Build Your Dream Remote Team: Actionable Tips for Hiring Top Remote Developers Today

Last Updated on 3 months

It is now widely accepted that remote work can be just as productive and effective as working in a traditional office. In fact, with the current global pandemic, remote work has become an even more attractive option for many businesses. Hiring a remote developers team can offer many benefits, especially for startups. However, to fully realize these benefits, it is important to properly organize the hiring process and management of remote employees.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about hiring remote developers, including the advantages of hiring remote specialists, the challenges of finding and evaluating freelancers and vendor-offered developers, the essential skills to look for in remote employees, the best places to find remote specialists, and the steps involved in the hiring process.

By following these guidelines, you can successfully build a remote development team that will help your business thrive.

‌Who is a remote developer?

Remote employees work virtually with their team and may not be physically present in the office. They may be from different countries and may not know their employers personally. Although commonly associated with freelancing, not only freelancers but also full-time employees can work remotely.

While a freelancer is usually a specialist who is hired to complete specific tasks within a project, a vendor-offered developer is considered a full-fledged team member. The only difference is that their geographic location is different from the in-house employees.

In the post-pandemic world, the line between remote workers from vendors such as EPAM and in-house employees has become blurred. Remote developers from vendors are highly valued for their affordable prices and their skills, which are often the same or even better than those of in-house employees. This is especially true for startups and small to medium-sized businesses that operate in markets with a shortage of tech talent.

During COVID-19, Hiring Remote Developers Offshore is a Smart Move. Here Are the Top 6 Reasons Why

There are several benefits of seeking remote developers. While some of these advantages are widely known, others may be attributed to global developments and market shifts. In this context, it is worth examining the advantages of employing offshore programmers that have resulted from the ongoing pandemic.

Flexibility and the ability to implement the perfect collaboration model

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies worldwide to rethink their workflows, adopt flexible modes of interaction with employees, and explore alternative options for expanding their teams. Although maintaining high levels of employee productivity remains an essential criterion, ensuring the safety and health of team members has become more critical than ever.

Software companies face several challenges in striking a balance between maintaining team performance and creating a safe working environment for their employees. Productivity is also a concern when keeping track of remote employees’ effectiveness.

To tackle these challenges and reap the benefits of remote work, companies can hire dedicated remote developers from a reputable outsourcing company. Two options are available: outsourcing the entire project to a remote team or collaborating with offshore specialists alongside in-house developers. Regardless of the choice, the company will have full control over all processes and manage the entire team. This is the main point.

Equipping oneself with the right technology and tools

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global shutdowns and affected the productivity of businesses worldwide. IT firms have found it challenging to stay competitive in the market. However, hiring a remote team can help improve their performance metrics.

In today’s pandemic world, offshore developers are an excellent solution since they have experience working on various projects and organizing remote workflows. They are also equipped with the necessary technologies and tools for virtual project management.

This allows them to work effectively remotely as they have been organizing their work in adherence to this business model for a long time.

Adapting to customers’ changing preferences and providing top-notch service

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of adapting quickly to new conditions, keeping up with global trends, and moving at a fast pace to ensure customer satisfaction. As a result, companies are now searching for new solutions to provide top-notch service and experiences.

One such solution is the use of digital channels to maintain smooth and uninterrupted business processes during COVID-19 scenarios. The epidemic has caused significant changes to user experience and customer behavior, affecting every industry and aspect of our lives. We now act, communicate, and shop differently, with different requests, habits, and experiences.

By hiring remote specialists, businesses can expand their current offerings, speed up the inevitable transition to digital commerce, and launch new service directions.

Finding new opportunities and generating profitability

During this global crisis, IT businesses must act quickly and search for new opportunities. For example, identifying a market gap for creating a budget app or launching an on-demand delivery service. Outsourcing development is necessary for every enterprise as it offers a solution to address short-term liquidity problems.

This approach can increase profitability, which is vital for the survival of any business in today’s world. Every decision made by a company has a direct impact on its survival, and it’s essential to make the right choices.

Gaining access to a global workforce, tapping into a diverse talent pool, and acquiring the right skills.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging for people to travel and enter other countries, even for work purposes. However, hiring outsourcing employees can help overcome this geographical barrier. It is no longer necessary to be in the same region to collaborate productively. Access to a global workforce is crucial for businesses to acquire the necessary talents and skills.

Moreover, new technologies such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence require specialized talent, making it essential to find the right specialists. Finding the right tech talent is a daunting challenge for enterprises worldwide. To solve this issue, businesses can hire remote developers who can provide a cost-effective solution without the worry of finding and employing a specialist in-house. Remote work also means global access.

Focusing on the future and coming up with new ways of operating

The pandemic-induced changes have left companies with no choice but to search for new ways of operating. However, many firms are still unsure of their priorities, making it difficult to come up with solutions to minimize risks in real-time.

Establishing a strong market position by building a lasting relationship with an advanced remote development team is an opportune moment. This will enable you to leverage the experience of offshore companies, which can then be used to create roadmaps and future-oriented solutions that will prepare you for similar challenges.

Why It Can Be Tough Looking for Remote Developers

Remote collaboration has many benefits, but it can be difficult for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises to find and manage remote developers for several reasons. However, these challenges can be overcome with the right approach. The key is to identify the potential problems you may encounter during your search.

Let’s explore some common challenges that can arise when building a remote development team.

Difficulties in identifying truly high-quality candidates

The internet is full of opportunities, but it can be overwhelming to navigate. With millions of developers all over the world, finding the right one for your needs can be a tough task. After posting a job ad, you will likely receive many responses, and it’s important to consider each candidate carefully to find the perfect match.

Going through thousands of CVs can be a challenge, and it can be difficult to sort, review, and rank them effectively. As a result, it’s crucial not to underestimate the importance of verifying responses, recognizing quality, and assessing potential candidates.

The laboriousness of the job posting management process

If you are looking to hire a remote team of developers, it’s not enough to simply create and post job advertisements. You also need to manage the process of handling job ads, which can be quite resource-intensive and time-consuming. This involves reviewing multiple job sites, social media platforms, and a large number of applications and resumes. Writing an effective job posting and selecting the right sites for publication can also be challenging.

To ensure the best results, take your time and carefully consider the process of creating and managing job ads.

The complexity of the communication and language barriers

Language barriers can limit your options when hiring remote developers. Even if they have excellent skills, they may struggle to communicate with your team if they do not speak English. While there are tools available for communication in other languages, all team members must speak the same language to ensure effective communication and collaboration. Remember, smooth communication is crucial for the success of any project.

Market oversaturation: high demand and high rates

Finding qualified and experienced remote programmers for hire can be a challenging task due to various reasons. One of the most obvious problems is the high competition in the market. As the web development industry continues to grow, good specialists are always in demand. This leads to companies competing for worthy candidates and high rates of skilled remote software developers.

To cope with these problems, it is important to clearly understand what you and your team need, as well as create a reliable process for finding and screening potential candidates. This will help you filter out unsuitable specialists and find the ideal candidate who will perfectly match all your requirements and expectations.

The demand for developers significantly exceeds the available supply of candidates, making it quite challenging to find and hire the right specialist in such a competitive environment. However, at Naveck Startups & SMBs, we offer you a faster, cheaper, and better recruitment process. You can trust our team to find a remote developer that matches your needs, which will save you both time and money.

Skills That Make Remote Developers True Professionals

When a company decides to hire a remote developer, they expect them to possess the necessary skills and qualities to complete the project. Although it’s possible to find an experienced and skilled remote programmer, the challenge is to find the right one for the development company.

It’s important to note that there is no perfect candidate or ideal company. The recruiter’s primary objective is to attract and hire the most suitable specialists who possess the necessary professional skills and technical competencies, as well as the so-called soft skills, which are more related to personal characteristics. Additionally, when it comes to remote professionals, there are specific additional features directly related to teleworking that must be taken into account.

So, what are the specific soft and hard skills that a recruiter should pay attention to when selecting remote developers?

Hard skills: expertise, professional competence, and technical abilities

A remote developer needs to possess excellent programming skills, but that is not enough. Technical proficiency is also important, but it alone cannot guarantee success. In addition to technical qualifications and professional experience, it is vital to ensure that the potential employee is adaptable. Evaluating candidates’ expertise and reviewing their technical skills are the two main areas of focus.

We will discuss how to evaluate professional competence and assess technical abilities later. However, it is crucial to remember that while technical skills are critical, they are not the only criteria for selecting a remote developer. If you have several candidates with similar technical abilities, it is advisable to choose the one with better soft skills. This is particularly true if you plan to work remotely. The reason is, that remote collaboration is more effective when team members have excellent communication skills, are adaptable, and can solve problems independently.

Soft skills that directly related to remote work

A strong set of soft skills is just as important when hiring remote specialists as technical expertise. It can be the deciding factor in whether a candidate is a good fit or not.

The development process for remote work can be lengthy and demanding, requiring attention to detail, close collaboration with team members, and effective communication with clients. Not everyone is cut out for this type of work, regardless of how skilled they are at programming. Developing personal competencies can be just as challenging as learning a new coding language.

So, when looking for remote specialists, it’s crucial to consider their soft skills in addition to their technical abilities.

Time management: A crucial skill that employers always value in their employees. It involves organizing workflow, meeting deadlines, managing tasks, and scheduling. When it comes to remote collaboration, time management skills become even more vital for a potential team member. In software development, meeting deadlines, adhering to timelines, and getting things done on time are key and non-negotiable requirements.

Problem-solving: The key to success for remote developers is their ability to be decisive and solution-oriented while also knowing when to troubleshoot and when to move on from a challenge.

Self-motivation: Every remote specialist should possess the in-built trait of self-motivation, to connect to the project at any stage and deliver the best possible results. The best remote developers are those who possess the ability to be a self-starter and a self-driven professional.

Teamwork skills: In a remote work environment, employees may not have face-to-face interactions with their team members, but they still work collaboratively towards a shared project goal. Therefore, remote developers need to excel in team collaboration, actively participating in discussions and brainstorming sessions. Team spirit plays a crucial role in effective teamwork, enabling the team to make the best decisions and select the most promising ideas.

Communication skills: Clear communication and understanding of tools are essential for remote teams to be productive.

Continuous learning: Continuous acquisition of new knowledge is an essential aspect for all specialists in the software development industry. This is because there are constant advancements in technology and progressive solutions. Learning new programming languages and properly implementing coding is also crucial. By taking this approach, you can create a future-oriented product. Therefore, it’s important to seek out talented developers who have initiative and a long-term vision.

Discipline and work-life balance. Remote work requires employees to possess a high degree of self-organization and autonomy. These professionals must exhibit exceptional self-discipline, complete tasks without external intervention, and maintain efficiency without constant supervision. Additionally, they must be able to establish clear boundaries between their work and personal life. This approach is crucial to achieving optimal concentration and productivity.

Why Freelance Developers Are Not a Good Choice for Startups and SMBs

Choosing between freelancers and vendor-offered remote developers usually depends on business needs and budget. While hiring remote freelance developers has its benefits, such as saving time and money, a large talent pool to choose from, and adaptability, it also comes with potential risks and disadvantages. These include multi-tasking, lack of full integration and immersion in the project, low commitment to the company’s vision, difficulties in establishing loyalty, and adapting to the workflow.

In other words, freelancers are a great option for businesses looking for developers for a short-term project. However, if you’re looking for complete immersion in your workflow and close collaboration with your team, hiring freelancers may not be the best choice. In such cases, hiring full-time remote developers would be the ideal solution, as they offer quality results and better integration into your company’s vision and workflow. Let’s explore the benefits and reasons why hiring vendor-offered remote specialists is more profitable and rewarding today.

Spoiler: the difference between freelance and full-time developers for startups and SMBs can be more significant than you might guess.

Productivity and quality of work

Vendors offering remote specialists work closely with you to provide excellent results, as they are familiar with your company’s culture and processes. On the other hand, freelancers may only deliver what is required and nothing more. Their services may be limited to completing the job assigned to them.

Security issues

It is important to ensure that full-time remote developers working for your company follow a confidentiality agreement at all times to maintain your clients’ trust. When working with developers, it is crucial to have documented expectations, commitments, and agreed-upon and signed obligations. Freelancers, on the other hand, are independent employees, and it is not recommended to entrust them with projects that require access to confidential information about your clients.

Availability

Remote specialists offered by vendors are regular employees, and despite being located in different time zones and having more flexibility, they still need to align with your company’s schedules. On the other hand, freelancers work independently and do not respond to your company’s schedules.

Establishing workflow

Hiring full-time remote developers allows them to adjust to your business processes and work in a way that is aligned with your team’s workflow and requirements. However, freelancers typically have their processes and working styles, which may not always align with your team’s expectations. Therefore, it may not be reasonable to expect them to conform to your team’s specific way of working.

Building lasting relationships

Both customers and businesses always look for good service, and this can only be achieved through a strong team that works together to ensure it. When it comes to hiring developers, vendor-offered remote developers are a better choice as they work with you to build your company’s reputation and maintain long-term customer relationships. On the other hand, freelancers only perform tasks within the project and do not feel responsible for their success. As a result, they don’t make an effort to achieve company goals or improve relationships with customers. These differences make full-time remote developers more valuable for the success of your business.

Result satisfaction

Remote developers are significantly more productive because they work for one company. They are not forced to balance several projects and give priority to one client, which allows them to do their best to achieve the best results. Freelancers, in turn, usually work for several clients at once. They cannot devote all their time and attention to your project which significantly affects productivity and results satisfaction. You can’t expect much from them.

So, hiring a remote developer for full-time work wins in terms of long-term business benefits for startups and SMBs. A freelance specialist is a good option for work within one short-term project. However, if you want something more, you must choose favor of vendor-offered remote employees.

Where to Find Remote Developers

Once you have decided to hire a remote developer and know the type of specialist you require, the next step is to determine where and how to find the right candidate. In this process, it’s essential to explore the most popular developer hiring platforms, examine their offerings, compare their features, and weigh their pros and cons.

Toptal

Toptal.com is a global platform that connects businesses with remote professionals in software development, design, business, and technology. It is a portal that allows you to recruit elite freelancers who have been carefully selected and have exceptional professional competencies. According to the project representatives, only 3% of candidates are interviewed, which means that you will find only the best employees there.

The main features and advantages of Toptal include the qualifications of their candidates (role-specific quality, overall quality, no-risk trial), team dynamics (quick team ramp-up, painless communication, reliability & flexibility), and bottom-line financials (simple, cost-effective pricing, additional savings, team value). The commission is included in developers’ rates, making it a transparent and hassle-free process.

Upwork

Upwork.com is a global freelance exchange used by customers and freelancers from all around the world. It is the largest platform for companies to find remote workers and connect with skilled professionals. Upwork.com offers three options to hire candidates: Talent Marketplace (post a job ad and hire a remote coder), Project Catalog (browse and buy projects), and Talent Scout (let recruiters find a specialist for you).

The portal provides many benefits, such as quality assurance, no charges until you hire someone, safety, and reliability. The platform covers several areas of expertise, including development and IT, design and creative, sales and marketing, writing and translation, admin and customer support, finance and accounting, HR, training, legal, engineering, and architecture. The commission fee is 3% of each payment.

Freelancer

Freelancer.com is the largest freelance website in the world, where employers can hire the best remote specialists for any job online. The platform boasts a pool of over 50 million skilled freelancers to choose from.

The website offers a variety of features and services, including the ability to browse candidate portfolios and samples of their previous work, receive fast bids (with 80% of projects receiving their first application within 60 seconds), receive quality work, and track progress with a time tracker and mobile app. You can post your project and immediately start receiving responses from remote specialists, or you can view the freelancers available on site. The platform provides two options for searching – you can find a remote developer by skill or by location.

PeoplePerHour

Peopleperhour.com is a global freelance platform that connects you with experts for any project you need help with. You can hire the best freelancers in minutes, with access to a 24/7 customer service team, and the peace of mind of a money-back guarantee and anti-fraud protection.

So, how does it work? The platform allows clients to connect with remote professionals who can be hired either an hourly basis or for an entire project. You simply need to outline your requirements, and the system will automatically match you with the best remote workers for your needs and goals. Once you receive individual offers from freelancers, you can view them and select the remote resource that best fits your needs. Finally, you’ll need to deposit to start the project.

Naveck for Startups & SMBs

Naveck is a platform designed to help small and medium-sized IT projects hire top remote specialists to deliver versatile services. The platform was created by Naveck, a global provider of software solutions, which is the main source of talent for Naveck Startups & SMBs.

Naveck aims to optimize software development capabilities by adding top specialists from the world’s leading outsourcing companies. The portal offers top-notch talents with enterprise expertise for startups and SMBs.

So how does it work? You simply share your request with the platform, and then the specialists will identify suitable resources and send you a project and a budget offer. After that, the search, selection, and assessment of remote specialists suitable for your project will be performed. When the team is formed, work begins immediately.

Naveck has access to over 40,000 top software engineers. The platform not only provides access to the world’s best remote software developers but also ensures support for the successful implementation of projects. Take advantage of a global network of skilled professionals to bring your business ideas to life!

What does the process of evaluating a proper developer for remote work look like?

After creating a job posting and posting it on developer hiring platforms, you will receive applications and responses from remote specialists. Your task now is to choose the best candidates. The selection process is based on an overview of business requirements, such as team extension, filling a qualified developer position, recruiting a specialist with a rare tech stack, expected skill level, domain expertise, vendor stability, and growth, depending on your goals.

To hire a remote programmer who meets your business needs, you must go through several stages of selection, conduct screenings and interviews, and evaluate potential employees according to various criteria. But first, let’s start with the basics.

Stage 1. First screening

Once you have sorted through the candidates and shortlisted potential employees, it is important to conduct an initial interview with each candidate. This interview should be in the format of a video call, as it allows you to get to know the person better. The goal of this interview is to understand their cultural background, personal values, ethical principles, and the value they can bring to your team.

During this first screening, it is important to assess the soft qualities of the developer, which we previously discussed. You should ask the right questions to determine if the candidate can work well with your team if they are a good fit for the culture of your company, and if they possess the qualities you are looking for in an employee.

Stage 2. Technical screening

The next step in the hiring process is to conduct a technical interview. This will assess the developer’s hard skills, practical experience, portfolio, problem-solving abilities, theoretical knowledge, professional competencies, and implemented projects. The technical screening will help you understand how the candidate’s expertise and skills match the needs of your project.

During this stage, you should ask questions related to the role and conduct practical exercises and tests to evaluate the developer’s work directly. This approach will enable you to gain a deeper appreciation of the knowledge and skills of remote coders for hire. Therefore, you should consider taking a sample programming test, creating a short exam to evaluate the depth of a candidate’s technical background and competencies, and conducting a pair programming session.

Stage 3. Final interview

After the initial screenings, you have found a candidate who is the best fit for your project. It is now time for the final interview. During this interview, you will discuss your expectations, salary, and work schedule, and approve other terms of cooperation. This will help ensure that both parties are on the same page and ready to move forward with the project.

Use These Interview Questions to Hire Remote Developers to Get Things Done

1. Have you ever worked remotely before? If so, what was your experience like?
2. What did you enjoy most about being remote? What were the challenges you faced, and how did you deal with them?
3. How would you begin working on this project?
4. What value can you bring to the project?
5. What are your preferred working hours?
6. What is your plan for communicating with the project manager and the team?
7. Are you comfortable working independently with minimal supervision?
8. How do you prioritize your work? How do you typically plan your workday?
9. What types of software or applications have you developed in the past?
10. What technology do you use?
11. What is your strategy for overcoming obstacles when you get stuck?
12. How do you continue to develop and improve your skills?

Step-by-Step Guide for Business Owners When Hiring a Remote Developer

Let’s create the ultimate guide for finding and recruiting remote developers. So, how can you hire remote developers?

1. Define development needs, set goals, and establish priorities

It’s important to understand why you need a remote developer and prioritize your requests and goals to find the best possible employee.

2. Understand the position and describe your ideal candidate

To ensure successful recruitment, it is important to be clear about your expectations and set specific search parameters. Start by deciding what you want to achieve and what you need to accomplish this. It is also helpful to create a detailed portrait of your ideal candidate. This will enable you to narrow your search and make it more targeted. When you have a clear understanding of who and what you are looking for, it will be easier to find the right fit.

3. Look for candidates considering different hiring options

To find potential candidates, you can explore various options such as remote job portals and freelance marketplaces. It’s also a good idea to create a job ad and post it on relevant hiring platforms. Another option is to ask for referrals, attend tech conferences, and use social media to search for talented individuals. This stage is critical as it determines your chances of finding the ideal candidate for the job.

4. Start screening the candidates

To find the best specialist for a certain job, you need to evaluate each candidate carefully. Start by conducting a first screening to assess their soft skills, followed by a technical screening to evaluate their hard skills. Finally, conduct a final interview to select the best candidate from the pool of previously suitable specialists. This will help you pick the most suitable candidate for the job.

5. Make a job offer

It is important to discuss all the terms of cooperation with the ideal candidate. Once you have reached a compromise that suits both sides, make a formal offer. After you have selected a specialist and received their agreement, don’t forget to provide feedback to all candidates who applied.

What Startups and SMBs get with Naveck

Hiring the right experienced developers for working remotely is a daunting task, and that’s exactly what your success and results depend on. First and foremost is choosing a solid and reliable technology partner.

Naveck has been providing remote recruiting services for various industries. During this time, our global team of programmers, designers, consultants, and PMs has implemented thousands of complicated projects for our clients in different directions.

Our clients trust us with the toughest challenges and the most difficult tasks. And here are the reasons they chose Naveck.

Naveck is a technical talent engagement platform, which helps startups and SMBs to hire the best remote developers to deliver powerful tech solutions and services for small and medium-sized IT projects. What are the benefits of hiring a remote development team through Naveck?

With us, you get not only the search and assessment of candidates, hiring, and effective adaptation of employees, but also ensuring safety and reliability, constant monitoring of progress, teamwork, volume, and activities, determination of overall quality, continuous cooperation, prompt resolution of all problems and risks, reporting and business reviews for compliance with goals.

Our team does everything to simplify the process of finding and hiring a remote employee as much as possible and also helps to avoid remote work pitfalls and all the difficulties that this type of collaboration can cause.

Our core principles are:

• helping to define project goals and assessing the scope of work;
• Let’s focus on technical approaches that are valuable, effective, and reliable.;
• It is important to keep track of significant achievements at every stage.
• We must strictly adhere to the established sequence of workflow.

Hire Naveck’s remote development team to bring your business ideas to life.

Conclusion

New circumstances call for new approaches and solutions. Hiring remote specialists is not only a common global practice but also a rapidly developing trend for the future. Regardless of the complexity, duration, direction, and specifics of the project, choosing the right remote developers is crucial for its success.

You no longer need to waste your time and money on finding, evaluating, and staffing your team with remote developers. Naveck can provide you with the best team upon request and ensure the successful completion of all your important projects.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help your business recruit the best remote talent and make the most out of it.