We Screen For How Developers Work, Not Only What They Know
A strong interview does not always mean strong delivery. Our screening looks at the habits that decide whether code reaches production.
What Gets Tested vs What Goes Wrong
Production work rarely fails for the reasons interviews test.
What most vendors evaluate
- Years of experience listed on a CV
- Algorithm puzzles under time pressure
- Framework trivia
- A short call to check spoken English
- Availability to start
What production work fails on
- Unclear requirements that nobody questioned
- Changes made without reading the existing code
- Problems hidden until the deadline
- Review feedback taken personally or ignored
- Work that passes locally and breaks on release
Why Engagement Length Matters
Screening is a prediction. The real test is whether the client keeps the developer.
A client on month-to-month terms with no exit fee can leave at any point. When they stay, it is because the developer is doing useful work. That makes engagement length an honest measure of fit.
We track it for that reason, and we use what we learn to adjust how we screen.
Five Criteria For Real-World Execution
Every developer is assessed against the same five points.
Code You Can Maintain
Readable, tested and structured so the next person can change it safely.
System Thinking
Understands how a change affects data, performance and the services around it.
Clear Communication
Writes and speaks clearly. Asks questions early. Says when something is blocked.
Working In Existing Code
Can read an unfamiliar codebase and follow its conventions before changing them.
Response To Review
Takes feedback, explains choices and improves the work without friction.
Our Screening Process
Each stage removes candidates. Only those who pass every stage reach your shortlist.
- 1
Application And Profile Review
We check experience against real projects, not job titles.
- 2
Communication Check
A conversation and a written exercise in English.
- 3
Code Review On Real Work
We read code the developer has written and ask why it was built that way.
- 4
Live Technical Interview
A senior engineer works through a design problem with the candidate.
- 5
Practical Task
A task based on the kind of system the developer would work on.
After screening, you interview the developer yourself before any contract.
Why Projects Succeed
Good screening is one part. These habits do the rest.
Small, Clear Tasks
Work is broken down so progress shows early.
Daily Visibility
Commits and tickets live in your tools, where you can see them.
One Developer, One Client
Full attention on your product builds real context.
Problems Raised Early
A blocker reported today is cheaper than one found at release.
Already Have Offshore Developers?
You do not need to replace a team to work with us.
If you already have offshore developers, we can assess the team against the same five criteria and tell you where the gaps are. The findings are yours to act on, with or without us.
We can also add developers alongside your current team. They join your repository, your tools and your rituals.
- An assessment of the current team against our criteria
- A plain summary of strengths and gaps
- Developers added to supplement specific skills
What We Optimise For
Don't
- Fill a seat with whoever is free
- Send a stack of CVs and let you sort them
- Judge a developer on puzzles alone
- Count the placement as the result
Do
- Match the developer to your stack and system
- Shortlist a few people worth your time
- Judge on real code and real communication
- Count working software as the result
A Closing Thought
No screening process is perfect. People are harder to predict than code.
That is why you interview every developer before any contract, and why we replace the developer if the fit is wrong. Screening lowers the risk. These terms cover what is left.
Meet Developers Who Have Passed Every Stage
Tell us the stack and the role. We will share a shortlist you can interview.
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