Hiring a Mobile Developer? Here’s how to get it right.

Posted January 21, 2014

Mark Byrne | Digital Marketing Specialist | Ward Technology Talent | Twitter | LinkedIn

Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a million dollar idea, a startup looking to build a team or an established brand implementing a new mobile strategy, the core concepts of hiring the right mobile developer will be the same. You want someone with the skills, experience and cultural fit to work with you. As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, the demand for skilled mobile developers currently outweighs the supply. You’ll need to take a few steps to ensure you have to best possible chance of sourcing the best developer for the job.

Know Exactly What You Need

Before you send out the job description through your normal recruiting channels, be very clear of the type of mobile developer you want and the work that needs to be done on the project. Will they be building the app solo or as part of a team? If part of a team, what role will they play? This may seem obvious, but knowing the role that the developer will play well in advance of signing the dotted line is crucial. Mobile developers do not come cheap so make sure that you have a blueprint written up and you know exactly what they are coming on board to accomplish.

Clearly Define What is Required

Drafting a job description for a mobile developer position can be quite different from other roles due to the aforementioned supply and demand. You should keep the ‘must have skills’ as lean as you can in order to cast your net as large as possible. When you have candidates lined up with the core mobile development skills required, you can then trim them down with the ‘nice to haves’ that, while not being essential to the project, will certainly add a lot of value.

You can also ask yourself what skills can be learned on the job. Perhaps another team member can help a candidate fill gaps in their resume while working on the mobile project.