Introduction
As Android is taking over the market of Mobile Operating Systems, the need for hiring remote Android developers has also increased exponentially. Developing an Android application is a long and complex procedure. The development process will utilize various resources. But there’s an optimal way where you can have your app launched in the playstore and ready to be downloaded by your customers with minimum effort and utilizing less resources.
Here, we are talking about hiring remote android developers. But why do we need remote developers? What is the benefit? Well, let’s dive deep into it and discuss all the crucial benefits that remote hiring provides.
Cost-efficient: Hiring remote android developers will hugely affect your office space. Isn’t it amazing that you have employees but you don’t actually pay for the infrastructure? There are other hidden costs that we should not overlook such as providing for lunch and commute, savings on providing hardware equipment etc.
Better talent from around the world: When hiring an android developer for in-office, you can choose among the submitted CV. But as soon as you change your perspective and widen your view, you will get to notice that there are many remote android developers with high-quality skills waiting to be found.
More productivity: There is numerous research that shows that remote workers are 20-25% more productive than office workers. This is one of the reasons why many of the upcoming businesses are implementing remote work as a permanent mode of work.
In this article, we will discuss various ways to hire remote Android Developers and share tips on effective hiring. But first, let’s understand a bit about why Android is leading the race of mobile OS.
Why Android?
Android is one of the leading operating systems of the 21st century. It was first introduced to consumers in 2007 and since then it hasn’t stopped evolving. The demand for Android Application rising each day and so the demand for hiring Android Developers.
From a marketing point of view, Android is known for its simplicity in User Experience and Customization because of which they dominate the smartphone market with 73% share. Recently the total number of android apps in Play Store was revealed and the number above 2.89 million.
With rising users, the demand for apps is increasing. Nowadays, you will find apps for every little thing. From large businesses to small startups, everyone wants an app that can withstand the demands from customers and take their business to another whole new level.
With the increasing demand for producing an app that is simple, customer-friendly, filled with features and satisfies the needs of customers, the demand for talented developers who are proficient with Android development is also increasing.
- – Define Project Requirements
- Now that you are familiar with a few insights related to Android, let’s discuss how you can begin the journey of hiring remote Android developers. But first let us concentrate on requirements.
- – Describe the Mobile App Development Project
- In this step, you shall have the vision of the app based on your business. There are more than 30 categories of apps available in playstore, but you will have to choose only one.
- – Features to be Included
- Based on the previous step, you can imagine the required features for your business you need to embed in the app such as UI, speed, push notifications, security etc.
- – Size and Style
- The average size of apps in the playstore is 11.5 MB. If you want a high-functioning app the size may vary. But users usually don’t download a simple app with high size. Users tend to follow the road where they can get many features without downloading a bigger sized app.
Skills to Lookout for in Remote Android Developer
Based on your project requirements, you have to make a decision on what kind of developers you want. Do you want someone who is proficient in Android development and can be useful for looking out the minutest of detail, or do you want someone who will work under some senior developer. Based on your needs, you can hire Junior, Middle or Senior Android developers with various levels of skill set.
1. Junior Android Developer
- – less than 3 years of experience.
- – engaged in the development of simple apps.
- – can assist middle and senior developers.
2. Middle Android Developer
- – 3+ years of experience.
- – Previously engaged with complex Android-based projects.
- – can work independently on different functions.
3. Senior Android Developer
- – 5+ years of experience.
- – Lead and supervised as well as consulted in large projects.
- – Is fit for team leaders’ position.
- – Apart from these specifications, a remote Android developer should have solid technical expertise, be a critical thinker and problem solver as well as a team player.
Discuss Technical and Soft Skills of a Remote Android Engineer
A remote Android developer should possess the technical knowledge of following of the things:
Java programming expertise is indisputable for Android developers, as Java is one of the most popular programming languages for developing Android apps. Similarly, Android Studio supports different versions of the Android SDK, so programmers can do their best to create their own high-quality apps for the Android environment. Android Studio integrates emulators for a variety of mobile devices, so developers can use special features to see what their new app will look like. Due to the crucial necessity of Java, hiring a remote android developer who is expert in it is a must.
Many applications often require the integration of third-party services that complement the app and add more functionality. To see if a candidate is familiar with this area, test the understanding of the XML / SOAP and JSON / REST APIs. You can ask for a direct name or a name with the functionality of any API to get a complete answer from the developer side. Experienced remote Android developers are expected to be familiar with a variety of APIs, such as their name and the functionality of those APIs.
Nowadays, most applications need an internet connection. This is why the developers have to use XML (Extensible Markup Language), which is used to access web data and implement the functionalities of applications. XML is used in android development to create layout files. This is why a remote android developer with extensive knowledge of XML is required.
Android SDK, or Android Software Development, is a tool used to build apps on Android. Android apps are most commonly written in Kotlin, Java, and the C ++ language. Experienced Android developers need to be familiar with views, layouts, user input, activities, lifecycles, and more. In addition, advanced developers should be able to troubleshoot bugs. If you are looking for an experienced remote Android developer, you need to extensively test your Android SDK.
Nowadays most mobile applications are functional and fashionable. They work very smoothly and provide the user with a comfortable experience. And all this is possible by having the right design and the technical support to create it. For this reason, the UI and UX of your app are the main causes of success or failure of your application. UI and UX designers work with Android developers to get the best design output, while Android developers take design requests and actively work to make their applications intuitive and impressive. Therefore, design skills are very important when hiring remote Android developers.
These apps will need to process huge amounts of data which is not possible to store in the application. This problem can be addressed using online databases such as firebase, mongoDB etc. An android developer, with all the above mentioned skills, will also have the knowledge of Databases. It is recommended to look for a remote android developer with a knowledge on database storage and retrieval operations.
In remote working, having only technical skills is not enough. A remote android developer has to showcase his/her capabilities outside of their expertise area. When hiring remotely, you should focus on the following capabilities of the candidate:
Everyone recognises the English language worldwide. It is better to look for those candidates who have basic understanding of English and can express their thoughts without any difficulty. An expert remote android developer who is unable to speak English is not a good choice.
Remote working involves collaborating with other members of the team. It is better to put this skill as a prerequisite before hiring the remote android developer.
This may seem a minor requirement but it can have major impacts on the projects. It is better to look for candidates who can handle various situations such as failure or success with ease.
When you hire someone from a different continent, there are bound to be some timing issues. So it is better to look out for those candidates who will work according to your timings.
Select the Hiring Methods for Remote Android Development
There are three ways in which you can hire remote Android developers –
Hiring Freelancers
Hiring a remote android developer is the way for many companies. Some of the most popular platforms work in a similar way. They visit different websites, set up a “customer” account, create job listings, wait for candidates to apply, and discuss collaboration with the desired developers.
The next step is to select the most qualified candidates and have an interview round to measure technical skills such as know-how, soft skills such as problem-solving, communication, and other important aspects of teamwork.
This process might sound easy but it has its own pros and cons as discussed below:
- – Lower rates on projects
- – Select from large talent pool
- – Good for short projects
- – No guarantee on quality
- – No protection on privacy policy
- – Different time zones
- – Possibility of language barrier
- – manage everything yourself
Contact Different Contractors
In this process, suppliers and buyers sign a contract that specifies the number of items to purchase, delivery dates, and other conditions for project activities. Contract refers to the practice of asking an external company to perform a particular task of a particular business project or contract. In most cases, these are tasks that cannot be performed internally. Upon contact, the contractor can manage the project at the appropriate level.
- – Less costs
- – Applicable to short projects
- – They have high skilled developers
- – Can’t retain talented individuals
- – Can’t be integrated into company culture
- – Get paid according to work done
Partner up with Outstaffing Companies
Till now we have discussed the whole procedure of android development. Now you may realize that the process is lengthy, time-consuming, tiresome and complex. But wait!
As we have talked about an optimal way in the beginning with which you can have your app launched in the Playstore and be ready to be downloaded by your customers. So yes, we have reached that point where I should disclose the secret. And the secret is to work with outstaffing companies. Yes, as simple as that!
This is the simplest process where you can contact a company to hire remote android developers and the company will provide you with the developers as per requirements. There are some companies which will provide options on part-time and full time requirements. Some of these companies also provide a risk free trial period which is a way to ensure that you are on the right side of the road. This process will save you from signing up on freelancers’ sites, then posting jobs. If someone accepts the proposal then go on with short interview rounds which will easily consume your valuable time.
- – Get the desired developers immediately
- – get pre-vetted developers
- – Protection on developing products
- – No-risk trial
- – Effective communication
- – Cost-effective price
- – Company support
Conclusion
After this long discussion, it is clear about the different ways of hiring remote android developers. It is a lengthy process if we do it by ourselves. But with a little bit of help everything becomes easier.
Right now, we can conclude by saying that to work with a company for remotely hiring android developers is the best option. But when it comes to choosing a company, you can contact them, know their process, terms and conditions and after that you decide if you want to go forward.
Optymize is a top company that offers various startups and businesses to scale their product teams by providing high quality vetted remote engineers within 48 hours. If you are looking to hire a remote Android developer then contact us and share your requirements with us and we will provide a way for you to reach the goal.
