10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Remote Developers
Learn essential questions to assess remote developers' skills, experience, and fit for your team to ensure successful hiring.
Remote work is booming, with 35.1 million Americans working remotely as of August 2024. Hiring remote developers can boost your team's productivity by 40% and save $11,000 per employee annually. But to build a successful remote team, you need to evaluate candidates beyond their resumes.
Here’s what you need to assess:
Why it matters: Remote teams thrive when members are skilled, self-motivated, and aligned with the company’s goals. Use these questions to find candidates who will contribute to your team’s success.
Technical know-how is crucial. Both theoretical understanding and practical application should be evaluated.
JavaScript remains a go-to language, used by 62% of developers. Candidates should demonstrate hands-on experience with relevant technologies.
When reviewing technical skills, focus on these areas:
| Assessment Area | What to Look For | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|
| Project Complexity | Scalable architecture with rich features | Lack of testing or documentation |
| Code Quality | Clean, maintainable, and well-documented code | Poor structure or missing tests |
| Problem-Solving | Original, thoughtful solutions | Reliance on copy-paste without understanding |
| Technology Stack | In-depth expertise in required tools | Shallow knowledge across many tools |
"There are no good or bad engineers, only those with bad habits", says Martin Fowler.
Once project experience is reviewed, dive deeper into their problem-solving abilities.
Beyond portfolios, understanding how candidates tackle challenges can reveal their practical skills. This question tests their ability to solve problems and communicate effectively. Teams with strong frameworks are statistically 10 times more likely to meet deadlines.
"Improving the quality and stability of software is key to successful project outcomes and user satisfaction. It involves developing functional features and ensuring that the code is reliable, maintainable, and scalable." - Max Tatarchenko, CTO
Look for candidates who showcase:
Unified practices can reduce bugs by 40% and improve code quality by 30%. Additionally, CI/CD practices cut deployment failures by 50%. Favor candidates who emphasize automated testing, documentation, and a systematic approach to problem-solving.
Proven remote work experience goes hand-in-hand with technical skills when it comes to hiring success. With about 28% of workers expected to work remotely within the next five years, it's crucial to evaluate not just a candidate's remote work history but also their familiarity with essential tools.
Remote work requires more than just technical knowledge. Candidates need to demonstrate strong self-management, clear work-life boundaries, and effective communication skills. Here's a quick guide to assessing their experience:
| Experience Area | What to Look For | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|
| Time Management | Consistent delivery and clear boundaries | Missed deadlines or irregular hours |
| Communication | Regular updates and organized documentation | Slow responses or unclear reporting |
| Tool Proficiency | Comfort with collaboration platforms | Reluctance to adopt standard tools |
| Problem Resolution | Independent issue-solving | Over-reliance on constant check-ins |
"When you work from home, work can feel infinite. There's always something to do. It can feel inescapable because your office is where you live. Sometimes I catch myself falling down a rabbit hole of Slack threads when I should really be spending time with my husband." - Hannah Herman, Copy Lead at Webflow
Look for candidates who have successfully completed remote projects, managed time zone differences, and maintained a clear separation between work and personal life. These traits, combined with the ability to work independently while staying connected, are key indicators of success.
Once you've reviewed their experience, dive into the tools they use daily to ensure they align with your workflows.
Research shows that 90% of employees find digital tools essential for collaboration, with proper usage boosting productivity by up to 30%. Here are some key categories to explore:
Ask candidates how they use these tools to stay productive and maintain team connections. The best remote workers are skilled in multiple platforms and prioritize effective asynchronous communication.
Strong communication is the backbone of distributed teams, particularly in remote work settings. It plays a key role in maintaining the productivity that remote development teams bring to the table.
Coordinating across time zones can be tricky and, if poorly managed, can lead to project delays. A clear and organized approach is essential for effective teamwork.
| Communication Type | Best Practices | Tools to Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous | Document decisions, use clear and concise language, and always note time zones | Slack, Confluence, Notion |
| Synchronous | Rotate meeting times, provide recordings, and share agendas in advance | Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams |
| Documentation | Keep detailed records and regularly update project statuses | Jira, Asana, GitHub Projects |
Prioritizing clear communication ensures smoother collaboration and supports other processes like code review and version control.
Code reviews are a great way to measure teamwork and attention to detail. As Dr. Michaela Greiler explains, "Respectful and constructive code review feedback is the basis for a fruitful and positive collaboration."
Key practices for effective code reviews:
A solid code review process involves three main steps:
1. Initial Assessment
Document changes thoroughly, explaining their purpose and expected impact. This helps the team quickly understand the context behind the modifications.
2. Review Methodology
Follow a structured approach to evaluate the code, checking for both technical accuracy and maintainability. Tailor your review style depending on the complexity of the changes and the contributor's experience.
3. Feedback Implementation
Incorporate suggestions thoughtfully and address disagreements constructively to keep the process collaborative.
"Code reviews are about the code, not the person, so when you see code that you like, make sure you call it out (and be specific about what you like about it)." - Steve Ardalis
Candidates should also demonstrate strong version control skills using tools like GitHub or GitLab and show they can communicate feedback clearly and effectively.
Strong work management skills are essential for remote developers, combining technical know-how with effective communication. Remote work demands a high level of self-discipline, making it crucial to evaluate how candidates handle tasks and maintain productivity on their own.
Top remote developers excel at staying productive without constant oversight. As David Patterson-Cole, CEO & Co-Founder of Moonchaser, explains, "Remote and hybrid work is here to stay. It looks like they are changing our business landscape. They are our future work. We should come in prepared and ready for what lies ahead."
Here are some common time management methods and their uses:
| Time Management Method | Purpose | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Matrix | Prioritizing tasks by urgency and importance | Strategic planning |
| Pomodoro Technique | Breaking work into focused 25-minute intervals | Complex development tasks |
| SMART Goals | Creating specific, measurable objectives | Project milestones |
A structured approach to task management usually includes:
By following this framework, developers can establish habits that lead to a productive daily routine.
A consistent routine is critical for thriving in a remote work environment. It helps prevent burnout and ensures steady productivity. Clear boundaries between work and personal life are especially important.
Dr. Christine Grant, an Occupational Psychologist at Coventry University's Centre for Research in Psychology, Behavior and Achievement, underscores this point: "The negative impacts of this 'always-on' culture are that your mind is never resting, you're not giving your body time to recover, so you're always stressed. And the more tired and stressed we get, the more mistakes we make. Physical and mental health can suffer."
An effective remote work schedule should include:
By November 2020, 36% of the APAC workforce was working remotely, underscoring the importance of maintaining consistent schedules across time zones.
"You're a remote worker, not the house manager."
– Jill Duffy, Contributor, PCMag
Ideal candidates will clearly communicate their availability, adapt to team needs, use time tracking and task management tools effectively, and stick to routines that promote focus while avoiding burnout.
Hiring remote developers who align with your company values and show a commitment to growth is crucial. These questions can help you gauge their motivations and dedication to professional development.
It's important to understand why candidates are drawn to remote work beyond the obvious perks of working from home. Studies show that remote work benefits both employees and employers - 77% of workers report increased productivity, and 72% of employers note improved retention rates due to remote options.
Look for responses that highlight:
| Aspect | What to Listen For | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Interest in the role and the company | Focus solely on lifestyle perks |
| Productivity | Concrete examples of remote success | Vague or generic answers |
| Work-Life Balance | Clear strategies for managing time | Difficulty setting boundaries |
| Broader Awareness | Understanding of remote work's impact | Lack of alignment with company goals |
"The remote nature of the job should be a secondary reason for wanting the job. Employers want to hear that your primary interest is the job itself".
Next, evaluate how candidates stay current in a fast-evolving tech landscape.
Continuous learning is essential in tech. Employers value developers who take the initiative to keep their skills sharp and relevant.
Candidates should demonstrate a clear plan for professional growth:
| Learning Channel | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Skills | Maintain and expand expertise | Certifications, coding challenges |
| Soft Skills | Improve remote collaboration | Virtual workshops on communication |
| Industry Knowledge | Stay updated on trends | Webinars, tech conferences |
| Peer Learning | Share and gain knowledge | Open-source projects, developer forums |
Employers value individuals who actively seek opportunities to grow.
Key strategies for professional development in remote roles include:
Companies should ensure their remote developers are equipped with both technical expertise - like proficiency in collaboration tools - and soft skills, such as effective communication and time management, to keep them growing and contributing to the team's success.
Hiring remote developers requires more than just assessing technical skills. Companies with remote teams often experience 25% lower turnover rates and 35–40% higher productivity. Asking the right questions is key to building a successful remote development team.
| Aspect | Impact on Success | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Expertise | Contributes immediately to projects | Programming skills and problem-solving abilities |
| Remote Work Experience | Smooth integration | Familiarity with virtual tools and communication |
| Cultural Fit | Promotes team harmony | Alignment with company values and work style |
| Growth Potential | Adds long-term value | Dedication to learning and skill improvement |
Tailor these questions to fit your specific needs and company culture. As Alexey Zagorodniy, Director of Banking and Capital Markets at Luxoft, puts it:
"Remote work has become increasingly popular among developers and is seen as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining talent".
To make the most of the hiring process, focus on project needs, evaluate communication skills, and ensure candidates are prepared for remote work. With 86% of HR professionals reporting challenges in finding technical talent, tapping into the global talent pool can open up great opportunities.