
A mobile app is a tool. Its a tool to help you build your business. Your mobile app is the heart of your business.
And your mobile app is a living thing. It grows and changes with your business. It learns. It remembers things. It gets better. When you hire people, you get them right.
They dont let you down. They dont get distracted. They dont get fired. They are part of your team. They help you solve problems; they help you grow.
Hire people. Hire humans. People build software. Machines only follow orders.
In this article, were going to take you through the android developer hiring process, from what qualifications you should look for to where you can find so much needed Android developers.
Hire Android Developers
Android developers are developers who have experience with creating applications for the Android operating system.
Depending on the project, the developer may be responsible for the entire development process or may be assigned to fine-tune other aspects of the project. Each developer has a specialty and may vary in skill level.
When hiring developers, it is important to choose developers who have a proven track record. You do not want to hire senior developers to program an e-commerce website or hire junior developers to write a game.
Your developer will need various skills, so look for developers who can program, design, test, and debug. It is important to find developers who have experience creating applications for the Android operating system. Depending on your specific needs, you can hire developers with various skill levels ‒ junior, middle, or senior.
Junior developers usually have less experience than middle or senior developers. Their experience may also vary, depending on the project.
When hiring junior developers, keep in mind that they may be less expensive. Junior developers usually begin work at a lower rate than more experienced developers. This makes them ideal for projects where time is of the essence.
Middle developers typically have several years of experience. These developers may specialize in certain areas ‒ such as mobile technology, game development, or e-commerce.
When hiring middle developers, keep in mind that they are typically more experienced than junior developers. Also, they may cost more.
Senior developers typically have several years of experience. These developers may have specialized skills, such as creating gaming applications, writing mobile applications, or developing websites.
When hiring senior developers, keep in mind that they are more experienced than middle developers and typically cost more.
If your business team has been discussing the next Big Thing for a week or two, and you are now ready to hire Android developers to make your app a reality, you have reached an important milestone.
You probably know what you want the app to do, and you have figured out who will do what. So, it is time to decide if a single developer or team will do the work. If you decide to hire a team of Android developers, you must decide:
1. Who should be on the team?
2. What skills will you need?
3. How many Android developers?
4. What will they be paid?
5. Who will handle development management?
Android developer hard skills
Java knowledge
You cant be a successful Android developer without Java. Java is the language of choice for developing Android apps.
Because Android is essentially a Java platform, programmers who know Java can easily switch over to Android development. But Java programming is also challenging, which is why Android requires Java programming certification.
Android app development is a specialized skill. It is complex, and this complexity is compounded by the fact that the Android SDK is a toolkit for developers, not an IDE.
This means that Java is the quintessentially technical skill for Android app developers. Java developers must be at ease with data structures and algorithms, be adept at coding, and be comfortable with software design.
The Java language itself is complicated. For example, Java has an advanced operator precedence system, and while Java syntax is clean and concise, it nonetheless takes a lot of effort to master.
The Android SDK is also complex. The Android SDK is, in effect, a software library, covering everything from the hardware to graphics to networking.
The Android SDK also depends on other libraries. The Android SDK itself depends on a Java Virtual Machine, which in turn depends on a kernel.
SDK
We live in a world that runs on software. Software is the language in which computers work. And almost all computers run the software, whether its in your office or a smartphone in your pocket.
But software is a complicated thing. Unlike physics or biology, there is no textbook with all the answers. You have to learn as you go.
The Android SDK, or the Software Development Kit, is a set of development tools that the Android team decided to use for building apps.
A developer is supposed to have a deep understanding of all the tools. A good developer is also supposed to have a clear understanding of views, layouts, user input, activities and their lifecycle, etc.
They also have to be able to troubleshoot bugs in the code.
Backend knowledge
Backend developers often work silently behind the scenes. What they build is often invisible to the end-user, yet it is essential for the smooth running of the software.
Backend developers build the plumbing of applications. Everything from databases and web servers to middleware and application frameworks.
Backend developers are typically involved in all parts of the development process, from requirements gathering and project planning to testing and maintenance.
A backend developer may work alongside front-end developers on projects, but backend developers tend not to work on the user interface or presentation layer of the applications they create.
Backend developers build and maintain the systems that keep the applications running. A backend developer can specialize in front-end development but is more likely to be involved in systems development, web development, database development, or network programming.
Increasingly, backend developers may be expected to work as part of a team. A backend developer needs to communicate effectively with designers, project managers, testers, and other developers.
A backend developer needs to be able to write well. Good documentation is essential, as is the ability to clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical people.
A backend developer needs to be able to follow processes and procedures
They need to know that back-end skills are very important because they make a successful product. People working on front-end skills dont necessarily need to possess the backend skills, but a basic understanding of that side of the development process is a must.
Android app developer soft skills
Team Player
The Android Developer Program is a collaborative, community-driven program. It requires teamwork from the Android Developer community and our partners.
The Android Developer Program works with the Android developer community to build compelling, innovative, and highly functional mobile applications, whether through source-code contributions, development tools, documentation, or promotion.
Culturally fit
We seldom interview developers, even though we have a pretty good sense of who we want when we hire developers. Yes, we can screen out the ones who arent competent, but we take hardly any time out of these interviews to make sure theyre going to fit.
We dont interview because we think we can tell who we want just by watching them work.
The problem is that you cant assume anything. If two people have the same job, but one is a workaholic, and the other isnt, you cant guess what kind of worker theyll make, because you dont know who they are, only what they do.
What we do know is that, in any group, some people will work harder than others. But knowing that only tells you something about the group, not the individual. We know that people in most groups dont change.
So, hiring a person whos willing to work harder than anyone else, who fits your companys culture, is important. But you cant predict it.
We may be shooting ourselves in the foot, though, by concentrating so much on culture. If you hire people with a predisposition to be workaholics, they dont change.
If theyre conscientious, they may work even harder. But if they like working with each other, theyll work hard together as a side-effect of fitting the culture. If theyre conscientious, theyll also work together.
And if theyre both conscientious, theyll work together even more.
Communication Skill
Even if you lived 500 years ago, you might still have trouble appreciating languages role in modern life. We live in a world of thousands of languages spoken by billions of people.
We have been able to communicate across those distances for thousands of years.
Yet, most of us think we can communicate without understanding each others language. This assumption is at the root of a lot of miscommunications between people.
You assume that because two people understand each others language, they must be talking about the same thing. It is also at the root of much of our difficulty in understanding science. We take it for granted that scientists can talk to each other.
But they cant. Scientists talk one language. They use words for things. And words for things dont mean the same things to different people.
To a scientist, the word "iron" means metal. To a plumber, it means iron ore, which is stuff you heat with fire or fuse together to make cast iron.
To an anatomist, it means an iron-containing protein. To a physicist, iron is a metal. And a physicist would never use the word "iron" to refer to a cast iron pipe. To an economist, therefore, "iron" means something very different from "iron ore" or "protein".
And to an economist, "iron" is the raw material for making iron. To a chemist, it is other stuff. To a historian, it is something else again.
So, when economists talk about "the iron industry", they mean different things from other people.
Job description example for Android developer
Hiring Android developers is a complicated process. If you dont know exactly what youre looking for, how can you be sure that what the candidate is offering meets your needs?
Every job ad is different, but they all have a few things in common. Well go over those common features, and then well cover some specifics.
First of all, every ad should include a job title. The title should tell you what the job is.
Second, every ad should include a job description. This is the meat of the ad, and it should include the basic qualifications for the job.
Third, every ad should include a salary range. This has been the most contentious issue in Android development for years, and its still a debatable topic.
Some developers argue that theres no point in putting a salary range in a published ad because you cant make a hiring decision based solely on a salary. Others argue that a salary range is the only fair way to show a candidate what youre willing to pay.
Interview questions to ask Android developer
The best engineers are great at both technical skills and people skills. In fact, the best engineers are great at everything.
But the second-best engineers are just OK at everything. Engineers, like artists, are good at what they do. But great engineers have an uncanny knack for finding interesting problems to work on.
Interview questions to test hard skills:
What are the advantages of the Android Operating System?
Could you please explain in brief the Android Architecture / Android Framework?
What are the necessary components of a New Android project?
Could you please explain in brief what is "Activities"/"Services"?
Please explain the Activity Lifecycle.
What are the implicit and explicit intents?
Do you find it easier to build up a plan from scratch or take a complete plan and see it through to completion?
Which tools are used for debugging on the Android platform?
Interview questions to test soft skills:
In what areas do you want to have the most impact?
Do you like to tackle tasks from several different angles, or do you prefer a very structured approach to problem-solving?
Do you prefer to focus on parts of the development process, or do you like to take on more of a holistic approach? This is particularly relevant for cross-functional teams where individuals will have varying responsibilities across multiple disciplines.
Mobile Application Development
Hiring remote Android developer: Two common ways to go
Hiring freelancers - Many companies, especially startups, prefer to hire freelance contractors instead of employees because of the economy.
Hiring freelancers is also popular for startups because freelancers tend to have a more flexible schedule. Freelance contractors are also popular for big companies because they can deliver high-quality work. However, like hiring employees, hiring freelance contractors has its advantages and disadvantages.
Employers usually dont provide freelancers with benefits, such as health insurance or retirement plans. Freelancers also have higher turnover rates, which can lead to inconsistent performance. The freedom to hire freelancers can be a problem as well.
Some freelancers may not deliver quality results.
Pros of working with freelancers:
Lower rates
Large talent pool
Previous clients reviews available
Very good for short-term projects or making minor changes to the existing ones.
Cons of working with freelancers:
No quality guarantees
Your only protection is the platforms policy
Different time zones
Possible language barrier
outsourcing to it companies
Reasons: proximity, convenience, expertise, and economics. But outsourcing is risky.
Organizations dont always do it well. They outsource to the wrong companies. They hire people they dont know. Some of the risks are cultural.
Companies that outsource to other companies dont always understand what they need to outsource. They dont understand that their corporate culture is not their customers. Other risks are technical. Outsourcing work is often an imprecise process.
Companies cannot always agree on what work to outsource. Sometimes they dont even agree on what they want to outsource. Sometimes they dont know how to outsource.
One way to look at it is to contrast two approaches to outsourcing. One is traditional.
Approach: you outsource all of the things that people can do for themselves. The other approach is Lean Approach: you outsource the things that people cant do for themselves.
In the Lean approach, the people who are best suited to do the work are the ones who do the work. They might be people you already know.
They might be people you find. They might be people you train. They might be people you pick. A Lean approach is a people-first approach to outsourcing.
Traditional outsourcing, by contrast, is a software-first approach.
Software first Outsourcing
Software-first outsourcing can be efficient. Software-first outsourcing can be fast. Software-first outsourcing is cheap.
But software-first outsourcing is also blind. Software-first outsourcing is blind to the people who do the work, to the development of business software, especially business applications, is a multi-stage process that professionals must oversee.
Businesses produce complex software every day, and they need to manage the development process efficiently, ensuring the result is in line with their requirements. Business software-development companies can set clearer goals and devise a roadmap to reach them, guiding the business through each step of the software development process.
On the other hand, an application development company can provide businesses with the required software and offer support and consulting services for the software solution they have developed.
Business software-development companies usually focus on developing specific software solutions, offering a range of services, including business software development, application design, database and software development, and web development. Business software-development companies help businesses avoid common pitfalls, such as missing a deadline, overshooting a budget, or delivering an incomplete solution.
On the other hand, application development companies have a wider range of services to offer, including software consulting, custom software development, mobile application development, and website design and development.
IT companies provide businesses with IT development teams and resources to complete their software projects, ensuring businesses get exactly what they need.
Businesses that outsource their software development and application development to an IT company can save a lot of time, money, and resources, as they do not have to hire and maintain their team of software developers, programmers, and web developers. Businesses that outsource their software development and application development to an IT company can save a lot of time, money, and resources.
Hire Java Developers
Java engineers (and programmers) are so expensive, and companies need so many. Its no wonder that universities are turning out so many engineers.
But engineers are not all alike. Some are great at solving problems. Some are great at finding new ways to solve problems. Some are great at engineering.
And some are great at both. The diversity of skills is one reason engineers are such valuable employees. But it is also why engineering is such a good job.
Engineering is the kind of job that benefits from diversity. You need to know something about everything.
But engineers are in short supply. We are told that engineering jobs will be outsourced to India and China. But outsourcing doesnt solve the problem.
It only changes who pays the bills. You still need to hire sound engineers. And then you need to train them. Engineers today spend too much time filling out forms, going to interviews, and running down technical specs.
They are spending too little time-solving problems.
The programmers are, on average, more productive than they used to be. But that still isnt enough. We need better programmers.
Organizations need programmers who can make better programs in less time.
React Native App Development
React is a JavaScript library that can be used to create dynamic web and mobile apps. React is used to create views, or screens, in web and mobile apps.
React is mainly used to render a web page. React is helpful because it lets you write code once and share it across the web and mobile. React doesnt expect developers to know HTML, JavaScript, or CSS, so React developers can use their existing skills.
React enables developers to reuse components. Components are the basic building blocks for web apps. React components are small reusable blocks of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code rendered into web page elements.
React components handle events. React components listen to events occurring in DOM elements and execute actions.
Actions trigger call backs. React components share state. A state is an object containing application data. React components have access to a shared state.
React Native Application Development is a reasonably new concept. But the rapid adoption of React Native development can be attributed to the significant advantages of the framework.
The framework is considered the future of mobile app development as it can be used by designers and developers working in different domains.
Final words
The hiring process can be challenging. When hiring Android developers, its important to check if they are real experts who can deliver your app with the highest production level possible.
Hiring the right expert can save you a lot of time and money, and you may find them suitable for future projects as well. You can use this article as a guideline to hire different kinds of developers.