Hiring a developer remotely — especially for a US startup — is not just about skills on a résumé. After working with dozens of US-based clients on dedicated team engagements, we've refined the exact process we use to match the right engineers to each project. Here's the real checklist, not the polished marketing version. 1. Technical depth over tool familiarity Tools change. A developer who deeply understands data structures, system design, and trade-offs between approaches will outlast any framework trend. In our screening process, we give candidates open-ended architecture problems — not LeetCode puzzles — because that's closer to what real client projects demand. If someone lists React, Node.js, and Flutter on their résumé but can't explain why they'd choose server-side rendering over client-side for a given use case, they won't make the shortlist. 2. Async communication quality US clients work in PST or EST.…