Why is it so hard to find Android app developers

The biggest challenge is finding a dedicated, skilled Android developer who won’t ruin your startup’s budget. Recruiters usually spend weeks looking for the right developer. But few can afford to wait. Usually, we need a developer here and now.

 

High demand is another problem with finding a good android programmer. Usually, employers with a good offer are snapping them up quickly. Hiring is especially problematic for non-programmers. Because it is difficult to evaluate potential candidates by their qualifications.

 

We’ve divided the article into important sections that you need to consider when hiring an android app developer. Considering all these key points, you will hire the developer on the first try.

 

Types of Android Developers

Android developers can work as freelancers or as part of a large outsourced team.  The next step is to decide what types of developers you need. There are three main types:

  • Freelance developers — in other words, self-employed programmers;
  • In-house developers — classic developers that work in your company for your project;
  • Outsourced team — a team that develops your product from another company.

Let’s look in detail at each of them to help you choose which android developer to hire.

 

 In-House Android Developers

Let’s start with the classic type of worker. You just hire an android developer into your company. In-house teams are especially popular with large companies. It is convenient to maintain your software in the future or plan to create more Android applications. This programmer will always be at hand.

Pros for in-house developers Contras for in-house developers
Stable team, no need to find a new one each time 
 💰 High price for services

Deep involvement
 Extra expenses (purchase of hardware and software, rent for the office, food, etc.)

In-project expertise 
 Staff dismissal

Teamwork spirit and great communication
 The lack of expertise in different areas

You can control the project better
 Other hiring problems

Other hiring problems


Outsourced Team

This type is the most popular. If you have a fairly large-scale project, then hiring an outsourcing team of android developers is suitable for you. Outsourcing companies are somewhere between freelancers and in-house teams. They include all of the above positive features and minimize risks. In other words, outsourcing means delegating your project to a third party.

 

Commonly, the members of this team can be located in different parts of the world. This type also costs quite a lot but is already much cheaper than hiring an in-house developers team. For example, if you hire an android app developer in the USA, it will be much more pricey than in Ukraine or India.

 

Don’t forget to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) so that no one steals your idea. There you will indicate the deadlines for the project and the agreed quality.

Pros for Outsourced team Contras for Outsourced team
You don’t have to hire the whole team separately by a member. Confidentiality and security can be at risk without agreement
Fewer charges than at in-house teams Risk of receiving the unsupported code.
Working project management Difficulties management, if you need to replace some worker
💰 Price-wise expertise

Freelance Android Developers

It is more convenient to hire a freelance developer because you can reduce your costs as much as possible. But do not count on work for a penny. To rely on developer responsibility, go for verified reviews. This way, you can check this freelance Android developer’s skill level if you haven’t worked with him or her before.

Hired freelance programmers are ideal for small tasks and software updates. Freelancers can test different pieces of software, integrate other APIs, fix bugs, and more.

Pros for hiring freelance developers Cons for hiring freelance developers
💰 Small budget You should manage the whole process by yourself
Wide choice of freelance Android developer around the world Communication issues
Great with small projects Risk of low-quality product

So, what to choose?

 

Cooperation formats can be different. It all depends on your plans, financial capabilities, and requirements for your startup. If you plan on supporting your application, it is best to contact an outsourcing company or in-house team. If you have a limited budget and a small project, it is better to choose freelance developers.

But we are in full swing on the advantages of the Outsourced team, Fulcrum.Rocks in particular.

 

Benefits of hiring an Android app developer with an outsourced team:

  • Controllable costs – you can save money and invest in marketing and PR of your application;
  • Expanded access to opportunities and tools – an outsourced team can give you things that would otherwise be unavailable due to the high cost;
  • Increase efficiency – choose an outsourcing team with a good portfolio and reviews. This will help you achieve more efficient and effective service and better quality.
  • Better focus – while the outsources team does all work for you, you can focus on your business and further steps.

Hiring an outsourced android developer will help make your business more agile and dynamic. You will be able to adapt to volatile market conditions and provide cost savings and improve android app development quality.

 

Skills Required for Android App Developer

Applications and projects vary in complexity and size. Depending on your needs, you can suitably hire Android developers with varying skill levels. There are three types of android developers junior, middle, or senior.

Junior Android Developer

  • Small experience (3 years and less);
  • Just starting to develop their first applications;
  • Small and not complex android app development;
  • Do assistant work with more experienced Android app developers.

Middle Android Developer

  • More than three years of experience in programming;
  • Have enough skills to work on complex Android-based projects;
  • Can work without help from experienced colleagues independently.

Senior Android Developer

  • The highest level of Android app developer skills;
  • Over five years of experience;
  • Can lead large projects (usually have done one project already);
  • Supervises big projects;
  • Oversee many technical tasks in applications;
  • Take the position of team leader.

 

Let’s sum up. No matter junior or senior, Android application developer should at least:

  1. have the technical knowledge
  2. work in a team
  3. and be able to find bugs

If you just need to fix a few bugs or add a small update to your finished application, you can easily hire a junior developer.

In the case of creating a large and complex mobile application from scratch, then you need a team of middle specialists and at least one senior level. Better yet, hire a software development outsourced company like Fulcrum.Rocks.

 

Android Developer Hard Skills

So, what skills are necessary for an android developer exactly? There are two types of them — hard and soft skills. Knowing them, we can define what qualities we need from our candidate and what questions to ask in the interview.

 

The hard skill set of Android app developers demonstrates

  • the programmer’s technical knowledge of programming languages and frameworks
  • proficiency in the required programming tools.

Android developer hard skills:

  1. Java experience. Java expertise is non-negotiable. It is the most popular programming language for developing Android apps.
  2. A good developer should be able to fix bugs in someone else’s code.
  3. Practical skills in working with Kotlin and View. (with ViewGroup and Android SDK, as well as Java Core, RxJava, Dagger, and Android Framework)
  4. Experience with API. You can check his expertise and competence by asking about the XML / SOAP and JSON / REST APIs
  5. Understand the principles of UI / UX design, as well as SQL and SQLite
  6. Experience with Google Play. This includes posting as well as updating applications on the market
  7. Understanding the back-end. A basic understanding of this side of the development process is enough here.

Recruiters alone cannot fully appreciate the hard skills of developers. To do this, companies hire a CTO or senior Android developers to evaluate the candidate.

Narrowing the exact hard skills, like Java or Kotlin, React or Flutter, you define his technology stack. It is a set of tools to implement your IT idea.

 

Android App Developer Soft Skills

As for the soft skills, we need them to see how the Android app developer will work with the team and the client. Also, it shows how fast developers can do work and manage stress issues.

The most popular android app developer soft skills are:

Collaboration and sociability. Even if a developer works on a project independently, he will still face designers, marketers, or bosses over time. A mobile app developer must be able to communicate with both technical and non-technical people.

Good cultural compatibility can go a long way in a successful collaboration. It is important to share the same values ​​as the rest of your company.

Teamwork. Working in a team is key for an Android developer regardless of skill level.

Stress management. It is always inevitable to face problems during the android app development process. You need to be able to spin and deal with stress.

Motivation. Being a good mobile app developer means constantly learning new things. Technology is evolving every day. The task of an Android developer is to keep up with market demands.

Time management. Doing work on time is the key skill. Nobody needs a delay of several months. You can ask about working by scrum methodology to check this skill.

When hiring a freelance programmer or outsourcing team, check the reviews. No one else can tell you about this specialist other than an angry client.

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4 Steps on How To Hire Android App Developer

It’s time to find out how to interview programmers to hire. Let’s say you find several developers whose skills match the requirements of your project. How do you make sure they are doing their job well? The only option is to interview them.

Step 1. Define your goals and requirements for the project.

First, you need to briefly describe your idea and how you see it in implementation.

Step 2. Select the best CVs and Arrange an interview.

  • Find an experienced company with an impressive portfolio of successful projects. Besides, many software companies host their open-source projects on GitHub, which you can check out too.
  • Compare which reviews prevail – negative or positive. This allows you to make your choice if this team (or individual developer) is right for you. So you will not be disappointed in your choice.
  • Choose developers that best suit your needs. There is enough fish in the sea.
  • Go through their resume and select a candidate profile that stands out.

If you see that this company has everything listed in their development experience, you can safely arrange an interview via video call.

Step 3. Take the interview.

Here I will give you some popular and essential questions to ask in the interview.

Learn about the experience

  • Ask about the latest projects, clients, and years of experience.
  • Ask for links to the latest projects.
  • What was the last project you worked on involving Java/Kotlin?
  • What would you do if you were working on a project that was behind schedule?
  • Have you ever worked on a project that failed due to someone else’s mistake?
  • What industries do you have the most experience in?

Even if you do not understand the topic, you can assess their level of knowledge. It will also give you an understanding of their interpersonal skills. Some programmers find it difficult to convey technical information to non-technical people. If you find someone with good communication skills, they are worth considering in your position.

Ask about hard skills

  • What app development tools, methodologies, and frameworks do you use?
  • Could you advise regarding my app concept monetization?
  • What operating systems can you build applications for?
  • What is the most complex app functionality that you have implemented already?
  • How do you react to and fix issues on the project?
  • How do you test an app?
  • What is your tech stack?
  • How do you implement the app’s security?

Ask about soft skills

  • How many team members do you have? ( If it is an outsourced team).
  • Will you be able to collaborate with a non-technical leadership?
  • What is the level of English you and your team have?
  • Does my timezone suit you?
  • How will you keep me updated on progress and challenges?
  • Do you have enough Android developers to complete my project? (If it is an outsourced team).
  • How do you improve your knowledge and experience?

Speak about job expectation

  • Can we sign an NDA before proceeding with project details?
  • Is the job offer strong and interesting enough?
  • What is your hourly rate?
  • What functionality would you extract in my project?
  • What are your payment processes?
  • Could you recommend some additional features to my app?
  • How do you estimate a project and its accomplishing terms?

Step 4. Hiring team

Remember that cooperation with a specific company should be comfortable. You should contact the project manager or Android developer directly, depending on whether you plan to work with – a freelancer or a company. Make sure your communication is fluid and easy.

The main advice! Find a great professional, allow him to grow and improve, and listen to his recommendations and experience. Then you will receive a truly high-quality project on time. Without conflicts and spending extra money.

Android Developer Salary

As you can imagine, there is no one definite rate. Android developer salaries depend on many factors, namely:

  • country of residence,
  • individual skill level of a person (junior, middle or senior),
  • professional experience,
  • companies, etc.

But all of them will be only approximate and may vary depending on the above factors.

From which country to choose a specialist, the decision is yours. As you can see, it is more expensive to hire android app developers from the USA than from Eastern Europe. And they are more reliable than in Asia.

Therefore, we can recommend Android developers from Ukrainian IT companies. It is a reliable IT hub and will be a versatile option for any size and budget projects.

React Native vs. Native Development

React Native has been seen as a rising star of mobile app development frameworks. It is cross-platform, attractive, popular, and seemingly time and cost efficient.

Developing an Android app using React Native is much faster than that of Android Studio. React Native is cross-platform. So developing a single app for both Android and iOS using Javascript.

Be very attentive when choosing the mobile development approach, so that not to comprise on quality speed and efficiency. There are already a lot of examples of successful React Native usage, it has proved to be a viable alternative to separate native app development.

The Fulcrum.Rocks team helps to implement various projects for clients from all over the world. React Native apps are no exception.

Tech stack:

  • React Native
  • Redux
  • Apollo GraphQL
  • Jest
  • Native bridges

Why Hire Mobile App Developers at Fulcrum.Rocks?

Finding a reliable outsourcing company is not an easy task. But it saves a lot of your money and energy. At Fulcrum.Rocks, we offer all necessary development services in one place. Check out all reviews on our About page.

We offer you:

1. Professionalism. We value our reputation, so we work for maximum results.

2. Saving time. If you choose our team, you will get all the necessary specialists to carry out your project on time. We use agile development methodology because it is a more cost-effective way to build an application. You will be able to observe the result at each stage (sprint). You can also always make your own edits and wishes.

3. Responsibility. We are always interested in creating a quality product for you. We conduct extensive testing on devices with different screen sizes and resolutions to ensure that your app works correctly on all Android devices.

4. Fewer risks. We already have satisfied customers worldwide.

5. Formal agreement. It is much easier to conclude cooperation with us since we offer you to conclude an agreement at the first stage.

Just click on the button Contact Us and describe your project idea, and the answer won’t wait.

Explore Our Projects

We’ve delivered a dozen successful cross-platform projects to our clients from all over the world.

Here are some of our latest projects:

  • Social platform. Hyfa is a social media where everybody can share their feedback about different products.
  • Delivery service. Foodtrucks present a delivery service for every truck owner.
  • Education platform. Kör is an app for Norwegian users who want to book driving lessons online. Also, it offers to track friends’ driving progress.

We already have what you need. Thanks to Fulcrum.Rocks, you can save not only searching time but also money. We guarantee that our specialists will create a quality product within the agreed time frame.

So if you have a project idea or need a consultation, feel free to apply to us to receive smart recommendations.