7 Top Skills to Look for When Recruiting for Mobile Application Developers
Smartphones and mobile applications have changed how we receive and process information today. We have an array of information at our fingertips, and companies are always looking for ways to improve the customer experience through mobile applications.
Having the right team to create and support a mobile application can make or break relationships with clients and customers. As a result, there is a huge demand for mobile application developer jobs, whether they are iOS or Android apps.
As you gear up to hire a new iOS or Android developer, you need to consider what kind of skills will work best for the position. While developers have many of the same basic skills, some knowledge and abilities will be more useful to businesses than others.
Companies are gradually moving to the point where training and skills related to multiple programming languages will be helpful. While many mobile application developers might not yet be at a point where they can use several programming languages, someone who can will be extremely valuable.
However, if you know you’re only going to need one language or another, multiple programming languages might not be as useful. Nonetheless, the days when businesses have just an android developer job or just an iOS developer job are likely coming to an end.
Instead, candidates should be fluent in Kotlin for Android and objective-C and Swift for iOS. Java will also be very useful.
As someone looking for a mobile application developer job, knowing all these programming languages will set you apart from the pack for these types of in-demand positions.
The goal behind most mobile applications is to increase users, establish loyalty and usage. A developer who knows the basics of development from a technical standpoint is valuable. However, a developer who understands the business side of mobile applications is going to be even more useful.
This business savvy means realizing that they have to develop an app that is going to meet a need or make things easier for the customer. It also often means working with marketing teams to push out the application and responding to feedback to improve it after clients start using it.
Having this business mentality requires a mobile app developer to take ownership of their projects—benefiting everyone involved.
Most mobile applications are created in a team environment. It often takes a team of people to develop the app, market it, make it user-friendly, and address every other aspect of a successful project. A developer likely will not do all this work themselves.
As a result, having a mobile application developer who does not work well in a team or cannot collaborate with others might be a problem down the road. A good candidate can give or take delegation and direction while respecting all their team members.
While the developer might not be the project manager on every project, there are situations where they need to take on that role. In those cases, understanding the vision of the project and keeping the team on task are both essential functions.
Communication is critical in virtually any job, but in a high-stakes team environment like mobile app development, it is especially vital. The right candidate must not only be willing to communicate with their team, but they must also be an effective communicator overall. They must be clear in every communication to avoid setbacks, delays, and malfunctions.
In addition, a good app communicates with its customers. If the developer cannot communicate well with their team, there is a good chance that those struggles will translate to the app itself. Having someone who understands the importance of communication will go a long way to creating a successful app.
Cross-platform application development means that an app is created so that it can function on several platforms. It will use the same code no matter what kind of platform a user chooses to employ.
While using one code can be complicated, it is extremely versatile and efficient. Using just one code allows the app to reach more people. It also makes fixing bugs easier as well. Instead of fixing several different codes, the developer can address one “master” code, which means fewer tests and more streamlined deployment.
While cross-platform application development skills are not required for every mobile application developer job, they can be extremely useful under most circumstances. Creating apps that function on Android, iOS and Windows will be particularly useful both now and in the future.
A candidate for a mobile application developer job should have comprehensive security knowledge for both iOS and Android. Both systems have built-in security measures that must be considered as part of application development. Developers need to not only adhere to these security limitations or restrictions, but they need to consider security for their own applications as well.
Knowledge is only the first step, however. Developers should also have a security mentality. Having someone who takes security seriously will be helpful when you need to address client security concerns.
Things like keeping the application secure, preventing data breaches, and storing client information correctly are often hugely important to customers. As a result, developers should take those concerns seriously as well.
Even if your company already has a plan for a mobile application, having a candidate who is creative and thrives on innovation can be very useful. They can suggest how to make existing applications better and provide ideas for new applications in the future.
If a company gives the developer freedom to be creative, it can be extremely beneficial for the company for years to come.
Whether you are an employer or a potential employee, OSI Engineering can help with mobile application developer jobs. At OSI Engineering, we connect technical candidates with technical employers so both stakeholders can find the right fit. Contact us today by phone (408) 550-2800 or online. We look forward to connecting with you.