How To Hire a ReactJS Developer (Skill Assessment Test Included)

ReactJS has become the most popular front-end framework since 2016, and as a result, the demand for ReactJS developers has skyrocketed, leaving many businesses unprepared, as they had to quickly learn how to hire the right people to meet their business needs.

From hiring local developers to outsourcing, hiring a skilled ReactJS developer can be challenging, especially when you wanna avoid a bad hire and certain technical expertise is required to make accurate hiring assessments.

To make the process easier for you, in this hiring guide, we have outlined the key skills to consider and provide you with a sample test to help assess your new hire. From their experience with React JS to their familiarity with best practices and coding standards, this guide will help you find the right developer to boost your development process without exceeding your budget.

Why Choose ReactJS

React JS is a popular Javascript library for building user interfaces and creating dynamic and engaging web experiences. It is used by some of the biggest companies in the world, including Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix. What are its key features? 

1. Component-Based Architecture: ReactJS developers can build reusable UI components that can easily be combined to create complex web applications. This modular approach to UI design makes it easier to maintain code and speed up development time.

2. Virtual DOM: ReactJS uses a virtual DOM (Document Object Model) that updates only the parts of the DOM that need to be updated whenever a change occurs. This approach results in faster rendering times and better application performance,

3. Declarative Syntax: ReactJS uses a declarative syntax, which makes it easier for developers to understand and maintain code. This syntax enables developers to write code that describes exactly how the UI should look rather than writing code that manipulates the UI directly.

4. Server-Side Rendering: ReactJS can be used for server-side rendering, which improves the initial load time of a web application and makes it easier for search engines to index the application.

5. Large Ecosystem: ReactJS has a large ecosystem of third-party tools and extensions, making it a great choice for all projects regardless of its size. 

💡Interesting read: Svelte vs. React: Key Differences to Know

Key Skills and Responsibilities to Look For in a ReactJs Developer

As the popularity of ReactJS increases, so do the expectations from its developers in this competitive environment, making it essential that you look for developers with the necessary skills and responsibilities.  Keep in mind these vary depending on the specific projects, but 

some of the key React JS skills and responsibilities include: 

1. Writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code using ReactJS and related technologies like Redux, GraphQL, and Webpack.
2. Collaborating with designers to implement UI designs and ensure a consistent look and feel across the application.
3. Integrating with APIs and backend systems to fetch and display data in the UI.
4. Writing automated tests to ensure the application works as expected and is free of bugs.
5. Optimizing the application for performance, scalability, and accessibility.
6. Staying up-to-date with new ReactJS features and trends in the web development industry.

When it comes to skills, these will depend on their experience level. Junior ReactJS developers usually are proficient in ReactJS but lack familiarity with testing frameworks. 

Here´s an overview of the ReactJS developer skills based on their experience:

Skills	Junior ReactJS Developer	Mid-Level ReactJS Developer	Senior ReactJS Developer
Core ReactJS Skills
Understanding of ReactJS fundamentals (e.g., components, state, props)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Familiarity with React hooks and context API	No	Yes	Yes
Knowledge of React Router for client-side routing	No	Yes	Yes
JavaScript Skills
Proficiency in JavaScript, including ES6+ features
Understanding of functional programming principles	No	Yes	Yes
Familiarity with popular JavaScript libraries and frameworks (e.g. jQuery, Angular, Vue)	No	No	Yes
Front-end Web Development Skills
Knowledge of HTML and CSS, including preprocessors (e.g., Sass, Less)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Familiarity with CSS frameworks (e.g. Bootstrap, Foundation)	No	Yes	Yes
Understanding of responsive design and cross-browser compatibility	Yes	Yes	Yes
Back-end Web Development Skills
Familiarity with RESTful APIs and GraphQL	No	Yes	Yes
Understanding of server-side rendering and next.js	No	No	Yes
Knowledge of Node.js and server-side JavaScript	No	No	Yes
Other Skills
Familiarity with Git and version control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Experience with testing frameworks (e.g., Jest, Enzyme)	No	Yes	Yes
Familiarity with build tools (e.g., Webpack, Babel)	No	Yes	Yes

 Where Should You Look to Hire ReacJS Developer?

When deciding on a platform to hire from, it is important to factor in your requirements and what resources you have available. Each platform has benefits and drawbacks, so it is essential to evaluate your individual needs before making a decision. 

For example, if you need a dedicated, full-time developer, job postings or IT recruitment agencies are the perfect place to start your search. But, if you only need someone for a brief project, freelance platforms might be the ideal solution.

1. Social Media: Social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora, and Twitter have many talented developers searching for jobs.

Pros	Cons
Access to specialized communities.	You need time to headhunt, recruit, and interview.
Directly engage with potential candidates.	It can be challenging to verify credentials.
Review their portfolios.	Limited information (Depending on what candidates decide to share online).

2. Freelancing Platforms: Upwork, PeoplePerHour, and Toptal are popular platforms for businesses looking to hire freelancers.

Pros	Cons
You can check their previous work and references.	You still need to do the vetting and interviewing process.
It´s an affordable option.	Limited long-term commitment.
You can find developers with specialized skills.	Challenging to assess their quality and reliability.

3. Local Recruitment Agencies: These organizations specialize in connecting businesses with job seekers in a specific geographic area. 

Pros	Cons
Save time and resources.	Their talent pool is reduced.
Have access to a wide network of potential candidates.	Focus on different niches (unless they specialize in the IT industry.)
Access passive candidates.

4. Job Boards: Job boards are online platforms where employers can post job openings, and job seekers can apply for those positions.

Pros	Cons
Wide reach.	High competition
You have access to active candidates.	Time-consuming as you need to evaluate all candidates to see if there´s a good fit.
In most cases, you have filtering options to narrow down candidates.	Limited candidate assessment.

5. Specialized IT Recruitment Agencies: These types of agencies work similarly to local recruitment agencies. However, they don’t focus on searching for talent in just one area. 

Pros	Cons
Cost-efficient as they look for developers in places with lower costs of living.	Your business needs to have the capacity to manage remote developers.
They find and vet candidates, making the process fast and easy.	Access to a wide talent pool and places known for having excellent developers.
Access to a wide talent pool and places are known for having excellent developers.

How to Hire a ReactJS Developer? Effective Steps To Follow

1. Outline Your Needs and Budget

Are you a medium-sized business needing React.js because of its speed of developing user interfaces, stability and reliability? Or a startup in need of React.js because it is ideal for application building? 

Identifying your needs is the first step, mostly because of costs. If you are unclear about what specific requirements you need, you might end up with a bad hire which can have negative impacts on business operations and growth in the long term, making it difficult for you to sustain success.

Start by:

• Defining your project (be specific)
• What skill set does the project need?
• What requirements are negotiable?
• Which ones are non-negotiable? 
• What is your budget?
• What are your deadlines? 
• What are your expectations?

2. Define: Freelancer or Full-time ReactJS Developer?

Are you looking for a freelance ReactJS developer for a short-term project? Or do you want a full-time ReactJS developer who is fully committed to your project in every step of the development process?

Both have advantages and disadvantages, but there are not the same. You need to have this in mind, as it can heavily impact the outcome of your project. 

Overall, the decision to hire a freelance ReactJS developer or a full-time ReactJS developer depends on the specific needs of the project and the organization. 

Freelance ReactJS developers offer more flexibility and expertise but come at a higher cost in the long term, while full-time ReactJS developers offer stability and consistency, especially for complex applications.

3. Test Technical Assessments 

Technical background and a clear understanding of their requirements is a must.  Generalized interview questions and tests are the jackpots for developers who are not really good at what they do but want to land a job.

What we recommend: Using project-based assessments is the best way you evaluate your potential new hires. Technical assessments for ReactJS developers help evaluate their proficiency and problem-solving skills in working with the framework. You can observe their approach to problem-solving and gauge their ability to develop a plan of action to complete the task.

Here are some sample test ideas for ReactJS developers: 

Test
Building a simple React component	Give candidates a task to create a basic React component from scratch. This helps evaluate their understanding of JSX syntax, component structure, state management, and event handling.
Implementing a feature	Ask candidates to implement a specific feature in an existing React application or give them a mock-up or design for them to build the corresponding React components. Here you can asses their ability to translate requirements into functional React code.
State management and data handling	Give candidates a scenario that requires managing state and handling data flow within a React application. Ask them to design and implement the appropriate components and state management techniques, such as React hooks or Redux.
Debugging and troubleshooting	Provide candidates with a buggy React code snippet or a partially functional React application and ask them to identify and fix the issues. With this test, you´ll evaluate their ability to debug, troubleshoot, and resolve common React-related problems.
Performance optimization	Challenge candidates to optimize the performance of a React application.  This involves identifying and implementing different strategies like code splitting, lazy loading, or memoization to improve rendering speed and optimize resource usage.
Testing React components	Assess candidates’ knowledge of React testing by asking them to write unit tests or integration tests for React components using testing libraries like Jest or React Testing Library. With this test, you’ll evaluate their ability to write effective tests and ensure component functionality.
React hooks and context API	Test candidates’ understanding and usage of React hooks and the context API. Present scenarios where these features can be utilized effectively and evaluate their ability to implement and manage hooks and context-based state management.

4. Choose The Best Candidate: General Checklist 

Once you have conducted technical assessments, make sure also to do a non-technical interview to get to know the candidate better.  

Here´s a general checklist of the things you should keep an eye on when selecting the best candidate:

• Experience working with ReactJS: Look for developers who have experience working with ReactJS, furthermore, on projects similar to yours (Evaluate their proficiency with the framework, their understanding of React components, state management, and overall the React ecosystem) 
• Knowledge of related technologies: Technologies such as Redux, GraphQL, and NodeJS are often used alongside ReactJS. Skilled ReactJS developers should have familiarity with these technologies and other tools. 
• Portfolio: Reviewing a developer’s portfolio is the best way to evaluate the way they work and have an understanding of the type of projects they can manage. This will give you a practical understanding of their skills, experience, and potential. 
• Communication skills: Communication and collaboration are key skills for good project outcomes. 
• Problem-solving skills: The best ReactJS developers are those who can think outside the box and propose solutions to complex problems. The best way to evaluate this is by asking how they have overcome challenges in the past.

Culture fit: Developers who share your company values have high chances of working effectively with your team and being more compromised and engaged with their work.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a ReactJS Developer?

The ReactJS developer’s salary is around $92,500 per year in the U.S. However, this number can increase or reduce depending on two main factors: Experience and location. 

ReactJS developers in North America are far more likely to charge higher salaries than developers located in Latin America, Eastern Europe or Asia. Let´s look at the differences in salaries depending on these factors.

ReactJS Developer Salary Based on Experience

Level of experience	Junior ReactJS Developer	Mid-Level ReactJS Developer	Senior ReactJS Developer
Annual Salary (USD)	$50,000 – $80,000	$80,000 – $120,000	$120,000 – $180,000

Average ReactJS Developer Salary Based on Location

Location	Average Salary (Per year)	Hourly Rate
Canada	$120,000	$57.69
US	$92,581	$44.50
Colombia	$87,213	$41.91
Brazil	$85,580	$41.15
Ukraine	$78,000	$37.50
Romania	$69,500	$33.33
India	$23,000	$11.06
China	$115,000	$55.29

Top ReactJS Interview Questions – Skills Assesment Test

When evaluating ReactJS candidates, you need to ensure that they have an in-depth knowledge of the library. Use this skills assessment test we prepared for you to identify the most suitable job candidates quickly.

1. Name and explain the different lifecycle methods

To help guarantee that your potential developer has experience with React, check to make sure they know the diverse lifecycle methods:

• componentWillMount – commonly used for App configuration in the root component
• componentDidMount – perform setup that wouldn’t be possible without a DOM and start receiving all the necessary data
• componentWillReceiveProps – this method changes trigger state transitions based on particular prop changes
• shouldComponentUpdate – helps improve performance by preventing a rerender if a component receives a new prop. shouldComponentUpdate returns a boolean to determine whether or not the component is rerendered
• componentWillUpdate – this isn’t often used, but some developers like to use it in place of componentWillReceiveProps on components that also have shouldComponentUpdate without access to previous props
• componentDidUpdate – used to update the DOM in response to prop or state changes
• componentWillUnmount – cancel outgoing network requests or remove all event listeners associated with the component

2. Explain and give an example of a Simple Component and a Stateful Component

React components implement a render() method that takes input data and returns what to display. The example given by React, it uses an XML-like syntax called JSX. The input data passed into the component can be accessed using render() via this.props.

Here’s an example of a simple component:

class HelloMessage extends React.Component {

renter() {

return (

<div>

Hello {this.props.name}

</div>

);

}

}

ReactDOM.render(

<HelloMessage name=”Taylor” />,

);

A stateful component, in addition to taking input data, can maintain internal state data that can be accessed via this.state. When a component’s state data changes, the rendered markup will be updated by re-invoking render().

3. Explain the difference between state and props in ReactJS

Props, short for properties, are similar to an argument that is passed to a pure JavaScript function. They are considered immutable and should not change through a component’s lifecycle. They can be accessed via this.props. Let’s look at an example:

import React from ‘react’;

class Welcome extends React.Component {

renter() {

return <h1>Hello {this.props.name}</h1>;

}

}

const element = ;

State, instead, are used to create dynamic and interactive components in React. State determines exactly how a component renders and behaves. Let’s look at a simple state example:

import React from ‘react’;

class Button extends React.Component {

constructor() {

super();

this.state = {

count: 0,

};

}

updateCount() {

this.setState((prevState, props) => {

return { count: prevState.count +1 }

});

}

render() {

return (<button

onClick={() => this.updateCount()}

>

Clicked {this.state.count} times

</button>);

}

}

export default Button;

4. Where should you make an AJAX request?

You should make an AJAX request in a React component in componentDidMount. This method is executed when the component is added to the DOM, or mounts, for the first time, so it’s only executed once throughout the component’s life. Developers can’t guarantee that the AJAX request will have resolved before the component mounts, meaning that they could be trying to setState on an unmounted component, leading to errors. Making the request in componentDidMount, though, will make sure there’s a component to update.

💡Check the complete list with top questions to ask when evaluating ReactJS candidates

Want to Have a ReactJS Developer Join your Team Two Weeks?

Hiring High Tier ReactJS developers at affordable rates is possible. The key is knowing where to look for them. If you want to be onboarding your new candidate in less than two weeks, reach out to us. By partnering with DistantJob, you´ll be hiring globally a fluent-in-English remote developer that work in convenient time zones and, most importantly, fulfill all your requirements and business needs. 

We can find and vet candidates for you to help you speed up your recruitment process. Hire faster and better with DistantJob!

FAQ