A Simple Guide to Hiring Offshore Developers for Startups

Offshore development has become a popular option for startups and small businesses that need to cut costs without sacrificing quality. However, finding reliable and trustworthy offshore developers can be daunting. This article will help you to simplify the hiring process and make the best decisions for your business.

Why Should Startups Hire Offshore Developers?

There is no question that a startup faces numerous challenges, especially in the early stages of development. However, many startups overlook an essential resource that can help them overcome these challenges: Hire offshore developers. Here are five reasons why startups should consider hiring a remote team.

Cost-Efficiency

When it comes to cost, the primary benefit of hiring offshore developers is that you can get your product developed at a much lower cost than you otherwise could. By outsourcing software development work to an offshoring company with experienced staff for hire, startups can avoid unnecessary overhead costs and focus on building out their products instead of building up internal expenses.

Reduce Time-to-Market

Startups also benefit from hiring offshore developers because they help accelerate time to market. This is mainly due to the fact that offshore development teams tend to be very efficient, productive, well-structured and rigorous in their processes, which helps startups get to market faster than they otherwise could have done without hiring offshore developers.

Access to Global Talent Pool

When startups hire offshore developers, they have access to a broader pool of global tech talent that is otherwise not available in most startup hubs. A dedicated offshore development team can help bring together the best offshore developers around the world. Moreover, these skilled developers tend to be more experienced and committed to working than local developers since remote teams typically place a heavy emphasis on work ethic, accountability, and long-term perspectives in their hiring process. For this reason, startups can also find the best tech talent when they hire an offshore development team. This helps startups build better products with higher quality, more features, and more significant innovation than their competitors.

Improved Product Quality and Performance

Startups who hire offshore developers can also benefit from improved product quality and performance. The reason for this is that the offshore development team may bring with them different perspectives and experiences. For this reason, they can offer a fresh approach to product design and development that enables them to improve the overall product performance and quality which helps startups set themselves apart from competitors.

Focus on the Core Competencies

With a dedicated offshore development team, startups can also shift their focus back on their core business by leaving the software development to the technical experts. This shift in focus helps companies to free up more time for revenue generation, which is critical at this stage of startup development.

Common Pitfalls in Hiring Offshore Development Teams and How to Avoid Them

When it comes to outsourcing certain business functions, many startups view hiring offshore developers as the way to go. After all, this option can be less expensive and seems like a faster solution for completing project goals. However, there are several potential pitfalls that startup owners should avoid when working with offshore developers. By being mindful of these potential problems, businesses can mitigate risk and ensure the best possible outcome from any overseas development project. Some of the critical hazards to watch out for include communication breakdowns, cultural differences, and time-zone differences. It is viable to overcome these obstacles, but it takes awareness and strategy.

Communication Breakdowns

Oftentimes communication is the greatest challenge that startups must get over when they hire offshore developers. This is because it can be troublesome to relay specific, detailed information over a computer. Without the ability to convey the same amount of information as you would in person or on-site, misunderstandings and confusion are likely to occur.

To avoid this problem, startups should work with their in-house teams to determine what kinds of questions they may have and how those questions should be asked. This way, the development team can prepare their questions ahead of time and increase the likelihood that they will get a clear answer from the startup founder.

Cultural Differences

There can also be a significant amount of culture shock when startups work with offshore developers. For example, some teams tend to become frustrated or impatient if they are not kept in the loop of what is happening with their product. While this is something that can be difficult to avoid, founders should attempt to let their teams know that they are working on deadlines and that they will be checking in regularly. It also helps startup owners to remain receptive to feedback from the development team throughout the course of their work.

Time-zone Differences

Another potential pitfall that companies often face is the disparity in time-zone differences. This means that if the offshore team works on a different schedule than their client, it can result in low productivity and gaps in communication. To avoid this problem, startups should consider hiring teams who are located within one or two time zones of their company. This way, there is more likely that the team and the founders will fall within similar time zones and be able to effectively communicate about deadlines, progress, and other matters.

How to Find High-quality Offshore Software Developers?

As we already mentioned, finding a high-quality offshore developer can be a daunting task. You need to find someone who is skilled in your programming language, understands your business requirements, and can work within your budget. Here are some recommendations on how to find the best remote developer for your project:

Outsource to a Third-party Vendor

One of the most optimal ways to find high-quality offshore developers is to look for a reliable offshore development company that specializes in finding and vetting the best software engineers from around the world. They will have a rigorous screening process and will only work with the best developers possessing the skills and experience required for your project. Another vital advantage of working with a third-party vendor is that their recruiters screen all candidates before submitting them to you. So, you can make sure that all developers they will send to your project are of top-notch quality. You can hire qualified individuals or a whole offshore development team with this method.

Hire Through Freelancing Platforms

There are many freelancing platforms you can use to locate offshore developers, Upwork, for example. Freelance sites allow startup companies to post a job description and have freelancers submit their profiles for consideration. This will get you access to hundreds or even thousands of remote developers that are available for hire. One most prominent advantage of this is that you can compare the prices easily and choose the most appropriate one. The downside is that the quality of the outsourcing developers you will get through these types of platforms is not assured. It is up to you to screen the profiles submitted, which can take a lot of time and effort.

Leverage Employee Referral Programs

Employee referrals are one of the most efficient ways to find high-quality software developers that work remotely. This is because your employees already know who the best developers are. If they like the people you hire, they will want to help them succeed and continue working for your company. By implementing employee referral programs, you can give your employees incentives to refer people they think would be a good fit for your team or department. This is a great way to find top-notch individuals that can complete your project on time and on budget. However, it can be challenging to separate strong referrals from weak ones if they are all sent at the same time. This requires you to have a rigorous process in place for screening each candidate. This can take a lot of time and resources and is not the most effective method.

5 Best Practices to Hire Offshore Developers

Are we clear enough about why startups should not look away from offshore software development services? Now, let’s go through some best practices startups need to go through in order to hire offshore developers individually or as a development team.

Define Your Goal & Requirements

First, start by clearly defining your goal. It is crucial to know what you are getting yourself into. What type of individuals do you want on your team; developers, project managers, or quality analysts? How many people will be on the offshore development team? Are they full-stack individuals, mid-level professionals, or senior-level experts?

Once you have come up with your goal, the next step is to identify your requirements. Make a list of all the projects that need to be done and break them down into individual tasks. These tasks will help you when hiring developers from an offshore software development company. The more specific your requirement, the more accurate the quote you will receive from the offshore company. Once you have all the requirements listed out, put together a table that lists each condition and its estimated budget.

Screen Individuals

The next step is to screen individuals based on what you have in mind. There are many websites that allow you to post your requirements for free such as oDeskWork or freelancer.com. Posting an ad on these websites will allow you to receive proposals from professionals in your area of interest. Once you have selected the individuals that match your requirements, it is crucial to do a background check on them before moving forward with them. Ask for references and call their previous employers. Interview them via Skype or FaceTime; this way, you will be able to assess their English comprehension skills and cultural fit.

Interview Individuals

Once you have selected the individuals that match your requirements, it is vital to do a background check on them before moving forward with them. Ask for references and call their previous employers. Interview them via Skype or FaceTime; this way, you will be able to assess their English comprehension skills and cultural fit. Make sure that they are comfortable with the payment process. The last thing you want is to hire someone that wants to be paid in cash only. Use PayPal, bank transfers, or any other reliable source of money transfer when it comes to dealing with offshore developers. It’s also essential that they are not just well-skilled professionals but that they are proactive and communicative individuals.

Test Their Technical Skills

After you have narrowed down the shortlisted candidates, the next step is to test their technical skills. You can ask them to take one or two programming tests that are online or write a small part of your application by themselves. Again, the more specific you are about what you need, the more accurate data will be gathered on them. It’s not just about their programming skills but also about their attention to detail.

Maintain a Strong Relationship

Lastly, maintain a strong relationship with your offshore developers. It is vital that they feel comfortable reporting issues or problems right away instead of delaying them for several weeks. Communicate clear milestone deadlines and make sure you update them on any changes to the project requirements when needed.

Conclusion

Hiring offshore developers can be a great choice if you are looking for highly qualified individuals at an affordable price. However, it does come with both benefits and some challenges. By being well aware of them all, you will be able to avoid the pitfalls and acquire the best tech talents for your business. In addition, we expect that the best practices and tips on how to hire software engineers with ease covered in this article will be beneficial for all start-up founders and business owners looking to hire offshore software developers.

Topics: Hire Remote Developers