Hiring developers

For many managers, remote software teams are deemed undesirable because of the manager’s inability to physically supervise them, ensuring that they’re staying on schedule and completing tasks in a timely manner.

This concern can deter companies from hiring remotely, which is a shame due to all the benefits that come with employing remote workers- such as increased productivity and innovation, as well as decreased costs.

Luckily, in this article, we’re going to explore some methods as to how to keep your remote software team on schedule.

1. Make sure that remote software teams have both a passion for the project, as well as the necessary skills to successfully complete it.
   

   During the hiring process, look for candidates with an obvious interest in the project that you’d potentially be hiring them to work on. After all, it’s no secret that an employee will be more dedicated to a project that they are passionate about.
   Additionally, test during the hiring process that the employee possesses the skills that they need to complete the project to your standards. A skilled employee is less likely to get caught up in obstacles than one who is less proficient.

2. Make sure that you are aware of potential problems and how they may occur.
   

   As a manager, being prepared for a disaster and knowing what to do in the event that it happens, is the best way to keep a team moving forward. When assigning a project to a remote employee, do your research first and have a plan in place in the event of the worst case scenario. This will ensure that if the problem pops up, you’ll be able to fix it quickly, while keeping the employee on schedule to complete the project.

3. Have regular check-ins so you know whether or not your remote software teams are on schedule.
   

   It’s difficult to feel as though you’re maintaining control over an employee when they aren’t with you in the office. Fortunately, with tools such as Skype, Google Hangouts, and Slack, it’s extremely easy to periodically check-in with remote workers. Check-in using video chat or simply a text chat. Ask the employee what they’ve completed, what they’re currently working on, and what they have left on their agenda for the day. If anything seems like it’s taking longer than it should or you think that another part of the process needs to be prioritized, don’t hesitate to voice your concerns. Open communication is the biggest key to success when it comes to managing remote workers.

4. Assign deliverables to be completed in small chunks so that you have insight into how the project is going.
   

   Break the overall project into small parts and assign due dates for each section. This way, you can see each part of the puzzle as it’s completed, giving you an early look as to how everything is going to fit together to form the final product.
   Doing this will also allow you to catch any potential mistakes early on in development, saving everyone the headache of having to make corrections down the road.

5. Assign buddies to your workers in remote software teams.
   

   Assigning buddies to remote employees is a great way to keep them on track. Additionally, by putting two minds together to complete a project, you’ll double their chances of success.
   Buddies can be local employees or another remote employee- whichever you’d prefer. Either way, assigning pairs when it comes to remote work is an amazing way to increase productivity, problem-solving ability, and more.

6. Have a defined “problem escalation” process, which remote software teams can use.
   

   Similar to our point in #2, acknowledging potential problems and deciding how to solve them before they happen, is a great strategy when it comes to keeping employees from drifting off course. Nothing causes a project to be set back like the unearthing of massive problem, late in the game.
   While you, as a manager, should be aware of potential problems and methods for solving them, you should also make your remote employees aware of the problems and solutions. This way, if everything goes wrong, you’ll know that both you and your remote worker understand what went wrong and how to go about fixing it.

7. Have a plan for securing additional resources, in the event of a problem.
   

   Should a problem arise, be sure that you have members of your local team on standby to help your remote employees out. When it comes to a crisis, you should have an “all hands on deck” policy, so that your remote worker doesn’t feel as though they’re an abandoned, sinking ship.

8. Build in extra time and resources.
   

   If a project must absolutely be completed by a specific date, then be sure to start it early, setting the initial “due date” for weeks (or even months) before it is necessary to have it finalized. Additionally, take on the expense of being prepared by having extra resources available to employees while they work on the project.
   Extra time and resources may seem unnecessary at the start of a project, however, you and your employees will be grateful for the cushion, should a problem occur.

Once again, when it comes to a project being completed by remote employees, knowing how to dodge and fix problems before it’s a necessity, is crucial to keeping remote workers on schedule.

A remote worker that winds up off-schedule wastes company time and money, potentially even throwing off the launch of a new product.

To get the most value out of your remote employees, you’ll need to adjust your management styles to allow for as little error as possible.

Getting the most out of remote workers starts with the people that you hire. At Turing, we thoroughly pre-vet our remote software engineers, requiring them go through multiple rounds of interviews, testing, and background checks. After that, we only accept the top 1% of applicants into our database, guaranteeing that our customers are matched to the highest quality remote workers.

Visit our website to start building your remote team with Turing.

Once you’ve decided to hire remote workers, finding the right candidate is half the battle. The best way to go about this is to adopt a “pull approach”, instead of a “push approach”. This means attracting the best candidates to you, as opposed to going out and scouting for workers.

Here are a few great ways to do just that:

1. Sell Vision, Not Just Tasks to your Remote Workers
   

   You’re telling a story; you’re selling dreams; you’re putting your vision out there to inspire millions of people. Do not advertise your jobs as a mundane task-list, so to speak. Sell the vision- really, sell it. Talk about how the position can enhance the life of a remote worker, as well as the skills they’ll be using and learning. There is neither a shortage of talent nor of companies so it’s very important to make yourself stand out if you want to work with the best talent.

2. Communication
   

   Communicate to your candidates how you will be working together, what your management process is like and what working at your company is like. Your language and grammar should make them want to be a part of the team. This isn’t about showmanship either- actually believe in and bring to life the picture that you paint. Satisfy your teams. Remember, too, that word of mouth spreads like wildfire.

3. Benefits
   

   Add benefits for your freelancers. This can be along the lines of a monetary benefit or a free laptop. Small investments set you apart from the vast majority of companies recruiting remote workers. Most firms don’t offer any benefits to their remote workers, because their motive is to save as much money as possible. However, spending a few hundred dollars here and there on your remote employees will immediately make your company more appealing, as well as increase retention rates.

Half of the work when it comes to the process of hiring remote employees is finding the right candidates in a stack of applications. By drawing numerous qualified individuals to you, you will never be short of options, allowing you to hire the absolute best, in terms of talent.

The world is your oyster. If you’re a recruiter or manager, do not limit yourself to within the confines of narrow domestic walls and borders—look everywhere! Obviously, the global talent pool is significantly larger than that of any one state or nation; however, with so many people, it can get a little tricky to find your ideal candidate. Here’s a list of five techniques that you can implement to hire and retain the best remote software developers from around the world:

1. Take the road less travelled
   

   Make sure that you’re looking for talent in the right markets. You may be tempted to seek out candidates from big cities and countries- India, for example. However, it’s important to note that you’d be competing with multiple, large companies for talent in popular locations. Google, Microsoft, Facebook- all of these tech giants recruit heavily from countries like India and China.
   If you want to find the right talent and spare yourself a battle against bigger companies, you’d be better off looking for employees in less popular locations. At Turing, for example, we recruit extensively from Eastern European and South American markets, which aren’t the first places that come to mind when you’re thinking about hiring abroad. Due to this, we’re easily able to get great talent at a fraction of the cost. As a result, we’ve seen both our productivity and efficiency increase.
   So, if you want to find great talent around the world, you must be innovative and willing to take the road less travelled.

2. Want to hire remote software developers? Ask around for referrals
   

   Birds of a feather flock together. According to a recent LinkedIn report, nearly 50% of businesses in the US get quality hires through employee referrals – so, ask around. If you have remote workers already, see if they know of any eligible candidates that would like to work for you. Incentivize this process (monetary benefits work very well) and you’ve got yourself a solid plan to find quality talent from anywhere in the world.

3. Pull vs. Push
   

   Exercise a “pull” appeal over a “push” appeal. This means that you’re drawing potential clients and employees to you, rather than going out of your way to find them.
   The best way to do this is to establish your company as a place that people all over the globe are attracted to and want to work for. Highlight your global talent and inclusion; express how your business will change the world; and elaborate upon the global reach of your operation.
   In essence: create your brand. If you’re able to position yourself as an employee-centric company that provides a plethora of benefits to its workers and actively brings on global talent, then you’re far more likely to attract amazing employees.

4. Remote software developers will prefer diverse work
   

   Nothing acts as a better incentive than the promise of performing exciting and diverse tasks. Make sure to involve your employees (local or global) in tasks that are engaging and exciting.
   Many roles involve a heavy amount of grind work, a.k.a. repetitive, monotonous tasks from 9 to 5. However, even in such roles there is always a way to make things exciting. Make it a point to involve your global employees in interesting and different projects, giving them the chance to grow. A healthy work environment will make for happy employees, which, in turn, will inspire positive word of mouth.

5. Post in niche communities to find the best remote software developers
   

   

   Post in niche communities

   
   
   There are three key steps to finding great talent: network, network, and network.
   In a 2017 report, conducted by LinkedIn, 95% of companies (surveyed in regards to their recruiting trends) stated that they’ve successfully hired from LinkedIn, while 24% pointed towards Facebook and 16% used Twitter. This just proves that you should be using social media platforms to your advantage. After all, thanks to the internet, the world is (quite literally) at your fingertips. That being said, be aware that different countries use different social media platforms so depending on which country you’re targeting, you may have to use a unique platform to post jobs. Make sure that you’ve done your research and are educated on how the country virtually functions.
   Additionally, be sure that you’re attending local and international conferences, as they make for great networking events. The further that you expand your circle of connections, the more likely you are to come across great talent.

Hiring talent beyond national and state borders means a larger talent pool, allowing you to connect with (and potentially hire) more talented workers, at a lower cost, than your competition.

The key to hiring globally is to look beyond the obvious markets, utilize social media and networking platforms, leverage your employees’ connections with a referral program, and position yourself as a company of choice for people all over the world. In no time, you will find your company full of international talent.

When it comes to hiring remote workers, looking only at knowledge, skills, and experience is simply not enough.

Regular hires will be in the office alongside you, day after day, giving you the opportunity to get to know them, supervise them, and directly communicate with them. When it comes to an employee working remotely, there will be a bit of a natural disconnect. Due to this, personality traits are just as important (if not more important) than basic qualifications as your company is deciding who to hire.

The following is a list of personality traits to lookout for while sifting through applicants:

1. They’re a self-starters.
   

   Working remotely requires a great deal of self-discipline. You want to be sure that the worker you hire is independent and able to complete tasks in an organized, timely manner, without you having to constantly check up on them.
   In order to find the applicants who possess this trait, look for prospects who have worked remotely in the past. Be sure to check their references and look at work samples.

2. Remote workers follow through.
   

   Make sure that potential hires are able to both start and finish projects in an efficient and professional manner. A good way to test this is by giving potential candidates a trial assignment or small project. This will allow you to gauge everything from their work ethic to skill level.

3. Your remote workers are organized.
   

   Organization is key for a remote worker to be successful in their position and keep themselves on task, outside of an office setting. It’s a bit more difficult to really see who excels at organization and who doesn’t, but trial assignments, reference checks, and a Skype interview may give you a decent idea.

4. Your remote workers are able to communicate effectively.
   

   

   Remote workers are able to communicate properly

   You need a remote worker who can communicate with you as effectively as possible. This can be a difficult task from miles and miles away, but communication is necessary to the success of the employee. Pay close attention to their communication skills during the interview process. Be sure that their messages are well-written and to the point, that you speak (and understand) the same language, and that they’re open to speaking over the phone or video chat throughout the day, as necessary.

5. They have the ability to handle criticism.
   

   There may come a time where you may need to correct your remote worker. If they don’t handle criticisms with grace, then that could potentially cause serious problems over the course of their employment. Find someone who is positive and excited to learn and grow. To find these applicants in the stack, give some constructive criticism to the candidate during their trial assignment. How they react to it (check facial expressions, word choice, etc.), will tell you all you need to know.

Remote workers are the future of industry. While hiring someone to work outside of the office may seem like a strange and problematic concept, problems with remote employees can easily be avoided if you hire the right people.

If possible, try to hire through a website like Turing. Turing focuses on finding job placements for remote software engineers and only takes the top 1% of applicants. This means that every remote worker we match with a company, is guaranteed to be the best in terms of quality and performance.

How do I hire a remote software engineer? If your company is looking to hire remote engineers for the first time, you may have a lot of questions about how to go about starting the process. If you’re searching for a beginner’s guide on where and how to begin locating the field’s best remote talent, then look no further.

Here are 5 tips to help you hire the best remote engineering teams:

1. Similar working style when hiring remote engineers
   

   Hiring remote workers is a lot like entering a relationship. You’re a certain person; they’re a certain person. For things to work out, you have to have enough in common that you’re able to gel together.
   Here’s an example: You’re a manager that prefers video calling over e-mail. You work with remote teams and video calling allows for a more personal conversation, which is very important to you. Ergo, it is imperative that the remote workers you employ are comfortable with using video chat technology as a means of communication.
   It is important that your ideals and the ideals of your remote team mesh, especially since you will not have the opportunity to see them every day around the office in order to establish a working relationship.

2. Quality above all else
   

   Half the challenges of working with a remote team can be solved if you work with high-quality, talented engineers. The best engineers are 800% more productive than average engineers—go for the best.
   As intuitive as this seems, it’s something a lot of companies overlook. As much as possible, do not settle; always intend to get the best resources for your company—quality above all else.

3. “You say good morning when it’s good night”
   

   A large part of working together is communication. Due to the simple fact that solid and frequent communication is difficult across time-zones, working with remote engineers, based in a similar time-zone as your company, will make everyone’s lives easier.
   Of course, each company is unique, and you may have different priorities, but looking for persons in your time-zone is ideal. For example, at Turing we’ve implemented a sophisticated machine learning system that pairs you with an engineer that works best with your specific situation. Since the system is intelligent, it adapts to your dynamic and ever-changing needs without any difficulty.
   (Read more about our machine learning system here.)

4. Hiring remote engineers? Don’t follow the masses.
   

   A Yoda-esque statement, perhaps: Look not where others are, but where they are not.
   For example, if a big company—Google, let’s say—has lots of offices in India, then you’re better off not looking for developers there because you’ll be competing with them for remote engineers. While engineers from India may be a solid option depending on what your company’s needs are, any situation that involves you competing with Google is going to be a battle that you probably won’t win.
   When searching for remote talent in the field of engineering, it’s best if you can find a market that’s not as saturated and look for workers there. Counter trends; think and look strategically.

5. Hire pre-vetted remote engineers
   

   If you’re a hiring manager looking to hire remote engineers, one question that will come to your mind is: Are these remote engineers reliable and credible enough to work with?

   You will have to ensure that whoever you hire is trustworthy, experienced, and can fit right into your company’s culture. You will have to grow through various rounds of interviews, do a background check, and spend a lot of time screening the candidates for the right person to hire.

   Or, you can go for the pre-vetted remote engineers. What does a pre-vetted engineer mean? It means that the remote engineer has been screened and has passed various rounds of interviews and tests that have been carefully designed to select the right candidate.

Summary

Hiring remote engineers is not an easy job. But, as the talent shifts to a boundaryless landscape, you’ll have to adapt to the new working environment sooner or later. Ensure that you hire the right people that are trustworthy and experienced. It’s also important to find engineers that align with your company’s values and ethics. A boundaryless landscape will also mean that your team will be working through different time zones. You will have to ensure that a seamless process is in place to ensure smooth operations across the teams.

Turing is the first talent cloud platform that hires remote engineers and developers from across the globe. With the carefully designed AI and machine learning, Turing provides you with the top 1% of 3 million+ pre-vetted, experienced professionals. Turing’s selection process is rigorous to ensure that you get to hire the best! 

At the end of the day, it is important that you hire remote engineers who are trustworthy, experienced, and fit easily in your company’s culture. With Turing, you can hire such professionals with just a click of a button.