Last Updated on 2024-11-06
Node.js developers are scarce. But what if we told you that you could offshore Node.js developers? Letโs discover everything you need to know about this software development trend.
In todayโs digital landscape, businesses are competing to hire the best software developers. But with the tough competition, they need to get more creative to stay ahead in the game.
Now, are you looking to hire Node.js developers? You are in the right place!
In this article, we will unravel all the things you need to know about hiring offshore Node.js developers. Weโll also discuss why offshoring this process might be the best business decision for you. Here are the topics we will cover today:
- Background on Node.js Development
- Hire Node.js Developers: Onshore vs. Offshore?
- Offshore Node.js Developers Hourly Rates
- Tips for Offshore Success
- Why Hire an Offshore Node.js Developer in the Philippines? 3 Reasons
- Top Node.js Developer Skills to Look For
- Hire Top Node.js Offshore Developers from Full Scale
A Background on Node.js Development
One of the reasons why Node.js is so popular is because it allows companies to build robust and scalable applications. Node.js is an open-source runtime environment that works on multiple platforms using JavaScript. Since most developers are familiar with JavaScript, Node.js is easy to learn.
Node.js is also efficient in building scalable microservices. This allows the developers to build different aspects of the app into separate services or functions. Furthermore, this makes it easier to scale the application and integrate additional features as needed.
Another reason why itโs so popular is that its development cost is minimal. It has a serverless feature that automatically allows services to scale only when used. So, you donโt have to pay for the services when functions are unused. Just pay when needed!
Because of these benefits, most companies build their software applications using Node.js. Now, the next challenge is to hire Node.js developers.
Hire Node.js Developers: Onshore vs. Offshore?
Hiring, in general, is a different process on its own. But donโt worry; weโll cover everything you need to know about hiring offshore Node.js developers. But why offshore? Is it the only available option I have?
You actually have lots of hiring options. But, you must be willing to stand by the decisions you have to take. To help you decide, weโll detail the pros and cons of hiring onshore vs. offshore Node.js developers.
The reason why these options are relevant for many small businesses today is competition. Every businessโ goal is to launch the best possible software product out the market. And, that is achievable when you have the best professionals working for you.
Unfortunately, the best Node.js developers are highly likely employed and paid generously. This makes the chances of finding great ones very slim. You can reach out to IT recruitment agencies to find ones for you.
But one thing about these agencies is that theyโre not always reliable. They often just read a job description and match a resume. So, you need to evaluate the other options you have: hire onshore vs. offshore?
Onshore Pros and Cons
Onshore hiring could mean different hiring activities or strategies done within the same geographical boundaries as you. It often includes direct hiring or tapping IT recruiters to hire a developer for you.
Benefits of Onshore
Onshore hiring comes with familiarity since itโs a conventional process that most companies have gotten used to. Aside from this, hiring within close proximity allows the following perks:
- Physical interaction
- Same time zone
- Familiar language and culture
Cons of Onshore Hiring
Apparently, most benefits of onshore hiring rely heavily on proximity. But during a global pandemic, these perks donโt mean much. Here are the other disadvantages of onshore hiring:
- Higher salaries. Because of steep hiring competition, most developers demand a higher salary rate. In this scenario, onshore hiring might be a cost-deficient move for small businesses.
- Talent pool shortage. Onshore hiring means competing with the companies within your locality. Some companies also steal developers from competitors by offering higher salaries. The scarcity of developers propels the salary demand higher.
- Expensive turn-over rate. Employees donโt usually last in companies within their own locality. Mostly, they go job-hopping when they get bored and start looking for a new gig.
- Overhead costs. The remote work trend doesnโt mean youโre safe from incurring overhead costs. You still have to provide equipment and necessary tools for your employees. Moreover, you need to cover their benefits and medical insurance.
Offshore Hiring
Offshoring is relocating parts of your business operations to another country. This usually happens within a 5-hour or more time zone difference. This process comes in two types:
- Offshoring as a subsidiary
- Partnering with an offshore company for their services
When offshoring as a subsidiary, you expand operations to another country. For example, you build another headquarters for a specific purpose, such as research and development.
The next type would be partnering with an offshore company abroad to acquire its services. An example of these offshore companies would be Full Scale, a US-based company with offshore services in the Philippines. We provide fast and affordable software development services for our clients.
This type, however, should not be confused with outsourcing. Outsourcing means letting your partner company do the work.
When you offshore, youโre not turning over the work. Youโre simply scaling your team while gaining complete control and leadership over the development process. An example would be hiring a software developer to augment your on-site development team.
Pros of Offshoring
1. Cost-effective
Offshoring means you pay a fraction of what you pay for in the US. In the Philippines, for example, the wages are lower. This does not necessarily decrease the output quality since the pay is based on the local market rate. Therefore, our clients enjoy top-quality services without spending too much.
Moreover, youโre safe from incurring overhead fees for benefits and equipment. The offshore company covers the needs of the employees.
2. Convenience
Offshore software development partners provide development services on-demand. These companies have a pool of talent ready to onboard. When you partner with an offshore company, you donโt have to do the hiring process yourself. Even more, you avoid problems with IT headhunters. Full Scale takes care of the entire recruitment process for you. Talk about convenience!
3. Talent pool
When hiring offshore Node.js developers, youโd want to access a wider talent pool. Offshoring offers exactly that. A rich IT-BPO market depicts that a country possesses a huge pool of software development talent.
4. No commitment
Most of the time, offshoring is an option to augment your existing software development team. This means you only hire as needed. Fortunately, offshore development doesnโt usually bind you to long-term contracts. You can scale up or scale down your offshore development team as you see fit.
5. Time flexibility
When offshoring, you can turn the time zone margin around to your advantage. As an example, you can operate 24/7. By the time your local team is done for the day, your offshore team will continue the work.
Another advantage would be having a streamlined quality assurance process. When your local team is done with development, the offshore QA team can proceed with testing.
Common Risks, Concerns and Retaining of Offshore Developers
Working with employees in a completely different country might be scary for new entrepreneurs. There may be challenges that will arise especially with the unconventional setup.
Some cons of offshoring would be raising concerns on the following factors:
- Team monitoring
- Developer reliability
- Company culture fit
- Employee retention
At Full Scale, we debunk the common misconceptions and concerns of entrepreneurs when it comes to offshoring. We follow strategic workflows to ensure our clients can sleep well at night.
In terms of developer management, our human resources team ensures each employee undergoes background checks. Our operational teams also ensure to assign floor managers to check with developers from time to time. Even more, you can hire a dedicated project manager not only for monitoring but for seamless project delivery.
Upon recruitment, we look for developers who have a positive attitude and eagerness to learn. These factors enable them to fit different work setups and company dynamics.
Like most offshore software development companies, we allow our clients to build a long-term offshore team with us. Since we provide top talent, theyโre easy to train and grasp your companyโs vision.
Offshore Node.js Developers Hourly Rates
In offshore hiring, the developersโ salary rates range from $25-$45 an hour. This is 50-75% less than American counterparts.
Some popular offshore development destinations are the Philippines, South and Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. The offshore Node.js developer rates vary depending on their seniority level and which country theyโre from.
So why is hiring offshore Node.js developers 50-75% cheaper? Is it because theyโre not talented enough?
Plainly, no. Itโs not because they are not equipped to carry on a project. Their cost of living and the local economy is different from the United States.
In the Philippines, for example, the minimum wage is close to $1 an hour. However, the software development profession is one of the top-paying jobs in the country. You can be sure that your offshore developers are reasonably compensated based on their local market.
Offshoring Tips: How to Succeed
It can get overwhelming when trying out this venture for the first time. Of course, youโll also worry about different offshoring nightmares you might have heard. But, it helps to be proactive with your strategies before diving in. Here are tips to succeed in offshoring.
1. Donโt fall for โCheapshoringโ
We can agree that cost reduction is a major benefit of offshore software development. A rate of $10 per hour is very tempting. However, youโll always get what you pay for. A developer with a small rate is highly likely not the best in the field. As a result, youโll get half-baked projects that arenโt delivered promptly.
Even if you want to cut costs, itโs prudent to pay a reasonable price for the quality that you expect. After all, first-class tickets are only 20% more expensive.
2. Practice Project Ownership and Management
As a leader, you will have complete ownership of your product. This means that you identify your vision and work with your team to define the requirements. Offshore development allows you to do such tasks. In turn, you need to practice it strategically to achieve team cohesion and productivity.
3. Choose the right location
The Philippines, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe are some of the top offshore destinations globally. Choosing a country with no prominent IT presence would be a mistake.
At Full Scale, we see the Philippines as the best place for offshore development. Filipino developers are fluent in English and have great communication skills. The country is also known for its IT-BPM industry, which caters to multinational companies.
4. Partner with strong offshore software companies
Finding a strong offshore development partner is the best solution for your hiring problems. We at Full Scale tick all the boxes when it comes to helping our clients succeed.
From skilled developers and client-centered practices, we make sure to provide fast and affordable software development.
You can read more about offshore development tips here: Offshore Development: 8 Keys to Success.
Why Hire Offshore Node.js Developers in the Philippines?
Hiring offshore Node.js developers from the Philippines is a great choice. This makes it one of the top destinations worldwide for offshoring services. These services include software development, call centers, data entry, and other types of business processes.
Here are more reasons why you need to offshore Node.js developers in the Philippines:
1. Communication skills
The Philippines is the 2nd English-proficient country in Asia. You are sure that things donโt get lost in translation when you partner with offshore software companies in the Philippines.
2. Western-style culture
The modern-day Philippine culture is embedded with American influences as it was a US colony for 48 years. Youโll have mutual interests or favorites with the people youโll be working with.
3. Large pool of tech talent
With its widely-supported IT industry, the Philippines produces thousands of IT and engineering graduates annually. This broadens the talent pool for software development.
With Full Scale, we specialize in senior-level developers. But, we also work with junior developers that we meticulously filter from the rest. You are assured that we have the right developer your project requires.
Top Node.js Developer Skills to Look For
Now that weโve discussed all you need to know about offshoring, weโll explain how to assess Node.js developers. Node.js development is a fun and challenging role. You need a developer that balances the hard and soft skills for the job.
Here are the top technical requirements for the Node.js developer role:
- Understanding of front-end technologies and development
- Knowledge about different Node.js frameworks
- Experience and knowledge about RESTful APIs and API communications
- Familiarity with Asynchronous programming
- Ability to write efficient and clean code
- Capability to design database schemes
- Skills in error-handling and data protection
Some soft skills include:
- Organization
- Effective communication and listening skills
- Positive working attitude
- Time and deadline conscious
- Willingness to learn
- Company culture fit
Hire Top Node.js Offshore Developers from Full Scale
Full Scale is one of the fastest-growing software development companies in the Philippines. We provide our clients with software developers, QA testers, and other IT professionals that match their requirements.
On top of that, we offer fast and affordable services, no long-term contracts, flexible work schedules, and a seamless recruitment process.
Offshore Node.js development and other IT needs with ease today! Get started with your offshore software development journey.
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.