Can I get outstanding offshore software engineers?

It’s a very common question about outsourcing talent; companies worry they won’t find quality developers outside of the U.S. Pakistan is still an unknown business market for most Americans, and unfortunately the majority of assumptions about the country don’t provide an accurate picture. What I have encountered over the past decade of working directly with offshore developers in Pakistan is far different from what we see in the media.

My team and I have been recruiting, training, and retaining top-level software developers from Pakistan since 2009. I know excellent offshore software engineers exist, because my team and I have found them and grown a business with their help. The level of talent we work with is comparable to the best in the United States.

I will admit however, for every top-level web developer that has that special talent to understand business logic and communicate fluently with international teams, there are hundreds more who can’t. Finding top-talent that can succeed in a remote setting in American business culture can be a tough challenge if you don’t have the right resources.

It certainly is no easy task to find the needle in the haystack when it comes to hiring software developers, and this is why I highly recommend working with a staffing agency. If you hire a freelancer, you’ll often spend many hours sifting through the hundreds of submissions you will receive. Not only do you need to evaluate the developer’s technical expertise, but you must also evaluate their personalities, business logic, common sense, attention to detail, and most importantly their ability to communicate confidently and effectively. You also run the risk of hiring a freelancer who isn’t a good fit, only finding out when it’s too late.

By working with a staffing agency, you have the advantage of their processes and standards to find the best available talent, saving you headaches and time lost. Virtual staffing solutions work tirelessly to hire only the best. Rigorous interview procedures mean that when you hire a developer, you already know they’re top-shelf. Staffing agencies also give you the flexibility to scale up and down as your needs change, as well as managing Human Resources for you.

Pakistan just happens to have one of the fastest growing software industries, making it a strong market for outsourcing software development. The country has one of the largest IT freelance programming marketplaces in the world – ranking number three– behind India and the United States. With the growing talent pool, there are many new and exciting tech entrepreneurs in Pakistan that are making amazing tech products like Cowlar’s fitbit for cows.

I urge everyone seeking remote or outsourced software development to consider Pakistan. The best way to do this, as with any remote relationship, is to work with an established and professional staffing agency.

Randall Agee

President and Founder

Allshore Virtual Staffing, LLC