.

Collaborative mindset 

They should be able to work effectively with designers, product managers, and other developers, understanding how their work fits into the bigger picture.

Nice-to-have skills (the differentiators)

DevOps and deployment experience

Understanding deployment processes, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) can be valuable for mid-level and senior developers, but isn't essential for junior roles.

Specific framework expertise

Deep knowledge of your tech stack (React Native for mobile, Django for back-end, etc.) can be valuable, but don't make it a hard requirement if the candidate has strong fundamentals.

UX/UI design sense

Full-stack developers with design awareness can make better decisions about user experience and work more effectively with design teams.

Performance optimization

Experience with caching, CDNs, and performance monitoring tools becomes more crucial as applications scale and is typically expected at senior levels.

Security best practices

Understanding common security vulnerabilities and how to prevent them is increasingly important, especially for developers working on user-facing applications.

Where Can You Find and Hire Great Full-Stack Developers?

The key to finding great full-stack developers is knowing where to look and understanding the trade-offs of different approaches.

Deciding between local, national, or global talent

Your hiring approach should align with your timeline, budget, and collaboration needs:

• Local/in-office hiring offers direct collaboration, easier communication, and simplified administration. However, you're limited to your immediate geographic area, which might not have the talent depth you need. Expect to pay premium salaries and potentially face longer hiring cycles.
• Remote US-based hiring expands your talent pool significantly while maintaining familiar business practices and time zones. You'll have access to more candidates but still face competitive salary expectations and potentially lengthy recruitment processes.
• International/offshore hiring opens up the largest talent pool with significant cost advantages. For example, hiring Latin American developers offers an excellent balance of technical skills, English proficiency, cultural alignment, and time zone compatibility. South and Southeast Asia, as well as Eastern Europe, also provide skilled developers, albeit with time zone challenges.

Many companies are coming to realize that Latin America really stands out for software development, mainly due to the alignment of time zones with the US. You get the cost savings of hiring outside the US with the ease of collaboration you would get by hiring domestically.

When exploring international options, you might want to understand the best countries to hire remote software engineers and developers to make informed decisions about where to focus your search.

Choosing the right sourcing channel

Once you've decided where to hire, the next step is figuring out how to find qualified candidates. Different sourcing methods work better for different types of roles and timelines:

Each approach works best in different scenarios.

If you need speed and have bandwidth for vetting, job boards or freelance platforms can work well. For long-term hires or international talent, working with a specialized recruitment partner often provides the best balance of quality and efficiency—we'll explore the benefits of that approach later in this guide.

How to Hire the Best Full-Stack Developer: Best Practices

Hiring a full-stack developer who can actually deliver requires more than just posting a job and hoping for the best. Here's a systematic approach that leads to better hires.

Stage 1: Define requirements before you start sourcing

Get specific about your tech stack and priorities

Don't just say you need a "full-stack developer."

Define whether you need someone stronger in front-end or back-end, which specific technologies they'll work with, and what type of work they'll focus on most.

Write a job description that attracts the right candidates

Your job description should be specific about technologies, responsibilities, and expectations. Include details about your current tech stack, the type of projects they'll work on, and how they'll collaborate with your team. Avoid vague phrases like "rockstar developer" or "fast-paced environment."

If you need guidance on creating compelling job descriptions, our guide on How to Write a Software Developer Job Description covers the essential elements that attract quality candidates while filtering out poor matches.

Set realistic expectations about scope and timeline

Full-stack developers aren't magicians. Be clear about what you expect them to accomplish and in what timeframe. Unrealistic expectations lead to frustrated developers and failed projects.

Stage 2: Screen for thinking, not just knowledge

Use practical assessments over theoretical questions

Ask them to complete a small, real-world task like debugging a piece of code, refactoring it to make it more scalable, or implementing a basic API with tests. This approach reveals how candidates think and work, not just what they know.

Look for end-to-end ownership experience

Ask candidates about projects where they've built full applications from scratch. Key considerations for full-stack developers include: "Have they built full applications from scratch (end-to-end ownership)? Do they specialize more in front-end or back-end—or truly balance both?

Evaluate communication and collaboration skills

Full-stack developers need to work with diverse teams. During interviews, pay attention to how they explain technical concepts, ask questions, and discuss their approach to working with designers, product managers, and other developers.

Stage 3: Make competitive offers and close quickly

Understand what motivates full-stack developers

According to our recruiters, the benefits that matter most to developers beyond salary are work-life balance (flexible hours & PTO), learning and growing opportunities, and having ownership of their work.

Move quickly with strong candidates

Our recruiters consistently see that too long of a process causes companies to lose great candidates. Top full-stack developers have options, so streamline your process and be prepared to make decisions quickly.

Structure offers that reflect the local market

If you're hiring internationally, work with someone who understands local market conditions to ensure your offer is competitive without overpaying.

For more insights on crafting compelling offers, check out our guide on making a good job offer.

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Top Interview Questions for Hiring Full-Stack Developers That Reveal the Right Fit

The right interview questions reveal how candidates think, not just what they know. Here are five questions that consistently uncover the qualities you need in a full-stack developer:

"Can you describe a recent project where you had to design and implement a full-stack solution? What tech stack did you use, and what were some challenges you faced?"

This question reveals practical experience and problem-solving abilities. Look for candidates who can clearly explain their role in the project, the technical decisions they made, and how they overcame obstacles.

Strong answers will include specific details about architecture choices, team collaboration, and lessons learned.

"How do you approach debugging an issue that spans multiple layers of an application?"

Full-stack developers need systematic debugging skills. Listen for a structured approach: reproducing the issue, checking logs, isolating the problem to specific layers, and using appropriate tools.

Great candidates will mention collaboration with team members and documentation of their findings.

"Tell me about a time when you had to make a trade-off between code quality and delivery timeline. How did you handle it?"

This question assesses judgment and communication skills. Look for candidates who can balance business needs with technical best practices, communicate trade-offs clearly to stakeholders, and have a plan for addressing technical debt later.

"How do you stay current with new technologies and decide which ones to adopt?"

Technology evolves rapidly, and full-stack developers need to be continuous learners. Strong candidates will mention specific resources they use (blogs, conferences, side projects), criteria for evaluating new technologies, and examples of successful adoption.

"Describe a situation where you received feedback that led to a significant improvement in your work or approach."

Our recruiters recommend asking about feedback because "their answer is pretty telling." This question reveals self-awareness and a growth mindset. Look for candidates who can discuss specific feedback, how they applied it, and what they learned from the experience.

Want to make sure your candidate is actually senior and not just using the title? Ask these 5 questions to spot a fake senior engineer fast.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring Full-Stack Developers

Even with a solid process, these common pitfalls can derail your hiring efforts and lead to poor matches:

Expecting one person to be an expert in everything

Full-stack developers have broad skills, but they're not masters of every technology.

Avoid the "unicorn hunt" mentality where you expect someone to be equally skilled in front-end, back-end, DevOps, design, and project management. Focus on finding someone strong in the areas that matter most to your immediate needs.

Making the hiring process too long and complex

Our recruiters and clients consistently see that "candidates don't want to go through multiple technical assessments." Streamline your process to essential evaluations and move quickly with strong candidates.

Focusing only on technical skills during evaluation

Technical competence is necessary but not sufficient. According to our recruiters, candidates who "can't explain what their role was in previous projects" or "avoid talking about mistakes or challenges they faced" often indicate "a lack of experience or self-awareness." Evaluate communication, problem-solving approach, and cultural fit alongside technical abilities.

Being unclear about the tech stack's role in your roadmap

Our recruiters note that companies often make the mistake of "not being clear on the tech stack's role in the roadmap. Is it the current stack, or what they plan to use for future features?" This confusion leads to mismatched expectations and poor hiring decisions.

Dismissing candidates based on rigid degree requirements

Many excellent full-stack developers don't have traditional computer science degrees.

Some of the strongest developers start working before finishing college or learn through bootcamps, online courses, and hands-on experience. By filtering out candidates based solely on formal education, you risk missing highly skilled developers who have years of real-world experience building and scaling applications.

The shift away from degree requirements reflects broader hiring trends: 81% of employers now use skills-based hiring, and 94% agree that this approach is more predictive of on-the-job success than traditional resume screening.

Focus on what candidates can actually do: their portfolio, problem-solving approach, and ability to learn and adapt. Skills and proven results matter far more than formal credentials in day-to-day development work.

Why Working With a Recruiting Partner Makes a Difference When Hiring Developers

You can absolutely hire a great full-stack developer on your own. Many companies successfully build their development teams through direct hiring, referrals, and job boards.

But if you're facing time pressure, competing for scarce talent, or considering international hiring for the first time, working with a specialized recruiting partner can accelerate your success.

This is especially valuable for full-stack developer roles, where the combination of front-end and back-end skills creates a smaller talent pool and more competition.

A recruiting partner brings several advantages:

• Expertise in evaluating full-stack candidates: They understand the nuances of different tech stacks and can quickly identify whether someone has the right balance of skills for your specific needs.
• Access to passive candidates: The best full-stack developers are often already employed and not actively job searching. Recruiters have networks and relationships that can surface these hidden candidates.
• Speed and efficiency: Instead of spending weeks screening candidates, a good recruiter presents you with pre-vetted options who match your technical and cultural requirements.
• International hiring expertise: If you're considering hiring Latin American developers, a specialized partner can navigate cultural differences, handle compliance requirements, and ensure competitive offers in local markets.
• Market intelligence: Recruiters understand current salary trends, in-demand skills, and competitive landscape, helping you make informed decisions about offers and positioning.

The investment in a recruiting partner often pays for itself through faster time-to-hire, higher-quality candidates, and reduced risk of costly hiring mistakes.

Final Thoughts

The right full-stack developer can accelerate your product development, bridge communication gaps between front-end and back-end teams, and adapt to changing technical requirements as your business grows.

But finding that developer requires looking beyond resumes and portfolios to understand how they think, communicate, and execute. Whether you need someone to build new features, maintain existing systems, or architect scalable solutions, investing in the right talent pays dividends across your entire development process.

The most successful companies hire developers who can grow with their business and contribute to both technical excellence and team success.

If working with a recruiting partner seems like the right approach for your needs, consider a specialized firm that can make the hiring process seamless, efficient, and stress-free.

At Near, we understand that finding the right full-stack developer means more than just matching technical skills. We take the time to understand your specific tech stack, team dynamics, and business goals, then connect you with pre-vetted Latin American full-stack developers who can hit the ground running.

Our candidates work during your business hours, integrate seamlessly with your existing team, and deliver exceptional results at rates up to 59% lower than US-based developers.

Ready to find a full-stack developer who can drive your product forward while fitting your budget? Book a free consultation call with our team today, and we'll help you find the perfect match within 21 days.