Layoffs and hiring freezes have taken hold of the tech industry in recent months as companies brace themselves for an economic downturn. But this poses a serious challenge to tech leaders: even in a recession, businesses still need to improve their products, develop new ideas, and keep customers happy. So how can you continue to grow while keeping costs down?
Working with a freelance software developer can be a great way to get the development help you need while still staying within your budget. Below, we break down the top three approaches for hiring a freelance software developer and integrating them onto your team.
- Look for a freelancer software developer in international markets
One of the best strategies for hiring a freelance software developer is to go abroad. You’ll be able to source more remote freelance developers if you look in international, time zone-aligned markets. Canada, Latin America, and Europe have elite, cost-effective talent pools, and many developers in these regions have already worked with US tech companies. Canada alone is home to more than 353,000 computer science professionals, and developers in Canada have an average of 13 years of experience.
But the most effective way to hire a freelance software developer in an international market is to work with a partner that specializes in remote recruiting. Terminal partners with fast-growing companies to hire, support, and retain global engineering teams. Terminal already has a roster of vetted software engineers available for hire, making it easy to staff up your projects quickly whenever you’re ready to get started.
“We partnered with Terminal because they were very embedded in the countries we were interested in. They were so knowledgeable of the Canadian, Mexican, and Colombian markets, which also gave us the time zone alignment that was so important to us,” says Robin Lim, Senior Director of Engineering at Handshake.
- Use proven strategies to assess a freelancers’ experience level
Will your freelancer have the necessary skills to get the job done? Even if you only expect to work with a freelancer for a short period of time, you’ll still want to give them a formal interview and assess their technical skills. After all, your company values quality work so you can deliver the best possible product to your customers, and in an ideal world, you’ll find a top-notch developer that you can work with for years to come. But interviewing can be time consuming and if you’re trying to get help fast, it might negate some of the benefits of getting a freelancer if it takes a long time to assess candidates.
Terminal works on-the-ground in some of the world’s software development hotspots, giving them a firsthand knowledge of how to find talent that meets your needs. Terminal’s recruiting experts will evaluate candidates and send the cream of the crop to your hiring managers, shortening the hiring process and freeing up your team for other tasks.
“Working with Terminal was money well spent. I was able to focus on the interviews and didn’t have to take on the tasks of scheduling, coordinating or keeping track of the process. Terminal handled all of the logistics,” says Neel Patel, Head of Engineering at Jaris.
- Onboard a freelance software developer quickly and effectively
An investment in a formal onboarding process – even for freelancers – is an investment in your overall team. Organizations with a strong onboarding process improve productivity by over 70%. A good onboarding process can help your freelancers feel like full members of your team and give them a comprehensive understanding of your company’s values and core products, ultimately enabling them to collaborate and innovate alongside your existing developers.
Terminal onboards and integrates software developers onto your team, helping them to get up to speed fast. Terminal also handles all administrative details and red tape, so you can focus on building world-class products instead of shoring up your staff.
“Collaboration and inclusion is really important to us as a company. I spend a lot of time working on that. With a lot of other arrangements we had, the contracting company would make it clear that these engineers are their employees, and not ours. I never get that sense from Terminal,” says Andrew Backes, Head of Engineering at Armory.
Terminal helps you hire the software developers you need
Terminal works with you to provide engineering talent when you need it most. Terminal offers the best of both worlds between hiring a full-time developer and getting quick, on-demand talent. We source local engineers quickly and affordably, vet them for your company, and embed them on your team. Terminal empowers developers to do their best work, allowing you to build amazing products and keep your customers happy.
Want to see how Terminal can help you get the engineering talent you need? Learn more about how Terminal works.