Hotel Search & Filtering
Complex filtering UI with 50+ options, real-time availability updates, and performance optimization for rendering 100+ results.
Booking Flow & Calendar
Multi-step booking forms, interactive calendar with availability logic, and map integration with dynamic markers.
Merchant Dashboard
Data visualization, transaction tables, real-time monitoring, and complex form configurations for payment setup.
Storefront & Checkout
Product galleries, cart state management, checkout flows with payment integrations, and inventory updates.
What React Developers Actually Build
Before you write your job description, understand what a React developer will do at your company. Here are real examples from industry leaders:
Travel & Hospitality
Booking.com & TripAdvisor use React for their search and filtering interfaces—the part where users narrow down 10,000 hotels to the 5 that match their preferences. This requires:
- Complex state management (filters, sort order, pagination, saved searches)
- Real-time updates (availability changes, price fluctuations)
- Performance optimization (rendering 100+ hotel cards smoothly)
Airbnb uses React for their booking flow—from browsing listings to confirming reservations. Their React developers handle:
- Multi-step forms with validation
- Map integrations with dynamic markers
- Calendar date pickers with availability logic
Fintech & Payments
Stripe's Dashboard is built with React. Their developers build:
- Data visualization (charts, graphs, transaction tables)
- Complex forms (payment setup, webhook configuration)
- Real-time updates (live transaction monitoring)
Deel uses React for their contractor management platform:
- Multi-country payroll interfaces
- Contract generation workflows
- Compliance status dashboards
E-Commerce & Marketplaces
Shopify storefronts and Amazon product pages use React for:
- Product galleries with zoom and variations
- Shopping cart state management
- Checkout flows with payment integrations
What to Look For: Skills by Business Need
The Modern React Developer (2024-2026)
React has evolved significantly since its 2013 release. The ecosystem moves fast, and "modern" React looks very different from code written just 3-4 years ago.
The Shift to Hooks and Functional Components
If you see a portfolio full of "Class Components" (using this.setState), the candidate might be out of date. Modern React uses "Hooks" (functions starting with use, like useState or useEffect) to handle logic. This isn't just a style choice; it's fundamental to how React works today.
State Management: The Real Test
Anyone can pass props from a parent to a child. The real skill is managing data across a complex application.
- Junior: Relies heavily on "Prop Drilling" (passing data through too many layers).
- Mid-Level: Uses Context API or simple stores comfortably.
- Senior: Understands when to use global state (Redux, Zustand) vs. server state (React Query, TanStack Query) vs. local state. They optimize for performance and maintainability.
Performance Optimization
React is fast by default, but easy to make slow. A strong developer understands:
- Re-rendering: Why it happens and how to prevent unnecessary ones.
- Memoization: Using
useMemoanduseCallbackcorrectly (and not prematurely). - Code Splitting: Loading parts of the app only when needed (Lazy Loading).
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet: Spotting Great Candidates
Conversation Starters That Reveal Skill Level
Instead of asking "Do you know React?", try these:
| Question | Junior Answer | Senior Answer |
|---|---|---|
| "What was the hardest UI problem you solved?" | "Making a button change color" | "Optimizing a 10,000-row table to render in under 100ms" |
| "How do you decide between Redux and local state?" | "We always use Redux" | "It depends on whether multiple components need the data, and how often it changes" |
| "Tell me about a performance issue you fixed" | Generic or vague | Specific metrics: "Reduced bundle size by 40%, improved FCP by 2 seconds" |
Resume Signals That Matter
✅ Look for:
- Specific products they built (not just "Developed React applications")
- Performance metrics ("Improved load time by X%")
- Mentions of Next.js, TypeScript, or React Query (modern stack)
- Contributions to open-source React libraries
🚫 Be skeptical of:
- Listing 10+ state management libraries (Redux AND Zustand AND MobX AND Recoil)
- "5+ years React experience" (React Hooks only came out in 2019)
- No mention of testing or deployment
GitHub Portfolio Red Flags
- Only tutorial projects (TodoMVC, Weather App clones)
- No README files or documentation
- Last commit was 2+ years ago
- No tests in any project
Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Testing for Trivia
Don't ask "What are the lifecycle methods?" (an old Class Component concept). Instead, ask "How do you handle data fetching in useEffect?" or "How do you avoid race conditions?"
Better approach: Give them a real problem from your codebase. "Here's a component that re-renders too often. Walk me through how you'd debug it."
2. Overloading the JD
React has a massive ecosystem. Asking for Redux + MobX + Recoil + Jotai is a red flag. It shows you don't know what you're building. Pick one stack and stick to it.
LinkedIn's approach: Their job posts focus on impact ("Build features used by millions") rather than technology laundry lists.
3. Ignoring Fundamentals
A "React Developer" who doesn't know JavaScript is a liability. React is just JavaScript. Make sure they understand ES6+, asynchronous programming, and the DOM.
4. Undervaluing Soft Skills
The best React developers at companies like Airbnb aren't just coders—they collaborate with designers on UI/UX, work with product managers on requirements, and mentor junior developers. Ask about cross-functional experiences.