How To Test And Hire Remote Software Engineer Right

IT industry hugely relies on outsourcing of the services. There are many reasons why a company decides to hire a remote software engineer, such as:

• Access to a wider talent pool. It is not always easy to find a software engineer specializing in the technology you need for your project nearby. But it is quite possible to hire highly experienced professionals outside the country.
• Financial reasons. Software engineer salary and hiring costs depend on the country. It is not a secret that hiring a developer in the USA or the UK is much more expensive than finding a Ukraine specialist, for example.
• Increased productivity. Big companies choose to have more teams working on various projects or products to release them and ensure fast development quickly.
• In the current days, remote work is already the norm. It adds flexibility and agility to any business.

Outsourcing is so common that the global market size for IT services has reached $92.5 billion.

A software engineer can tackle any project in the scope of his experience and expertise, whether you are interested in the app and mobile web development, IoT programming, or virtual reality.

He is responsible for software programming, testing, and validation methods. He works closely both with clients and different teams and coordinates the development process of a project.

Why it is important to test Remote Software Engineers?

When looking for a dedicated engineer, it is essential to make sure the specialist has the project’s skills. Of course, it includes his technical knowledge and experience on other projects and communication skills, and the ability to work remotely.

The essential part of it is to have clear requirements or a remote work software engineer position. The technical requirements might be:

• University degree in Computer science;
• Experience with technologies and coding languages;
• Suitable certification;
• Experience at similar projects.

The best way to make sure that the remote software engineer jobs are suitable for the project is to run several screens, including the technical ones. It is a part of the hiring process where the specialist established their practical skills and knowledge.

After all, you probably won’t have the opportunity to meet in person, so there should be a test and practical task given to an applicant. This task should be in the range of the future project the person applies to.

Process of Hiring Remote Software Engineer

Overall, software development companies have the same process of hiring a professional remotely. It can be divided into several steps.

1. Deciding what specialist or team you need for the project.
2. Choosing the way to hire a dedicated software engineer or team. There are several options, such as searching through freelance websites, hiring a recruiting agency to do it for you, or working directly with an outsourcing company. The last option is usually more comfortable, fast, and efficient.
3. Defining requirements and qualifications you are looking for in a remote senior software engineer job. It is the basis of the job posting and a system an HR will use during the interview process.
4. First screen. It is usually up to 30 minutes of video or audio call. You need to figure out whether the candidate is suitable, has the necessary skills and experience, can bring something to the team, and is ready to work remotely.
5. Technical screen. Testing the technical abilities of a candidate. It can be an online test, an interview with the team’s tech leader, or a specific task given to prepare due to a deadline.
6. Final interview. If the candidate successfully passes the previous stages, it is time to talk about the work schedule, salary expectations, bonuses, etc.
7. Job offer. It is the official ending point of the hiring process and the time to welcome a new team member.

Tests to Verify Technical Skills of Software Engineers

Not every candidate is good at promoting themselves, and sometimes it is possible to miss a hidden talent. How can an HR specialist verify the skills of a candidate? Well, there are several options, namely:

• Work experience in resume. It is a base to start from;
• Portfolio. It is a presentation of his best works. During the interview, you may ask for a context for particular examples, how they integrated a library, or what solution chose for data backup.
• Live coding. It is quite a stressful task, but it is efficient in understanding the skills of a candidate. It also illustrates the ability to work under pressure and in a limited time. It can be done easily through a shared screen. Prepare a task for candidates to perform, ask them to share the screen, and the test begins.
• Coding tests. These are tests that are created via online platforms like CodinGame to prove one’s skills. And HR can choose a particular language to test candidates. These tests are efficient; the code is analyzed automatically. It is efficient and saves a lot of time.
• Assignments. Another test is to give a particular assignment to solve in several days. Usually, such tasks are more complex and take longer. But they also give more creative freedom and the opportunity to showcase one’s expertise.

10 Common Interview Questions

Every interview is different, yet there are several questions asked when hiring a remote software engineer.

1. What programming languages have you used the most in the past? What are your two main coding languages?
2. Do you have experience with remote work? How comfortable are you with strict deadlines and maintaining a lifework balance?
3. What is the most interesting project you worked on? What was your role in that project? What have you contributed to its development?
4. What project methodology do you work according to?
5. Are you comfortable with code review? How are you taking criticism?
6. What are you going to pay attention to when checking your colleagues’ code?
7. What are the best practices and main principles of excellent software engineering you are following?
8. What do you do if you are stuck with a particular part of the project?
9. Are you able to measure your KPI and do a significant part of the work on your own?
10. Can you explain process X to me in simple words

Conclusion

A remote software engineer is a specialist that can tackle any programming project you are interested in. Hiring remotely is a great way to find a perfect specialist and stay on the budget. The process itself requires dedication and objectivity. And, of course, texting the skills of the candidates to make sure they are suitable.

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