There is so much talk around companies going permanently remote. If that is really the case then what's the need to compete for talent in the Silicon Valley? Keeping aside the challenges due to different time zones, if a person's skill can be validated would you hire developers in India, or for that matter any other country?
Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
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Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#2...if a person's skill can be validated...
Just as important as skill is productivity. And both are more difficult to access remotely.
Credentials have limited substance in the US labor market. In India they have even less --- in my experience.
There is no way to sugar coat this --- India has a credibility deficit in my opinion which translates into additional management oversight required.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#3I've led teams from India. The skills and talent were fine, although the interview process to find good talent was harder then in the US. I'll skip the horror stories of people googling interview questions... because that isn't really what you are asking about.
There were challenges - The communications needed extra effort, and the results were not as good when they were given autonomy over their work. They also were not happy being on a project long-term - they always were looking for their next promotion. Which means it was difficult to get a true senior-level talent on the team, because the better someone is... the quicker they move on to something else.
Ultimately, my answer is yes, I am willing to hire people no matter where they come from -- but I'd be far more inclined to hire someone who has already spent a couple years working in the USA, so they have a better understanding of both how we communicate, and our business culture.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#4I wonder if devs in india would be willing to do night shifts to sync their times with us teams.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#5I've led teams from India. The skills and talent were fine, although the interview process to find good talent was harder then in the US. I'll skip the horror stories of people googling interview questions... because that isn't really what you are asking about. There were challenges - The communications needed extra effort, and the results were not as good when they were given autonomy over their work. They also were…
I totally relate to your challenges. But things have changed a lot of now. Developers are more exposed to product development environment and while they will still need to understand the US business culture there is a far greater willingness to learn. When I look at my friends who did their education in India but now working here in the US and compare them with their peers in India, I don't see a difference in skills, only a lack of exposure.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#6...if a person's skill can be validated... Just as important as skill is productivity. And both are more difficult to access remotely. Credentials have limited substance in the US labor market. In India they have even less --- in my experience. There is no way to sugar coat this --- India has a credibility deficit in my opinion which translates into additional management oversight required.
Agreed but will you be wiling to put in their additional oversight (at least in the beginning)for more cost effective labor and potentially more work output (if effective systems are in place and there is good oversight).
Note that the same devs are able to compete with their US peers in companies like Google, MS etc. who have local presence.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#7I've led teams from India. The skills and talent were fine, although the interview process to find good talent was harder then in the US. I'll skip the horror stories of people googling interview questions... because that isn't really what you are asking about. There were challenges - The communications needed extra effort, and the results were not as good when they were given autonomy over their work. They also were…
I agree with all these points. I would also like to add that; I noticed that I need to over communicate everything and give a level of detail around what needs to be done. It could be the people we hired, but I have noticed this at other places where I worked.
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#8I wonder if devs in india would be willing to do night shifts to sync their times with us teams.
Are you paying the same as US teams?
Re: Ask HN: If you are fully/partially remote, would you hire devs in India?
#9I wonder if devs in india would be willing to do night shifts to sync their times with us teams.
I've seen companies outsource to places with cheaper than US cost-of-living with less of a time zone difference. For example, Mexico City is in Central Time and has a somewhat similar cost of living to Mumbai.