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Finding a qualified full stack developer has become one of the main challenges for IT managers. It’s no exaggeration: according to the Global Knowledge Worker Study report, 63% of technology executives state that the lack of specialized talent is the biggest obstacle to innovation.
The market is heated, senior professionals are scarce, and the pressure for fast deliveries only increases. In this guide, we provide guidance on the right path to having the best professionals on your team.
What does a full stack developer do?
A full stack developer is a professional who works on both the front-end (the visual part that users see) and the back-end (the logic and infrastructure that make everything work). They move between different layers of the application and can deliver a complete feature, from the database to the interface.
In practice, this dev participates in the entire product lifecycle. They might be creating an API in the morning, adjusting the responsiveness of a screen in the afternoon, and configuring a deployment pipeline at the end of the day. This versatility reduces communication noise between teams and accelerates value delivery.
Companies seek this profile precisely for the complete vision it offers. When you have someone who understands both UX and database architecture, technical decisions become more assertive and the product evolves with more cohesion.
Hard skills
On the front-end, the developer is expected to master at least one modern framework like React, Vue, or Angular. They need to know how to work with responsiveness, accessibility, and have a sense of user experience. It’s not just about making it work, it’s about making it work well on any device.
On the back-end, responsibilities include developing RESTful or GraphQL APIs, integrating with relational and non-relational databases, and implementing complex business logic. Knowledge of Node.js, Python, Java, or C# usually appears in job postings, depending on the company’s stack.
Additionally, a full stack developer needs to be familiar with code versioning (Git is the market standard), have notions of DevOps to understand how their application goes to production, and security concepts to avoid creating vulnerabilities.
Soft skills
Autonomy is probably the most valuable soft skill in a full stack dev. Since they work on different fronts, they need to know how to prioritize tasks, unblock problems on their own, and seek solutions without depending on constant supervision. According to data from the “State of Software Engineers 2023” survey, 78% of engineering managers consider autonomy and problem-solving ability more important than mastery of a specific technology.
Clear communication is also important. This professional will talk with designers about the feasibility of an interface, with the product team about deadlines, and with other devs about architecture. If they can’t translate technical concepts to different audiences, bottlenecks appear.
Adaptability is another crucial characteristic. The market changes fast, new tools emerge every week, and the full stack dev needs to have curiosity and willingness to learn. Technologies that were trending two years ago may already be outdated today.
The traditional recruitment process
The traditional path to hiring a full stack dev is well-known: you open the position, advertise on specialized platforms, receive dozens of resumes, do an initial screening, apply technical tests, conduct behavioral interviews, and finally make the offer.
It seems simple on paper. In practice, according to Gupy’s Time to Hire report, the average time to fill a technology position in Brazil is 45 days. That’s when it works out. For senior positions, this timeline can easily exceed 60 days.
The cost per hire also weighs heavily. Beyond the investment in recruitment platforms and possible headhunters, there’s the cost of the internal team involved in the process: HR time screening resumes, technical leaders’ time conducting interviews and reviewing tests. The Society for Human Resource Management estimates that the average cost per hire in the US is $4,700, and in Brazil values can vary greatly depending on seniority and regional market.
The risk of a bad hire is what really scares. You invest two months in the process, plus 30 to 60 days of onboarding until the professional is actually productive. If they don’t adapt to the culture or don’t deliver as expected, you’ve lost four months and need to start over from scratch.
When direct hiring makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
Hiring as a full-time employee makes sense when you’re building a permanent team for a long-term product. If the company has a consolidated people management structure, competitive benefits, and strong culture, direct hiring can create engagement and retention.
It also makes sense when you need someone deeply immersed in the business, who will grow with the company and eventually take on leadership positions. For these cases, the investment in the employment relationship pays off.
Now, there are scenarios where direct hiring becomes a risk. Projects with tight deadlines can’t wait 60 days to fill a position. Companies that need to scale quickly, hiring five or ten devs in a quarter, run into the operational capacity of HR and technical teams to conduct so many simultaneous processes.
If your company doesn’t have a robust people management structure, with defined career programs and leaders prepared to develop talent, turnover will be high. Senior developers want technical growth and recognition.
Staff Augmentation: the strategic alternative
The outsourcing model has changed. We’re not talking about that generic “talent bank,” where you ask for a dev and receive a random resume to interview. Staff Augmentation is based on the allocation of complete squads or specialized developers, professionals validated technically and behaviorally, and integrated management that guarantees value delivery from day one.
Instead of spending two months recruiting, you receive a team that has already been tested, already works together, and has technical leadership following closely.
The advantages are concrete. Onboarding speed is drastically lower because the professional already knows agile methodologies. Management is outsourced, so you don’t have to deal with labor issues, turnover, or career development. And there’s flexibility: if the project ends or the scope changes, you adjust the squad without having to fire anyone.
At NextAge, for example, our staff augmentation model guarantees professionals who have gone through in-depth technical evaluation and cultural fit analysis. You don’t just receive a competent developer, you receive someone who will integrate well into your business context. Additionally, there are dedicated Tech Leads to ensure efficiency and continuous alignment between the allocated squad and your product objectives.
Common mistakes when hiring full stack devs
One of the most frequent mistakes is focusing exclusively on the technical stack. Does the dev know React, Node, Docker, and PostgreSQL? Great. Can they work in a team, handle tight deadlines, and communicate clearly? If the answer is no, you’ll have problems quickly.
Another mistake is not having clarity about what the project really needs. Are you hiring to maintain a legacy system or to build something from scratch? Do you need someone who knows how to architect solutions or someone who executes well with supervision? Without this definition, you might hire a mid-level when you needed a senior, or vice versa.
Want to know how the NextAge’s staff augmentation model can accelerate your deliveries without the risks of traditional hiring? Schedule a conversation with our specialists and discover how to return control to your team.
