There are many decisions that need to be made before you can hire a mobile app developer, and it’s important to make them correctly. This blog post is going to cover everything from what type of developer you should look for, how much they cost, and why hiring the wrong person will hurt your business.
Mobile technology is everywhere. Smartphones are being used for everything from shopping to banking, and it’s clear that mobile app development has become a vital part of the industry. If you’re looking to create an app on your own, this can be a daunting task. Hiring someone who knows what they’re doing is not always easy either – there are so many developers out there! In this blog post, we will discuss how to find the best developer for your project by following these steps:
1) Researching potential candidates
2) Finding their qualifications
3) Interviewing them
4) Making sure they have experience with your target market & device type
5) Checking references before hiring the wrong developer can be costly
Table of Contents
1. Researching Potential Candidates
You may decide you want to find a mobile developer on your own, but I recommend you research potential candidates at least three months before you need the work done. If you are looking for an iOS developer, start researching three months before you need someone to have your app completed. If you are looking for an Android developer, start looking three months before you need the app to be ready.
The reason for this is that mobile development takes time and what you need done will probably be something that hasn’t been done before. If you find the perfect candidate, it’s not always easy to get them to take on the project immediately.
2. Finding Their Qualifications
It’s safe to assume that someone who has been developing for a long time is going to have the experience you need. You don’t want to hire someone who has been coding since they could hold a pencil, but you also don’t want to hire someone without any experience.
To find out how long a developer has been working in their field, you should check their online portfolios. You’ll want to find out how many apps they’ve worked on and what mobile app development companies they have previously worked for. This will give you an idea of their skills and what types of apps they’ve worked on.
If the developer has anything to do with your industry, this is a nice touch. Make note of the apps they’ve created for your competitors as well. If they have experience working within your industry, they will understand the needs of your project better.
3. Interviewing Them
Once you have collected a list of potential candidates, start reaching out to them. Make sure all of your potential candidates are within your budget, and then start contacting them one by one.
You’ll want to have a list of questions ready for your developers so you know what to ask during the interview. It’s important that you write out all your questions beforehand, as you don’t want to forget anything important.
4. Making Sure They Have Experience With Your Target Market & Device Type
Once you have found your top candidates, it’s time to actually interview them. It’s important that you don’t hire someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. Below, you will find a list of questions to ask the developer during an interview. Feel free to use these or alter them to fit your needs.
“What are the qualities of a good mobile app?” This is just an icebreaker question. Most people have no idea what makes a good app and will give you a vague answer. If they give you an answer that sounds like something out of a marketing brochure, move on to the next question.
“What are the benefits of mobile development over native?” If you ask this, the developer will most likely give you a vague answer like “Mobile is better”. You want them to talk about how it saves money and time for the end user. Mobile apps are built once and can be used by everyone who has the app, whereas native apps are built for one platform.
“What process do you follow when working on a mobile development project?” The development process will be different depending on the type of app being made. If they have no process, move on to the next candidate.
“Does your team use any specific tools or processes while developing an app?” Just like with processes, teams will use different tools to develop their apps. If they don’t use any specific tools, move on to the next candidate.
“Do you have experience with any mobile operating systems? Which ones?” You want them to talk about how much they love working with an iOS or Android developer, but not all developers are familiar with both. If they have experience working with your target market, go on to the next candidate.
“How do you plan out an application before starting development?” It’s important that the developer is familiar with wireframing software or can explain their process without one. Make note of whether or not they use wireframing software during the interview.
- Can you give me examples of apps you’ve worked on in the past? You want to see what types of apps they have created, who was their client or employer, and how big the app was.
- What were your roles when building this app(s)? If they were only a developer, move onto the next candidate. If they were a project manager and developer, this is great.
- Can you name any clients or companies you’ve worked for? You want them to talk about big mobile app development companies that your audience would know. If they mention any names that you know within your industry, move on to the next candidate.
- When should we start building the app? You want them to give you a fixed date and not say, “as soon as possible” or “right away”. Make sure they don’t mention any holidays unless you’re okay with the project taking longer.
- Where do you see the app going in the future? You want them to bring up ways that they can market your product once it’s done. Make sure they don’t only talk about updating the app with new features.
5. Checking References And Trial Projects
You must make sure the developer has experience and references to back it up. You can check their personal and company references by asking for referrals from past clients or employers. Make sure you talk to at least three people who have worked with them in the past and ask specific questions about the project they did together.
Final Note-
You will notice that there are many questions in this article that you can’t ask in your interview. However, it is important to note if they’re sitting properly and paying attention when answering your questions. If the candidate seems like they don’t care or are not giving their full attention during an interview, move onto the next person.