Checklist To Hire Offshore Software Development Team in 2024

Quick Summary: Hiring an offshore software development team can be a cost-effective solution for businesses, but it's important to ensure that you choose the right team for your project. This checklist to hire an offshore software development team outlines key factors to consider when selecting an offshore development team, from evaluating their technical expertise and communication skills to reviewing their past work and cultural fit with your organization.

Software development has taken the quantum jump over the last few years, and there is no sign of it slowing down. 

This, however, has also resulted in competition becoming more fierce than ever. Companies must invest in building new and innovative solutions to stay ahead of competitors. To achieve this, they must scale quickly and efficiently. 

The conspicuous solution is to hire more local developers to pace up with customers' growing demands and expectations. But, high hiring costs and a limited pool of local talent can create a challenge. You may also think about outsourcing, but it is a temporary option that isn’t sustainable in the long run. 

Thus Hiring a team of offshore developers becomes the most effective choice. Not only does it aid in

• cost-saving,
• refocus on core competencies
• scaling at speed 

But it also helps in building a highly-skilled software development team that acts as a value-driving element of your business. 

But how do you find the right team with the tech and domain expertise you need, what legal perspective to consider, and how to work effectively with your remote team? 

Recommended Read: How To Hire Offshore Developers - Complete Guide

How To Hire The Best Offshore Software Development Team

It’s fair and square to say your business success depends on who you choose to work with. So, here are some steps to help you make the right decision without any second thoughts! 

• Compile a list of offshore development companies evaluated on the metric of expertise, service quality, and security standard.
• Take into consideration the reviews, references, client testimonials, and success stories of your potential partner. You can easily find this information on their website or B2B platforms like Clutch, Linkedin, etc.
• Pay attention to the company's team size and its recruitment capabilities, as mind-size and large-size enterprises are more likely to have resources needed internally compared to smaller companies.
• Choose a company having a strong employer brand offering opportunities for professional growth. This approach will be helpful to find the right experts for the project instantly and scale up the team quickly.
• Find a company that dwells with extensive experience in building a dedicated team aligning with your project requirements, especially in your industry.
• Access their level of communication and enthusiasm. 

Essential Checklist To Hire Offshore Software Development Team

To successfully build an offshore team and hire top developers, you need to move through the right process. Also, make sure you follow this checklist to identify the signs of a perfect offshore team for your startup. 

1. Industry Experience In Providing Offshore Services

Often, the wrong partner is chosen based on misaligned estimates for the vague project scope. Whereas building successful software takes coordination, skill, and time. In other words, the right offshore partner and every project might have a different ideal partner. So, before selecting any offshore development company, ask a couple of basic questions while doing the initial company analysis.

• Have they developed industry-leading software?
• Does their project speak for themselves?
• Do they pay special attention to details?
• Do they produce quality content?
• Does their company employ experienced people or new graduates?
• Does their company have a strong company culture of excellent work?

Start vetting the firms that tick the right boxes. Maintain a spreadsheet to keep track of companies you are evaluating. Give each company a score for their expertise on a scale of 1-10. Add up their score, then choose. 

2. The Methodologies Used In Project Execution

While most consider cultural differences to be wholly about language and custom, it’s important to pay attention to professional differences, like the preferred development methodology. 

In some parts of the world, people work better when provided with well-defined instructions and a strict workflow to which they adhere. Precisely, when working with offshore developers in India and Malaysia, you will often see the waterfall methodology adopted for project development. 

On the contrary, for complex project development, the Agile methodology is the top choice by developers in the US, Western Europe, and offshore developers in Ukraine, Belarus, and India. 

If you wish to save time and money, it’s advisable to look for a comfortable company with your preferred methodology.

3. Transparency Offered By The Company

Many development companies prefer offshore development because it links them to top talent within their budget bracket. Simply put, they spent less money during the hiring process. As you plan to hire the offshore development team, you look forward to the best collaboration, timely delivery, and best quality. 

So, to ensure you achieve all these, remember to do the following: 

• • Define the goals clearly
  • Choose the expertise needed for the project
  • List the vendors
  • Schedule a meeting with the team

4. Technical Expertise

Every offshore development project differs in its core technologies. Be sure to find out if they can manage complex technologies related to your project. 

So, if you are looking for a  long-term offshore partnership, consider an offshore development company that can easily manage different software development methodologies considering your upcoming future projects. 

Ideally, the chosen offshore development company should have a thorough understanding of the software development lifecycle, from ideation to design and documentation.

5. All-Around Experience

Before choosing an offshore development company, it’s a must to validate their technology stack experience with their team's skill set. The right partner company will allow you to stand out from the rest of the crowd with their expertise in different domains like - mobile apps, web software development, DevOps, Digital Marketing, CRM, ERP systems, etc. 

So, taking a deep dive into how scalable the final solution will be, the experience of your chosen partner with the latest technologies, along with their past work history, will help you come to terms with the final decision.

6. Quality Of Resources

Undoubtedly, the IT industry is one of the industries that face the highest attrition rates. Talent usually moves in and out on a steady phase. This eventually puts enormous pressure on companies to ensure proper replacement for existing resources. 

Thus, it’s crucial to take care of new resources, their team hierarchy, and responsibilities and validate if they are delivering quality work at par with what existing resources have been delivering. So, call for a comprehensive interview process that scouts for talent and not just some filler resources. Similarly, the offshore development company should pay attention to onboarding and training during the initial few weeks or months in a well-planned manner to ramp up and start delivering a quality product without delay. 

7. Size Of The Organization

Size of your partner offshore development company matters! If you are working with a small company, there is a probability that at one point, you will face a lack of resources and not be able to move fast enough when it’s needed. 

Furthermore, small companies have stability issues with them as well. While, if a company is too big, you are probably too small for them to put the best resources on your project. So, it’s advisable to check for the company size to ensure your project size is in proportion with the organization’s size.

8. Expertise In Different Domains

Experience matters! Experience says a lot about one’s problem-solving ability. 

The more experienced a development team is, the more varied the software problems they face, giving them an edge over others who are merely skilled but not experienced. That is the core reason why everyone prefers senior and experienced developers. 

So, if you are hiring a trusted offshore development company, you shouldn’t focus on the age of the organization alone. But, it’s critically important to know if their team members are skilled and experienced.  

9. International Presence

The offshore development companies operating in markets with a global reach often help businesses establish a global presence. Moreover, they help companies curate a niche locally by providing market insights into the region.  

Often, a trusted offshore development company has offices widespread across the globe. So, before you make up your mind, ensure to check for your potential offshore company's global presence. 

In today’s business era, companies constantly need to create software and keep them updated. Therefore, hiring a trusted offshore development company for your tech tasks is undoubtedly the most efficient and pocket-friendly way to get complex tasks done. 

And, not to forget, it’s the cherry on the cake when you have an experienced and professional ODC team like Your Team In India working for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)