Have you been finding it difficult to hire remote developers for your project?

That could be because you’ve been going about it the wrong way.

Let’s fix that!

In this article, we walk you through a nine-step process to help you hire dedicated remote developers who will scale your projects efficiently.

You could literally pick up a pen and paper, apply these steps as you read, and end up with the best developers for hire right now.

The following are the things you need to do:

1. Set SMART goals

You probably imagined this should be the first step. But you’ll also be shocked at how many remote developer job postings lack a SMART goal.

So, be different.

Before you start writing a job description, your hiring team needs to figure out exactly what the remote developer needs to ship, what the team is building, and how success will be measured.

Setting a SMART goal helps you do this. A SMART goal is an objective that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

SMART goals can vary depending on the different scenarios or projects you’re hiring for. For instance, early-stage startups looking to validate their ideas with a minimum viable product (MVP) will have goals different from enterprises that need ongoing support for IT services. By extension, these different scenarios will have different hiring needs and requirements.

The table below gives you an idea of SMART goals for different scenarios.

2. Have a clear and realistic budget

Now you know exactly who you’re looking to hire and what to expect from them.

The next thing is setting aside a realistic budget for the results you want. Many companies get this wrong because they try to hire dedicated software development team that has worked for Google (News - Alert), but pay entry-level wages. In contrast, others don’t vet properly but try to throw money at developers with the first fancy resume they see.

You can do better by finding a middle ground and mapping the roles you need to the scope of your project.

However, to do that, you need to consider the different cost factors for hiring a remote software developer. Some of them include:

• Hiring models (e.g., freelance, in-house developers, and outsourced teams)
• Experience levels: Junior, mid-level, senior, and niche experts have different costs
• Location: Eastern Europe, Latin America, India, etc., often offer highly skilled developers at lower costs than North America.
• Project complexity: You’ll have to pay developers to build a scalable enterprise app compared to building an MVP
• Technology stack: The tools you choose also matter
• Additional costs: For example, project management, collaboration tools, and infrastructure costs also need to be accounted for.

You will have to work out this realistic budget on your own based on these factors, your financial capacity, and your project goals. However, ensure you’re realistic with your estimates.

Also Read: Top 10 Web App Development Companies

3. Choose the perfect engagement model

By now, you should have a number in mind. Now, your focus should be on getting the best quality within that budget range without exceeding it.

So, you need to define the framework for collaborating with the remote developers. This encompasses how the teams are hired, managed, and compensated.

Let’s talk about some common engagement models for collaborating with web developers for hire.

• Dedicated remote development team model: In this model, you hire a team of software developers who work exclusively on your project while integrating seamlessly with your in-house team. It’s like hiring an in-house team on a part-time basis.

This model is best for long-term projects that require ongoing development and deep domain expertise. As such, you’ll need an onboarding strategy and a retention plan to keep the team for a designated period.

• Freelance/on-demand remote developer model: This model, also known as the Time and materials model, involves hiring and paying developers based on the actual number of hours worked and resources used.

This model is ideal for projects with evolving requirements or when specific technical tasks, such as bug hunts and proof of concepts (POCs), need to be fixed or implemented occasionally.

• Staff augmentation model: This model works for situations where you need to fill specific skill gaps in your in-house team or scale your team to meet evolving business demands. It allows you to scale fast without incurring any HR overhead. However, you still need to manage your current team's day-to-day activities.

4. Search for remote developers in the right places

It’s time to start looking.

It’s 2025, and contrary to what the general narrative might be, there’s no shortage of quality technical talent. You just have to know the right places to look because the quality hires you’re looking to find are sometimes occupied with other projects.

So, where can you find quality developers for hire?

Check out the table below:

5. Write a killer job description that attracts the talent you need

Hiring remote developers within your budget isn’t really about ‘chasing’ after the right talent. It’s more about attracting them.

Trust me, quality developers — the kind you want — are serious-minded and can smell a bad job posting from a mile away. It’s almost like you’re auditioning for them.

So, here are some tips to help you write the perfect job description.

• Create a succinct job description title: A succinct job title contains a clear mission and a success metric, such as “Build a scalable e-commerce MVP in 4 months.”

Remember the SMART goal you set earlier? Slot it right in.

• List the tech stack for your SMART goals: Some companies try to be clever by listing a host of tech stacks, which may even be unrelated to the mission in the hook.

That’s wrong.

You should research the tech stack needed for your SMART goals and itemize it clearly. This tells the candidates that you know what you’re out for.

• Highlight attractive job perks in your capacity: Don’t be the company that only cares about itself. Show candidates that you also care about their well-being by providing job perks like paid time-offs (PTOs), no-meeting Fridays, relocation budgets, etc.

However, you don’t have to lie about it either. Don’t list perks that aren’t feasible.

• Set timezone expectations: Highlight the preferred timezone you want to hire from.
• Include a clear CTA: Make the next steps clear to applicants. For example, ‘Send Github profile.’

6. Filter resumes and portfolios ruthlessly

With that job description you just crafted, you should be getting a host of resumes and portfolios.

So, how do you filter out the best software developer for hire?

The following tips can help.

• Select resumes and portfolios that feature tech stacks that match your description.
• Choose applicants who have shipped live apps, public GitHub repos, and demonstrated tangible, measurable technical outcomes.
• Look out for highly structured portfolios.
• Prioritize developers with previous experience with remote projects.

7. Set Micro-tests that actually work

Your initial pool of applicants should have been reduced to a handful by now. However, you still need to filter it further to get the best possible fit, and micro tests are one of the most effective ways to do this.

The best way to do this is to set micro tests relevant to the main project you’re hiring for. However, don’t overburden the applicants with projects that’ll take months to complete.

For one reason, it’s not fair to them. Secondly, you risk missing out on actually testing the applicant’s true abilities because they may ignore it totally or have someone else work on it for them.

Instead, here’s what you should do.

Set a real-world task that shouldn’t take more than an hour or two to complete for professionals who truly know what they are doing. It also helps if you time-box this test within a specific timeframe (say a day). This allows truly interested applicants to get on it and complete it quickly before moving on to the next stage.

8. Look out for soft skills during the interview

While tests help you gauge a remote developer’s technical ability to a large extent, you might still miss out on some vital details that may be crucial to their performance on your team.

Soft skills are one of these things.

When you get on an interview with a remote developer, ask them specific questions relating to how they handle team projects and collaborations. You want someone who’s technically brilliant, but they must also be able to work harmoniously as part of a team.

Look out for soft skills like communication, teamwork, their ability to own up to mistakes, and how they handle deadlines.

9. Onboard developers and vet them properly during a trial period

The final piece of the puzzle comes after you hire the candidate who seems right after all the hurdles.

You must be prepared for the harsh reality that you may end up hiring someone who isn’t a fit despite following these processes accurately. However, be prepared to cut your losses early by firing them as quickly as possible.

So, onboard properly by gauging their performance during an initial trial period of about two weeks. Start by setting simple tasks and deliverables, monitoring their ability to perform these tasks, and collaborating with other team members.

The truth is that, as long as you're observant enough, you’ll be able to tell if a remote developer is a good fit during this period.

So, stay observant!

Final Thoughts

It’s all about careful planning and realistic expectations.

Once you have a clear goal, a good project scope, and an idea of the right place to look, you’re halfway there. Next, choose the perfect engagement model and set realistic tests as you cut through the clutter.

The best part?

You don’t have to break the bank to hire dedicated remote developers!

One more thing!

The best web developers for hire are often contracted to the best web app development services like Debut Infotech Pvt Ltd because they want to work on quality projects constantly. So, why not save yourself the stress of combing the internet and contact us for the best global talent today?