The Ultimate Python Developer Key Skills Checklist: A Must-Follow Guide for Recruiters

Python has quickly become one of the most sought after skillsets for businesses in 2022. Recruiters are constantly assessing Python developer skills on job portals to hire the best talent. There are over 83K jobs listed on Indeed for Python developers, and recruiters are willing to pay up to $225K a year to bag the best talent.

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There’s a reason for this – Python is an all-purpose programming language that is being used to develop applications for data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks, and other innovative technologies that are in high demand today.

This surge in demand for Python developers has led to many aspirants learning the programming language today. When you begin searching for candidates, you’ll find your inbox quickly flooded with resumes. These candidates will bring a wide range of Python developer skills to the table. So how do you select the best one for your company?

Well, there are skills that some developers have that set them apart from the rest and make them invaluable to the business. When you learn to look in the right place, you will be able to identify these candidates. In fact, we’re going to help you do exactly that by giving you a blueprint of python developer key skills to look for when assessing candidates.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Python Developer

Understanding the core roles and responsibilities of a Python developer within an organization will help you ask the right questions when you interview candidates. The top job openings on Indeed by companies like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Amazon.com, and Cognizant Technology Solutions ask for the following:

1. 1. Candidates must have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of Python.
   2. Developers will be responsible for finding the best solution for a product requirement using Python’s innate features like libraries. They will also be expected to devise efficient solutions for a great number of NLP-related tasks like topic modeling, word vectors, document classification, part-of-speech (POS) tagging, sentiment analysis, etc., using the extensive collection of NLP tools and libraries. 
   3. The developer will be expected to write quality unit tests, be involved in the test cycle, and create relevant documentation for build-outs.
   4. Managing end-user authorization and client data protection for risk mitigation will also be under the purview of the Python developer.
   5. Expertise in at least one popular Python framework like Django, Flask, or Pyramid is expected.
   6. Should have knowledge of object-relational mapping (ORM).
   7. Basics of front-end technologies like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3, along with some knowledge of operating systems like Unix/Linux will be a plus.
   8. Developers must have practical experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Kubernetes, and Microsoft Azure.
   9. Basic database management (SQL, etc.) knowledge will be expected.
   10. The developer must have the skills to build data analytics, reporting systems, and other BI solutions.
   11. Good problem-solving skills and the ability to multi-task are a must.
   12. Developers must be able to work in synergy with a team as well as autonomously.
   13. Strong verbal & written communication skills will help you make an impact in this role.
   14. Experience in agile methodologies and project management platforms like Asana will be a bonus.

It’s evident that what companies are looking for today is not a developer with just a core competency in Python, but an all-rounded individual. Businesses want a developer who has the skills to program using Python, good knowledge of supporting and relevant technologies, and strong interpersonal skills. You should be looking for similar traits when interviewing Python developers.

We analyzed different business requirements and curated a list of 14 skills that make Python developers excellent all-rounded engineers. This list is divided into three categories – Skills specific to Python, competence in supporting technologies, and interpersonal skills.

If the candidate you are interviewing hits most of the boxes on our list, you can be certain they will be a great hire. Enough talk, here’s the list!

14 Python Developer Key Skills to Look for in Your Next Hire

Skills Specific to the Python Programming Language

1. Core Python

Every programming language has elements specific to it. A candidate applying for the post of Python developer should know the basics that make up the language. Basics like common syntaxes, booleans and operators, tuples, loops, iterators, and so on.

These are core elements of the language using which a developer writes programs in Python, and is knowledge a Python developer must obviously have. The first step in assessing the capabilities of a Python developer is by judging their competency in the core concepts.

2. Web Frameworks

Web frameworks are built to enable fast and easy deployment of applications by providing libraries, templates, and other resources for the reusability of code. Businesses generally use web frameworks to get projects off the ground faster, and this means knowing one or more Python frameworks has to be a part of the applicant’s python developer skills.

Django and Flask are the two most popular web frameworks for Python and every Python developer should ideally have the skillset to program on at least one of these frameworks.

3. Object-Relational Mappers

Object-relational mapping (ORM) is a technique used to convert data between type systems. Applications built on Python perform better when using an object database than a relational database, and the program can be designed to use ORM to convert data stored as scalar values in a relational database into objects in an object database.

Knowing how to use ORM libraries will help the developer create virtual object databases and then build the Python app over this database, making it faster to develop, operate and scale. This is definitely an important point on the python developer skills checklist.

4. Python Libraries

One reason why Python is the preferred language for programming is that it makes building applications easy and fast. There are two reasons for this – its ‘readable’ syntaxes and its extensive libraries.

Libraries are bundles of code that can be imported and reused many times throughout the application, making programming simpler and convenient for the programmer. TensorFlow, for example, is an open-source library for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Another example is Matplotlib which is a data visualization and graphical plotting library for Python.

When you interview for the Python developer skills required, the knowledge of libraries and how to use them is something you must assess.

5. Unit Test and Debugging Skills

Unit testing allow developers to test a piece of the source code within the program itself (without needing compilation or front-end user interaction). This allows programmers to debug issues and correct code errors quickly, and is one of the advantages of using Python as a programing language.

The ability to troubleshoot, find issues, and debug them should be innate to every developer and should definitely be a part of the python developer skill set.

Competency in Supporting Technologies

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6. Good Knowledge in Data Science and Building Analytics Programs

Python is the preferred language for building data science products like business intelligence dashboards. Python developers should have the knowledge and skills that data scientists have in order to be good at building BI products. Skills like data visualization, data slicing, machine learning, statistics, and so on. 

Your requirement may not be of a data scientist, but a Python developer who has the skills to work on data science projects is going to be a boon sooner or later. In fact, some of the top Python developer job openings on Indeed are for analytics and data science projects.

7. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Skills

Python is also the preferred language for building AI and ML projects since it has complete libraries (Numpy, Pandas, and so on) dedicated to AI. Knowing how to use libraries and coding to build AI and ML modules and applications, at least at a basic level, is a must-have skill for every Python developer. 

8. Technologies for Front-End Development (JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3)

Python developers may not be involved in building front-end platforms, but it’s important to have at least a basic understanding of languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

For a product to work optimally, the front-end (often built on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) and backend (built on Python) platforms need to work in sync, and so do the developers. If you hire developers with some cross-platform knowledge, they will find it easy to collaborate with other teams and provide technical guidance where required.

9. Knowledge of One or More Databases

Like front-end development, database management might be a separate role with a separate team within your org. Since Python applications heavily depend on the database, however, it’s important for the Python developer to know database languages. This will help them build products faster without having a dependency on another developer or team.

10. Cloud Computing Skills

Every business will work with cloud technology in some capacity, and since cloud computing will be used for applications, it will be greatly beneficial to hire a Python developer who has some experience or knowledge in cloud technologies like AWS or Microsoft Azure.

Interpersonal Skills to Evaluate for Every Python Developer 

11. Logical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

The ability to think logically is a critical skill set for any developer. Programming Python modules involves understanding the end requirement and then piecing together code to achieve that end result. Hence, Python developers need to be able to analyze problems and derive solutions using code, and this requires logical thinking.

12. Basics of UI and UX Design

Although front-end design (UI and UX) is a separate skill set, it’s an added advantage if developers have some level of design competency. They can then be a part of the ideation phase when the product is being conceptualized and designed.

Design and development are often conducted in silos, one focusing on aesthetics and one on functionality. But for the product to take form, the two have to come together. It helps if Python developers understand basic design concepts like color theory, layout principles, and so on.

13. Communication Skills

The skill to communicate effectively is a requirement regardless of industry or role. Developers should be able to simplify technical terms and make their point. This is especially needed when collaborating with non-technical members of the team as well as clients or stakeholders. 

Miscommunication between team members can escalate into delays and bugs in the project. The developer should, necessarily, be able to comprehend what’s being asked of them and also communicate their points clearly.

14. Collaborative Skills

A product is not built by one Python developer but by a team of highly skilled developers and engineers. There has to be synergy among members of the business to ensure the product is completed on time, and bug-free.

This need for synergy is amplified today with major parts of the workforce working remotely. The developers you hire need to have the skills to collaborate and work in a team, with consistent communication.

Hiring the Best Talent From a Sea of Candidates

In a recent article that we published, we identified a trend in the US hiring market. There is a high demand for Python developers but not enough talent to fulfill this demand. The talent shortage is, in fact, an issue across industries in the US. An article by Forbes stated that the talent shortage in the US has tripled over the last 10 years and 69% of employers are struggling to fill positions.

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So your job posting might get a lot of interest but you may not be able to lock in the best Python coders. This is due to the competition among businesses looking to hire from a limited pool of developers available only within the US.

There’s a solution to this dilemma, and that is remote hiring. Remote hiring pulls down geographic barriers and allows you to tap into a much larger resource pool of Python developers. You get access to developers in countries like India where there is high availability of skilled developers and the pay scale being demanded is much lower than in the US. This allows you to fill your vacancies with the best talent and no compromises in skill while also at a lower cost.

You might think that hiring candidates from all over the globe will be overwhelming and you may not be able to thoroughly assess each candidate. The volume of interested developers will, after all, be high. Well, remote hiring has a solution for that problem as well.

Hitting the Python Developer Key Skills Checklist with Remote Hiring 

Remote hiring solves two problems you will have when hiring Python developers. One is the dearth of talent when hiring locally and two is the flood of resumes when hiring globally.

Remote hiring of Python developers can be conducted in multiple ways. Among many, the SMART routes will be going for tech marketplaces, recruitment agencies, and talent networks.

If you choose to go for our talent network platform, the process of hiring will get minimized into four quick steps:

1. You share your job profile requirements in a well-documented format with all small and big particulars mentioned precisely.
2. We will start scanning resumes and shortlist candidates to match your requirement, only if the right match is already not there in our vetted pool of software candidates.
3. We will matchmake the right profiles with the needed Python developer skills. You interview the candidates we shortlist/matchmake with you, after a comprehensive assessment and screening process.
4. We manage onboarding and all HR responsibilities while the Python developer delivers their optimal best to you.

And there you have it, a blueprint to hire the best Python developers for your company. If you choose to conduct the entire hiring process in-house, you have our checklist for screening the best developers. If you want to access global talent through a hassle-free process, choose remote hiring. Either way, you’ll be sure to get the best Python coders.