Language Barrier in IT: How We Select Developers Who Speak Your Language

Language barriers pose significant challenges for businesses expanding into global markets. While hiring remote software engineers offers benefits like flexibility and cost savings, communication risks must also be considered.

Misunderstandings can be costly, leading to frustration, delays, and wasted resources. If your developer isn’t a native English speaker, worries like “Will they fully understand me?” or “Is this an ongoing issue?” can easily arise.

Cultural and language barriers in IT are a significant pain point in global business. A British study found that 96% of exporters experienced these issues, with 11% directly losing contracts.

But what if you could eliminate this risk?

IT Staff Augmentation is the solution. At UnitedCode, we specialize in bridging communication gaps. We meticulously select software developers and provide the tools and resources to ensure language differences don’t jeopardize your project’s success.

Testing language skills before hiring international developers

At UnitedCode, we have a rigorous process for finding software developers because we are focused on building long-term relationships. We go beyond resumes with a multi-step approach:

• Initial Interviews: To assess overall fit and communication skills.
• Technical Interviews: To evaluate coding expertise and problem-solving abilities.
• AI-Powered Skill Testing: To measure technical proficiency objectively.
• Soft Skill Assessments: To gauge communication, collaboration, and cultural fit.

While technical skills are crucial, we emphasize soft skills, especially English proficiency in software development. We work with top software developers from 19 countries, and our entire hiring process is conducted in English.

Here’s how we typically evaluate English language skills:

• Tense Usage: A candidate’s use of simple or complex tenses reveals their grammatical proficiency. For example: “I have been working as a developer for five years” (present perfect continuous) vs. “I am working as a developer” (present simple).
• Sentence Construction & Logical Sequencing: Our interviews are dynamic discussions. We want developers who can articulate their ideas clearly, whether it’s explaining a technical concept or engaging a conference crowd.
• Fluency and Confidence: Next, we note the candidate’s overall fluency and confidence in spoken English. We note whether the developer speaks smoothly, hesitates frequently, or needs help finding the right words.
• Vocabulary Choice: A candidate’s vocabulary sophistication provides insights into their overall command of English. For instance, precise technical terms like “algorithm” or “data structure” should be used instead of more general terms like “process” or “information.”
• Crystal-Clear Communication: When hiring an international developer, we also consider their accent and communication skills. Accents are welcome, but clarity is key. We ensure our international developers can communicate effectively with clients and teammates.

Combining all these methods guarantees that our developers can communicate effectively with everyone involved in your project.

So, why not let us handle the hard work of finding the right software developers? Then, you can focus on what you do best — innovating and bringing your project to life.

As the talent crisis approaches by 2030, it’s crucial to have developers who can communicate effectively. Check out our article “Talent Crisis: Can We Avoid an $8.5 Trillion Loss?” to discover how to tackle this challenge.