Last Updated on 2024-10-11
Planning to hire offshore Java developers for your project? Here are some tips on how to offshore your software development teams.
Java ranks as one of the top programming languages to date. It’s one of the most in-demand skills in development. This is because Java lays the foundation for just about every type of application. It’s the go-to language for creating applications, web content, enterprise software, and more.
Despite all the new programming languages emerging, Java remains a corporate favorite because of its well-established nature. As a company, you’d want tech that is safe, proven, and reliable. Java, being around for decades, already has a huge ecosystem of libraries, test utilities, and tools. On top of that, it’s also a developer favorite; you’ll find many Java developers in the industry.
However, even though there are millions of Java developers worldwide, there’s still a shortage of them in the US. Java developers, as most sought-after talent, are still in short supply. There’s an ongoing talent shortage because of the high demand for software development.
With that said most companies have been looking more into hiring offshore Java developers instead.
Why Offshore Java Development
Java is an ideal language for collaborative work. With so many developers knowing Java, you’ll easily build your team and have them working in no time. With any software project, you have to look for the best options to meet your goal. Whether it’s to facilitate faster development time or cut down development costs, offshoring is a great alternative. And, the nice thing about Java is that its flexible nature is ideal for offshoring.
For one, you can find millions of Java developers from all over the world. By offshoring your software development, you get to connect with outside talent.
Let’s further discuss the reasons why offshoring development is a good business idea.
Advantages of Offshore Java Developers
If you’re not familiar with the concept, offshoring is the practice of hiring operations overseas. Initially, it was mostly practiced by manufacturing companies to reduce operational costs. But through the years, it’s become a common practice in the tech industry, too.
Offshoring software development has become a common practice in the business world. Not only is it a cost-efficient strategy, but it also brings in the best experts. Through offshoring, you get access to a huge and dynamic talent pool. This, in turn, opens endless possibilities for your project.
Here are the benefits of offshoring developers:
1. Lower cost
Business offshoring was primarily designed to reduce cost. And today, it’s even more beneficial for businesses in the tech industry. Offshoring reduces software development costs significantly. You get the advantage of hiring offshoring developers at a much lower rate.
With the ongoing talent shortage and high demand for tech experts in the US, offshoring provides a more affordable alternative. This allows companies to invest more resources in core competencies and expansion.
2. Flexibility
Another great thing about offshoring is you can customize the size of your team based on the project. You can opt for a dedicated team of developers to build and maintain your software. Or, start with a small number of developers and expand as the need for the project grows.
On top of that, flexibility also applies to the team’s setup. You can decide the type of work culture you want, the processes, and the whole arrangement. As the business owner, you’re free to be as hands-on with the project as much as you want. Or, you can leave it up to the team entirely.
Again, offshoring is a far cry from the conventional office setup. You can be more creative in this type of working arrangement.
3. Access to a wider talent pool
Lastly, you can hire offshore Java developers with various skills and experience. Offshoring gives you access to a more diverse group of people. Through it, you might find candidates that offer fresh and unique ideas for your project.
Furthermore, a diverse team fosters innovation. So, when you gather a unique set of tech experts, you’ve got an edge in the innovation game. Developers from other countries would have different sets of development experience. They could offer another perspective on how to do things.
As mentioned, these are just a few perks of offshoring your development project. Connecting with experts overseas also allows for a lot of creative freedom. You may just end up with an even better development plan once you get the right experts involved.
Now that we know the pros of offshoring let’s balance it out by also learning the downside. Let’s discuss the disadvantages of offshoring.
Common Risks, Concerns, and Retaining Offshore Developers
It may seem intimidating and downright scary to offshore a whole development process. It’s especially tricky when you haven’t done business overseas. This is why it pays to know both the upside and downside of the process.
These are the common concerns about offshoring:
1. Security
Perhaps one of the biggest risks of doing business deals overseas is security. With an unconventional setup, the scope of security concerns widens. This especially turns off companies that deal with sensitive data. And, these qualms are understandable given that remote setup requires a significant degree of trust. However, there are ways to facilitate a safer business process.
One important factor is accountability. When you have people to directly supervise your staff, you get more assurance in their work. Likewise, they can shoulder the liabilities. This is why it’s a great idea to tap the services of a third-party offshore services provider.
Full Scale, for example, is an offshoring business provider. We help businesses find the right experts for their projects. We vet only the most qualified and reliable professionals while taking extra security measures to check on their background. Also, since we have offices in the US and the Philippines, we can guarantee full supervision.
2. Intellectual Property
Another common issue is Intellectual Property (IP). How will you keep your company materials safe? Offshoring increases your exposure to copyright thieves, patent violators, and other conspirators. This is the trade-off in an offshore setting since it involves knowledge sharing.
So, in order to keep your IP protected, you’ll have to prepare a risk assessment plan. It’s crucial to adopt strong data protection and IP management practices. Make sure you’re aware of the dangers associated with enforcing IP, including the appropriate laws and dispute resolution.
Additionally, make sure you have a clear path for legal recourse in your country AND theirs in case of any breach. If you’re based in the US and your offshore partner has no legal entity in the US, you’re probably out of luck.
3. Transparency
How do you know if they’re truly putting in the work? With a remote setup, it’s hard to tell what really happens on the other side. Maybe your developer isn’t necessarily coding all day. Or perhaps, they’re working on a different project or focusing on something else entirely. Clearly, the lack of your physical presence puts a gap in this aspect.
However, keep in mind that the nature of code work is not routine and productivity is not measured by the lines of code. This is why development teams don’t focus on the hours of work but on the quality and quantity of output. Nevertheless, you can resolve the issue by adding a project manager to your team.
An onsite supervisor will keep your offshore team in check. In Full Scale, we assign team leaders and project managers for each project. This is to ensure the progress is being tracked and timelines are consistently met. We also take care of managing the individual employees.
It’s important to note that there are ways to avoid these obstacles. With good planning and strategizing, you can effectively maneuver through these obstacles.
And now that we know both advantages and disadvantages of offshoring, let’s proceed to learn the actual process. How would you make this work for your business?
Tips for Offshore Success
Offshoring, with all its benefits, needs a lot of preparation. You don’t want to go in headfirst. Furthermore, if you plan to hire developers offshore, there are certain points you must consider first.
1. Offshore location
There’s a long list of countries that are ideal offshore destinations. With that said, you have to take a lot of things into consideration before deciding where to do business. For one, you have to make sure the candidates are capable of working with your company.
Primarily, the developers should have the skills required for the technologies you’ll use. You have to screen applicants that can work with your plans and setup. Also, consider factors such as time zones, language, and culture. They are essential in ensuring effective communication.
Pro tip: We suggest looking at the Philippines for offshoring. The country is known for being an excellent talent hub. It has a rich BPO industry that’s continuously expanding. And it houses a lot of foreign IT companies.
2. Project requirements
Hiring for a technical position, in general, is challenging. It’s especially difficult if you don’t possess knowledge of the technologies needed for the project. This is why it’s crucial to organize and prepare for recruitment beforehand. You can employ the help of your current developers, a technical recruiter, or avail a third-party agency.
The key thing is you’re able to provide a specific listing for your job hiring. Include all the technologies used and an overview of the project. Also include the type of position it will be. Are you hiring a full-time developer to create and maintain the application? Or is it only a project-based position?
Keep in mind, the project requirements are important in filtering candidates. You must be specific and sure of what you’re looking for.
3. Management setup
Lastly, also consider the kind of setup it will be. Offshoring means connecting with a team overseas. Take into account the different time zones. Communication is essential in the development process. And you have to ensure you can keep track of your team’s progress.
Likewise, take into account how you plan to manage your offshore team. The tricky part about hiring from another place is complying with the employment benefits. You have to abide by what’s required by the local government.
With that said, it may be too much of a hassle needing to look after an offshore team. The point of offshoring, after all, is so you can maximize your time on core operations. We suggest leaving it to offshore experts like Full Scale, instead.
But of course, none of these tips guarantee success. You still have to be smart in strategizing your offshoring game. You must learn how to properly leverage and manage the offshoring process. Start off by organizing your recruitment process.
Why Hire Offshore Java Developers from Full Scale
Offshoring can be a tedious and time-consuming task if you’ve never had experience with it. As a business owner, you want to be sure you’re doing the process right. After all, dealing overseas can be risky too. It’s especially challenging if you can’t go and physically manage your offshore team. Hence, it’s better to ask the help of experts.
Full Scale is an offshoring outsourcing company that specializes in helping businesses grow. We offer tons of business solutions from recruitment to management. We’ve been helping companies find the ideal candidate for their software development project. We connect them to seasoned and qualified experts.
About our Offshore Developers
At Full Scale, we scout and deploy developers of all experiences. We hire junior, senior, and mid-level developers. Moreover, we ensure they’re all equipped with the right skillsets for projects.
Many of our resident programmers have worked in large corporations like Lexmark, IBM, and other multinational tech companies. They are experienced in working with cutting-edge technology companies in the United States.
On top of recruiting talented developers, we also manage them. We take care of all their employment benefits so that clients won’t have to go through the hassle. From providing equipment to filing local government documents, we’ll deal with all these time-consuming tasks.
We put both the well-being of our clients and our talent on top priority. Learn more on why businesses use Full Scale to hire programmers.
So, ready to offshore your software development? Work with Full Scale! Talk to us today.
Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale, he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.