With the economy going global and continuously evolving technology, most companies are finding it extremely challenging to develop a comprehensive software solution with the help of their in-house professionals. In the competitive landscape, they have to maintain operational efficiency, enhance customer service, and introduce new products in the market.
The sole answer to all the challenges is to take help from a reliable software outsourcing partner. It simply means that you should hire the best offshore developers to keep up with the growing demands as well as the expectations of the industry.
By recruiting a reliable offshore remote development team, you are not only saving on cost but also improving the development process. Moreover, you can direct your focus towards your core competencies, and build your offshore development center – that is a value-driven extension of your business.
Would you like to hire offshore developers that are best in business? Not sure how to retain and set up a team of dedicated offshore developers? This article is for you - Guide to Hire Offshore Developers.
Factors to Hire the Best Offshore Developers;
- Gathering the Requirements
- Choosing Between Freelancers and Agencies
- Review portfolio
- Conduct a Thorough Research on Potential Team
- Interview Process
- Technical test
- Look for cultural compatibility
- Shortlist companies
1. Gathering the Requirements
Searching for overseas programmers is a challenging task. But to make this process easy, it’s best to be clear about your project requirements as well as how this project can help you accomplish your business objectives.
Another important point is that there are numerous outsourcing hubs around the globe. So, your prior objective must be to choose one country where you can hire the best offshore developers at affordable rates.
Once you have jotted down all the details, it’s time to post a job on different portals. Or another way is to look out for offshore development companies on AppFutura, Clutch, GoodFirms, LinkedIn, etc.
2. Choosing Between Freelancers and Agencies
It takes a good amount of time to find the right developer when you have to pick them from a global market. Though, here’s another decision that you have to make before you start reviewing the companies;
Rather than relying on a freelancer, it is recommended that you choose a good offshore development firm. It will give you an upper hand that your team will be working from the office thereby, maintaining the discipline to deliver the work on time.
Another advantage is that you will get a team of dedicated offshore developers having years of expertise in that multiple technologies. Which itself comes with a benefit that your team will know how to handle the unforeseen challenges that may arise during the development process.
3. Review the Portfolio
Have an overview of the projects that the company has successfully completed. There are some companies that may have delivered a long list of projects using a number of languages and platforms. Ask the company’s CTO or concerned person, what tools they have used, collaborative approaches followed, and technology stack.
Also, ask them:
- How do they take feedback?
- Have they completed a project that is the same as yours?
- Were there any unsuccessful projects?
- If possible, have a word with their clients and take recommendations from them.
Note: It is advised not to take the help of start-ups for complex projects as they won’t know how to tackle issues and situations whenever they occur.
4. Conduct a Thorough Research on Potential Teams
The first impression is undoubtedly very important, but you shouldn’t completely rely on it. You have to build a realistic picture of the outsourcing team. It has already been proven that portfolios, sample tests, and structured interviews are more effective while becoming a partner with an offshore development company.
Don’t worry, there is no need to include all the methods in the hiring process. But you should definitely invest your time to find the best offshore developers and evaluate their expertise.
5. Interview Process
If you feel that the company is reliable, move ahead by conducting first a telephonic, and then video call interview. This may take place in several stages, inclusive of emailing and online communication with a group of technical specialists.
Ask them different questions about the development process, the number of members that will be assigned in the team, their technical expertise, etc. It is better to discuss and raise questions before hiring offshore developers than regretting later.
So, get ready beforehand. Prepare a brief list of points. Check out these suggestions to interview & evaluate the talent of your remote developers.
6. Technical Test
The ability to write efficient code is the most significant factor to consider. There are plenty of online coding test platforms like HackerEarth, Codility, Talview, etc. that can be used.
The technical test that will require the company’s developers to code in real-time. In short, it will be a direct evaluation of their knowledge. By knowing how they approach an issue, deal with roadblocks, and document their code will help you analyze their skillset.
7. Look For Cultural Compatibility
There are certain core values, goals, and practices that define your organization. An ideal offshore company will align itself with your company’s work ethics in no time.
Ignoring cultural incompatibilities may lead to a meticulous hiring process. Therefore, hire developers that are willing to invest their time and effort in the vision of your company.
8. Shortlist Companies
Every interview helps in weeding the maximum amount of companies. Accordingly, create some parameters that will help you weed out the companies that may not fit best for your project requirements. These parameters may be:
- Expertise in the required technology.
- Prior experience working on similar projects.
- Communication, hardware, and software.
- Work approach and methodology.
- Time and cost required to complete the project.
- Post-development support.
Take Your Time to Choose the Best
Undertaking a due diligence period before choosing the services of an offshore development center is one of the most important things.
What to look for when hiring developers from an offshore team?
- Portfolio of previously completed projects.
- Strong testimonials and client reviews.
- A clear understanding of modern technologies and methodologies.
- A clear organizational image, key individuals, and comprehensive structure.
- The ability to scale and overcome bottlenecks.
- A coherent approach to security and error reporting.
No one wants to lose out a team of the best offshore developers because of unforeseen delays. If you feel you have found the diamond, don’t hesitate to hire mobile app developers and work collaboratively to create a perfect solution for your business.
What Should your Comprehensive Offshore Development Team Comprise of?
Most offshore development companies have a solid and reliable team structure. So, before moving ahead, it is important to understand the structure of offshore development team and how it works.
1. Project Manager:
The Project manager is the one who will manage your project altogether. They are your conduit to the rest of the team, ensuring that the project is organized and remains on track. Another responsibility of the project manager is to assign tasks, allocate resources, set short term goals, overcome issues, and ensure a smooth workflow.
2. Front-End Team Lead & Developers:
The front-end team lead will be responsible for managing the front end developers who focus on implementing the visual aspects of software applications. Backed by back end developers, this team brings the project to life by adding beautiful graphics, user-friendly interface, and experience.
3. Back-End Team Lead & Developers:
The back-end team lead will be responsible for back end developers, overseeing their work & integrating it with the front end development. Working on the server-side aspects of the project, this team will help you manage every single detail of your website or mobile app, from an easy-to-use dashboard.
4. DevOps:
DevOps is a combination of development and operations. The DevOps head will be responsible for bridging the process between software development and its operation. This is done to make sure that the software can be built, tested, and launched reliably. A good engineer can help you in solving critical problems and manage unforeseen demands.
5. Quality Analyst:
The software testing team defines and oversees the quality specifications and standards after assessing your company’s requirements. They coordinate with the project managers and developers so that every software release is tested and bug-free.
Offshore developers are good for your company only when you are clear about your objectives. Before collaborating with any partner review all the terms and conditions of cooperating with the remote team & consider all the risks and methods to avoid them.
Retaining Strategies for Offshore Development Team
1. Open Communication is the Key
Help your in-house and offshore development team to stay updated with the ongoing changes and objectives.
- Work according to the roadmap: Creating a product roadmap gives you an overview of the requirements to achieve the product vision. Making the roadmap flexible is important as the deadlines and functionality will keep varying depending upon the speed of the development process, and various other factors.
- Ask them to conduct regular demos: a Demo is usually held at the end of each iteration. Thoroughly use the demo and share your feedback accordingly.
2. Be Careful While Negotiating
It is likely that you are on a budget. So, while signing the contract, make sure you and your virtual team both feel that the deal is worth it.
If your offshore developers feel that they have moved miles ahead in order to give you a discount, there is a possibility that you may have to compromise on quality standards.
Figure out what can be paid in advance. Whenever there is a contract, the payment schedules vary from company to company. If you aren’t sure about the expense of hiring mobile app developers for a particular period of time, it’s time to use an outsourcing cost calculator and find out how much you can save by outsourcing IT services.
Don’t trust cheap & costly offshore rates, look for someone who understands the value of your business.
3. Respect the Reality
Understanding your offshore developer’s abilities is very important. From the point where you ask them to commit to KPIs and schedule the delivery, make sure you are not overburdening the team members.
High productivity is achieved only when you don’t micromanage. Likewise, levels of restitution can set for failing to meet the targets. Giving positive feedback and appreciating the remote development team for their work helps in boosting their morale and performance.
4. Appreciation Makes a Difference
A good relationship nurtures when you encourage good performance. This can be related to tasks, targets, or outcomes. If you have decided to achieve the best, it is important that you communicate everything with the team effectively.
5. Take & Give Recommendations
Developer retention and satisfaction are two sides of the same coin. Don’t assume that the team you are working with likes your dominating nature. However, the reality may be completely opposite. This is the reason proper communication is very important.
It is always good to establish a transparent line of communication with your outsourcing company. Don’t let the team feel isolated or ignore their suggestions. If you do so, there’ a chance that the end product may not be able to compete in the marketplace. Always make an effort to practice an open door policy.
High attrition may destroy the value of outsourcing. As a result, you may lose talent, incur significant expenses and will be caught up in the never-ending loop of hiring developers who are mostly inefficient.
6. Don’t Make The Cheapshoring Mistake
You may be getting LinkedIn or other job portal messages on a regular basis from different offshore development companies who are willing to give you developers for $8-$10 an hour. Although it may sound really tempting but doesn’t make the mistake of hiring them.
Because there’s a possibility that you may be working with junior developers and this may lead to project failure.
You need the right mix of the product engineering team to work on your project. This further includes senior developers, designers, project managers, and quality analysts. Rest, you will get what you pay for.
Share the Points with Pictures And Videos
Successful development is all about communication. Nothing works better than a screenshot or video. Whenever possible, take screenshots and doodle on it. This will help the team instantly visualize and clearly understand what you are actually talking about.
Another good option to do the same thing is with the help of a video. You can effortlessly record a real quick video and instantly send it to your team.
Give the Offshore Company a Reason To Work for You
In the competition-driven world, there are many companies that are willing to collaborate with the best offshore team and stay on the top. Therefore, have a friendly relationship with the team and provide them an environment where they can openly give their suggestions. Respect their culture and get in sync with their work ethics as well.
Finally
The beauty of working the best offshore developers is that it opens the entire world of possibilities. As you are not restricted by the geographical location, and you don’t have to compete with competitors over the dwindling pool of local developers.
Well-skilled top offshore developers in India ensure faster, cost-effective, and quality development. So, put the effort into creating a positive and interesting atmosphere while giving the virtual team some energy to go that extra mile.
Just like a relationship, it takes time, effort, and has to work from both the ends. A good partner with trust, independence, and right oversight without over micromanagement will be able to deliver the best always giving you an edge over your competitors.
So, are you ready to scale up your offshore software development team?
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