The total consumer spent on apps exceeded $86 billion in 2017. People tend to spend hours on mobile apps and with the mobile app development industry on the boom, the growth of apps seems exponential so is the demand for app developers but there is a catch.
Hiring a technical resource is challenging and when it comes to hiring an app developer, several technical and moral aspects are to be observed before making a decision. Similarly, getting employed as an app developer is not a piece of cake as it needs exemplary coding skills and constant practice.
App developers need to prepare well for interviews and the preparation includes getting familiar with the global updates, building a portfolio, and much more. Now the question for HR professionals is - how to judge whether an app developer is a right fit for a company or not.
Observation is the key to decide whether an app developer worth it or not. To kill your absolute curiousness, here are some of the top traits to look for in an app developer.
Curiosity
Undoubtedly, skill is important but what's more important is the attitude. Not everyone is passionate about his profession and this is the point to be pondered. An app developer is curious to know about new technologies and this thirst leads to learning new innovative ways of app development
Pro tip: Developers with a curious attitude are often found reading articles on TNW, The Verge, SitePoint, etc.
Well - Aware
If you love doing something, you would be aware of its trends and happenings. Same is the case with hiring an app developer. Observe how updated a candidate is by throwing some random trending questions pertaining to the app development industry. If he is confident enough to reply back with facts and news, it is a great sign.
Pro tip: Keeping oneself updated with all the global buzz is an essential practice for developers and it can be easily done via following news websites like Hacker news, SlashDot, DZone, etc.
Backlog
You must be thinking what backlog is? Well, it means previous work or to be exact the portfolio. An app developer builds his portfolio by including his best work in it and this is the chance to review his skillset. A portfolio gives a complete insight into the potential, ability, and quality of an app developer.
Pro tip: App developers with past successes are often preferred over candidates who don’t have a portfolio. Behance, Dribble, DeviantArt, Pinterest are some of the major sites where developers post their portfolio.
Fit for Culture
No matter how proficient an app developer is if he isn't a cultural fit, he is destined to fail in a company or in a team. Dwell about his likes and dislikes, his personal opinion about other companies and his stake in cultivating and following company culture. Despite a good professional track record and years of experience, if an employee isn't a cultural fit, he is practical of no use.
Pro tip: Culture diversity is a major aspect to consider when hiring an app developer. An app developer who is adaptable and can work with people from different ethnicities, religions, and countries is a big plus.
Milestone
Setting up personal and professional goals in life is essential. It is a trait that displays focus, dedication and sheer passion to achieve a certain milestone. Mobile app development industry is all about completing apps before time and if an app developer is habitual of eyeing on the targets, he is good to get on board.
Pro tip: A goal-oriented developer not just excels in his given tasks but he is expected shine in other team efforts too. Indeed, setting up milestones is a habit of achievers.
Industry Persona
Like everything, mobile app development has evolved at a rapid pace. Modern-day app developers are keen on building themselves as a brand. They keep their profiles updated on various popular forums of DevOps such as Stack Overflow and on other platforms that boast influencing such as Quora, Reddit, etc. A person who wants to get recognized by its online community is most likely to be a valuable addition for an app development company.
Pro tip: App developers build themselves as a brand and to network with other contributors, they keep their profiles active on various online platforms.
Out of the Square
You must have heard a term “Out of the box”. Similarly, mobile app developers have to think of the creative way to build successful apps. The user interface, engaging user experience, optimized backend, etc. are some of the prominent aspects to develop a top-selling app and to get an app recognized globally, an app developer should have that out of the square eye that spots on popular features in an app.
Pro tip: App developers who think out of the box always an eye on the business and design strategy of their competitor. Before building an app, they learn and observe the USP’s of other businesses in order to gain the edge.
Self- Driving
Mobile app development is a niche where directions cannot play a significant role. One should have an idea of developing an app the right way and when it comes to adding features and technical functionalities or solving code errors and glitches, one should have that self-driving ability to come up with a solution or else, the app might get off the track.
Pro tip: Proficient app developers don’t work upon doing as directed. They take decisions based on the glitches, issues and code breaks. The self-driving attitude in them fixes errors at a rapid pace and improves their decision-making ability that eventually results in building the top-selling apps.
Holds On
Nothing goes smooth and swift in the mobile app development process. From wireframing, UI, UX, and backend functionalities, the process involves frequent changes. It needs much patience and nerve holding ability to listen and implement desired changes accordingly and on time. An impatient person usually ends up ruining an app for the sake of its early launch.
Pro tip: App developers with great temperament are team players. Therefore, it is essential for an app developer to hold his nerves while collaborating with the app building and design team.
Persona
It needs a lot of communication, discussions, debates and sometimes, harsh talks to build a spellbinding app. A bad listener or an app developer with low conversational skills will always feel suffocated or incompetent in this rigorous process. Thus, a developer who likes to mingle with its team and other subordinates to squeeze better results is the key person to add as a developer.
Pro tip: When it comes to communicating with teammates and other people, it needs a whole persona for a developer and a leading personality is the key to success.
Final Words
It might not be possible to find all of the aforementioned traits in an app developer but the more you can observe is better for your company. Hiring a right app developer is crucial because it is like a two-edged sword. Either it will make an app shine or it will turn an excellent app into a dime. To conclude, one has to hire an app developer with ingredients of success that are critical thinking, creative eye, workaholic persona and great attitude.