How to Vet Remote Developers: A Hiring Manager's Checklist

Vetting a remote developer requires a different assessment lens than an in-office hire. Technical skill matters, but so does async communication ability, self-direction, and the discipline to work well without physical oversight. Here's the checklist that works.

Stage 1: CV and Portfolio Review

• Does their stated experience match the stack you need specifically, or just generally?
• Do they have GitHub activity? Are the repos real projects or tutorials?
• Have they worked with Western companies or remote-first teams before?
• Are there employment gaps? Ask about them directly — often fine, sometimes revealing.

Stage 2: Technical Screening

Don't use LeetCode-style puzzle tests for senior engineers. They measure algorithm memorisation, not engineering ability. Instead:

• Live system design: "Design a rate-limiting service for our API" — evaluates architecture thinking, not syntax
• Code review exercise: Give them a real (anonymised) PR to review. How do they think about quality?
• Debugging exercise: A real bug in a real codebase. Do they ask the right questions? Do they make systematic or random attempts?
• Take-home (optional): Small, scoped, not more than 2 hours. With actual feedback given regardless of outcome.

Stage 3: Communication Assessment

This is where most remote hiring fails. Ask directly:

• "Walk me through how you handle a situation where you're blocked and your lead isn't available until tomorrow."
• "How do you typically communicate progress on a task?"
• "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision. What did you do?"

Good remote engineers write clearly, ask specific questions, flag blockers early, and don't wait to be asked for updates. Bad ones go quiet and surface problems late.

Stage 4: Timezone and Availability Check

• What hours are they available? What's their preference?
• Are they willing to overlap with your core hours?
• Do they have reliable internet and a proper working setup?

Red Flags to Watch For

• Vague answers about what they actually built ("I contributed to a microservices project")
• Inability to explain technical decisions they've made
• Slow async response during the hiring process itself — a preview of what working with them will be like
• Reluctance to be on camera for interviews
• References who are friends or family

What a Good Staffing Partner Does for You

When you hire through Greatex, the technical screening, communication assessment, and background check happen before you see the CV. You're evaluating the top 30% who've already passed a structured process — not sorting through everyone from scratch.

• → How to Onboard a Contract Developer
• → How to Write a JD for Contract Developers
• → Remote Developer Management Guide