Many U.S. companies jump into nearshore hiring with high hopes and good intentions. The idea of working with talented professionals in Latin America who are in similar time zones and offer strong technical skills is undeniably appealing. But too often, this enthusiasm turns into frustration within the first few weeks. What went wrong?
The truth is simple: they skipped the pilot.
What Is a Nearshore Pilot?
A pilot is a structured, short-term engagement (typically 60–90 days) designed to test whether a nearshore collaboration works for your specific team, culture, and deliverables. Think of it as a low-risk experiment to gather data before making a full commitment.
Instead of hiring a full team or committing to long-term contracts, a pilot lets you validate key assumptions in a real-world setting.
Why Skipping It Backfires
Here are the most common issues we see when companies bypass the pilot phase:
- Misaligned expectations: Without a trial period, teams often start working without shared definitions of quality, timelines, or ownership.
- Cultural friction: Even with overlapping time zones, communication norms can differ. A pilot provides space to adjust.
- Over-scaling too soon: Companies may hire several people at once before confirming whether the setup works.
- Tooling and workflow mismatches: Suddenly adding new team members without vetting your async tools or processes can cause delays and confusion.
What a Pilot Helps You Learn
A well-run pilot doesn’t just protect you, it teaches you. In 90 days, you can:
- Evaluate technical proficiency
- Understand communication rhythm
- Test timezone compatibility
- Measure time-to-first-value
- Gather real feedback from your team
This data is invaluable when deciding whether and how to scale.
Who Should Run a Pilot?
Any company considering LATAM talent or distributed teams should consider a pilot. Whether you’re a startup hiring your first external engineer or an enterprise exploring agile pods, the pilot approach offers clarity before commitment.
Final Thought
A nearshore pilot isn’t a formality. It’s a filter. It tells you what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change before you invest further.
Before you build a nearshore team, test it. A 90-day pilot could save you 9 months of regret.
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