Key takeaways
Language and time zone worries are common, and they faded quickly in practice
Strong English and a good personality fit matter as much as technical skill when hiring remotely
A Swedish intermediary who handles employment, conditions and follow-ups takes a lot of stress out of the process
A good remote hire needs a good working relationship from both sides
Hiring a developer on the other side of the world sounds great on paper. In practice, it can feel like a leap, especially if you have only ever worked with colleagues in your own country.
We recently caught up with Conny Mohlin, CTO at Digmi Group AB, who has worked with Malindu, one of our dedicated developers in Sri Lanka, for the past year and a half. Conny was honest about his doubts at the start, and just as honest about how things turned out. Here is the full interview.
I know you were a bit sceptical about our business model and having a developer from Sri Lanka. What was it that you were afraid of, and how has it been?
Yes, that’s true. I had only worked with Swedish developers before and was a little stressed about the language and the time difference between Sweden and Sri Lanka. But it has only been positive. Good understanding, works both hard and fast, and also adapts to fast adjustments in development.
What are the most important things to think about to get it to work well with having a developer or more remote?
I would suggest focusing on how good the person is at English more than at coding. I assumed that the guys were good at what they do, coding in different languages. So I focused more on how well the person speaks English and on whether we could have a laugh in the meeting. More personality than mastery of coding in the first take. Then of course make sure the person knows what he is talking about.
If you could explain in 3 words how it has been to work with Malindu for 1.5 years?
Just completely perfect!
What made Digmi choose Lucytech over other ways of finding a developer?
It was because Lucytech has a Swedish intermediary who makes sure everything is in order in Sri Lanka, that the employee gets good working conditions and has follow-ups and so on. Very nice to be able to speak with a Swedish person who can help out with everything around the employment.
What would you say to someone who is in the position you were in before, considering this but not quite sure?
Just go for it. It’s going to surprise you in a positive way for sure! And if it doesn’t work out, I would say that has more to do with how you approach it than with the employee!
Conny Mohlin, CTO, Digmi Group AB
Thinking about hiring a developer in Sri Lanka?
We have an office in Sri Lanka where we recruit and manage experienced developers who work directly with European clients. Get in touch and let’s talk about what that could look like for your team.
Sanna Khaled
CEO
Whether you have a question, some feedback, or just want to explore what's possible, I'm always happy to chat.
Feel free to reach out at any time, no strings attached and no agenda needed.
Sometimes the best conversations start with a simple hello!
