As the world becomes more connected, companies find that they can get the talent they need without being limited by geographical boundaries. This is especially true in the tech sector, where the demand for skilled developers continues to outpace the supply. In 2019, the market for outsourcing IT specialists was valued at over $300 billion and is expected to soar to $410 billion by 2027!
As technology advances, more and more companies are beginning to see the benefits of remote product development. The primary factor fueling the growth of remote developers is that organizations can cut operational expenses. Hiring remote developers has given companies access to top talent which is not restricted by demographics. Additionally, the remote development process allows for a high degree of flexibility and creativity, which can be essential for developing innovative solutions.
In this blog, we’ll discuss why IT companies are shifting towards remote developers and seven tips to hire the top remote developers.
Why are Companies Shifting their Interest Towards Remote Developers?
It’s predicted that by 2025, 70% of the workforce will be remote employees. Additionally, a Gartner survey revealed that 90% of human resource heads are considering letting go of office presence requirements in the following years. These trends depict entrepreneurs shifting towards remote developers because it gives them access to a global talent pool.
There are several reasons why this trend is occurring. For one, developers who work remotely can often be more productive than those in the office. This is because they have more freedom to create their schedules and work in environments that suit their needs.
Additionally, companies can save money on office space and other overhead costs by hiring remote developers. With the rise of coworking spaces and other flexible work arrangements, it’s easier than ever for companies to let their employees work from anywhere.
What’s Better: Remote Developers or Freelancer Developers
There are many different ways to get development work done these days. With the rise of the internet and the Gig economy, there are more options than ever. Let’s see why remote developers can be a better option than freelance developers. The primary benefit of hiring a remote developer is that you get access to a much larger talent pool. You can work with developers from around the world; making you not limited by geography.
Another benefit of remote developers is that you could hire them on a full-time contract to ensure they are available 40 hours/week. Although finding a talented remote developer that matches your requirements can be challenging, we have covered seven tips to help you find the right remote developers for your business.
Seven Tips to Hire Top Remote Developers
-
Put Out Precise Information About the Requirement
Before exploring hiring platforms to find remote developers, you must first define what skills you need in a remote developer and what you want the new hire to do for the company. The first thing to determine is to find if you just need them for specific projects or need a developer on an ongoing basis.
Secondly, you should lay out if you’re looking for an iOS developer, Android developer, website developer, app developer, and so on. These answers will ensure that you put out precise information on remote job boards, and people with the right experience can apply to your posting.
Defining your project requirements helps you determine the skill set that a developer should have since different development projects call for different tech stack expertise. You should also consider the scope of your project — do you require only one developer or a team of developers?
-
Look Past the Location Barrier
When you start looking for a remote developer, you’ll likely be looking for someone from the same time zone. Don’t overlook developers in different time zones because they may be a better fit for your project. You can always ask for a couple of hours of overlap with your company’s time zone for synchronous communication, meetings, and feedback. If an applicant has an excellent track record and reasonable rates, don’t let their location stop you from considering them.
-
Pre-vetting Potential Developers
After shortlisting potential developers, perform rigorous vetting. There are a few things to remember when looking for and vetting remote developers. You have to ensure they can efficiently collaborate, communicate well, and get the project done within a timeline and with quality results. The process should also include reviewing candidates’ coding skills, experience, and references.
First, make sure the developer has the skills you need. Several online resources can help you assess a developer’s skills.
Second, ask the developer questions about his or her experience working remotely. How does the developer communicate with others? How does the developer manage time?
Third, have a solid plan for how you will work with the developer. Will you be using a collaboration tool? How will you share files and track progress?
Fourth, be prepared to spend some time training the developer. The developer may not be familiar with your company’s processes and procedures, so you must train them remotely.
-
Develop a Structured Interview Process
Developing a structured interview process is critical when hiring remote developers. Having a set of questions can ensure you get the most qualified candidates. When developing your questions, consider the specific skills and experience required for the position. As for screening tech skills, conduct a short test project where the developer has to explain how they’ll go about the workflow for the project you’re going to make them work on. You’ll also want to ask questions that will help you assess whether the candidate is a good fit for your company culture.
Finally, give the candidates a chance to ask their questions. This will help you better understand their interests and how well they would fit in with your team.
-
Discuss SOW (Statement of Work)
A Statement of Work (SOW) is critical when hiring remote developers. This document outlines the project requirements and expectations for the remote developer or development team. It can be used to ensure that both the hiring company and the developer are on the same page, and it can help to prevent any misunderstandings or disputes down the road.
A few key things must be kept in mind when creating an SOW.
- The SOW should clearly describe the project, requirements, and expectations to avoid confusion.
- You must be realistic about what you expect from the developer. Expect them not to be able to do everything. Be clear about what you need them to do, and be realistic about the timeframe and budget.
- Finally, the SOW should include a timeline for the project, as well as a budget. This will help to avoid unpleasant surprises later on.
-
Look for Project History That Corresponds to Your Objectives
When looking for a remote developer to help with your project, finding someone with experience and skills that match your specific goals is crucial. Checking the project history of potential candidates is a great way to get a sense of whether they would be a good fit.
For example, if you’re looking for a developer with experience in a specific technology or tech stack, you can review their project history to see if they have any relevant experience. Similarly, if you need someone with strong communication skills, you can look for developers with a history of working remotely. When reviewing project history, pay attention to the types of projects the developer has worked on. If your project is a new endeavor, you may not want to work with someone exclusively experienced in long-term, enterprise-level projects. Ultimately, taking the time to review a developer’s project history can be a helpful way to determine whether they would be a good fit for your specific project.
-
Use Platforms to Hire Verified Developers
With the advent of the internet and the widespread use of computers, more and more people are developing software. This has led to a huge increase in the number of software developers in the market, making it difficult for businesses to find the right developers for their specific needs.
However, platforms like Workfall now allow businesses to hire verified and pre-vetted software developers. Workfall has a rigorous vetting process and a multi-layered filtering criterion that weeds out the mediocre and helps you to only hire the top remote developers, making it easier for businesses to find the right developers for their specific needs in no time.
Are you looking to hire kickass software developers for your business? Sign up with us & start hiring now!