These are the digital heroes you want to ride out into the code sphere and return with amazing mobile apps, UI/UX designs, and attention-grabbing customer experiences online. Everything they build seems to go viral, which is why the competition to woo them is at an all-time high.

So, how do you source and attract the developer(s) your company needs to thrive in the digital age? By knowing what makes them happy and want to work.

As you can see from this Vitamin T blog post, what excites developers (and other interactive talent) about working at your company may be more surprising than you think. Developers look at jobs with:

• Challenges. It’s their work that really drives them. They want to hack and improve functionality or create new, user experiences and interactive designs. Let them blow your mind.
• Incentives. Which, as the Vitamin T blog states, don’t have to be expensive. Think free food or other perks that make their day-to-day lives easier or more pleasurable. These will also boost the morale and loyalty of the rest of your employees. Interactive talent don’t like to be singled out, but instead have the whole company benefit from their work and presence.
• Flexibility in schedule. Just as with other creatives, giving them flexibility in working hours supports their success. Developers and other interactive talent get their inspiration at different times. Plus, flexible schedules (just as remote workers) are becoming the new business norm.

More interesting information about the developer mindset can be found on the Eclipse Community Survey Result for 2012. Pay particular attention to #5 and #6. They illustrate most of the activities that motivate developers.

At Aquent, we’re lucky. We know what our interactive superstars like and can do. It’s part of our screening process, which is why some of the best developer and interactive candidates populate our talent pool. Check in with us before going it alone on the hiring path. We’ve got an in.