Nearshore Tech Networking

Phoenix, AZ, January 20, 2022 –DIGITANITY. As noted by ZDNet, “the digital skills gap is becoming a digital skills crisis”, with 90 percent of executives surveyed saying they have skills gaps in their workforce. Nearshore and offshore recruiting offer a way to help bridge this gap, but comes with potential risks — if staff source locations suddenly experience pandemic surges, economic downturns, or political unrest, available tech talent could quickly dry up.

Nearshore (and offshore) networks, meanwhile, offer multiple talent pools to help streamline operations and reduce total risk.

The Nearshore Network Advantage

As COVID-19 pressures have made abundantly clear, talented tech staff are in high demand. Already facing IT job vacancies before the abrupt shift to remote work, companies now need reliable staff sourcing that allows them to access the right talent at the right time to reduce the potential risk of sudden understaffing or specific knowledge gaps.

Nearshore networks create natural redundancy for hiring operations. If primary recruiting locations dry up, secondary and tertiary options provide alternative pathways to keep IT efforts on track. Leveraging multiple locations also offers a diversity of talent — some countries may have larger pools of developers or software engineers, while others may specialize in AI, machine learning, or other advanced disciplines.

Bulgaria: Building a Better Nearshore Network

The first step in building a nearshore network is finding a location that reduces both costs and complexity. While there are a host of potential choices worldwide, one of the most attractive options for companies just starting their nearshore network in Bulgaria.

The country offers multiple nearshore advantages, including:

• Central EU location

Bulgaria’s central location in the EU makes it ideal for companies operating anywhere in the European Union. Simplified travel regulations plus short flight times make Bulgaria a great choice as in-person operations begin to ramp up post-COVID.

• Growing economy

As noted by the World Bank, Bulgaria’s economy has evolved significantly over the past three decades. Once highly centralized and rigidly planned, it is now “an open, market-based, upper-middle-income economy securely anchored in the EU.”

• Depth of tech talent

Bulgaria’s tech sector is one of the strongest — and fastest-growing — in the EU. It already accounts for 4 percent of the country’s total GDP, and is growing 10 percent year-over-year, making it a great choice for companies looking to get in on the ground floor of a robust tech talent pool.

• Stable government

Over the last two decades, Bulgaria has consistently remained politically stable, in turn creating a reliable environment for both IT development and consistency of available talent.

• Cost-effective recruiting

While the technology talent in Bulgaria is rapidly diversifying, limited market reputation means that hiring is often more cost-effective than in other European nations. For example, while Germany, France, and Spain pay software engineers $58,503, $52,052, and $37,655, respectively, the average software engineer salary in Bulgaria is $34,800.

The Tech Talent Scorecard — Considering Your Options

While countries like Bulgaria may form the foundation of your nearshore efforts, it’s also essential to expand your network. This offers both access to specific talent and provides a fallback in the event of issues that are out of your control.

Some of the top tech talent destinations to help grow your network include:

1. Bulgaria

Reasonable salaries, a growing IT sector, and a centralized location make Bulgaria an ideal nearshore option.

2. Ukraine

Political instability pushes Ukraine down one spot on our list.

3. The Philippines

Longer travel distances make the Philippines a solid offshore option.

4. India

India offers a host of tech talent but finding the best of the best can be challenging.

5. Brazil

With just 5 percent of the Brazilian population fluent in English, language barriers may create a business challenge.

Deliver Nearshore Network Development with Digitanity

Digitanity DDT is a dedicated team service committed to delivering long-term collaboration success. Our robust build operate transfer (BOT) model is designed to help your company quickly scale out internal teams and business groups to maximize operational performance. From sourcing and recruiting to hiring, administration, office space, and even payroll, Digitanity is ready to help your business make the most of nearshore and offshore networks worldwide.

Ready to boost tech talent and reduce total risk? Develop your nearshore network with Digitanity. We’d love to hear from you.