10 Things To Remember While Hiring An iOS Developer For Your Startup

As more companies are leaning towards creating mobile apps, there is an increased demand for Android and iOS developers. Even though iOS devices occupy 25.26% of the smartphone market share, according to Global Stats, Stats Counter, they are the leading contributors to in-app purchases, microtransactions, and paid premiums.

Hence, startups must make an effort to hire expert iOS developers to appeal to this segment of users and accelerate their growth. Given below are ten things to keep in mind while hiring an iOS developer for your startup:

1. Experience and Portfolio

Any iOS developer worth their salt must have some amount of experience in building apps. While it may appear as common sense, iOS development is much more complicated than Android development, and hence, you must prefer someone with a solid foundation in this respect.

It is an added plus if the candidate has contributed to the development of features and functionalities that are much like the one that you wish to develop.

2. Test Out Products

We all know someone who may have bluffed on their resume. Given that you are a new entrant in the market, you cannot afford to make a poor hire. An individual who is an organizational misfit will cost more than the revenue that they bring.

Hence, take the time to validate the references and the experience that they claim. Download the apps mentioned in their portfolio and test out the functionality.

Discuss the app with other developers and capture their inputs. Read up the reviews and the ratings on the app to know about its most-loved and hated features as it will be a reflection of their skill.

3. Connect With Previous Employers

In addition to checking the referrals and relevant experience, connect with previous employers to know more about the candidates. It lends you insight into their working process, work ethics, and accuracy.

Most importantly, you will have an idea of their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can shape these to mold them into the perfect employee for your startup.

Generally, candidates do not expect organizations such as startups to carry out such an elaborate background check. Hence, they are prone to including bogus referrals in their CV.

4. The comfort of Programming Language

You may wish to develop your iOS app in a particular programming language for various reasons. This choice could be due to the ease of documentation or the proficiency of the remaining team. However, your fresh recruit must also possess some amount of skills and mastery in the said language.

If you are developing the iOS app in the RoR environment, you won’t choose someone for C/C++. It would only make sense to hire expert Ruby on Rails developers! Hence, go through their skill set to know about their capabilities.

5. Work Hours

We are living in a world where remote working is the norm. Alternatively, as a startup, you must consider hiring freelancers and project-based staff to keep your budget in check.

However, while doing this, you should ensure that your developer is readily available and accessible with minimum delays. Having dedicated work hours will add accountability and ensure that all actions are taken according to the stipulated timeline.

6. Communicate

Your iOS developer will do a lot more than the technical stuff that takes place under the hood. They will have to understand the features and specifications, share updates on the progress, and even brief stakeholders.

As a result, communication plays a crucial role in transmitting thoughts and ideas. To check out these skills, follow a balance of written and oral communication with the candidate throughout the recruitment process.

Also, keep an eye on their response times; someone who takes more than 24 hours to get back to you during the recruitment process may extend this period as an employee!

7. Channels of Communication

App development requires constant communication and coordination. Hence, you need to ensure that there are several channels available for synchronous and asynchronous communication.

Pose questions on the various modes as preferred by the candidate. If they pick something quick, such as Skype and Slack, they are definitely more proactive.

8. Attention to Details

iOS developers need to have the right amount of technical expertise along with creative insight. Their ability to think outside the box will enable your startup to deliver a unique app. Hence, the perfect blend of technical know-how and creativity is a must for any developer.

Next, you must also look for their attention to details. Whether it is clean coding or conceptualizing a feature or functionality – someone who can figure out the minute nitty-gritty that comes to play will have a more hands-on approach.

Look for pointers that indicate that the candidate is more detail-oriented and has a clear vision of what is expected from them.

9. Test Out Their Ability to Meet Deadlines

Startups are in stiff competition and are racing against time. Hence, it is crucial that your app is deployed on time. However, to get the result, you should have a dedicated developer who can meet deadlines.

An iOS developer who can respect and honor deadlines and deliver products as per schedule is an invaluable asset. Check out their track record to know about how well they cope under the stress of deadlines.

10. Explain Their Responsibilities

The lack of direction and losing one’s goal during the process could be one of the most significant causes of failure. Hence, start the association on a note where you set clear expectations and outline the various responsibilities for the position.

Given that you are a startup, you cannot hire a dedicated team for the app deployment on the Apple store. Hence, make sure that the candidate can assume responsibility for the implementation.

Final Thoughts

Finding the perfect iOS developer may take a while. However, having them on the team is bound to attract a host of positive results. Ensure that you have a proper system of checks and balances to screen in only the honest and most deserving candidate.

Once you find the perfect candidate, it is all about onboarding them and accelerating your business growth!