The chaos, which ensued thanks to Coronaviruses’ roam around the world, was bitterly disruptive. Companies were forced to take their business from conference rooms to zoom calls, but if we had to pick one good thing the pandemic brought us, would be working from the ether. Yes, even though most companies said that their jobs required a more hands-on approach, and working from home was considered ineffective, the pandemic swooped in and proved that hiring outside the geographical barriers was the future. Your talent pool is tenfold and hourly rates for high-cost professionals are lower - now that sounds like heaven for someone who is considering outsourcing their IT needs.  The chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’re actually looking to outsource as well, but haven’t decided where. Well, lucky you, we are here to shamelessly hype up, what we call, the secret weapon of eastern Europe - Georgia.

What’s IT like in Georgia?

Instead of us raving about the long-standing history of the country or the delicious food, this article isn’t about that, so let’s get technical. Georgia is a small country with a population of almost 4 million, but its activities in digital marketing and informational technologies have gained worldwide recognition. From artificial intelligence projects to SaaS, Georgia has become the go-to outsourcing destination for western countries. Senior developers with a decade worth of experience in all programming languages can be found among the four million people. There are at least a dozen agencies, most of them working on off-shore projects, the interest from the western countries has never been higher because the potential is very clear to the trained eye.

Why Outsource to Georgia?

The gift of the hourly rates in the eastern European countries just keep on giving. Georgia is the best example of the famous cliche of affordable-price high-quality coming to life because it’s true! The cost of living in Georgia is quite amazingly adequate, which affects the pricing of services. As for quality, a decade ago, some self-taught programmers were beginning to gain attention and recognition from international companies and enterprises, so the profession became quite in demand for the youngster fresh out of high school. As of today, Georgia has at least a few hundred IT graduates a year, a few dozen digital agencies and vast amounts of companies outsourcing to them from all over the world.

What are Georgian Developers looking for?

Any professional in their field has some requirements that the company has to fill, whether it’s salary or working hours, according to our research a whopping 53% of developers value remote working opportunities higher than other factors. The second priority is the project because the biggest mistake that companies make when hiring a developer is going for the senior level pro’s when they don’t need to. It’s understandable that you may hire someone who’s an expert for a mid-level job, but developers take on challenges, not just jobs, that is why overqualified hires are the biggest obstacles developers meet when they are approached about outsourcing. At LavaPi, this is the main reason we evaluate each project scrupulously, so we assign the most dedicated developer or project manager to the task. 

English, fellow Georgians, do you speak it?

The biggest reason why some companies shy away from outsourcing to Eastern European countries is the inevitable thick accent they may come across, but have you ever heard of a Georgian accent? Nope, me neither, because it doesn’t exist. Thanks to the grueling Georgian alphabet with letters I can’t even write, let alone pronounce, their language skills are not just understandable, it’s thriving. Actually, research shows that almost anyone under 40 speaks English fluently, other popular languages include Spanish, Italian, and German. 

What are hourly rates for developers in Georgia?

Georgia has pretty affordable service pricing in all fields, including development. Compared to western European companies, it would cost you way less of the same budget, for the same project, if you’d decide to outsource to Georgia instead.

What’s the legal process of hiring in Georgia?

As simple as brewing a cup of coffee, with no extra bureaucracy and unending taxation. The government welcomes off-shore countries and their interest in hiring Georgian talent, that is why they made the process safe and secure for both parties.

How do I choose a company to outsource to?

Don’t just follow the “cheapest offer” trail, check their credentials, maybe request a few testimonials from other companies, see their portfolio, and speak to agencies directly, not just through email. Side note: if an agency is any good, they will dedicate a personal account manager to your company, always available for your requests and questions.

Why haven’t I heard about Georgia before?

The world is still in the process of debating the geographical location of the country, most research papers rarely acknowledge the country because “technically it’s in Eurasia, not eastern Europe”. Politics, am I right?

What’s the current climate in Georgia?

Some companies are worried about the political climate in the country, but fear not, for the past decade, the country has been thriving, with investments pouring into various cities and all the steps Georgia is taking in order to join the EU, I’d start my business there immediately before their national currency turns to euros!