After the recent outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, remote development is exponentially gaining popularity across every hook and corner of the world and businesses are seeking to hire the best set of remote developers across the globe. This move towards remote work has been accelerated by the pandemic, as more and more companies and entrepreneurs are exploring the benefits of a remote workforce. 

With the increasing marketability of remote work, hiring talented remote developers can be a daunting task for companies unfamiliar with remote work. Beyond technical skills, hiring remote app developers involves gauging for a lot of other qualities like communication skills, time management and adaptability in prospective candidates to ensure successful collaboration. Hire remote developers who are talented and experienced in your industry to build strong and effective applications that deliver results.  

Must-have skills for remote developers 

It’s important to consider all the skills and capabilities of a developer, before hiring them, especially when it comes to remote work. If a candidate doesn’t have technical or interpersonal skills, the progress of your app development project can be significantly hindered. Let us take a look at all the must-have skills or green flags to look out for before hiring remote developers. 

In-depth technical knowledge

One of the most important skills to look out for while hiring remote developers is finding someone with a deep understanding of the latest technologies. Moreover, you must check if they have extensive industry experience relevant to your project. Look for professionals who are proficient in multiple technologies and have previously worked on projects similar to your industry. 

Additionally, you can ask for work samples, request credible references, conduct technical interviews and present them with mock programming scenarios. This helps ensure that your developers have all the necessary skills for your project. 

An ideal remote developer should be able to find reliable solutions for any issues that may arise during development and must be well-versed in industry standards. They must also have in-depth knowledge of the development lifecycle, deployment processes, task management software, version control and full-stack development. 

Flexible working schedules

A true professional remote developer must have a flexible working approach that can cater to specific project demands and work patterns. Moreover, they should be open to adjusting schedules based on project requirements and take feedback positively. They should be equally invested in your project’s success and must take ownership of their work. 

Furthermore, it is vital to understand that different remote developers may have different work schedules. Some would prefer to work during the night or just on weekends whereas others would rather prefer standard business hours during the workweek. Thus, it is crucial to discuss their preferred working hours and tune them for different time zones accordingly. A developer with a flexible working schedule can aid in the success of your project by meeting all the deadlines.

Positive attitude

One of the most neglected skills while looking for remote developers is assessing their attitude and commitment toward their work.  

It’s essential to see if the candidate has a positive attitude toward their work and is enthusiastic while committed to delivering their best. Along with that, they should have strong intuition skills. These intuition skills are gained through extensive experience working with algorithms and solving complex issues throughout the app development process.  

Another important thing is for developers to take constructive criticism positively without getting aggravated.  Not only the developer considers only compliments for their, but also he should be ready to take criticism positively without being offended.

Not everyone has a sense of good intuition. The verdict is that when your experience doesn’t give the solution, intuition does. This sense of intuition is created by having worked on multiple app development projects. This aids in understanding issues faster and coming up with better solutions as well as providing creative ideas for your project. 

Problem-solving capabilities

When working on an app development project, hurdles and obstacles are bound to come. Thus, your prospective remote developers must have problem-solving skills to resolve issues on time and deal with unpredictable problems competently. Moreover, they should be able to deal with complex code and technical hurdles efficiently. From clearing bugs to scalability in code deployment and team-related matters, all must be handled with absolute integrity. 

Interpersonal skills

Along with technical skills, interpersonal or soft skills are as important for remote developers as any other technical knowledge to work well within a team and the firm’s culture. These skills may be the make-or-break element to hiring developers and are a bit harder to uncover. However, the key to assessing a candidate’s interpersonal skills you have to gauge their personality and interests. This can be done by locating a common ground during the interview or sending out a questionnaire or survey that has questions about their values, beliefs and individual traits. 

By apprehending and digging deeper into these interpersonal skills, you can easily predict that the candidate will work well with the team and contribute to a positive work environment. Overall, having remote developers with strong interpersonal skills within your team can usher in effective communication, collaboration and eventually, a successful app development project. 

Innovative and enthusiastic

Being innovative and enthusiastic is often a neglected but important trait when looking to hire remote developers. The prospective developers should be willing to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions to problems that may not have an obvious answer. This requires a certain level of creativity and a willingness to experiment with different programming languages and designs. 

Additionally, they should have a curious mind and ask thoughtful questions to gain a deeper understanding of the project’s requirements. This helps them to identify areas for improvement and ensure that their code is scalable and efficient.

Stellar communication skills

Effective communication is the most crucial factor to consider when hiring remote app developers. A remote developer who can communicate the project needs clearly is able to work seamlessly with you and your team. It is essential for them to communicate their ideas, progress and challenges throughout various stages of the project. Moreover, they must be well-acquainted with various remote working management and communication tools. Being well-versed in remote tools helps them to communicate and collaborate with their team members easily. Verbal and written communication skills are equally critical for remote workers. 

During the interview process, it is important to evaluate their active listening skills, ability to ask thoughtful questions and maintain eye contact. Miscommunications due to poor communication skills can lead to wasted time, lower morale, and costly mistakes. Therefore, hiring managers must assess this skill early on to ensure a productive and effective work environment. 

Remote work experience

Remote work experience is a valuable asset and a huge green flag to have in a remote developer. If the prospective candidate is familiar with remote project management tools, they require less training. The prior remote working experience aids in their ability to work independently and meet project deadlines on time. 

However, for talented developers without any remote work experience, it’s crucial to gauge their ability to manage their workload and meet project deadlines without constant supervision. During the virtual interview, you can ask about their experience with project management tools and send them a task to assess their comfort level with the tools your team or organization uses. A candidate’s prior experience and ability to adapt to remote work environments can be critical factor in hiring the right remote developer for your team.

Wrapping up 

In conclusion, hiring remote developers goes beyond simply looking at their coding expertise. While experience is crucial, there are other essential qualities to consider, such as communication skills, time management, and adaptability. These must-have skills ensure that your new hires will not only excel in their roles but also thrive in a remote work environment. 

Additionally, offering opportunities for skill development and career growth will keep your team engaged and committed. By selecting the right remote developers and fostering a positive work culture, you’ll build a team of true professionals who can tackle any challenge and deliver exceptional results. 

Read more: Remote App Development Or In-House App Development?