This is The Best Way to Decide if a Nearshore Developer Is Right for Your Team—Before You Hire Them Full-Time

Your company is growing—fast. You’re building software, updating web pages, seeking funding, and hiring an excellent team. But you need more skilled programmers and you need them yesterday. What to do? One option is to explore hiring nearshore programers to join your team on a contract basis. But how do you find, assess, and hire a nearshore programmer or developer without having a chance to meet them in person and run them through your company’s usual process for hiring a full-time employee? Here’s our guide for how to do so, and how to do it right.

Start with the personal

Even though a nearshore programmer isn’t physically in your office, they’re still a part of your team. They’ll be in meetings, chipping in, and adding their voice to the projects they’re assigned to tackle. This means you’ll want them to be people you get along with and people who get along on your team. So ask them questions that will get to the bottom of who they are, how they’re used to working, and who they’ll be when they join.

→ Are they comfortable speaking English? Will they follow the type of English spoken in your office (including slang, sarcasm, and LOLs)?

→ Are they adept at using Slack or Email, Asana, or other project management systems?

Then move to the technical

A superlative developer needs to know the languages they use backward and forwards. So don’t hesitate to ask them to explain what they’re doing and what they’ve done. If you don’t have expertise in their field of experience, invite someone who does to join the talk. Better to find out now if the person “knows their stuff” before they’re knee-deep in your code. (If they’re anything like the nearshore programmers at Jobsity, once you start asking questions about their coding passions, it’ll be tough to get them to stop talking!)

→ Do they have experience tackling the kinds of projects you’re proposing? If so, can they share those similar projects with you?

→ Are they up-to-date on the technology you will need them to employ? And how do they continue to engage in professional growth and development?

Then get mechanical

There are a number of methodologies used to take programming projects from the whiteboard to the motherboard: you know what’s used on your team, and you know what isn’t. Find out what methodologies they’re familiar with, and what they prefer. Find out what they’ve done, what they avoid, and why. Get mechanical, and get granular. This way, you’ll have a better sense of how they’ll integrate into the creative flow of your team from day one. 

→ Do they prefer agile workflow? Or do they prefer lean methodologies? How and why?

→ What project management training have they had if any? What great success can they point to, and how have they learned from their mistakes?

Find out what makes them special

According to our mothers, we are all unique. But according to the CEO of their nearshore firm, something else might define their work as special. Ask. Find out what sets their group apart so you can decide if that’s the special sauce you’re looking for. At Jobsity, for instance, we prioritize professional development and deep learning and ensure all our nearshore programmers eat, breathe, and enjoy an American working culture. We feel that makes us unique. It’s a question we hope you’ll ask!

→ What sets this nearshore programmer apart from the rest? What is their strongest asset add? And why?

→ Who do they see as their idol/hero/mentor? And what about this person or organization makes them worthy of such admiration?

Get started—the best test is in the work!

Let’s be honest: there’s only so much you can learn in a formal conversation. If they check all the boxes above, consider hiring your nearshore programmer for a set of small, short-term projects. This way you’ll get to see how they work and get a feeling for what their skill, style, and perspective will really add to your team. If it works out, great! They’re already onboarded. And if not, the harm won’t be severe, because it was only a date and not a marriage.

Though if you’re interested in members of the Jobsity team, we won’t lie: we are quite a catch!

If your company is ready to enjoy the benefits of expert nearshore developers writing in PHP, there is a Jobsity distributed nearshore team ready to help you discuss your options. Contact us if you’d like to talk.