Mobile applications are a huge industry and almost every business is relying on them. More than 70% of the market share belongs to Android and the competition between the top developers is huge. The high demand for Android developers these days leads to the logical question – how to evaluate and hire the best Android developer for your mobile app project?
Finding an Android developer is not hard but hiring the best one might be a challenge. Especially if you are on a tight deadline, have a limited budget, or can not rely on an expert opinion from your team.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about hiring an Android developer so that you can make a better and more informed decision.
What level of seniority do you need from your Android developer?
Depending on your project, a junior Android developer might be able to do the work, or you might need a more experienced professional. Evaluate the needs and requirements of the project before starting the hiring process to know exactly what you are looking for.
Junior Android developers have less than 3 years of experience and can be engaged in the development of not complex apps. They can work as an assistant to middle and senior developers.
Middle Android developers have more than 3 years of experience and can be engaged in complex Android-based projects. They can work independently.
Senior Android developers have more than 5 years of experience and can lead, supervise, and consult large projects. They occupy the team leader position.
But no matter the seniority, an Android developer should possess strong technical expertise, be a team player, and a problem solver, and this is only the absolute bare minimum when it comes to skills.
Android developer hard skills
On the technical side of things, an Android developer should be very well familiar and experienced with:
- Java – expert knowledge is non-negotiable since this is the most popular programming language for Android app development.
- Android SDK – the toolset that is used to build Android apps. The developer should have a clear understanding of layouts, user input, views, activities, and their lifecycle, and be able to troubleshoot bugs.
- APIs – it is crucial that the developer knows their way around APIs. Test their competencies in XML/SOAP and JSON/REST APIs.
- Back-end – the Android developer need not to back-end skills, but needs to have a basic understanding of the process.
Android app developer soft skills
Apart from the tech skills, you need the Android developer to possess certain interpersonal qualities, such as:
- Team player – nearly every development project requires a team effort, so the Android developers should be able to work in a team environment.
- Good communicator – effective communication is key for any successful project. The Android developer should be able to communicate with both technical and non-technical people.
- Culturally fit – it’s very important that the developer share the same values as the rest of your company.
10 questions to ask the Android developer during the interview
When you start the interview process, there are several questions that will tell you more about the tech expertise and the soft skills of the candidates. Ask and evaluate the answers to:
- What are the advantages of the Android Operating System?
- Explain in brief the Android Framework?
- What are the necessary components of a new Android project?
- Which tools do you use for debugging on the Android platform?
- How do you troubleshoot a frequently crashing Android application?
- How do you find memory leaks in the Android mobile app?
- Why are you a good fit for the position?
- What are your professional strengths/ weaknesses?
- Describe the most interesting development project you have participated in.
- Is there a development project decision you made that turned out to be a mistake? What did you learn from this experience?
