6 steps to take before you hire app developers

There are all sorts of reasons for an organization to launch a mobile app. Some companies are interested in creating a mobile app because it will help them engage with customers and gather more data. At the same time, other businesses may just be focused on selling their products or services quicker and more efficiently. Other organizations may turn to mobile apps for increased brand awareness or improve customer satisfaction, which can lead to more profits.

No company wants to spend time and money on hiring app developers only to realize that they have chosen the wrong team for the job. So what can be done to avoid this situation? Here are six steps to help ensure that you hire app developers that are capable, reliable, and punctual.

Find a developer within your budget

You should have a budget in mind if you are serious about figuring out how to hire app developers. This number could range from a few thousand dollars right up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

While you might be concentrating on the development costs, keep in mind that there are also many other additional costs when it comes to app development. For example, it costs additional money to test and deploy the app. Then, once the app is launched, there is also the cost of app maintenance. The initial market research has to be done to determine that the app is worth building. If that wasn’t enough, the app will also need to be marketed to consumers later, which adds to your overall budget.

Founders and leaders have to get a sense of an overall budget for initial app development, and there are all sorts of variables to consider. Ultimately, you will have to try to figure out the right developers to fit your budget and create a high-quality app, and it may take some time and effort to get there.

It’s also important to note that it might be a disaster if you let price be the deciding factor here. No one wants to spend months with a developer that doesn’t communicate properly or meet deadlines, only to find that their decision to hire the cheapest developer has cost them more money and time in the long run.

Test their skills

So, you’ve made it clear that you are ready to hire app developers, and you are getting all sorts of applications from all over the world. Developers have sent in their lengthy CVs and portfolios, and you’ve also spent some time interviewing candidates that seem to be a good fit. However, what if there was a more insightful way to hire app developers that didn’t involve lengthy interviews or sifting through countless portfolios?

It might be time to ask them to take a skills test. This way, you can make sure that the candidate truly understands the job and what is required, and it can help provide some “proof” regarding their skill set, capabilities, and knowledge. These tests can help screen candidates at an early stage, as well. 

Have a conversation

Let’s say that you are interested in hiring a remote team of app developers. You all decide to meet together in a video conference, but you notice a massive gap in terms of what you are talking about. You are trying to explain exactly what you are looking for, but they appear confused regarding the project and seem to have trouble answering specific questions.

There may be too much of a disconnect, or you might even find that the app developers appear to be a bit more challenging to deal with than you had expected. Now, you might be thinking about how personality clashes will affect project deadlines, and how that will hinder progress considerably. If you throw in timezone differences on top of that, it’s very easy to see how a particular team might not be the right choice for your organization.

After several conversations, you should have some sense regarding whether you want to hire those app developers or whether it’s best to consider a different team. While you do not have to have many conversations with the team, one or two will help identify communication or personality issues that may arise later.

Ask the right questions

Let’s say that you have had a couple of conversations with an app developer. You feel like they are reliable, transparent, and willing to communicate throughout the entire project. While this is a great sign, leaders and executives should still interview these developers thoroughly before hiring. In other words, you should be asking more questions and finding out more information about these candidates.

Before you hire app developers, it’s also best to find out whether they have any other additional skills that are relevant to the project. What if you find out that a developer has a decade of experience in your industry? It’s easy to see how this can end up being the “edge” that leads to them getting hired over other candidates. 

Similarly, executives may find that a candidate has design skills or business analysis skills that are also relevant to the project. They may even also be a QA tester, which can help down the line to refine and improve the app. Before you hire app developers, it might be worth asking about other skills and packages they offer, as they could end up being relevant to the app development process.

Find out how transparent they are

It’s a leader’s job to figure out how transparent the team is before they hire app developers, and there are several ways to figure this out. It would help if you asked the app developers how they maintain transparency regarding their projects and whether they use project management software to do so. Are they ready to communicate when there is a delay in the project or some obstacles to progress that the other stakeholders do not know about?

No one wants to hire app developers only to find that they are impossible to get in touch with over the next several weeks. The ultimate goal is to allow for a free flow of communication regarding progress so that there are fewer surprises and the project can remain “on track” concerning goals and deadlines. If issues arise regarding timelines or scope, it is much easier to face these obstacles earlier, and this is only possible with transparent app developers that communicate consistently.

During either your first or second conversation, you should ask for a contract template. This template can offer insight regarding any actual guarantees that the developer provides. Without transparency, there is a good chance that your mobile app will not be up to par, and it can lead to a rushed product that doesn’t truly deliver.

Ask for past work and social proof

There are many talented app developers out there, but how do you know that you are hiring the right developer for your specific goals? Before you hire app developers, one of the easiest and smartest things to do is to ask to see the developer’s portfolio. There is a good chance that they will send over enough work for you to get a general sense of their skill set and how well their work is executed.

Once you ask for a portfolio, you might also find that the app developer is a bit more inexperienced than you had imagined. In this case, asking for the portfolio could have just saved you a whole lot of money and time. If they haven’t produced similar work to what you are looking for, why not just look for someone who already has?

It would help if you were to also ask for some testimonials from past clients. If an app developer has a solid portfolio, there’s a good chance that other executives have praised their past work and elaborated on how well they delivered. It might even be worth reaching out to one or two of their references if provided, as you may find out more about the way they work and whether they delivered or not. 

Suppose an app developer is recommended by leaders in your own industry, for example. In that case, that may help to give you some peace of mind regarding their capability to deliver successfully and on time.

Conclusion

It can be difficult to figure out how to hire app developers while also determining your budget and the kind of developers that you need for your mobile app. Your company should be spending time to figure out the right developers, establishing that they are capable, and then interviewing them to ensure that they are as transparent and reliable as possible.

It’s no secret why companies hire app developers. Whether it’s for sales, marketing, customer loyalty, or branding, a mobile app can help your business scale to the next level. A mobile app can end up being incredibly valuable to organizations of all kinds, whether you’re a small business or a large corporation. We hope that these six steps can help you figure out the best possible way to hire app developers.