Mobile apps are now used in almost every industry, be it e-commerce or manufacturing. With the booming demand for mobile apps, there is a rising demand for mobile app developers. How to choose the right candidate? What things should you consider? Let’s take a look into the mobile app development market and find out how to hire the best talent for your project needs.
Table of Contents
Mobile Skills That Are Now Most Wanted in the IT Industry
With the growing number of smartphones, the demand for mobile app developers is on a constant high. The following groups of skills show what expertise is valuable when you hire mobile app developers.
Multiple Programming Languages Skills
One of the key mobile skills is proficiency in different programming languages. There are a lot of programming languages to learn and gain proficiency for mobile application developers. As far as mobile developers are concerned, Java and Kotlin are on-demand for Android developers, while Objective-C and Swift – for iOS developers.
Expertise in Cross-Platform Development
Cross-platform development is a popular trend in the mobile application development industry. Native development skills can be a good base for learning frameworks and other tools for cross-platform development.
UX and UI Design Skills
Though UX and UI are not related to the key developers’ duties, the understanding of user experience design is crucial for mobile developers, too. This knowledge will help them create user-friendly apps that are simple and easy to navigate.
Cybersecurity Skills
With the increase in the number of smartphones on the market, the number of smartphone users targeted by hackers has grown as well. Prevention is better than cure, so for developers, it’s vital to be aware of modern cybersecurity trends. The awareness of safety measures to prevent cyberattacks is now among the most wanted in the app development market.
iOS vs Android Developers vs Hybrid App Developers
The hard skills of mobile developers are divided based on app development technologies they need to be able to work with. Here are the key technologies every Android, iOS, and hybrid app developer should be aware of.
iOS developers
- Understanding of OOP principles
- Expertise in iOS SDK and UI kit
- Experience in multithreading, geolocation, networking, Apple purchase, APNS, and Core Data
- Working with GIT version control system
- Abilities to use Swift testing tools
Android developers
- Java or Kotlin
- Android SDK, as it is the basic set of tools and principles
- Work with APIs, as these apps must interact with a ton of software through APIs
- Understand the back end, as this element can be pretty complex in Android apps
Hybrid app developers
⦁ Proficiency in Microsoft Visual Studio, Eclipse, Idea, RubyMind, Xamarin Studio
⦁ Knowledge of HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, C#, C++, PHP
⦁ Expertise in different operating systems Android, iOS, Windows Phone
⦁ Experience in Xamarin, Cordova, PhoneGap, Ionic, Sencha, Cocos 2DX
Hiring Options
When it comes to hiring mobile developers, there are three options available: freelancers, team augmentation, or outsourcing your project to a vendor.
Hiring Freelancers
Freelancers might be a good fit for smaller projects that don’t require many developers or a full-time team. Upwork and Freelancer are the most popular platforms for searching. They connect employers and freelancers, allowing them to process all the payments through the platform.
Companies can hire freelancers for a specified period of time to perform specific activities or services, and pay them directly. It means that you can save resources on hiring in comparison to building hiring for an in-house position with the same function or tasks.
Freelancers are free to take on projects from multiple clients so the quality of their output may fall short of the client’s expectations. Since freelancers have the option to work on several projects at the same time, this poses a security concern for businesses that share proprietary or sensitive data. If a freelancer is not careful, sensitive information can be mistakenly disclosed.
Staff Augmentation
Freelancers aren’t the best option for project-based work. If you need “more hands on deck,” that’s not what freelancers can provide. If you aim at taking the pressure off your team or meet a deadline more quickly, staff augmentation is the answer.
This type of outsourcing implies expanding an in-house software development team with specialists who only work as needed. Many companies prefer to use their in-house specialists for software development while outsourcing the most difficult tasks.
One of the advantages of IT staff augmentation is that it assists companies in finding the best talent for their projects. Besides, it helps companies with workforce optimization and allows them to stay flexible in the future. Finally, it helps to improve software quality while simultaneously enhancing data privacy efforts.
Staff augmentation has an extremely transparent cost structure. You don’t have to worry about any administrative or organizational costs, such as office space, workstations, or other facilities. You simply pay a fee, and the vendor takes care of the rest, allowing you to focus on your core business activities.
IT Outsourcing
If you are going to launch a complex long-term project, consider hiring mobile developers from an outsourcing software development company. This option offers many benefits. Firstly, you get access to unique talents with specific expertise in the mobile app development industry. Secondly, you avoid any management issues as outsourcing companies take the responsibility for the entire project delivery process. Finally, you are guaranteed to get a high-quality product delivered within the agreed time frame.
You may be wondering what countries you should outsource mobile development to. Eastern Europe is one of the most popular regions for outsourcing. Many EU and US companies choose Poland, Ukraine, Belarus to hire local mobile developers. So, why should you opt for outsourcing your mobile project development to Eastern Europe? Below are a few reasons to consider:
- Extensive talent pool. It won’t be a problem to find a mobile app developer, including with experience in native and hybrid development and expertise in innovative technologies.
- Lower development costs. As there are economically developing countries in the region, it implies lower development rates.
- Geographical proximity for EU-based clients. Eastern European countries are located closer to Western Europe, so it’s easy to arrange a business trip. US clients can arrange a non-stop development process due to time differences between the USA and Eastern Europe.
- Proficiency in English. Software developers from Eastern Europe pay attention to their English language skills, so they regularly attend English classes and take part in international meet-ups and conferences.
Things to Consider Before Hiring App Developers
Mobile app development is on-demand in many industries, so it’s often difficult to choose the right talent among the pool of candidates. However, if you know about the three pillars of the hiring process, you’ll make it easier.
How to hire. During the preparation stage, be sure you define the engagement model that works for you. Is your project short-term or long-term? Would you afford to hire a mobile developer in-house or should you hire a freelancer? Would you hire a dedicated outsourcing team?
App requirements. Define the requirements for your project as precisely as you can. It will help you get a clear vision of your app and understand how many mobile developers you need and what level of expertise you should look for.
Budget. How much does it cost you to develop your mobile app? What is the budget available? Estimate your budget before hiring the mobile development team.
Summary
When hiring mobile developers, you should pay attention to their experience, hard skills, portfolio, and soft skills. Still, your choice will depend on multiple factors, including your app requirements, budget, etc. You may consider hiring in-house developers, freelancers, remote employees, or even outsource your project to another country. No matter what you choose, you’d better think about overall factors to make the right choice.
