Key insights you must know before hiring offshore developers
Tags: softwaredevelopment, webdev, outsourcing, remote
Published: 2023-11-08 11:31:02

Have you ever wondered why some companies thrive while others struggle when it comes to offshore development?

“Victory loves preparation”, so you must equip yourself with prior knowledge.

Entering the world of offshore hiring without a clear roadmap can be daunting. At Hivex, we've developed a robust framework called "3C Compliance," which focuses on three fundamental pillars: Culture, Communication, and Competencies. These pillars are not merely suggestions; they are the cornerstones of successful offshore hiring.

## **Cultural Compliance:**

Cultural fit encompasses the alignment of an applicant’s values and beliefs with those of the company.

- Representation of work ethic
- Willingness to embrace inclusion
- Tolerance
- Commitment to social responsibility
- Responsibility for the results of the work

Building a cohesive [offshore backend development team](https://hivex.tech/blog/offshore-backend-development-teams/) begins with understanding and ensuring cultural compliance. This means aligning the values, beliefs, and work ethic of an applicant with those of your company. It involves embracing inclusion, practicing tolerance, upholding social responsibility, and taking ownership of the results of one's work.

For offshore developers, cultural fit is crucial. A team that shares a common cultural background, work ethic, and values is more likely to assimilate seamlessly into your company's corporate culture. This not only fosters motivation but also enhances overall productivity. While it doesn't necessitate complete uniformity, it does require each team member to understand and respect the driving factors behind your client's company.

**How to assess**
Evaluate the cultural fit of a candidate through questions where the answers’ correctness gradation depends on the company’s culture.

## **Communicative Compliance:**

Effective communication is the lifeblood of remote teams. It goes beyond language proficiency to include articulateness, active listening, and the ability to convey ideas. Many underestimate the significance of communication in remote teams, but it's the linchpin that holds everything together.

The success of offshore teams is profoundly impacted by their ability to communicate effectively. It's not merely a matter of convenience; it's a critical factor in boosting production processes and introducing innovative methodologies.

**How to assess**
Observe the candidate’s interactions with team members, and their speaking and listening skills.

## **Competencies Compliance:**

Competencies form the bedrock of offshore development teams. While the applicant’s knowledge and experience significantly influence their integration into an offshore development team, they don’t exclusively determine success.

**Required expertise includes:**

- Mastery of programming languages like Java, Python, and PHP, along with proficiency in PHP server operations.

- Familiarity with frameworks such as Ruby on Rails, Django, Flask, and Express.

- Proficiency in data structures and algorithms.

- Competence in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, rendering the specialist a versatile asset.

- Profound understanding of servers.

- Proficiency in APIs, encompassing common formats like XML and JSON.

- Mastery of version control and version control systems.

- A clear grasp of external platforms and technologies, including HTML5, SASS, JavaScript, and CSS3.

**How to assess**
A technical recruiter will evaluate the developer’s professional competencies during a technical interview, involving a range of practical and theoretical tasks.

## **Beyond candidate profiles: the start of offshore hiring**

The process of hiring developers begins well before collecting relevant candidate profiles through sourcing. It commences with defining the business goals of the client company and outlining the tasks the new specialist software engineers will tackle. This provides clarity on the type of specialist or remote developer team required to achieve set objectives.

So, it’s important to determine the suitable hiring approach and where to find the right specialist.

Platforms are key sources for finding freelance developers, serving as versatile hubs for hiring talent from various fields. Freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr are particularly in demand because they allow cost-effective acquisition of web development services, often with hourly project-based payments. Opting for platforms is ideal for engaging a freelancer developer for short-term tasks.

Freelance platforms:

- [Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/)
- [Toptal](https://www.toptal.com/)
- [Freelancer](https://www.freelancer.com/)
- [Fiverr](https://www.fiverr.com/)
- [Codementor](https://www.codementor.io/)
- [Peopleperhour](https://www.peopleperhour.com/)

Other avenues include job search sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Dice, Craigslist, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter.

If there’s no immediate need for significant team augmentation, no long-term development projects, and the tasks assigned to the new developer aren’t overly complex, this approach can be beneficial.

For long-term, full-time backend developer positions, the choice lies between direct hiring or collaborating with recruitment agencies. This decision is critical due to the nature of bringing on a valuable specialist for a substantial project permanently. The preferred method for sourcing sought-after back-end developers involves either conducting an independent search for the ideal candidate or delegating hiring responsibilities to back-end developers to established recruitment agencies.

In the vast and interconnected world of offshore hiring, knowledge is the linchpin that ensures your success. By embracing the "3C Compliance" framework and fully comprehending the dynamics of offshore development, you can set your projects on a path to success.