How to Find and Hire Remote Developers
Hiring a remote developer takes time and requires a lot of energy. Finding the right developer is a process that, if not done correctly, can cost you and your company time and money.
You must create a job listing, screen a large number of candidates, make numerous phone calls, learn more about each candidate, and eventually test them. Even if you do hire remote developer, you won’t know for sure if they are the right choice until they begin working.
If you are a manager in charge of assembling a rockstar team of developers and want to do your best, keep reading. This is the article for you.
Hiring remote developers frequently involves a number of questions, such as:
Where can I find reputable developers?
How do I attract qualified candidates to my job posting?
How can I tell if they’re a good match?
What characteristics and abilities should they possess?
What should I pay for them?
This guide will address all of your concerns, and by the end, you should feel more confident in your ability to hire the right talent for your organisation.
Let’s get this party started!
Why Should You Hire Remote Developers?
Aside from the various research studies on remote development, there are a few advantages that employers can use to entice remote developer. Employees benefit from remote work as well.
1. Work-life integration – Longer commute times, traffic, and other transportation issues are all linked to depression. Remote workers can also work wherever they want, whether it’s at a local cafe or at home, where they can eat a traditional lunch or do laundry.
2. Autonomy – Remote work allows developers to take ownership of their work and focus on outcomes rather than processes, which necessitates a high level of self-organization.
3. Time efficiency – Remote work allows developers to better manage their time and organise their daily workflow in a more productive manner.
4. Productivity – Remote employees have reported higher job satisfaction and higher performance due to fewer distractions from coworkers or micromanagement. Working remotely can increase productivity for your company overall, from employee onboarding and training to managing their work.
1. Cost savings – The elimination of the need for office space, utilities, office supplies, and other amenities can save the company up to $11,000 per employee per year, and that’s only if they work from home half the time.
2. Access to the talent pool – Companies can reach out to more unique specialists with diverse backgrounds while offering a competitive salary in their region. Remote work entails having global access.
3. Flexibility – The modern economy values the flexibility that remote work offers, which can provide a competitive advantage in the market.
4. Employees who are happier and healthier – The well-being of your employees will reflect on your reputation as a business entity. It will also result in more engaged employees who are committed to the company’s mission and thus more productive.
Remote work has many environmentally friendly benefits for those who are trying to stay green. Working remotely for half of the year results in the following savings, according to Global Workforce Analytics:
2.54 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions gas
3.640 million barrels of oil
Why Does bpointer Use Remote Developers?
According to bpointer technology, the opportunity to hire global talent is undervalued. Limiting your developers to a single location results in less diversity and, more than likely, less talent.
Though it may not be obvious, having diverse teams has both cultural and business benefits, particularly if you intend to sell software globally. Even modern software, such as facial recognition technology, is prone to discriminatory errors.
The Three Major Difficulties of Hiring Remote Developers
While remote work has many advantages, there are some difficulties in hiring and managing remote developers that can impact both your organisation and your employees.
Even though the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, it is critical to understand the potential pitfalls when assembling an effective remote software development team.
Some difficulties are listed below. You’ll learn how to effectively deal with these challenges later.
Finding Reliable Candidates
When you post your job listing online, you will have access to a world full of developers, which can quickly become overwhelming.
Prepare for an influx of applications. To find candidates to shortlist, you will have to sift through each and every one of them.
Job Posting Administration
Managing a job posting across multiple job boards can take time.
You will almost certainly need to create listings on 4-5 different sites, which means you will need to log into each of those sites and sift through all of the applications you receive.
Running your business from a non-English-speaking country increases the likelihood of coming into contact with a developer who does not speak fluent English. Even if they claim to be fluent!
That is not to say they aren’t talented developers, but if you manage an English-speaking team, you will need to hire remote developers who can communicate with your team members.
The best way to deal with the aforementioned challenges when hire remote developer is to establish a thorough screening and interviewing process.
Part of this is understanding what makes a good developer so that the next time you encounter one, you will recognise them both on paper and in action.
How to Write a Remote Developer Job Description
The hiring process begins with the creation of a job posting. Your job posting will set the tone for the entire process of finding a remote developer, so don’t skimp on this section.
To attract the best developers, you must make your company appear as appealing as possible.
Some well-written job listings on sites like We Work Remotely can help you get started. It is not rocket science to put together a well-written job description, but these ideas can help you get started.
Examine this breakdown of the anatomy of a job posting to learn how you can assist potential candidates in screening themselves before submitting applications.
Job titles should be clear and convey the role exactly as it is. There’s no need to include words like “rockstar” or “ninja.” Instead, choose titles that are more professional and descriptive, such as iOS Engineer or React Develop
Job descriptions should include detailed information about your expectations, the specific high-level tasks the position entails, the salary and benefits you’re offering, and why candidates should be excited to join your team.
To entice candidates, use narrative-style paragraphs or bullet-pointed lists. A combination of the two is ideal.
Using a template instead of writing a job description from scratch is an option. Indeed provides templates for various jobs that you can customise.
When writing a job description, break down all of the responsibilities into bullet points. The more specifications you can provide, the better candidates will understand your expectations and their potential responsibilities in the remote team.
It will also give them the opportunity to screen themselves out of applying, saving you time. This is your opportunity to screen candidates. For example, you may require developers to have at least five years of coding experience, or you may require specific certifications.
What Is the Hiring Process for Remote Developers?
After you’ve written a good job description, you’ll need to start the hiring process. It will be difficult, but if you end up with the right developer who does good work and is a good cultural fit, it will be worthwhile.
The majority of job searches for job seekers begin with an appealing job listing. It is your responsibility to accurately communicate the mission of your company as well as what you are looking for to a job seeker.
As previously stated, the three basic components of any respectable job listing are a job description, job title, and list of requirements. But don’t make it cold. Include the reasons why someone should work for you. What do you have to offer?
Applications are accepted and reviewed.
When the applications begin to arrive, it is your responsibility to sort through them. Some companies delegate some of this to a hiring manager, but if you’re a small business, it makes sense if you don’t have the resources.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Despite the fact that you will undoubtedly be busy, you will have the opportunity to personally interview your applicants.
Find a Resume/CV and Cover Letter that Stands Out
So long as you have a solid reputation and fair compensation, finding a candidate with the technical skills you require should be simple.
Choose the best candidate from the crowd, but make sure their cover letter demonstrates good communication skills and some personality, as these candidates will work better in a team.
Continue reading for more on ‘How to Choose the Right Candidate(s).’
You must complete the second step in the hiring process after selecting a few candidates to move forward. This is just an interview in most industries.
Even in the field of software development, an interview is used to assess a candidate’s communication skills. However, the hiring process as a whole entails much more. Continue reading for more information.
Candidate Testing and Evaluation
Your job candidate must put their money where their mouth is and demonstrate their ability to do what they say they can. It is customary (and wise) to assess your candidate’s performance on technical skills-related challenges.
More information on how to do this can be found on the ‘How To Screen and Interview Remote Developers’ page, just a few scrolls forward.
After you’ve written a good job description, you’ll need to start the hiring process. It will be difficult, but if you end up with the right developer who does good work and is a good cultural fit, it will be worthwhile.
Work Happily Ever After by Hiring Remote Developers
In a perfect world, you won’t have any more issues after finding and hiring the right developer(s). That is most likely not going to happen. However, you can take pride in the fact that your hiring process was astute and orderly, which reduces risk.
What Is the Profile of a Good Developer? Before you begin the process of hiring remote developers, it’s critical to understand what the ideal candidate looks like both on paper and in action.
There is no shortage of skilled and hardworking software developers available to work remotely, but finding the right fit is the key to establishing a long-term productive relationship between employer and employee.
What Is the Profile of a Good Developer? 5 Qualities to Look For
Before you begin the process of hiring remote developers, you should have a clear picture of what the ideal candidate looks like both on paper and in action.
There is no shortage of skilled and hardworking software developers available to work remotely, but finding the right fit is the key to establishing a long-term productive relationship between employer and employee.
Hiring the wrong developer can not only waste your time and money, but it can also harm your company’s reputation. It’s a rare worst-case scenario, but it’s one to avoid.
So, how does a good developer appear? You should look for soft skills directly related to remote working in addition to traditional qualities and professional experience.
Employees must be self-organized and autonomous when working remotely. Look for software developers who are self-motivated enough to stay productive even when their manager is constantly looking over their shoulders and checking their work.
A great developer is characterised by their ability to communicate their ideas to their team, both verbally and in writing. They should also be fluent in your primary business language.
Given the nature of remote work, developers who take the initiative to work on a project are highly sought after. These are usually senior developers who have “been there, done that.”
Remote work has the distinct advantage of allowing developers to better balance their lives, allowing them to be more productive. While hiring the herculean programmer may sound appealing, it is probably better to go with someone who has hobbies and interests outside of work. Burnout syndrome can have a negative impact on your business.
A good developer is mature enough to give their manager an accurate timeline estimate for a task or project. Software development is difficult, and even seemingly simple tasks can suffer from unexpected bugs and other delays.
One of the characteristics of a good developer is to be conservative and deliver early rather than optimistic and deliver late.
While it is important to ensure that a developer can code his way out of a paper bag, soft skills will determine how valuable a developer is in the long run.
It also goes without saying that developers with poor soft skills are unlikely to last long on a team. Collaboration is essential for any remote team.
When it comes to resumes and cover letters, a resume should only be used to determine whether a candidate has the necessary skills, years of experience, and education.
Cover letters, if a candidate submits one, can provide insight into a candidate’s personality. A good cover letter is sincere, demonstrates good writing skills, and is enjoyable to read.
To summarise, a good developer will meet the majority of your skill requirements on paper and demonstrate those skills during technical tests. A great developer will have excellent verbal communication skills and will demonstrate these skills in their previous work and during the interview process.
A corporate headhunter can teach you to ignore candidates who describe their work history with phrases like “I did this, I did that.” Instead, look for candidates who have advocated for the team’s efforts.
Should You Hire a Remote Developer Part-Time or Full-Time?
Another important decision will be whether to hire a freelancer or a full-time remote developer to work on your project.
A freelance developer is someone hired developer on contract basis to work on a project for a limited time. Freelancers register with marketplace sites such as Upwork, Toptal, and Freelancer to qualify their skills.
You may be more acquainted with the concept of full-time employees. These are the people you’ll hire to work for you indefinitely. In exchange, they will expect a competitive salary and benefits package.
The choice between the two is primarily determined by the scope and complexity of your project. The distinction between freelance and full-time developers may be more pronounced than you think.
Advantages of Freelance Remote Developers
Not only will freelancers benefit from the flexibility of a flexible work schedule, but you will benefit from some flexibility as well in navigating the expectations you have for freelancers and the expectations they have for you.
While freelancers typically charge a higher hourly rate, businesses can save money by foregoing benefits such as health insurance and social security. You can save even more money by hiring a freelancer in a lower-cost-of-living country.
Freelancers are easy to fire if the relationship isn’t working out, and they don’t have the right to unemployment benefits or to sue for harassment or discrimination. Of course, you want to hire the right developers in the first place, but it’s also a good idea to plan for the worst-case scenario.
Because freelancers are responsible for their own income, they are motivated to provide excellent service to their clients. While full-time employees may experience highs and lows during their time with you, freelancers are aware that a contract is up for renewal and will work hard to keep that contract.
The Drawbacks of Freelance Remote Developers
Freelancers, by definition, have some corporate liberties in that they are not required to be completely dedicated to you or your company. That is their right as independent contractors.
Freelance developers frequently work on multiple projects at the same time. This means you are on their schedule and must adhere to it.
Depending on the nature of your project, entrusting it to a freelancer requires a certain level of trust. Through features such as rankings and testimonials, freelance marketplaces help to build trust between employers and freelancers.
Freelance developers are not as deeply integrated into your organisation as full-time developers are.
For example, freelancers may have difficulty establishing relationships with full-time team members. Avoiding this requires cultivating a culture that values communication and collaboration.
Their priority is not the success of your company. Because freelance developers frequently work on multiple projects, there will be clients with whom they prefer to work more than others.
In general, they are less committed to your vision than a full-time employee. If you want a developer who will emotionally invest in your product, you should consider hiring full-time employees.
Freelance developers are not as deeply integrated into your organisation as full-time developers are.
For example, freelancers may have difficulty establishing relationships with full-time team members. Avoiding this requires cultivating a culture that values communication and collaboration.
Advantages of Full-Time Remote Developers
Full-time remote developers are required to be on your side at all times. You can relax now that you know where they stand.
Full-time developers, as opposed to freelance developers, have a larger stake in the company. In some ways, their pay is linked to the success of the product they are developing.
Because full-time developers make their living working on the one figurative project that is your company, they tend to send their resumes to companies where they believe they will be happy.
Full-time developers do not have to balance multiple projects, and they do not get to choose their favourite clients. Your product is their primary focus, and how you manage the development process will determine your product’s success or failure.
Long-term developers will develop deeper relationships with their coworkers and create a unique mental map of the product they are creating.
Full-time developers are extremely valuable in this organisational structure because they become more efficient over time.
Cons of Full-Time Remote Developers
The majority of the disadvantages of hiring full-time remote developers, ironically, are related to their permanence. The fixed nature of having full-time remote developers on your team can lead to problems down the road if you’re not careful.
Employee replacement is costly.
According to a 2017 study, replacing an employee earning a median salary of $45,000 will cost around $15,000. Furthermore, when an employee works full-time, they develop mental maps of your company that enable them to become more efficient over the course of their employment.
This cost is more difficult to quantify, but it is felt when an employee leaves. The goal should be to have a low turnover rate.
When you hire a developer to work on an existing project, they must be onboarded and given time to learn the tools that your company uses, the work methodologies that your team follows, and to immerse themselves in the codebase. And time equals money.
If you’ve hired employees before, chances are you’ve hired someone who turned out to be a cultural mismatch. Given the permanence of full-time positions and the difficulties of terminating an employee, this problem can be difficult to manage.
Fortunately, you can include team meet and greets in your interviewing process to ensure that your team members are on board. While this is not a foolproof solution, it is comprehensive.
Which Remote Developer Is Best for You?
The answer is that it depends on your search criteria.
If you’re a very early startup looking for a developer to build an MVP, you might want to consider hiring a freelance developer.
If you already have a codebase, a full-time developer will be more cost-effective in the long run. Freelancers simply cannot provide the level of investment required at that time.
Unfortunately, things aren’t always black and white, and you may lack the resources to form a remote team.
You might want the advantages of both a freelancer and a full-time employee without the disadvantages. In that case, you should investigate alternatives to hiring full-time software developers.
6 Resources for Finding and Hiring Remote Developers
You may be wondering where to find developers now that you have an idea of what the ideal developer looks like and the differences between freelancers and full-time developers.
Companies will use one or more channels to attract talent, such as remote job boards or freelance marketplaces, depending on the type of project. These channels each have advantages and disadvantages, so you must decide which ones to use.
If you’ve spent any time on the internet, you’re probably familiar with some of these resources. However, for those who are unfamiliar, this is a good place to begin. In any case, you might learn something new.
If you’ve hired employees before, chances are you’ve hired someone who turned out to be a cultural mismatch. Given the permanence of full-time positions and the difficulties of terminating an employee, this problem can be difficult to manage.
2. Marketplaces for Freelance Work
Freelance marketplaces are often associated with project-based jobs rather than regular employment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a long-term remote developer. You most certainly can; however, compared to other methods, it would be an inefficient way to find candidates.
UpWork, Toptal, Gun.io, and Codeable are some well-known sites that connect businesses with freelancers.
Job boards are the best place to find remote candidates. You’ve probably heard of global job boards like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn Jobs, but there are many smaller ones that are popular among developers.
The ones listed below have a high volume of site traffic, which means more candidates for you.
LinkedIn, aside from its job board, is a social media platform unlike any other. It caters to the needs of business-oriented people regardless of industry. This is why it’s an excellent place to network. While this will not immediately result in developers being hired, give it time and you’ll make some valuable connections.
Referrals have long been thought to be the best way to find a job. LinkedIn concurs! It occurs when someone in your personal or professional network refers you to a job candidate. These recommendations typically highlight the most talented individuals, resulting in less risky decision-making.
You’re probably surprised to learn that you can find developers using a forum website. However, Reddit has dozens of subreddits that serve as excellent networking hubs. There are also several subreddits dedicated to hiring developers. Check out this page for more information.
Look no further than Trio’s blog for a more detailed guide on where to find and hire remote developers.
How to Select the Best Candidate (s)
So you’ve posted your job listing, applications are pouring in, and you’re starting to realise you’re swamped. These, believe it or not, are good problems to have. Nonetheless, you may be wondering how to select the best candidate.
It can be difficult to sift through resumes, but the most important thing to remember is that hiring developers takes time. In fact, regardless of your company’s roadmap, it’s better to take your time.
That may seem counterintuitive, but keep in mind that the goal of hiring is to find the right developer, not just any developer. Rushing through the process will almost certainly lead to problems later on.
The steps below will give you some direction on how to narrow down your candidates and ensure you’re making the right decision.
To begin, eliminate resumes that do not meet your criteria at all. There are a few red flags that are easy to spot. You’ll save a lot of time if you get rid of these bad eggs.
The first red flag is that they did not read the job description.
This is a fairly common one. Some developers will send out resumes in the hopes of getting an interview.
This frequently comes at the expense of not paying attention to the job description. As a result, their resume is out of place, and you can assume they are uninterested in your project.
These candidates are not worth your time.
The following items scream “do not hire.”
1. Their abilities do not match what you require. For example, you requested a Python developer, but they only code in Java.
2. They lack relevant experience. You specifically requested 5-7 years of experience, but they applied with only 1-3 years, for example.
3. They are in the incorrect time zone. You require developers in specific time zones for whatever reason, and they failed to read the specification.
Red Flag #2: Their cover letter is generic and/or lacks creativity.
In some ways, cover letters are more important than resumes. It’s simple to make up five years of JavaScript experience when you only have three.
Numbers are meaningless, but emotions are not. Companies such as Basecamp use cover letters to determine whether a candidate is worth speaking with.
They emphasise the importance of candidates putting forth their best effort in their cover letter. All of this is to say, if you receive a poor cover letter, throw it away.
Choosing the Top Five Candidates
You should have enough resumes at this point to select your top five candidates. Remember that after narrowing down this list, you’ll be hiring remote developers, so make sure the candidates you choose demonstrate genuine potential.
You can even be a little more strict and go for a top three, but many companies, including Trio, stick with five because interviews usually result in only one candidate.
It is very simple to choose your top five. If you have asked your developers to write amazing cover letters, you should base your decisions on their passion, quality, and clarity.
Quick Tip: To make evaluating cover letters easier, tell applicants reading your job listing to keep it brief and to the point. You can also specify which topics you expect them to cover in their cover letter. Here’s an example of some cover letter advice for job applicants:
Please introduce yourself.
Describe your role in the future of the company.
Describe your expectations in return.
Writing is an extremely valuable skill, regardless of the position your job candidates seek. If a candidate can write a clear and concise cover letter, it demonstrates that they can communicate effectively.
Always go with the better writer.
Once you’ve filtered and chosen the top five candidates from your pool of applicants who meet the necessary requirements (at least on paper), it’s time to interview them.
Interviewing remote candidates differs slightly from interviewing local candidates because you will not be able to meet them in person.
Instead, you will need to use a variety of tools to make your life easier. More importantly, you will need to create an interview process that will allow you to determine whether the candidate is a good fit.
Screening and Interviewing Remote Developers
Trio uses the methods listed below to qualify candidates before hiring remote developers. However, the Trio interview process is constantly evolving.
Because you will be interviewing more than one candidate, you should take special care to create a process that does not overwhelm you.
It takes time and can be exhausting to interview developers, so be as organised and methodical as possible. This is the most crucial step in hiring remote developers.
You don’t want to waste time interviewing or hiring the incorrect candidates.
As a result, every remote developer candidate you interview should complete a coding challenge. This is an excellent way to determine whether a candidate can write code. You’ll find out how they approach and solve problems.
Give them a small task that takes between 30 minutes and an hour, and you’ll have a good idea of how they write, structure, and document their code, as well as how they test and implement it.
A Brief Video Presentation
Video presentations are becoming increasingly popular as part of the interviewing process. In only 3-5 minutes, you can learn about the candidate’s communication skills, personality, and enthusiasm, as well as learn more about their technical skills.
Interview with a Technical Expert
Technical interviews allow you to delve deeper into the candidate’s specific skills and professional knowledge. Interviews typically consist of a series of questions tailored to the role and level of seniority for which they are being hired to ensure that they can walk the walk.
Aside from determining a candidate’s expertise, a technical interview is an excellent opportunity to learn about previous projects that they are proud of. You can also see how they handled difficult situations in the past, how they would handle a specific type of project or situation, and other similar things.
Learn about their career and growth goals, what motivates them, and what they hope to achieve in their new position.
The key here is to ask questions that allow the developer to open up and discuss topics that are important to them. It’s more about having a conversation than asking trivia questions.
Pair programming is an agile technique in which two programmers collaborate on a small project or feature. The driver and the navigator have distinct roles. The driver is the one who writes the code, while the navigator directs how it should be written.
The navigator in a pair programming interview is the interviewer, and the driver is the candidate. This is a test of both technical and communication skills.
Hiring remote developer on your own will take up a significant amount of your time, not to mention be exhausting at times if it is something you are not used to.
This includes hundreds of irrelevant applications flooding your inbox, unsolicited emails and messages on Linkedin, hours of interviewing and testing, exhausting salary and benefits negotiations, a difficult onboarding process, and so on. It can get pretty hectic.
Trio can assist you by hiring and assigning developers who not only have the technical skills you require, but also the core-skills required to communicate and work effectively in a remote work environment. To get started, contact us today!
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