How to Hire Android Developers to Speed Up Your Product Launch

Where to start? How to find the developers? Everyone who has an idea to run an Android app development asks these questions. 

For this, you must clearly understand what your project will be about and which technical specialists you will need to involve. To simplify this stage, you will need to write the technical documentation for your application and the requirements for future developers. To hire Android developers that meet your expectations, be sure to conduct an interview with each candidate, involving a technical lead to check their qualifications. 

In this article, we will talk about the differences in tech stack, and introduce you to various levels of specialists. Read to the end to check out the detailed steps that will help you to find the right Android developers for your app project. 

How can Android development benefit your business?

Statista shows that the number of mobile app downloads reached 255 billion in 2022, and these metrics continue growing. To follow trends nowadays, attract more customers, and keep up with and stay ahead of your competitors, you can create an application that can achieve all of these benefits. 

What are the reasons companies choose to hire Android developers to build apps?

• Simplicity. Easy integration and a wide choice of plugins make it fast to build an Android app.
• Adaptability. Android applications are compatible with the greatest innovations, like IoT, AR, and VR, etc.

Any industry can benefit from Android app development. For example, for healthcare, you can build health-monitoring systems, for the financial sector, there are banking and investment apps, and for e-commerce, online mobile shops are possible to create. 

In addition to all of this, by implementing advertising in the application or by building a subscription system, you will quickly receive a return on your investment and start earning money.

So, execute your market research, analyze your competitors, and boldly start your project.

Which tech stack should you choose for your Android app?

Let’s talk in more detail about which tech stacks can be used for your Android app development and how to choose the best one for your app.

Java for Android app development

Java is a powerful programming language that enables you to build and manage Android apps. A great advantage of Java is its security. The applications that are built with Java are reliable, portable, and have received many excellent reviews. 

Well-known companies like Spotify, Twitter, and Signal use Java to build and maintain their solutions.

Kotlin for Android app development

Kotlin is a Google-supported language that combines object-oriented and functional programming. Kotlin is easily readable, which helps to maintain the code and also find errors quickly.  So more and more developers choose it as a powerful option for Android app development. 

Examples of successful use of Kotlin are the Netflix, Uber, and Trello apps. To build a similar application, you would have to hire Android developers with a deep expertise in Kotlin:

https://doit.software/services/staff-augmentation/kotlin-developer

Cross-platform app development 

Cross-platform development refers to building applications that work on both the Android and IOS platforms. It gives an opportunity for businesses to reach more customers, thanks to it’s compatibility with multiple devices. 

Moreover, the cross-platform app development approach allows businesses to build solutions faster than creating native apps for both platforms separately. You might consider Flutter or React Native to build a cross-platform app. Among the examples of these technologies’ adoption, it’s worth mentioning eBay, Skype, and Shopify.

Requirements for Native Android developers

There are junior, middle, and senior developers, depending on their technical knowledge and work experience. Let’s find out which skills you should pay attention to when you hire Android developers.

Junior Android developer

• At least 6 months of commercial experience as an Android developer.
• One or more well-performing Android apps.
• Experience in Java or Kotlin.

Middle Android developer

All the skills of Junior level and: 

• 2+ years of mobile development experience.
• Proven skills in Gradle, Git, Rest, and Android Studio.
• Knowledge of NDK/C++, Java Reactive programming, HTML5/JavaScript, and experience with 3rd party libraries.

Senior Android developer

All the skills of Middle level and: 

• Minimum of 4 years of commercial development experience.
• Knowledge of Web Services (XML, JSON, WCF)
• Solid expertise in Android application architecture, mobile application development tools and environments (Eclipse), networking protocols, and asynchronous programming.

How to find and hire Android developers

Step 1 – Prepare a technical description of your project

A good explanation of your requirements for the app will help you to understand what kind of Android programmer for hire you are looking for. What should you include in the technical overview?

• Main goal and purpose of the project.
• Brief information about the responsibilities and requirements for the position.
• Features you want to see as a final result.

Step 2 – Choose the most suitable model

There are different models for you to cooperate with developers. Let’s look at the main options.

• In-house. You can hire Android developers as a part of your internal team. The advantage of this model is that you have full control of the work being done. The disadvantages are a long hiring and onboarding process and high salary costs.
• Freelance. Choose any available freelance website like Upwork or Freelancer, view the appropriate developer’s profiles, and pick the most suitable candidates for your team. Among the pros of using this approach are the variety of developers for any budget and the option of temporary hiring.  The main disadvantage refers to the low quality of execution.
• IT staff augmentation. With this model, you delegate the hiring process to an experienced third-party company, but you can control your developers’ workload and performance. Businesses choose this model due to access to a worldwide talent pool and cost-effectiveness. But you should pay attention to possible cultural and temporary challenges with your project.

Step 3 – Carry out technical interviews

The right approach to the interview makes it easier to evaluate an Android developer’s skills and understand whether he/she is a good fit for your project.

Examples of questions to check out their soft skills:

• Tell us about the most difficult task on a project you worked on and how you coped with it.
• What would you do if you understood that you wouldn’t meet the deadlines you’ve been given?

To check the candidates’ hard skills, it’s better to involve a team lead or an experienced Android developer who will help run a technical interview effectively. Moreover, prepare a technical task for a specialist to see the level of his qualifications. Examples of questions to verify their hard skills:

• Explain the architecture of an Android application.
• What are the pros and cons of Kotlin and Java?

Step 4 – Finalize the agreement and sign the contract

Before signing the contract, discuss the following details:

1. Terms of payment (fixed price for work performed, rate per hour, or on salary).
2. Deadlines for each stage of the project.
3. Possible risks and the ways you are going to prevent or manage them if any occur.

Now you are ready. Show the contracts to your lawyer, and if everything is fine, then sign them.

Conclusion

To sum up, it can be challenging to find Android developers that meet your expectations. But how to make it easier to hire great specialists to develop your app? Write the description of your project, determine the requirements for the needed specialists, run a tech interview with each applicant, and ask for the completion of their test task.

FAQs

How much does it cost to hire an Android developer for your app development?

The rates of Android app developers for hire may differ depending on the cooperation model that you choose, the specialist’s location, and their seniority level. For instance, the average cost to hire an Android developer in Eastern Europe is about $40-50 per hour.

Java or Kotlin – which language is preferable for Android app development?

Both – Java and Kotlin – are good choices to develop an Android application. But in 2019, Google announced that Kotlin is the preferred language to build an Android app. 

How to select the best company for Android app development?

To find the right vendor for Android development, conduct deep research on each prospective company, find their case studies, look for testimonials, and learn more about their processes.