How To Assemble a Super Team of Remote Developers

Remote teams are here to stay, and forward-thinking industry leaders are leveraging the power of remote work to build their developer dream teams. It’s now possible to bring together the best tech talent from across the globe to bring your projects to life. But with so much talent to choose from, how do you find remote developers that perfectly match the work you have in mind?

You’ve already put together your list of technical must-haves — the proficiencies and programming languages your developers will need to have mastered, but that doesn’t narrow the list enough. To help you cut through the clutter of candidates and assemble your rockstar team of remote developers, here are your top considerations.

Start with the cream of the crop

If hiring an ace team of remote developers is on your to-do list, it may seem more cost-effective to choose developers from popular generic freelance platforms like Upwork, and it’s certainly possible to recruit experienced and talented programmers there. But scrolling through lists of unvetted developers looking for the right fit can feel like crossing your fingers hoping for a winning lottery ticket.

Instead, tip the odds in your favor by targeting platforms that do the legwork of pre-vetting your candidates. Yes, there’s a higher cost up-front, but business owners and recruiters point to the substantial time and effort saved.

Pre-vetting streamlines the selection process and saves you the headache of worrying if your candidates have actually mastered their proficiencies. That means you can hire remote developers with confidence.

Then, for maximum peace of mind, confirm that the talent platform you choose offers a trial period, so you have the opportunity to test whether you’ve found the right fit. Know what your options are in case your chosen candidates don’t quite meet expectations.

Hire Remote Developers With A PhD in Collaboration…

When sorting through your candidates, assess their previous experience with remote work, especially collaborating with teams they’ve never met in person. Why? The best remote developers understand that remote collaboration is a complex skill set in its own right.

To set your project up for success, don’t assume that any talented developer who comes highly recommended will be able to fit smoothly into your team. Instead, assess their experience and competence with popular remote collaboration tools like:

• Asana: The popular workflow management and project organization app to keep teams on track.
• Jira: Originally designed as a ticketing system to track bugs, it now supports agile project management.
• Trello: A visual project management and workflow tool, best suited for smaller teams and projects.
• BaseCamp: An online project management software which facilitates real-time collaboration, allowing teams to track tasks, files, and deadlines.
• Slack: The reigning business messaging app that streamlines remote work communications and makes collaboration a cinch.
• Github: This almost goes without saying, as more than 91% of developers use this cloud-based Git repository to some extent, whether personally or professionally.
• Bitbucket: A cloud-based code repository and team collaboration tool with Jira and Trello integrations.
• Loom: To record quick and easy screen share explainer videos and replace unnecessary meetings.
• Screenhero: A screen-sharing tool developed with remote developers in mind to streamline virtual teamwork.

Consider working your preferred remote collaboration tools into a mini project during your interview process to see how quickly your candidates catch on.

…And a Master’s in Communication

Don’t forget to assess the ‘soft’ communication skills that pave the way for rock-solid teamwork among remote developers. It’s true that this is easier said than done, but here are a few ways to do it:

• Ask about missteps. Have your candidates describe a time when they encountered a miscommunication that impacted their project, and what steps they took to course correct.

• Ask about disagreements. Have your candidates tell you about a time they disagreed with their team on an important aspect of a project and how they handled the challenge.

• Ask about qualities. What traits, skills, beliefs, and mindsets do they believe are necessary for successful teamwork?

Scope Out Your Remote Developers’ Workflow and Workload Management Style

It’s easy to assume the developers you hire will share your workflow style, and this can cause unnecessary friction later on as deadlines loom and challenges appear.  Be prepared to ask up front about your developer’s preferred working hours and meeting availability.

Note that having daytime availability won’t matter equally for all businesses (depending on the industry and nature of the project), but it’s important to at least think this through ahead of time.

Another hallmark of pro remote developers is the ability to self-direct without needing to be micromanaged. They track their time carefully and pace their work evenly to meet deadlines, instead of scrambling to do it all at the last minute.

They also aren’t afraid of being honest in communicating when their workload needs to be re-assessed. Ask your candidates about a time they proactively communicated that some of their work needed to be redistributed.

With these questions and considerations in hand, you’re well on your way to your dream team of remote developers.