Strategic Hiring: Prominent Locations for Top-notch Vietnam App Developers

How to deal with software engineer shortages is always a challenging question every business faces in this modern context. Although there are a high number of graduates each year in the mobile app development sector, businesses of all sizes still struggle with finding candidates that are both suitable and of high quality. That’s not to mention other related factors such as recruitment, costs, training, and time, which require careful investment from business owners to avoid being left behind by same-segment competitors.

There is a common misconception among newcomers that only mobile developers from developed countries possess the necessary skills and expertise in the field. However, these biases and stereotypes are far from accurate. Top app developers can be found from all corners.

In recent years, businesses have opened up and moved closer to talented developers from nearshore and offshore countries and maximized the power of diversity. The fact that Vietnam app developers’ technology skills place second in Asia Pacific and 22nd globally has made this country a new destination for many customers in need.

Vietnam has made significant strides in the tech industry, nurturing a pool of talented engineers who are just as capable as their counterparts in developed countries. Both skilled and affordable. However, the question remains: where to find Vietnam app developers?

How Mobile App Developers in Vietnam are Shaping the Industry?

Hiring remote app developers in Asia Pacific, specifically Vietnam, brings businesses unique opportunities and considerations. From a little-known country, Vietnam has gradually marked its name on the world map with outstanding achievements in recent years. What particular reasons have contributed to the growth of mobile app development companies in Vietnam?

Most Skilled App Developer Hotspot

Vietnam has long emerged as a strong player in the global tech industry, offering a vast talent pool. According to a recent report, Vietnam’s Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) market is estimated to be worth around USD 7.7 billion in 2021 and is expected to continue to grow by 8% each year from 2022 to 2026, and none other than app developers with extensive expertise in Vietnam have contributed to building this remarkable success.

Thanks to its focus on education, Vietnam produces a wide range of graduates in different industries, such as web development, application support and maintenance, cyber security, and other relevant disciplines. The number of new employees is continuously added every year, keeping the supply of skilled professionals entering the tech workforce constantly at a stable level and meeting market demand.

Not only outstanding in terms of quantity, app developers in Vietnam also have a reputation for being technically up-to-date with the latest technologies, software development frameworks, methodologies, etc. With a solid knowledge foundation and experience in training and projects, Vietnamese mobile developers are a great choice for organizations with diverse requirements.

Affordable and High-quality Combination

Possessing human resources who are both proficient in soft skills and technical skills for business custom software development, Vietnam is famous as one of the places providing a large number of mobile app developers at the most reasonable prices in Southeast Asia. Vietnamese software engineers often charge lower rates than those in developed countries while maintaining high standards of quality due to the low cost of living.

With that same budget, instead of just hiring a developer with three years of experience in America, businesses can completely reach more high-quality talent with even five years of experience. Compared with Singapore, the cost of hiring app developers in Vietnam is approximately 60 percent lower. This cost advantage is especially suitable for businesses that wish to optimize their financial strategy without compromising on the quality of the final product.

Governmental Assistance Policies

As one of the industries that helps Vietnam move closer to the path of integration and modernization, the information technology field has received a lot of favor from the government in recent years, making this place always a hot spot for businesses wishing to build their mobile apps. With a stable social situation and political environment, Vietnam establishes a solid security foundation and certainty for businesses operating within the country.

Specifically, what factors contributed to Vietnam’s appeal? The Vietnamese government always creates favorable conditions for the development of software development and related activities. To date, many potential web and mobile development projects have received various government incentives, including grants, tax breaks, and subsidies. Subjects and training programs associated with technology are gradually becoming increasingly popular in training. The government also pays more attention to proactive coordination and cooperation with industry associations to identify and address challenges faced by both businesses and developers. All of these make Vietnam a suitable destination for businesses regardless of size.

Language Compatibility and Time Zone Characteristics

The fact that English is a mandatory second language in formal training systems has eliminated all cultural and language barriers in Vietnam. Although they do not possess advanced English proficiency, most developers working in Vietnam have basic communication skills and can meet conversational purposes. The good news is that such developers’ English skills show many positive changes. Based on English proficiency rankings done by a Swiss language training company, Vietnam is seventh, up from 12th, out of 24 Asian countries and territories on the list. The emergence of a series of tools and software for communication today has also partly improved communication efficiency between parties.

In terms of time zone, Vietnam’s standard time is UTC+7. Differences or similarities in time zones bring unique benefits to businesses when cooperating with any mobile app development company in this country. If customers share the same time zone, Vietnamese app developers can tap into nearly 24 hours of productivity with a proper plan of workloads. In case the customer is in a different time zone, your break time may be the working hours of the software engineers from Vietnam and vice versa. This rotation in project management has helped businesses shorten time-to-market and promptly handle cybersecurity threats.

Vietnam’s Premier Hubs for Mobile Application Development: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang

In order to facilitate the recruitment of mobile app developers in Vietnam, companies should focus on three major economic hubs: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang. Talent exists everywhere. However, any employer should know these three most concentrated areas of top app developers in Vietnam. Narrowing down the scope of recruitment and focusing on these three main areas helps enterprises quickly access suitable pieces in the future.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is arguably the biggest hub for software development in Vietnam. This is the birthplace of a large number of software development companies and startups, creating a thriving tech ecosystem in Vietnam. With the most developed economic conditions, Ho Chi Minh City nurtures many generations of skilled developers and offers clients a variety of choices to serve unique recruitment needs.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi - the capital of Vietnam, is another prominent hub for mobile application development. Life gradually integrates to help Hanoi develop increasingly in the technology industry. Based on factors such as competitive costs, a strong talent pool, and a favorable climate, Hanoi is always a favorite destination for domestic and foreign companies and businesses wishing to use mobile app development services.

Da Nang, Vietnam

An emerging name in the information technology industry is Da Nang - a city located in central Vietnam. Although not as prominent as the above two areas, Da Nang, in recent years, has made great strides when actively investing in its tech infrastructure and attracting IT companies. With a favorable business environment and skilled workforce, Da Nang is expected to develop further shortly.

Notable Locations to Explore when Hire a Mobile App Developer in Vietnam

Hiring developers in Vietnam can cause many obstacles for employers if they do not approach this human resource properly. Each country has its own culture and characteristics. They affect how mobile app development companies operate and deeply interfere with software engineers’ recruitment-related behaviors, especially how they choose where to promote their personal and professional profiles.

For example, a customer can easily find skilled application developers in European countries on job search sites like eurojobs.com. On the contrary, this is not recommended in Asian countries because such sites are often unpopular.

So, how to access the large pool of Vietnamese developers while still saving budget and time? Here are some notable locations to consider.

Job Boards

Hiring on job boards is the top choice of employers when there is a need to gather a mobile app development team with full functionalities. This is a place to help both businesses and job seekers be proactive in finding their dream employees/jobs. By providing a wide range of features to facilitate the job search process, such as profile creation, resume uploading, job posting, applicant tracking, etc., job boards have received the trust of most large and small businesses in recruitment strategies.

Some popular ones being used internationally include Glassdoor, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, and Indeed. Besides, other platforms, such as VietnamWorks, ITviec, TopDevVietnam, etc., are names favored by Vietnam app developers that you can consider.

Technology Communities and Forums

Job boards are good places to start your journey of finding the real pieces in iOS and Android app development. However, to directly tap into this professional network, it is recommended to look to local tech communities and forums where developers gather to network, share knowledge, and collaborate. Besides the main function of connecting and engaging in discussions related to various aspects of technology, some communities now also offer a dedicated section for job postings. This can attract interested talent who are part of the forums and actively seeking job opportunities.

Stack Overflow, GitHub, Meetup, Tech in Asia, etc., are communities that might have listings for app developers.

Freelancing Platforms

If your business only needs to recruit application developers to serve short-term projects and certain needs occasionally, freelancers are the perfect choice in this situation. Freelance platforms are online marketplaces that connect clients with skilled developers who offer their services on a project basis. Through public technical profiles on such platforms, recruiters can easily review portfolios, check ratings, or even communicate with potential candidates. Once the missing piece has been identified, businesses can completely safely transact and exchange necessary information since most freelancing platforms have dispute resolution mechanisms and built-in escrow systems.

Refer to popular freelance platforms like Upwork, Arc, and Toptal to kick-start your projects with suitable freelancers.

Software Outsourcing Company

Not every business has enough potential to recruit Vietnam app developers when the in-house team requires significant investment. Third-party vendors are individuals or organizations that specialize in providing service packages related to programming and software development for customers with needs in all fields. They can be developers working onsite and under your management (staff augmentation outsourcing model) or individuals working entirely for your project remotely and are in charge of the host company (dedicated team outsourcing model).

Outsourcing, with a myriad of benefits, is gradually becoming a new trend in modern times, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. By letting experts do the expert things, businesses ensure the progress and output quality of web application development products, thereby creating a competitive advantage over competitors in the same segment.

Orient Software is an outsourcing company with decades of experience worth customer consideration. Making projects from many different fields successful, Orient Software has long marked its name in the race for top outsourcing companies in Southeast Asia.

Social Media Platforms

While social media platforms may not be the primary source for finding app developers in Vietnam, they can still be used as a means to connect with professionals or development communities in the area. Nowadays, many employers are taking advantage of these huge numbers of people using platforms to post business-related news such as recruitment and promote brand image. By joining tech-related groups on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc., businesses can access a potential niche of Vietnamese application developers and explore valuable partnerships.

Tech Events and Meetups

In addition to those who are genuinely interested in the content of tech events and meetups, plenty of people are attending such conferences, looking for opportunities to connect and collaborate with skilled developers. Nothing is wrong with this since it reinforces the value of tech events. Tech events and meetups attract large numbers of developers, industry professionals, and technology enthusiasts every year. Engaging with Vietnamese app developers directly gives businesses the chance to evaluate their expertise and technical skills firsthand.

University Career Centers

University career centers are not only a place for information technology students to find job opportunities after graduation but also a potential destination for businesses to recruit young talents while they are still in school. Specifically, these centers were established with the purpose of supporting students and alumni in their career development and often provide reputable resources for connecting with employers, including application development companies in Vietnam.

Businesses can passively wait for applications from qualified candidates or proactively contact potential individuals. Participating in internship programs and giving students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in their field of study is also a good way to attract talent from university career centers.

Besides the prominent locations dedicated to recruiting talented Vietnamese app developers mentioned above, businesses have a number of other options, such as participating in technology job fairs, consulting information from technology blogs and websites, requesting referrals and recommendations, and examining portfolios and case studies from companies in the same industry.

Kick Off Your Project with Orient Software - A Software Development Company Based in Vietnam

Information technology in Vietnam is still in the early development stages and is available for growth. If we continue to maintain the current level of innovation and continue to reform more in the future, the tech industry in this area could soon rival those of other countries in the region.

Vietnamese talent exists in every corner. However, the right approach is needed to recruit truly suitable personnel. Hiring in Vietnam is far more different from hiring in other regions due to the distinct hiring processes, habits, and culture. That is also the reason why more and more businesses put their trust and the future of their projects in the hands of experts from outsourcing companies.

As a software development company based in Vietnam with decades of experience in all fields, Orient Software offers a large pool of skilled developers available and ready to help your business optimize the development process of all types of software products. Regarding cost, Orient also continuously updates the latest technologies and adds value by providing different competitive service packages. Leave us a message, and let us accompany you on the journey of scaling your business.