How to Hire Vetted Software Developers

Hiring vetted developers is a game-changing solution if you are seeking top-tier talent. It offers a streamlined, efficient way to build a high-performing team that’s ready to deliver results, helping you save time, reduce risk, and ensure success from day one.

Imagine having a dedicated partner, a seasoned recruiter who has already meticulously curated a pool of exceptional developers, each rigorously assessed for their technical expertise, problem-solving acumen, and cultural fit. This invaluable resource not only saves you time and effort but also reduces the risks of hiring the wrong fit, ensuring that every new team member is a strategic investment set to deliver real, measurable results.

In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of hiring vetted developers, from understanding the vetting process to uncovering the many benefits it offers. We’ll also walk you through how to smoothly hire these top-tier professionals for your team and where to find these vetted software engineers.

How Reliable Is the External Vetting Process?

Let’s break it down: hiring vetted developers isn’t just about resumes and quick interviews—it’s about really digging in to ensure you’re getting the best fit for your team. Typically, the vetting process covers several stages, like reviewing past work, running technical assessments, and checking soft skills. This general approach ensures a developer has the right qualifications and can handle the challenges that come with the role.

But at DistantJob, we take it to the next level. Yes, we do all the usual screening, from portfolio deep dives to technical tests, but we add a critical focus on cultural fit and remote work capabilities. We understand that working remotely demands not only strong technical skills but also independence, great communication, and adaptability. So, beyond coding challenges and interviews, we evaluate how well a developer can collaborate with distributed teams and align with your company’s values and working style. And only after running this marathon of tests, challenges, and interviews, do the true rockstars emerge—vetted developers who are ready to hit the ground running and deliver for your organization from day one.

The result? With DistantJob, you’re not just hiring a developer; you’re bringing on someone who’s technically fit, seamlessly integrates into your team, and is fully prepared to excel in a remote work environment from day one.

When to Hire Vetted Software Engineers

While hiring vetted developers brings a range of benefits, certain scenarios make their value especially clear. Understanding these situations helps you make smarter hiring decisions and get the most out of their expertise.

Rapid Scaling: When your organization is growing fast and your team can’t keep up with the workload, vetted developers offer a quick, reliable solution. Their proven skills and immediate availability let you scale without sacrificing quality or missing critical deadlines.

Specialized Skill Requirements: Sometimes, your project needs expertise that’s hard to find within your current team. Vetted developers give you access to niche skills, ensuring your project gets the specialized knowledge it needs to succeed.

Short-Term Projects: For temporary projects or fluctuating workloads, vetted developers provide flexibility. They integrate smoothly into your team for the duration of the project, offering the support you need without the commitment of permanent hires.

Limited Internal Recruitment Resources: If your recruitment team is stretched thin or lacks the time and expertise to find top talent, partnering with a trusted provider of vetted developers takes the pressure off. They handle the sourcing, vetting, and onboarding, streamlining your hiring process.

High Turnover Mitigation: In regions or industries where turnover is high, vetted developers can offer a stable, long-term solution. Their pre-assessed cultural fit and commitment to excellence mean they’re more likely to stay engaged, reducing the disruptions and costs of constant staff changes.

Geographic Constraints: If local talent is hard to find, vetted developers open up a global talent pool. By expanding your search beyond geographic borders, you can access top-tier professionals from anywhere in the world.

Practical Tips For Hiring Software Vetted Experts

Knowing how to pick the right platform or staffing agency is key to getting the right vetted developer to join your team. With these tips, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the complex vetting process and find the platform that delivers developers who are truly ready to make an impact in your business:

1. Start with The Basics

To streamline the hiring process, begin by clearly defining the software developer role you are looking to fill. Determine the specific technical skills, programming languages, and experience level required for the position. This precision will attract candidates who closely match your requirements, saving time and effort.

Here’s where you define what are your negotiables and non-negotiables. In other words, what skills, experience, and qualifications are a must-have? Which ones are non-mandatory?

2. Involve Key Stakeholders in the Hiring Process

Don’t leave all the hiring and evaluation processes in the hands of HR or a single hiring manager. Involve other key stakeholders in the process. If you’re looking to fill the role of a CTO, for example, it’s key to see how they interact and collaborate with the tech team.

Involving other relevant team members in the evaluation process can help you decide more objectively to see what candidate is worth hiring. 

3. Take Advantage of the Global Market

If hiring locally isn’t working for you, expand your limits and hire globally. You can hire better talent, faster and at a much more affordable rate.

A common misconception of hiring remotely is that companies take advantage of the lower living costs to pay low salaries. While you pay lower salaries than in North America and other regions, you’re still paying a much higher salary than the average, so it’s a win-win for both sides.

4. Identify the Best Evaluation Methods Based on the Role you Need

Focus on practical evaluation methods tailored to the specific requirements of the role. 

If you’re handling the vetting process yourself, platforms like Toptal can help you filter top talent by offering built-in evaluation tools such as coding tests, project-based challenges, and peer reviews.

However, if you’re looking for a more hands-off approach, partnering with a staffing agency like DistantJob ensures that the vetting process is handled by experts who match developers to your specific needs—covering both technical skills and cultural fit. By using the right platform or agency, you can ensure that your evaluation methods are tailored to the role, saving you time and helping you secure the best talent quickly and efficiently.

3 Best Places to Hire Vetted Remote Developers

Hiring a vetted software engineer goes far beyond just looking at resumes. The vetting process is rigorous and detailed, requiring a deep dive into technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. It’s no easy task, which is why choosing the right platform or service is crucial. Not all vetting processes are created equal—some platforms offer superficial evaluations, while others thoroughly test developers’ abilities through coding challenges, real-world projects, and soft skill assessments. Here are our top 4 platforms to hire vetted devs:

1. DistantJob

DistantJob is a specialized IT recruitment agency that focuses on headhunting world-class developers that not only match companies’ technical requirements but also adapt to their values and culture seamlessly. 

What makes DistantJob one of a kind is that besides their “no freelancers, no consultants, and no outsourcers” policy that give companies full management, they focus on helping companies hire career-driven specialists and support them through all the hiring stages – from sourcing to onboarding and documentation. 

How does it work?

1. Fill out the company’s form (or directly contact them).
2. DistantJob analyzes your company and sets a call to understand your culture and what type of specialist you’re looking for. 
3. In two weeks, you’ll receive the top 3-5 candidates that match all your requirements. 
4. You review the candidates and start the interviewing process.
5. Once you select the candidate, DistantJob handles the contracts and payments from the first step – as well as the legal steps needed to protect your IP.

2. Toptal

Toptal is a global talent marketplace that initially started connecting companies with software developers and engineers. Now, it has expanded its services, including design, finance experts, and product and project managers. 

The platform also facilitates contracting processes, ensuring secure financial transactions, setting deadlines and mediating disputes to protect the interests of both freelancers and clients. 

How does it work?

1. You submit your project details, including requirements and specifications such as skills, expertise needed, project duration, etc.
2. Toptal team identifies and provides you with a list of pre-vetted freelancers. 
3. You interview and asses candidates’ technical skills, problem-solving abilities and culture fit.
4. Once you selected a candidate, Toptal assisted you with contract facilitation.
5. The platform also offers ongoing support if any issues or conflicts arise. 

3. Gun.io

Gun.io is an online platform that helps companies hire freelance developers. It acts as an intermediary, facilitating the hiring of tech specialists for specific projects. The platform provides access to top talent and aims to simplify the hiring process. 

The platform streamlines the hiring process by providing personalized matching and offers project management support, assisting companies in finding the right candidate.

How does it work?

1. Project submission – you define your budget, skills, geographic requirements and project outline. 
2.  Gun.io’s talent team reviews the project and starts the matching process.
3. You start with the interviewing process, where you meet the candidates and assess them.
4. Once you selected a suitable candidate, Gun-io facilitates setting up the contract, ensuring both parties agree on project terms, deliverables, compensation, and more.
5. Payment – Gun.io handles the financial aspect of the engagement using escrow services to securely hold funds until the agreed-upon milestones or deliverables are met. 

Kickstart Your Hiring Process

With the demand for skilled software engineers skyrocketing, you’ve got a big decision to make: embrace the game-changing power of vetted developers or get left in the dust as the race for innovation speeds ahead. By teaming up with reputable providers, you’re tapping into a goldmine of talent, breaking free from the old-school hiring grind. It’s more than just finding developers—it’s unlocking a fast-track to success that puts your company on the cutting edge, ready to dominate the competition.

By partnering up with experienced recruiters like us, you can expand your team globally and hire Silicon Valley-caliber developers in less than two weeks. You’ll have English-speaking candidates who work in your time zone and, most importantly, fit seamlessly into your company culture. Want to know more? Book a call today!

FAQ

Ihor Shcherbinin

Ihor is the Vice President of Recruiting at DistantJob, a remote IT staffing agency. With over 11 years of experience in the tech recruitment industry, he has established himself as a leading expert in sourcing, vetting and placing top-tier remote developers for North American companies.