Last week, I had a chat with an employer who was frustrated because they felt that the remote developer they had hired was not aligning with the needs they wanted. The issue was not that they were not skilled, but the employer felt there was a disconnect between the tasks assigned and the delivery, and that they couldn’t communicate deliverables without having to use the difficult tech jargon.
The big question was, who between the remote developer and the employer was the problem? This is not a new thing to most non-tech employers who are leveraging tech experts to build the technology side of their business. Instead of placing blame on either of them, we shared our step-by-step guide on how to vet remote developers for long-term success, even for employers without a tech background. In this article, we share those steps, the importance of vetting when hiring remote developers, and the risks you may place our business in if you fail to properly vet new developers.
How To Vet Remote Developers: Your Step-By-Step Action Plan
Hiring remote developers is one of the hardest tasks for employers, especially those without a tech background. Vetting them, specifically, can prove difficult for employers due to the huge gap in technical knowledge and the tech language barrier. If you are one of those employers, here is a guide to help you.
Step 1: Have a clear definition of your requirements
Start by documenting the problem you are facing, what you need to achieve, what the result should look like, and your non-negotiables versus nice-to-haves. In addition, also indicate a realistic timeline and budget range.
It is also important to define your success metrics and how you will measure their effectiveness. For example, if you are looking for a remote web developer, you can make your expectations clear by stating, create a website that loads in under 3 seconds and allows customers to complete an order within 5 clicks instead of building a website.
Step 2: Invest in a quality recruitment system
The recruitment system you choose determines the quality of the candidates you choose. Choose the right hiring partners, such as Remote Raven, where you can gain high-quality candidates. In addition, craft a compelling job description that is clear on the project scope and objectives, outlines the required technical skills and experience level, outlines the communication and collaboration expectations for the role, and provides specific examples of the type of work involved.
Step 3: Start with pre-screening
Pre-screening saves you hours by filtering out incompatible candidates before detailed interviews. You can conduct this process by designing a questionnaire that will reveal both the technical competence and interpersonal skills of the candidate.
Some examples of questions you can ask include;
- Describe a recent project similar to ours and how you approached it
- How do you communicate progress and challenges to non-tech clients?
- What questions do you have about our project requirements?
- What is your typical development process from start to finish?
Also, when reviewing resumes and portfolios at the pre-screening stage, look beyond the visual appeal. Do their previous projects solve similar problems to yours? Can they explain their role in team projects clearly? Are there testimonials or case studies that demonstrate client satisfaction? Highlighting these questions helps identify quality candidates from the initial steps.
Step 4: Build a task-oriented assessment system
Writing on paper is one thing, but you need to see how candidates approach real work, similar to what they will be doing for your business. Create realistic test projects that mirror your actual needs and focus on a problem-solving approach, not just technical execution. When evaluating the assessment, pay attention to how candidates approach the test; how they ask questions, how they communicate progress and challenges, do they deliver on time as specified, and whether they can explain their decisions in terms you understand. Moreover, when conducting interviews, ensure that they are detailed and assess both technical capabilities and soft skills that matter for remote collaboration.
Step 5: Conduct a detailed onboarding process
Great vetting does not end with the confirmation letter. It extends to the first few weeks where you conduct onboarding. Create clear onboarding documentation that helps the remote developers understand your business by outlining your company overview and values, project specifications and requirements, communication tools and workflows, quality standards, and necessary tools and accounts. Also, establish a structured feedback loop that includes daily brief check-ins for the first week, weekly progress reviews, monthly strategic reviews, and open channels for questions and concerns.
Step 6: Maintain a continuous feedback loop
For long-term success, you need ongoing communication and relationship management between you and your employee. Periodic reviews that assess the quality of work delivered, communication effectiveness, adherence to timelines, and point out areas of improvement or additional training needs help foster a long-term partnership. Most importantly, open communication creates a healthy work environment where the remote developer can freely address issues before they become a crisis.
Essential Tips for Successful Remote Developer Vetting
Now that you have learnt how to vet remote developers for long-term success, here are some essential tips that will help you successfully vet them.
1. Automate your recruitment system
Invest in quality automated screening tools to handle the repetitive tasks. Some tools, such as applicant tracking systems, will help organize candidates, automate skill assessments for basic technical competency, calendar scheduling tools for interview coordination, and video interview platforms for interviews. You can also consider using specialized platforms that can evaluate technical skills, such as Codility for coding tests and technical interviews.
2. Focus on Communication Skills as much as Technical Ability
Since most communication is written with remote workers, it is important to assess the clarity and organization of written responses, the ability to explain technical concepts in business terms, responsiveness to messages, and professionalism in all written communications. It is also essential to pay attention to real-time communication to assess verbal communication skills, ability to think on their feet, and comfort with technology and remote tools. While technical skills are equally important, interpersonal skills will bridge the gap between the tech jargon and meeting business goals
3. Do not skip the reference check
Verifying previous work experience when hiring remote developers helps you ascertain whether the respective candidate meets the needs of your business. By conducting a reference check, you can verify the quality of work delivered, the remote developer’s reliability, their technical and soft skills competency, and how they handle challenges.
Red Flags to Watch for During the Vetting Process
During interviews and vetting, candidates may tend to exaggerate or overvalue responses to get the job. Here are some red flags that you should watch for;
- Poor Responsiveness: If a candidate takes days to respond during the hiring process, this likely reflects their communication style during work.
- Overly technical language: Candidates who cannot explain their work in simple terms may struggle to communicate effectively with non-technical stakeholders.
- Outdated skills: While not always disqualifying, a developer who has not updated their skills recently might struggle with modern requirements.
- Unrealistic Promises: Always be wary of developers who promise unusually fast delivery times or claim to be experts in every technology.
- Inability to explain previous work: If they cannot clearly explain their role in previous projects or showcase the actual results, they might not have done the work.
Importance Of Vetting Remote Developers
Why is the vetting process so important for your bottom line and business success? Here is why;
1. Helps identify and manage any risks
From time investment loss to team disruptions, vetting helps you manage the hidden costs of poor hiring decisions that prevent you from affecting how you present your business and the productivity of your team.
2. Saves time from rehiring and long onboarding periods
To fully onboard a developer, it might take you two to six months. When things don’t work out, you will end up starting from scratch while your project timeline and business suffer.
3. Creates a positive work environment
Vetting your remote developer ensures that their skills and values align with those in your business and creates a healthier and positive work environment. They understand what is expected of them, how to conduct themselves, and you also understand their strengths and weaknesses to help you know how to work with them.
Hire Vetted Remote Developers with Remote Raven
Vetting remote developers is not just about avoiding bad hires; it is about building the foundation for long-term business success. At Remote Raven, we understand the weight of vetting candidates before hiring them and the amount of time and energy it requires to vet and qualify them.
Once our hiring specialists understand your hiring needs, they conduct a thorough screening of candidates in our database and create vetting systems that ensure they perfectly match your development requirements. We not only pay attention to technical skills but also to their collaborative and remote work compatibility to ensure they serve your business goals.
Let us handle the difficult part while you focus on your business. Contact us today for a free consultation session.
