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A Guide To Vetting Remote Software Developers

Nearshore software development has an extremely bright future, with the sectors of IoT, AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, cloud services, and Metaverse development soon becoming the most popular ones. As outsourcing becomes more and more popular, the demand for software developers keeps growing.

The good news is that thousands of nearshore developers are ready to work. Though the bad news is how difficult vetting remote software developers can be for companies with no experience in the subject.

To help North American companies hire remote developers, we have compiled a list of efficient vetting tips. Keep reading to learn how to vet remote developers!

How To Vet Remote Software Developers

Ask if they have previous remote work experience.

Vetting remote software developers should always start with an analysis of their soft skills, especially those related to remote work environments. For this reason, it’s important to ask developers if they have experience working any type of remote job.

Previous remote work experience will help a developer adapt to your company’s work culture and virtual work routine more quickly.

Test their character through multiple individuals.

It’s not enough for a developer to be interviewed by a single member of your team unless they arrived at the hiring process as a referral.

The ideal interviewing process would have candidates meet at least two different individuals who can assess their personality, motivations, and background pertinent to the role.

Ask for references, and actually go through them.

To properly start vetting remote software developers you need to start paying closer attention to their past work performances.

Many professionals now include two or three professional references on their resumes. But, if this isn’t the case with some of your candidates, you can always ask for them at any point in the process.

Once you have the references, you need to actually check them. This means contacting the person the candidate has listed and asking the right questions.

Analyze their English-speaking and coding skills.

Communication is just as important as coding when it comes to nearshore software development and remote work. That’s why you need to put both the candidate’s coding and English-speaking abilities to the test during the process.

This could be done in different ways, through traditional interviews, live assessments, or specific tasks. Just make sure you understand where each candidate stands in terms of language and programming capabilities and if they could escalate these abilities over time.

You can always use various software development KPIs later to assess their performance and track their progress.

Run a quick background check.

General background checks are never a bad idea when vetting remote software developers. They’re just an additional way to make sure all hiring candidates are suited to join your organization.

These background checks might include criminal history, motor violations, misrepresentation of education or work experience, etc.

You can try going through all the information yourself, work with a background check service, or consider staff augmentation services.

Consider their expertise in other industries.

While it’s essential to see if the candidates have experience in development-adjacent sectors, like VR, blockchain, AI, or XR – and all of these markets will reach high levels of profitability this year, as seen with the AI sector predicted to reach $190.61 globally by Markets and Markets – versatility is also a solid soft skill.

If you’re wondering how to vet remote software developers, appreciating their expertise in different industries will surely get you on the right path.

Consider their pasión for different areas than software development and ask them why it’s so special about the role to make them choose it over other opportunities, even beyond the tech industry.

Need help vetting nearshore developers?

At Next Idea Tech, we understand the need for highly-skilled developers with availability to take on exciting new development projects. We also understand the importance of properly vetting remote software developers before extending them an offer.

That’s why we created our signature NIT vetting process, specifically designed to help companies find nearshore developers. Contact us today to learn more about how to vet remote software developers through our staff augmentation services!

Sol Dieguez

Sol Natalia Dieguez is an Argentinian writer born in Buenos Aires. Her love for writing flourished from a young age, just as did her passion for the English language. She is currently in her senior year of the Bachelor of Arts in Media and Entertainment Management and works as a copywriter. You can always trust to find her amidst carefully crafted words, whether they come from a technical article, a poem, a blog post, or a short story.