Discover the Inessential Mistakes When You Hire iOS App Developers

The current world of digital transformation is home to mobile technologies, namely smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices. With more than 6.3 billion smartphone users from every corner of the world, the explosive use of mobile apps is justifiably predicted, and it was anticipated to generate revenue of over $935 billion in 2023, according to the Revenue of Mobile Apps Worldwide by Statista (2017 – 2025) by Statista. Amidst the widely expanding market for mobile app development, tech businesses of all sizes, including startups, groups, or even individuals, have seen a huge opportunity to jump in and share a slice of the cake.

When evening the scale between Android and iOS app development, the critical influence of the Apple App Store has undoubtedly made its mark on the mobile app industry. In specific, applications on iOS operating systems gained an estimated revenue of $85.1 billion in 2021, accounting for 63% of total app revenue. Meanwhile, Android applications only generated nearly $47.9 billion in the same year.

For those software development businesses that choose iOS app development over Android, they must confront the challenge of finding and hiring iOS programmers. Even though it sounds simple enough on paper (that you merely hire experienced developers, right?), in practice, there can be many unintended mistakes that occur during the hiring process and tamper with the outcomes. This article is nothing less than a list of the most common yet preventable blunders that you can avoid and should be mindful of. Plus, we recommend some tips that come in handy when hiring iOS developers.

Top Six Avoidable Blunders in iOS Developer Hiring

Oftentimes, the starting point of a mobile app development project is the staffing phase - building a development team from scratch. This is a prerequisite stage but also the prone-to-mistake one. With little or inappropriate caution, you may trip over various pitfalls that can lead to costly implications, which may be risky or even harmful for the entire development process afterward. In the following, we are about to run through six common mistakes that businesses are likely to make when they hire iOS app developers. Of course, running into one or more of these is the least you expect, but the percentage of possibility is never zero. Fortunately, you can still dodge them all if you bear in mind and prepare for the challenges ahead.

#1 Fail to Verify the iOS Development Expertise

In fact, mobile applications, in general, and iOS apps, in specific, are constantly evolving over time and require introspective knowledge in order to develop an app of value and quality. Therefore, all IT recruiters keep in mind that it is significantly important to verify the knowledge and experience of candidates meticulously, with the ultimate goal of hiring the best iOS developers possible.

However, most companies fall short of expertise in this area, and they do not pay enough attention to core iOS development skills or any underlying knowledge that is hidden behind the surface. Or, they are unable to validate the qualifications of their candidates properly, which can lead to hiring the wrong person altogether.

To put an end to this misstep, you need to have a deliberate procedure to confirm the technical background of iOS developers as well as their expertise and experience in iOS app development, such as coding skills and competency in Apple programming languages (Swift, Objective-C, C#, Java, JavaScript, Dart, etc.), UI/UX design, iOS SDK (Software Development Kit) and so forth.

You can also utilize a combination of technical interviews and tests to judge their level of technical knowledge. In addition, do not rely on the resume and the interview result only. Consider asking for portfolio samples or live projects that can demonstrate the iOS app development capabilities of a candidate in practice. Finally, if you have any concerns in mind, conduct a reference check to better assess the skillset and expertise of your potential hire. In this way, you can lower the chances of getting the wrong hires and ensure that your new team members are capable of delivering high-quality apps for your business.

#2 Capitalize on Technical Skills Alone

As aforementioned, it is paramount to secure the technical input of skilled iOS developers to make certain that your team is set up for success. However, the required qualifications for iOS experts are not confined to technical skills only. Apart from key skills regarding app development, an iOS app developer should also possess a set of problem-solving skills and soft skills, such as communication ability, problem-solving capacity, logical thinking, and creativity. All these traits will prove useful when it comes to the actual development process.

Thus, never ignore other soft skills and assume that technical proficiency is the sole criterion for iOS hire. There should be a balance between tech know-how and problem-solving aptitude, as both sides are important for an efficient app development team.

In this sense, you need to define the unique requirements for iOS app developers carefully. If you are uncertain, consider consulting with an experienced IT recruiter to provide you with professional advice and make sure that your hire will meet the criteria. After all, effective problem-solving is just as vital as coding skills in developing a successful application.

#3 Reluctant to Leverage Remote iOS Developers

The next common blunder is to restrict your pool of talent. When hiring developers in general, recruiters need to be mindful of the talent sources that they are drawing from. If you limit your search to regional or local candidates only, you might miss out on top iOS developers who may not be personally available in your vicinity but can offer valuable contributions to your in-house developers remotely. If you do, you will soon face two tangible problems – either budget constraints due to overhead hiring costs or a talent gap resulting from the shortage of local developers. This state will lead to consequences that may jeopardize your effort to build a capable iOS development team.

The best thing to do is to cast a wide net and hire remote iOS developers from around the world. With the right recruitment strategy, you can access top professionals with varied backgrounds that bring unique perspectives to your projects. With an open-minded attitude toward talent acquisition, you will have more options when selecting candidates and eventually gain access to the best iOS developers.

Moreover, hiring remote developers is the enabler for a variety of benefits, typically cost savings due to the different software engineer salary ranges worldwide. Remote professionals can either be freelance iOS developers or ones managed by a staffing agency. Thanks to mobile app development services, you will be able to delegate the entire project to available iOS experts or supplement your existing team with a few experienced professionals. So, based on your business needs, you can choose the most suitable collaboration model for your project.

#4 Prioritize Costs Over Skills & Competencies

The cost of acquiring one full-time iOS developer of any level can be extremely high enough to cause you a nerve-wracking experience. Undoubtedly, talented iOS developers are not cheap. Therefore, a majority of companies choose to lower the expenses of recruiting by hiring junior developers who are willing to work for a much lower rate than the market average. This seems to be a smart move; unfortunately, it turns out to be a disastrous mistake that can put your project at stake.

When you focus on costs and neglect the quality of skills, the development processes of your iOS applications can rapidly go astray. This is especially true when a junior developer who lacks appropriate qualifications and experience takes over the project. Not only will they be unable to handle complex tasks, but they cannot provide the necessary technical advice or solutions to possible problems. Besides, their lack of skill may lead to more severe issues such as slow progress, low-quality coding standards, lack of creativity or innovation, or even a delayed launch date for your final product. All these setbacks can prove costly in terms of time and money investments. Therefore, it is such a fatal mistake to rely exclusively on costs to make any hiring decision.

Hence, investing in highly qualified professionals with proven portfolios will pay off in the long run. You may have to spend more initially, but it will eventually help you develop a successful, higher-quality product in the shortest time frame. So, always balance the costs and skill sets of the “iPhone app developers” to make informed decisions.

#5 Have an Ambiguous Job Description

In the recruitment of different industries, one of the most common mistakes is to have an unclear job description. Companies should not forget that the quality of their hiring decisions largely depends on how clearly they present and define the requirements for the position.

It stays true when you hire an iOS developer, as it is essential to explain the job duties and responsibilities of the position correctly. That way, both you and your potential iOS developer candidates will have a better understanding of the expected results and skills. This seems to be a tiny silly mistake, but it can cause more trouble than you think if done inappropriately.

#6 Choose Candidates Only by Seniority

It is prejudice that an experienced iOS developer should have the title of senior or lead. Many companies insist on having a senior developer rather than a junior one. Nevertheless, this is not always necessarily true.

Sometimes, years of experience are merely a number, no more or less. A good iOS developer can come with any level of experience and knowledge. What matters most is their attitude and the quality of their work. If you focus on seniority over talent, you may miss out on a great candidate who might have been able to bring more value to your project than senior-level personnel.

Therefore, don’t get stuck in the traditional mindset that seniority equals expertise; always remember to evaluate all of your potential developers holistically based on their skills, background experience, portfolios, and technical qualifications. So regardless of their seniority level, hire iOS developers who certainly have the right combination of talent and fit into your development team perfectly.

Hire iOS Developers: How to Get It Right

Again, we would like to emphasize that hiring iOS experts is no easy task. Now that you have gone through the common mistakes and how to avoid them, it is time to learn some useful tips that can aid you greatly in the hiring process.

Diversify Where to Hire iOS Developers

Dealing with the scarcity of qualified developers, tech companies need to broaden their reach to IT talent. You have various options to expand your search for iOS developers. There are multiple platforms, such as job boards, recruiting agencies, and freelance marketplaces available out there. Furthermore, you can also approach the people in your networks or attend tech events to find potential candidates with great abilities and expertise.

Know Exactly What to Seek Out in an iOS App Developer

There needs to be a well-thought-out plan to prepare resources for your mobile app development project. This includes a multitude of activities, like structuring your mobile app development team, defining a timeline, budgeting for the project, and many more.

Above all, you need to decide the responsibilities of each role within the team in detail, what qualities and technical skills you seek in an iOS developer, and other criteria to evaluate and shortlist the candidates. Spend time to consider your project requirements meticulously and convert them into job requirements (include skills, experiences, and qualities you would expect from the ideal candidate), and finally a crystal-clear JD. This will serve as a reference for the hiring process and help to narrow down your search and find the right candidates who meet all of your project needs. By clarifying these points, you will find it much easier to source the right people for your project.

Establish an Agile Yet Comprehensive Hiring Procedure

A well-crafted job description and an effective hiring process are both essential. The recruitment procedure should not be long and complicated as it will consume more of your resources and turn off potential candidates. It should also allow you to scrutinize and evaluate the skills, experiences, and qualities of the applicants quickly while still ensuring that no qualified candidate slips through your recruitment process. On the candidates’ side, the job application process should be simple yet effective. To achieve this balance, you need to understand and utilize various recruitment methods such as phone screening, coding tests, and technical interviews.

Leverage External Supports When Necessary

For those organizations with inadequate resources, insisting on bringing an iOS app idea to life only depending on the in-house expertise may be a dead end. In such cases, outsourcing to a support team is the way out.

Today, businesses have more flexible means to staff their projects rather than hiring permanent employees, which comes with a number of shortcomings due to project requirement changes. You can choose either to contract a dedicated team to work on your project or to augment your in-house team with the help of specialized development agencies. Reducing your HR burden and risk, you can leverage these means to save you a lot of time and resources, as well as bring fresh ideas to your project while getting you a well-established iOS app development team.

If IT recruitment is not your strength, or you simply have no resources for sourcing talent on your own, then collaborating with an IT outsourcing service company is an optimal solution. Nnt any service provider, but the top-tier one with almost two decades in the IT industry delivering the utmost quality services and gaining client satisfaction from companies worldwide – Orient Software. Come to us; we provide you with dedicated teams of experienced iOS app developers and a comprehensive set of services beyond software development. We are here to support turning your ideas into real products in the most effective way. Consult with us today!