More than the kind of tech stack and the capital, being technologically competitive and earnestness in iterations and functionality is what counts.
A team of talented developers is a must if a software business wishes to remain competitive, whether you are a startup or an established company.
However, post the pandemic, companies have been forced to consider operating remotely – with their teams being inclined to do so as well.
Now, as Remote work continues gains momentum, companies of all sizes explore the “remote work” style and search for the best remote talent around the globe.
So how do you build a remote software development team?
Before you can start building a remote team, there are a few things you might want to consider —
Statistics Showing the Importance of Remote Work
As per research, 70% of employees will work remotely by 2025. Outsourcing is one of the most popular methods of hiring remote developers. As a result, organizations can focus on core business functions and save time.
By 2027, the global IT outsourcing market will be worth $410.2 billion.
Many tech and product companies find it challenging to locate and hire the right remote workforce. Entrepreneurs and CTOs should think outside the box and consider hiring remote developers from overseas.
Here, the blog focuses on the benefits and the best practices associated with hiring remote software developers.
Why Hire Remote Software Developers: The Benefits
Increase Employee Retention
According to research, businesses that don’t cater to their employees’ requirements would struggle to compete in the labor market. More so in the tech space.
However, remote work and the freedomthat it comes with, can help retain them longer by keeping them happy with their jobs.
As long as it doesn’t affect productivity, you must let employees work from home whenever and wherever they want to keep them happy.
Policies that permit remote work can significantly boost employee loyalty and retention rates. A top performer’s departure will require time, money, and resources to find and train a replacement.
Faster Time-to-Market
By using remote development, an organization can reap the benefits sooner. Again, this relates to scalability. So do you hire two developers to work on the project 24/7, or do you wait one year for it to be completed?
Hiring remote developers is the solution if you want a team that works around the clock for your company. Given the various time zones, it is simple to implement rotating hours with remote teams. Thanks to this ongoing availability, you will always be able to handle any problems or malfunctions as early as possible.
This is particularly helpful when you’ve got coders in one timezone and your QA team in another.
Asynchronous contributions for the win!
Improved Productivity
In 72% of companies with remote work policies, workers are more productive. Most remote and on-site workers believe they perform the appropriate number of hours weekly.
It can be explained by their greater flexibility and independence when working on specific tasks. They can focus on what they need to do without being distracted by other activities, such as social media or online shopping.
Increasing Access to Talent
According to 41% of employers, the biggest challenge they face when hiring new employees is a shortage of qualified candidates. Developers with the necessary skills are in short supply across many industries. 70% of applicants consider whether they will be able to work remotely when applying for a job.
Several industries are experiencing an increase in demand for skilled developers. Companies need to open up remote software development roles on a national or international basis to access untapped domestic markets and an unlimited pool of qualified foreign candidates.
Remote work does not restrict human resources managers’ search for talent to a single place. Finding qualified applicants worldwide provides access to top talent and enables leverage of relatively low hourly rates.
Lower Costs
The main factor driving organizations’ preference for remote employment is reduced overhead. You need a huge budget when you hire expert developers, especially in the US. In addition to this premium pricing, you must pay for overhead costs such as rent or mortgage payments, office supplies, utility costs, and more.
If you are a US-based business looking to hire remote engineers from developing nations, you can save a lot of money. It is significantly cheaper to live in developing countries than in Silicon Valley or New York City. You can hire experienced software developers at a lower cost with remote work.
Step-by-Step Guide to Hire Remote Software Developer for Your Project
Step 1: Create a Project Requirement Document
If you’re looking to hire a remote software developer for an IT project, you must have explicit knowledge of the whole project from start to finish. You can only hire the right team of developers for the job if you have a detailed project requirement document.
To define requirements, you should follow these tips:
Briefly describe the project. Decide what your product does, what problems it solves, and who it is for.
Create a feature list. Find expertise by defining the core features.
Pick a platform on which you want your application to run. You can launch on both platforms if you have enough budget.
Step 2: Create a Well-Explained Job Description
A well-explained Job description should be written for the developer candidates you are interested in hiring for your app project. Following are some attributes that should be included in the job description-
Jot down the title using direct, professional job titles like React Native developer, DevOps developer, MEAN full stack developer, etc.
Write a detailed description of the expected job roles, responsibilities, and development tasks to take care of.
Please provide the salary and benefits for the job title in question.
Describe the technical skills, soft skills, and expected experience levels associated with the job title.
Finally, you should state the mission and goals of the company.
Step 3: Post the Job Requirements on the Company Website
You must publish your job listing on multiple platforms and channels to attract a broader pool of potential candidates.
The options available are hiring outsourcing agencies published on major online job boards, including LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, etc., posting in freelance marketplaces like freelancer.com, and using social media.
Step 4: Identify & Evaluate the Developer’s Portfolio
After shortlisting, now what?
Before hiring a remote developer, you should review and evaluate their portfolio of projects. Consider the timeline, project details, and roles & responsibilities in those projects instead of being overwhelmed by their mentioned platforms and projects.
Step 5: The Initial Interview
It is always advisable to interview remote developers using a video-conferencing service such as Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts for remote developers working in another country.
Initially, while interviewing, evaluate the positive curiosity of a developer for your projects, keeping the company’s goals in mind. Interviewees will be screened for their aptitude for the project, talent and communication skills, career vision towards the job, development methodologies and software skills they are versed with, etc.
Step 6: Technical Assessment of a Candidate
After an initial interview covering the basic and soft skills, a technical assessment of the candidate takes place.
The primary topics of discussion during technical interviews include prior project experience and key skills. The developers’ expertise or aptitude for various development and collaboration tools are also tested.
Step 7: Session on Pair Programming
Through pair programming, the company evaluates the candidates’ coding skills, problem-solving skills, and commands on different tools. This collaborative programming session creates a test project for the technical head and each candidate.
Step 8: Making an Offer
Most companies prefer to hire remote developers initially for a specified trial period. It’s crucial to have a legal contract signed before hiring a remote developer, especially when choosing from other nations. One must take care of healthcare, tax rules, and other deductions mentioned in the contract document.
Step 9: The Onboarding Process
Once the hiring process for a remote developer is complete, it is crucial to provide the new developers with a positive onboarding experience. To maintain constant communication with your remote employee, you must provide the right communication channels.
It can also be helpful to offer an initial training session to acquaint the new developer with the company’s goal and vision. A company worker should handle all daily interactions with the workforce.
To Wrap Up
In remote work, you must trust your developers, thousands of miles away in a different time zone, to carry out their tasks. FAANG are pioneering the remote work revolution by allowing employees to work from home permanently, giving an impetus to SMEs and startups to consider the same arrangement.
Building a qualified, dedicated team focused on sourcing and recruiting remote developers is challenging. In such a case, scaling your business with a remote workforce can present several challenges. However, choosing the right Software Development partner can facilitate reliable remote developers for your software operations.
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