Nearshoring is one of the most popular methods for hiring new talent in today’s software engineering world. Due to the many benefits that nearshoring offers, it has become a common choice for businesses both large and small. That’s because nearshore outsourcing partners can provide more affordable services without sacrificing the quality of work.
In this article, we will take a closer look at nearshore outsourcing and how it can take your business to new heights.
Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Nearshore Software Engineer
In the IT industry, nearshoring to find a programmer is often a win-win situation. It serves as the middle ground between selecting an offshore development company and hiring a local programmer to work in-house.
So, you may be wondering, how do you go about finding the right nearshore software engineer for you? First, decide in which country you'd like to look for a developer or team of developers. Then, consider the following factors:
1. Cultural Affinity
According to most clients, this is one of the most neglected aspects of working alongside a nearshore software engineering provider. From scope negotiations and ongoing communication to each time a new team member joins the group, cultural affinity is as important as good language and technical skills.
By speaking with people and checking out social media and other resources, you get to clearly understand if the country’s workers can understand not only your business culture but also your values and environment.
2. Industry Presence
Figure out how many software engineering companies have lasted in that country, and for how long. Do they offer services and products to U.S.-based clients from there? These two are good indicators for whether that country is home to highly qualified software engineers as well as other IT professionals.
3. Support from the Public Sector
Check if the country’s government has a strategy in place to support the software engineering industry. Do they give value to tech services, or is it just low costs and market forces causing an upswing in high tech in the area?
Here’s an example. In Mexico, there are strategic initiatives known as MexicoFirst and Mexico IT. Both are backed not only by the industry consortia but also the federal government to maintain the competitiveness and viability of the tech industry.
This is one of the reasons why Gartner analysts named Mexico one of the five leading outsourcing countries in the world.
4. Hidden Fees
Aside from worrying about contract costs, you need to think about how much you can spend on connectivity, travel, time, and phone charges to communicate with the nearshore provider. How will time zone differences affect the overall cost for you? Also, will there be any labor laws that can affect your expenses, or impose restrictions on your capacity to work with your partner’s employees?
Those are just some of the things you need to think about when hiring a nearshore software engineer.
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IP (intellectual property) Protection
As companies evolve, they also come up with innovative ideas that promote growth. This means they need a home where those concepts are protected from a claim of ownership, duplication, or any outside influence.
The good thing about nearshore software engineering is that intellectual capital is less likely to be stolen. However, you still need to figure out if there are agreements between your country and that of the nearshore provider that help secure your valuable IP. You should also try looking into the possibility of incurring risk by outsourcing to that specific country.
Comparing Different Nearshore Providers
Once you are comfortable with a specific area and country, the next thing to figure out is which nearshore provider to choose. Apart from comparing costs, how can you select a vendor in an industry where most companies seem to be alike at surface level? These pointers might help:
Stability
How long has the service provider been in the business? Has it experienced steady growth, or has it gone through several ups and downs before reaching its current status? Can you check how long their current clients have been with them?
Asking those questions is crucial to establish the stability of your nearshore software engineer candidate.
Infrastructure
Analyze the vendor’s resources and location. Do they have a solid network with iron-clad security and data protection? Do employees have the tools and resources to work efficiently? How can they seamlessly connect to your network? Do they have a U.S. headquarters with local professionals familiar with laws and regulations if you need to resolve an issue?
You need to know where you can reach them if you encounter legal issues with the project. Knowing the location of their nearest physical office means you can easily meet with them if all else fails.
Process
It’s one thing for a software engineer to do their job, but delivering an output at the level of performance and quality expected by the client is a different story.
How well can the nearshoring vendors document their processes and commitments? What steps do they take to ensure the consistent success of each project they do? Is the potential partner willing to adjust processes that fit your requirements?
Employee Expertise
The vendor’s employees need technical and industry skills that will allow them to perform the work needed. Have they completed similar projects to yours, or have they successfully worked alongside companies that are in the same industry?
Find out how the vendor’s employees communicate with their clients, set goals, and resolve issues. Also, find out how well they fit in with the client organization when it comes to working style and cultural affinity.
Talent Skills
You want your nearshore software engineering project to be performed by passionate employees. You also need to be confident that they know you well and are motivated to excel in every task.
Check if a vendor considers talent acquisition strategic, or if they just hire as many skilled people as they need in each project. Learn if they offer employees with training, professional development, and competitive benefits and pay.
Many people refer to nearshore software engineering as the superior alternative to onshore and offshore outsourcing. Aside from giving business owners excellent value, it also gives exceptional results for most software development projects.
Once you get answers to all your questions concerning nearshoring, then you are one step closer to finding a partner who can be a good fit for your company. Be sure to find one who has a strong success record of meeting client goals and transitioning clients to nearshore services.
