Running Black Gibbon for a few years now, I have accumulated quite a bit of experience in hiring Vietnam-based software engineers for US clients. Besides the typical questions of background experience, system architecture, algorithm and data structures, here are some other questions which I find quite useful in vetting a software engineer:
- his experience in working w/ US clients (especially regarding timezone or communication challenges he has faced)
- his ability to work alone (or with minimal guidance).
- his daily workflow. By that I mean his ability to break down a business use case into subtasks/tickets, implement those tickets daily and make sure they pass QA. Fast iteration is key here as timezone difference between USA and Vietnam means any small mistake can delay project by an entire day
- his documentation skills (whether in code or elsewhere)
- his communication skills (can he explain a complex task succinctly, will he ask for clarification when something is unclear). Note that some software engineers may not have the best verbal skills. That is OK as long as the main tech liaison (between US and Vietnam) can make up for it. And the client's expectation on this is clear from the onset.
- his learning velocity. Tech is a fast changing field. Clients always have new tools/requirements/etc. If the software engineer is stuck on some preference/mindset, this won't work
- honesty. Vietnam (like other Asian cultures) likes to save face. So if the software engineer can't complete a task due to weakness, makes a mistake or misunderstands something, it is critical to admit to it and learn from it. So if this is something the candidate is prone to, it is best to discover it during the interview process
Hope this helps. If you see something missing, feel free to let us know. Otherwise happy coding!
