Have you ever thought about building an app for your business but do not know how the whole process works? If yes, then we’re here to help you with everything you need to know- how, where, and when to find a developer to build your app.
Developing an app is not a task that one can take lightly. It requires serious skills, money, and resources. It consists of multiple steps such as the corporation must first develop a concept, then do market research, design the wireframe and visuals, then plan the launch. After this comes the marketing and maintenance of an app which is a different beast altogether. All of this is normally done in a group, but one of the most crucial players is the developer.
Thus, it becomes important that you must pay special attention when it comes to hiring a developer.
How to Find an App Developer?
Finding an app developer may appear to be a difficult task. We know there are a lot of developers out there, but it doesn’t imply they’re all good developers who will understand your company and demands.
Before we go any further, let’s address the question that’s probably on your mind: why employ a developer? Why not go ahead and do it yourself?
We’d say hiring an app developer isn’t necessary. Some entrepreneurs with programming skills can build their app, which is made easier by a wide range of free and paid development software platforms. However, the issue is that most business owners either lack a computer background or are unsure of what they require to create the ideal app. Sometimes the sheer scale or scope of a project necessitates the hiring of more than one individual, which makes the business owner eventually recruit a team. When this happens, it’s evident that you’ll need to hire an app developer.
When it comes to hiring an app developer, you have three options:
1. In-House Hiring
One of the most common options is to hire a developer as part of your team. This option is viable if you are an established company that wants to automate your process. If a team already exists, the labor shortages can be filled by having a job interview, selecting the best candidate for the job, and integrating him into the workplace with his coworkers.
An in-house team is often made up of a group of developers who are well-versed in your company’s culture, product, and service. However, hiring a whole team of developers in-house can be quite costly as the company will have to take care of their salaries, benefits, and equipment. In addition to that, you’ll also have to handle the measures to ensure maximum productivity and quality work.
Although it’s quite costly, hiring an in-house developer is still a better choice for businesses from small to medium scale. Especially if you’re anticipating developing more than one app.
Pros-
- Easier Communication
- Team-culture fit
- Deep understanding of the product
Cons-
- Hiring takes a lot of time
- More expenses on hiring
- Expenses on taxes, equipment, vacations, etc.
2. Hiring a Freelancer
Another method that’s gaining a lot of popularity nowadays is hiring a freelance developer. Any business owner may now hire a professional developer online thanks to the emergence of freelancing platforms. The contractual character of the agreement is a major benefit of this option, as it eliminates the need for the owner to pay for vacation days, social security, and other perks that an employee of your company gets.
Being inexpensive, on the other hand, has its drawbacks, as many freelance app developers for hire are just unqualified for large projects. Also, if you hire a freelancer then you’ll have to be in charge of communication and, more than likely, project management.
Although, if you’re a small business that just cannot afford to hire a whole team of developers then hiring a freelancer on a contractual basis is the way to go. Also, if you’re just for building one app then there’s no point in having an in-house team for a longer period.
Pros-
- Cheaper as compared to other options
- No additional worries such as office space, taxes, vacations, sick leave, etc.
Cons–
- No guarantee or commitments
- Hard to scale the project after the release
- Language and cultural barriers
3. Hiring an Outsource Team
Hiring an outsource app developer is a beautiful amalgamation of both of the options mentioned above. In this option, the business owner recruits app developers or development teams that are solely hired on a contract basis. It’s still less expensive than employing an in-house team, and the result is usually better than hiring a single freelancer because of the group setting. Furthermore, choosing an outsourcing company is scalable, which means you may scale up or down the size of the team to meet the specific needs of the project, therefore saving money.
If you’re a business that has moved away from the startup phase and is looking to scale your business, then hiring an outsourced team is the most viable option for you.
Pros-
- Possess the needed expertise skilled team
- The hiring process is quick
- No additional expenses
- Cheaper than hiring an in-house team
- The project manager leads the team
- Guarantee of the project getting completed
Cons-
- Lack of communication or cultural gap in some cases
- Higher budget than hiring a freelancer
It’s critical to find the perfect individual or team, regardless of which path you choose. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of pointers that might come in handy in your search for the right app developer.
- 1. Do some research
Before you hire an app developer it’s important to do the basic research to understand the mechanics of their job. The research does not have to be too deep, just understanding the basics of the development process would help you understand if the person team matches your business needs or not.
Research basic topics such as, what programming languages are used for development? What are the typical market rates? Understanding the profession provides the background necessary for fruitful meetings and interviews during the hiring process.
- 2. Look at their experience
When you’re hiring someone to do your job proficiently, you wouldn’t want to hire someone fresh out of college with no work experience. Of course, there are those exceptional cases in which newcomers demonstrate exceptional abilities, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Look at a person team’s work experience and portfolio to see the kind of work they have already done in the past and how successful they were in completing those projects.
- 3. Focus on communication
You need to set precedent and communicate the needs of your business from the first meeting itself. Your developer cannot build a good application, no matter how skilled they are, if you do not communicate what you need from them. It’s important to communicate and make sure you’re both working towards achieving the same end goal. Also, make sure the developer team you’re going to hire gets along and understands the nature of your business.
- 4. Ask the right questions
One of the easiest ways to make sure you’re getting all the answers is to always ask the right questions. That’s why we recommend all business owners prepare a set of questions to ask your potential developers in the first meeting itself. There are some criteria that you must keep in mind while preparing these questions such as reviews, references, experience, specialty, development process, etc.
Here are a few questions that we recommend you ask in the first meeting with any developer-
- Do you have a portfolio that I could look at?
- What’s your research process like?
- What are your rates for a job of this magnitude?
- What are the deliverables that come with the quotation?
- What services do you provide?
- Do you offer custom-built or template-based websites?
- Will you be providing security, maintenance, and hosting?
- Do you work in-house or outsource your projects?
Read more about the questions you must ask before hiring a developer or development agency.
Where to Find an App Developer?
Now that you’ve finally understood how to find the right developer to build applications for your business, we must move forward and tackle the next question, which is- where to find an app developer?
When it comes to finding a developer there are a lot of paths you can follow. According to one research, 35 percent of startups rely on employee referrals, while 30% of tech firms use professional platforms to find and hire app developers. We’re to discuss all the ways to find an app developer in detail and you can decide which method best suits your sensibilities.
1. Freelance Websites
Using freelance websites is one of the easiest ways to find an app developer. These websites are built for the sole purpose of making your life easy by giving you all the information you need to hire a competent app developer. They gather data from IT companies and freelancers from all around the world and list the top candidates that match the description of your need. These platforms vet the candidates for you so you, which automatically reduces the time you spend on the hiring process. Moreover, you can even choose to hire people from your locality. Some of the common platforms to find the right developers are- Toptal, Hired, Youteam, Upwork, Fiverr, and more.
Moreover, these freelance websites are a safe way to ensure you reach the right candidate.
2. Colleges and Universities
Most of the time companies don’t realize that colleges and universities are hot spots for talent. Especially if you’re looking to hire a developer for your in-house team, then going to the local colleges of your city might prove to be quite a beneficial move. Though there may be stiff competition for recruits if you reside near Harvard or Stanford, your local college is likely to have a few great developers as well.
Reaching out to professors of these colleges is the optimum way to get in contact with these students. Professors are always looking for real-life experiences for their students so convincing them wouldn’t be difficult. Also, hiring students might help you cut costs in your development process.
3. Use your network
Companies often do not understand the potential of asking around in their network of people when it comes to hiring new talent. More often than not, you can find skilled people through people who deal in similar fields of work. Entrepreneurs frequently underestimate the size of their network. Sometimes just around might land you the perfect employee. The key to utilizing your network efficiently is to tell people exactly what you’re looking for and whom you’re looking to connect with.
Moreover, asking your employees for referrals is another way of utilizing your network and finding developers quickly and with limited resources. It is a brilliant method of finding the right candidate as your current employee can vouch for their experience and also speak in favor of your company.
4. B2B directory listings
If you’re looking to hire a development agency then browsing through B2B directory listings might help you find the right fit. These are websites that give customers a list of development firms classified into several categories and groups based on their specialist emphasis, location, number of reviews, and rating level. There are great chances that you must’ve stumbled upon some of these websites in your search for a developer. Some of the common examples are- Clutch.co, Relevance, and B2B Marketing.
These listings are a quick way to find the right candidate and save a lot of money and resources you might’ve spent following the traditional methods of hiring.
5. Google Search
A simple Google search is sometimes the only answer you need. One of the easiest ways to hire a development agency is through Google listings. All you have to do is type your query in the Google search engine; something as basic as App Developers near me or the best app developers, and you’ll most definitely find the top few options to choose from.
However, while going with Google search to look for developers is a cheap and easy method, it does come with its limitations. The problem with Google is that you must be cautious and thoroughly vet any developer or development company you find there.
When to Find an App Developer?
We’ve covered how and where to look for an app developer. Now comes the most crucial part where we’ll discuss when you should start looking for a developer. There are things that one must accomplish before looking for a developer as there’s no point in having one if you haven’t checked these things off your list.
Some things should be clear in your head before you go looking for a developer to build your app. There’s no disputing that mobile applications are all the rage these days, but there’s also no shortage of them on the market. As a result, having the ‘right idea’ is the most critical component of designing a successful mobile app. After that comes the part where you must create an app that entices users to download and interact with it for the project to be successful.
Keep these tips in mind once you’ve nailed down the idea for your application.
1. Understand your demographic
Understanding your customer base is one of the most important steps in building any business. You must build your app around the needs of your customers for it to be a success. Doing so would result in client satisfaction in the future, which is undeniably the most important goal of any business. Research about the kind of smartphones your customer base tends to use? While Android and iPhones are the most popular, understanding what your customers prefer would help you make better choices.
When it comes to developing an app, one of the smartest and safest things a developer can do is start with what your customers want as the final product and then construct your product around it.
2. Identify your end goal
The next step is to figure out what you want to achieve with this mobile application or what problem you’re trying to solve. What’s your motivation behind building this application? Is it a metric like sale or attracting new customers or something else?
Rather than just making an app because everyone else is (not that you’re doing it for that reason), establishing your goals before you build the app concept will almost surely result in much greater future success.
3. Have a solid marketing plan
Have a foolproof marketing plan even before you start building your app. Marketing is one of the most important factors when it comes to any product becoming a success or not- and your app is no exception. There’s no shortage of examples where apps have gone extinct for not having a good marketing plan. Also, your marketing plan cannot be a last-minute decision. Give it time and then move forward towards finally developing your app.
Related: Thinking about Pitching your mobile app idea? Here are 8 things you should know!
Once you’ve dealt with all these things you can move forward and start looking for a developer that will help you turn your idea into a beautiful app. However, you do not have to go very far for that as we have our very own in-house team of skilled developers to help you build the app of your dreams!
