Hire iOS developers rapidly and remotely without sacrificing quality

If you want to create apps for Apple phones and tablets, consider hiring experienced iOS app developers. These programmers can design and build iOS apps from scratch. They can also:

• Design and refine existing apps
• Ensure that your apps conform to Apple's terms of service
• Test and submit apps to the App Store
• Continually make improvements, adjustments, and bug fixes in response to user feedback

Read on to learn more about iOS developers and how to hire them. Along the way, we'll cover the differences between iOS and Android developers, iOS app developer salaries and skills, and roles and responsibilities. We'll also share tips for hiring FAANG-caliber iOS app developers.

What Is an iOS Developer?

An iOS app developer is a programmer who creates apps for mobile devices that use Apple's iOS operating system. iOS developers have ample knowledge of how iOS works on different Apple devices, such as the iPhone and iPad. They also know how to program, test, adjust, and publish mobile applications on Apple's Play Store.

Depending on their area of expertise, an iOS developer can build a variety of apps, including:

• Games
• Educational apps like Duolingo and Hooked on Phonics
• Productivity apps that help people get work done, such as notetaking apps
• Content distribution apps like Spotify and YouTube

iOS vs. Android App Developers

Like Android developers, iOS devs create apps for mobile devices. However, Android and iOS devs know different sets of programming languages.

Here's what iOS developers are expected to know:

• Objective-C: A superset of the C language, Objective-C has been used to create macOS and iOS apps since the 1980s. In recent years, it's largely been replaced by Swift, Apple's newest native language. However, some developers still use Objective-C to maintain and update legacy apps.
• Swift: Released in 2014, Swift is a powerful and intuitive coding language for iOS, macOS, watchOS, iPadOS, and tvOS. Unlike Objective-C, Swift is expressive, enjoyable to use, and concise. It's also incredibly fast — according to Apple, Swift is 2.6 times faster than Objective-C and 8.4 times faster than Python 2.7.

In contrast, Android developers don't need to know Swift or Objective-C. Instead, they need to know at least two of the following:

• Java: Java is a class-based, high-level, object-oriented programming (OOP) language that was designed to have as few dependencies as possible. It was Android's official language before 2019, so many Android apps are built with Java, including Twitter and Spotify.
• Kotlin: Android's current official language, Kotlin is a general-purpose, statically typed coding language that fully interoperates with Android, the Java virtual machine, and Java libraries. Compared to Java, Kotlin is more lightweight, faster to compile, and prevents apps from increasing size. Android apps that use Kotlin include Trello, Evernote, and Pinterest.
• C++: An extension of the C programming language, C++ can be used to create cross-platform apps through Microsoft's Visual Studio.
• C#: Devs can also use C# to create cross-platform apps via Visual Studio. Many programmers prefer C# to C++ because the former is a fully OOP language, while the latter uses a mix of object-oriented and procedural code. C# also warns devs about compilation errors beforehand whereas C++ doesn't, making it more prone to errors.
• Python: An interpreted, high-level coding language with dynamic semantics, Python can be used to create a wide variety of apps, including games, content sharing platforms, and financial apps. Popular Python Android apps include Reddit, Netflix, and Mozilla Firefox.

Roles and Responsibilities

iOS mobile application developers' roles and responsibilities vary from company to company. However, most startups hire iOS programmers to:

• Build, test, and release iOS apps
• Optimize pre-existing iOS apps
• Design and release new user-facing features
• Ensure the usability of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designs
• Build reusable libraries and code for future use
• Optimize UI templates for web accessibility and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Collaborate with backend app programmers and UI/UX teams
• Analyze data from app performance tools to meet and exceed user needs
• Ensure that all user input is validated before submitting it to the backend

iOS App Developer Salaries and Skills

An iOS app developer's salary depends on their skills and experience. Experienced developers have much higher salaries than their inexperienced colleagues.

Junior/Entry-Level iOS Developer Salary and Skills

Junior or entry-level iOS devs have under three years of professional experience. Most are fresh college or boot camp grads, but some are self-taught.

Companies expect junior and entry-level iOS programmers to have the following skills:

• Some experience with OOP languages, such as Swift or Objective-C
• Under a year of experience with data structures
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Passion for iOS mobile application development

Since they have little to no real-world experience, they have lower salaries. According to Salary.com, the average U.S.-based entry-level iOS developer earns $83,572.

Senior iOS Engineer Salary and Skills

Senior iOS developers have over three years of experience. They are fluent in Swift and Objective-C and know how to design, build, test, and deploy apps as part of a development team.

According to Glassdoor, the average U.S.-based senior iOS dev earns an impressive $116,701 per year, with additional cash compensation averaging $9,080.

Most companies expect senior iOS developers to have the following skills:

• Over three years of experience with iOS mobile application development
• Over three years of experience with Objective-C and Swift
• Over two years of experience with cross-platform tools like Xamarin
• Strong experience with implementing push notifications
• Experience working with industry-standard UI and UX technologies, such as CSS, HTML, and JavaScript
• Robust communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
• Experience with at least one software development methodology, such as Agile or Scrum
• The ability to continually make adjustments according to user feedback

How To Hire iOS Developers

Now that you know what iOS app developers do and what their salaries are, let's explore how to hire iOS app developers.

Where to Find and Hire iOS App Developers?

First, you need to find the right place to hire iOS app developers. Here are the top places for recruiting the best devs for your team:

Tech Hubs

If you want to meet talent face-to-face before hiring them, consider sourcing developers through tech hubs.

Tech hubs are communities that promote innovation for tech companies. Some — like California's Silicon Valley — cover large geographic areas, but most are cities, suburbs, or clusters of buildings and offices.

Besides Silicon Valley, the U.S. boasts many tech hubs, including:

• Atlanta, Georgia: Technology plays a vital role in Atlanta's economy. According to a 2021 report from research firm CBRE, Atlanta's Georgia Institute of Technology produces the most graduates per year in the U.S. The same report lists Atlanta as the eighth-best city for sourcing tech talent.
• Austin, Texas: Another major destination for tech startups, Austin made headlines in 2021 for being the go-to place for venture capitalists and startup founders. According to PitchBook, venture capitalists invested over $5.5 billion in 2021, more than double the amount invested in 2020. Tech giants like Oracle and Dropbox have also moved their headquarters to Austin.
• San Francisco, California: San Francisco offers plentiful opportunities and sky-high salaries for tech workers. As such, it attracts iOS app developers across the country. Many major tech companies, including Adobe, Google, and Pinterest, operate in the city.

However, as previously covered, U.S.-based developers demand high salaries. If you want to cut costs on hiring, consider hiring develops from Latin American tech hubs, including:

• Caracas, Venezuela: The capital of Venezuela, Caracas, has many tech hubs for sourcing iOS app development talent. The city's leading tech hub, Impact Hub Caracas, is home to over 200 entrepreneurs and open offices. It attracts a wide range of devs, including experienced programmers, students, and fresh grads.
• Various cities in Chile: Chile's capital, Santiago, has attracted many tech companies in recent years. Other cities like Valparaíso, Concepción, and Viña del Mar have also started to attract gain traction. These cities boast state-of-the-art tech hubs and tech parks.
• Panama City, Panama: The capital of Panama, Panama City is home to many startup opportunities, thanks to the government's City of Knowledge initiative. This initiative supports the growth of tech startups and academic organizations.

Job Sites

If you don't have the time to travel and recruit devs in person, consider hiring iOS developers through job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn. These platforms have advanced tools for locating and hiring talent.

For instance, LinkedIn has LinkedIn Recruiter, an all-encompassing hiring platform that helps you locate, connect with, and manage devs. It offers:

• Up-to-date insights on over 740 million members
• Advanced search filters
• The ability to send bulk messages
• Recommended matches
• The ability to share candidate files with hiring managers who don't have Recruiter access
• The ability to track your messages' performance

Talent Marketplaces

Hiring talent through tech hubs and job sites requires a lot of energy, time, and patience. To ensure you're hiring talent with the right skills, you need to test and vet candidates manually. Depending on the size of your pipeline, this can take weeks or even months.

That's why you should consider partnering with a talent marketplace. Unlike tech hubs and job sites, talent marketplaces already have pre-vetted iOS app developers. All you have to do is tell the talent marketplace about your needs. In a few days, the marketplace will send you a list of the best devs for the job.

Write a Compelling Job Ad for iOS App Developers

If you decide to hire through tech hubs and other platforms that don't have pre-vetted talent pools, you need a compelling iOS app developer job ad to attract the best talent.

Here's a sample job ad:

Remote Senior Mobile iOS Developer — Revelo

Revelo is looking for a Remote Senior Mobile iOS Developer from any of the following time zones:

• Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Mountain Standard Time (MST)
• Central Standard Time (CST)
• Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Company Bio:

Revelo matches Latin America's best programmers with companies around the world. Check out our website to learn more.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, test, and release new iOS applications
• Update, test, and maintain existing iOS applications
• Engage with users and business analysts to spot system enhancements
• Produce high-quality code that can be reused for future projects
• Mentor junior and entry-level programmers
• Collaborate with UI/UX designers to implement designs
• Create comprehensive design documents to illustrate how apps work

Required Skills:

• Over three years of experience in iOS app development
• Deep knowledge and experience using iOS SDK
• Fluency in Swift and Objective-C
• Experience working with Git
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Robust project management skills

Compensation and Benefits:

• Annual salary of $110,000 to $120,000, depending on experience
• Wellness program
• Health and dental insurance

Schedule:

• 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Monday to Friday

Ask the Right Interview Questions

After posting your job ad on several sites, you'll receive thousands of applications. Read through each applicant's cover letter and resume and compile a list of candidates to interview.

Most companies ask technical questions like "What kind of programming language is Swift?" and "What are the seven stages of the software development lifecycle (SDLC)?" However, these questions don't reveal much about what candidates have to offer. Consider asking personalized questions that reveal candidates' personalities, experiences, and skills. Here are some examples:

• What drew you to iOS app development?
• What do you like the most about iOS app development? What do you like the least?
• Do you prefer working with Swift or Objective-C?
• What project management or software development framework are you most familiar with?
• What's your favorite programming language and why?
• What's your experience with cross-platform app development?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• Have you mentored junior developers before? What do you enjoy the most about mentoring others?
• How would you rate your leadership skills?
• How would you rate your project management skills?

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