For a software developer position, there isn't a trick to finding the best candidate. Your criteria do not determine how solid the candidates will be. Everyone is submitting 500 applications a month now, and those who automate the process submit thousands. So how do you hire a great candidate? Pick a few from the lot, ask them if they can write a function, have them do a live FizzBuzz test, then ask them to deploy a service from localhost to an actual public server. That's it. Hire them after that. As far as experience is concerned, they will learn on...