Despite all the popularity of mobile applications, it’s not very clear how much it costs to build one. Yes, there’s app creation tools out there that’ll make a free app, but if you want something a bit less generic, you need to go and find yourself a developer. Trouble is, where do you go? Who do you contact? How much should you pay? As potential customers, we’re not really sure of all the details, the terminology or the pitfalls. This all means it’s harder software development companies to not only provide the right solution but also explain why it’s the right one.
Yes, it is difficult for you to choose a contractor, because – let’s be honest – none of us really know how much time and effort is needed to solve the problem or to create the app you want. We’ve had emails from developers who have previously had to explain why it’s impossible to create a multi-functional app for all Android devices in a few days or a week. Not only that, but those same developers will also have to explain that if a particular competitor has much bigger fees, it does not really mean that they are doing it better.
How to get a mobile developer onboard
If you are up for building your mobile application, you will face a few different hiring models. The oldest and the most usual way to do so is to hire a local specialist. Go out onto the market, to the job agencies, and look to get a developer on-board either on a contract basis or – if you’re going into this big-time – a permanent member of staff. Once you get a call or a message from a candidate, you screen them and then do an interview. Sounds pretty simple but it’s not.
You’ll rely quite a bit on the recruiter – they’ll perhaps be more familiar with the skillset you’re looking for and will be able to do a lot of the candidate screening ahead of time.
Let’s not forget though, if you choose to do things this way, you’ll need to provide office space, software, hardware and all the rest. That does not come cheap. On the other hand, your location might be really good in terms of IT talent and if you already have everything set up for the work and only the programmer is missing. In this case, the model should work out well.
What they won’t tell you, is that there’s a new model you can use to hire mobile app developer or any kind of IT specialist. It’s similar to outsourcing but you get to have more control over the process. You can get a software development company to find, hire and manage the right IT resources to get your project done. It means you don’t even need to actually have an office. Moreover, you save not only of salary, but on taxes as well. Your service provider is the one who’s actually doing all the recruitment (if they don’t have the right dev already) and does the hiring for you, but you can be sure they work solely on your project and within the budget and specifications you stipulate.
You can always hire a freelancer or a few of them to build you an app. It’s not a bad choice if you need a simple app and you sure the person you hire is really responsible, but there is an element of risk if you’re not overly familiar with the process. You can sometimes get a product delivered which isn’t quite what you wanted or envisaged.
Being a mobile app developer
Want to give it a try yourself? Well, this is the other option. It’s a lot more work but you can find yourself carving out a whole new career. Not only that, but if you’ve got a programmer in your company already, it could be a good opportunity to get them re-trained to do mobile apps. Although this will take longer, you’ll have a lot more control over the process and everything will be in-house. It’ll be your intellectual property. After you’ve created the initial mobile app you need, you can then branch out to other categories of apps – maybe even setting yourself up as a solutions provider for others – providing entertainment applications (for learning languages, reading books, traveling, sports), shopping applications (e-commerce segment) and mobile games. Apps can be created for Android, iOS, browsers and more).
The role of the mobile developer is still pretty new, but there’s a clearly defined set of specific requirements. According to the analysis of vacancies of many IT studios, the best, most-qualified developer is required to understand both programming, and frontend and backend, as well as user interface design and layout.