How to Hire a React Native Developer: Your Definitive Guide
In the world of software development, the process of hiring a developer is super straightforward. You look at their previous work, apply a simple set of requirements, and have them do a trial project for you.
However, when hiring a React Native developer, things are slightly different. This guide will teach you how to organize the recruitment process to hire the perfect React Native developer for your team.
Table of Content
Why is it So Hard to Hire a React Native Developer?
The first reason it’s hard to hire React Native developers is that there is a short supply of them around the world. This is one of the most in-demand positions for any software or mobile app company, meaning that React Native developers are a scarce resource.
This constrained supply is in part due to the fact that React is really hard to code. There are so many variables that a developer has to be aware of to get things working right, and that doesn’t even touch the complexity of the React Native ecosystem itself. In other words, an excellent React Native developer has to understand how React Native works and how it fits in with the rest of the app.
Searching for these developers can sometimes feel like you are looking for unicorns. Here are the main challenges you face when looking for these single-horned magicians:
#1. Too many companies claim they can find them
There are so many freelance platforms, offshoring companies, job boards, and other tools that finding the right person becomes a challenge simply because the options themselves make your head spin. (Especially if you aren’t sure of exactly what you need.)
#2. Quality doesn’t just mean a working knowledge of React Native
With React Native, developers can create mobile apps for Android and iOS using JavaScript.
Almost every developer working on a React, Node.js, or React Native app probably has some knowledge of JavaScript. But that might just be one piece of a complex puzzle.
#3. Recruiting the right talent takes a long time
Searching on your own is a very time-consuming process. You have to be on your game because timing is everything. If you miss a response, you could lose the talent you need (you’re not the only one searching for them!).
The good news is that TurnKey can partner with you. We know the game and how to play it. Response time is our jam!
#4. Problems with cultural alignment
Every team member, including your React Native developer, needs to learn and align with the company’s values and team goals. They also need to know what is expected from them as a team member.
So decide what is the most valuable to you: should a developer have more skills or one particular skill? Remarkable experience? A self-possessed yet humble attitude?
When you have your priorities straight and know what you need, you can create a recruitment roadmap that will help you find the React Native developers who will fit into your culture and product development approach.
If you’re unsure about how to hire a perfect React Native developer for your project—or simply don’t have the bandwidth to manage the recruitment process—TurnKey can help in a big way. Call us today!
If you’re unsure about how to hire a perfect React Native developer for your project—or simply don't have the bandwidth to manage the recruitment process—TurnKey can help in a big way.
Why Do You Need to Hire React Native Developers?
Hiring an experienced React Native developer is difficult for all the reasons stated above. So don’t want to go through the process unless you are clear that your product roadmap depends on it (and if you have to, you want a partner like TurnKey to help).
So how do you know if your team will benefit from hiring a React Native developer? Read on.
1. You are an early-stage software or mobile app startup
If your company is at an early stage, you likely need to speed things up.
Mobile apps aren’t as easy to market as they were a few years ago, and it takes a long time to see the results. And you’ll want time to test your app before launching it.
Building an MVP is a good option to consider—hiring an experienced React Native developer speeds up your development so you can get to your financial and operational milestones faster.
Moreover, because React Native can be used to deploy simultaneously on iOS and Android, you can kill two software birds with one stone, further accelerating your time to market.
2. You don’t have any React Native developers currently on your team
If you don’t have a tight deadline and know that you’ll need to develop a mobile app soon, you can always ask your JavaScript developers to learn React Native.
Sure, they can learn from online courses. The problem is that it will take months to master the skill (and they’re already busy enough). But speed is of the essence when it comes to building category-leading apps and software; you can’t afford to be missing this critical skill set.
3. You need to transform native apps into cross-platform ones
There are many ways you can create Android apps if you already have an iOS app (or vice-versa).
Yet, the best route is to hire one React Native developer instead of an Android team to help you go cross-platform.
It gives you a shared codebase for both Android and iOS devices so that you don’t have to have two development teams.
4. You need to transform web apps into cross-platform mobile applications
If you’ve created a web app with your in-house development team, then adopting a React Native framework can be an excellent option in terms of cost and benefit for developing the app’s mobile version.
This is another situation when you can hire one (or several) senior React Native developers instead of two teams for Android and iOS development (however, it depends on the complexity of your product). Or said another way, RN developers give you much more bang for your buck!
What Should You Do Before Hiring a React Native Developer?
Here are some things to keep in mind before diving into the specifics of how to hire a React Native developer.
#1. Define the hard skills
React Native has specific features and capabilities that the developer will need to know before they even write their first line of code for your project. Here are the key things to look for:
- Skills: First you must clearly articulate your development needs. Second, you must then ask questions to make sure you are getting the right skills. For example, does the developer have to know any additional programming language? What JavaScript framework or React Native framework should they have experience with? And should they have experience with JavaScript in general, including backend development, or do they need experience with mobile applications/web development? Determine the must-haves and the nice-to-haves.
- Seniority level: Hiring junior developers to work with you will save time, but you will need someone to show them the ropes. Hiring senior React Native developers might be more expensive, but you save money and energy in the long run—the more senior React Native developers bring valuable knowledge to your mobile app development team and take ownership quickly.
- Tech task: You'll need to test the candidate's skills in the first interview to ensure they have the required knowledge and skills. For instance, you might consider trying the candidate on a task requiring the libraries they don't know.
#2. Define the soft skills
Some skills, like communication, can be learned. Others, like the ability to handle success and failure, come naturally to some but not all.
A senior React Native developer’s soft skills vary depending on the seniority level, but generally, they’ll bring extensive leadership experience, excellent communication skills, problem- and conflict-solving skills, and time management abilities.
How do you check soft skills?
Non-technical interviews are crucial in assessing soft skills such as leadership and empathy. There are a lot of effective techniques, such as behavioral questions, situational questions, and reading body language.
#3. Evaluate the culture fit
Teams of developers who work well together makes communication flawless and teamwork more efficient. Think about the culture of your company and your core values. What kind of people align with what your firm is all about?
Learn about your potential hires with this cultural context in mind. When interviewing, ask open-ended questions that give you insight into what’s important to them and what will keep them interested. For instance, ask things like:
- Describe tasks that make you happy and vice versa.
- What motivates you at work?
- What do you think makes a person a perfect leader?
- What was the most challenging task you encountered and how did you face it?
Want to learn more on this topic? Here is a great article about the four best questions you can ask to unlock the psychology of a developer.
Inviting a team member for the culture- and team-fit-checking interview can also be beneficial. After the conversation, your colleague’s opinion will be important to a well-rounded assessment.
An instant rapport between your colleague and a potential one can be a good sign for hiring this React Native developer.
Turnkey has a tried and true method for finding software developers who fit your company's culture perfectly. This helps reduce churn by 50% compared to others. Impressed?
How to Find Reliable React Native Developers?
You can’t hire them if you can’t find them. Here are some ways to shine a light:
#1. Hire in-house React Native developers yourself
If you’ve got tons of free time, you can do this. (Or you can hire us and get back to work…)
First, you must create a budget, set expectations, and create a job ad. Then you must screen candidates, schedule interviews, handle background checks, and try to keep them engaged in the process while you struggle to keep up with it yourself.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Control: When hiring in-house, you have complete control over the hiring process, team management, and workflow. | Time-consuming: The process of hiring in-house can be time-consuming. It involves writing job descriptions, interviewing candidates, onboarding, and training. |
| Cultural Fit: In-house developers are likely to have a better understanding of your company culture and work ethic. | Cost: Hiring full-time employees can be more expensive. Costs include salaries, benefits, office space, training, and recruitment fees. |
| Direct Communication: Communication is often easier with in-house staff as they are located in the same office or time zone. | Limited Talent Pool: Your talent pool is limited to your geographical location unless you are open to remote work. |
| Dedicated Team: An in-house team will be fully dedicated to your project and company. | Scalability: It can be challenging to scale the team quickly for larger projects or to downsize when necessary. |
| Protect Intellectual Property: You may feel more secure with sensitive data and intellectual property being handled by in-house staff. | Technical Diversity: It could be harder to cover the wide array of technologies you might need for your project unless you hire more developers, which incurs more cost. |
Not appealing? Keep reading.
#2. Hire freelance React Native developers
Are you not interested in hiring someone permanently for your team? Or maybe you’re looking for a way to keep things lean and clean?
Then look no further than finding a contractor. You’ll be able to work with a professional at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
Warning: though this approach can often save money, the people you hire will likely not be interested in diving into your culture or values—they’re just trying to get your project done so they can move on to the next paycheck.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cost-effective: Hiring freelancers can be more affordable than hiring full-time employees, as you don’t have to pay for benefits, office space, or other overhead costs. | Less Control: Freelancers have more autonomy and might be working on several projects at the same time, so they might not be as immersed in your project as in-house staff. |
| Flexibility: Freelancers can be hired on a per-project basis and allow for more flexibility in terms of scaling up or down as required. | Communication and Collaboration Challenges: Working with freelancers, particularly those in different time zones, can sometimes lead to communication and collaboration challenges. |
| Access to Global Talent Pool: You can access a wide range of talent globally, not just limited to your geographical location. | Availability: Freelancers may not always be available for future work or maintenance once the initial project is complete. |
| Quick to Hire: The hiring process is typically faster than for full-time employees. | Confidentiality and IP: Managing confidentiality and intellectual property can be trickier with freelancers. |
| Specialized Skill Sets: You can hire freelancers with a specialized skill set that matches precisely what you need for a particular project. | Commitment: Freelancers might not be as committed to your company’s mission and objectives, compared to in-house employees. |
And, you still have to conduct interviews and spend a bunch of your time hiring them. So overall this approach has a number of potholes.
#3. Hire a React Native engineer with the help of a trusted offshoring development partner (like TurnKey!)
Offshore companies, like TurnKey, custom-recruit React Native developers who fit the needs and requirements of your project like a glove.
We do it fast, and you have complete control over the process. It’s incredibly cost-effective and allows you to focus on what you do best. (If this sounds like a no-brainer, it’s because it is…).
So how can TurnKey help you find the perfect React Native developer?
First, we will interview you on your needs, goals, and hard and soft skills you expect from your React Native developers.
Then we start the search and conduct all the screenings, general and technical interviews, and cultural fit assessments.
After suitable candidates are found, you jump in to approve the hires during the last interview stage. If they aren’t quite right, we keep going at it, refining our searches based on your feedback.
And then when a highly skilled React Native developer joins your team, we take care of their onboarding using our world class talent retention program that dramatically reduces annual churn.
Are you tired of relentlessly searching for perfect candidates and never finding them? Then delegate recruitment to turnkey—we do this all day, every day.
Talented React Native Developers Available Now
We are proud to have a talented pool of React Native developers ready to bring your projects to life. While we cannot share personal information due to privacy reasons, we can give you an overview of the skills, experience, and capabilities you can expect from our team.
| Key Areas | Description |
|---|---|
| Expertise and Skills | Our React Native developers are proficient in JavaScript and React principles, API integrations, mobile-specific functionalities, debugging, testing, and performance optimization. |
| Experience | Our team has diverse experience ranging from e-commerce apps and social networks to enterprise-level mobile solutions. This broad exposure ensures they can handle any project’s unique challenges and demands. |
| Continued Learning | Our developers continually hone their skills and knowledge through regular training and learning opportunities, staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and practices. |
| Quality and Efficiency | Following best practices in React Native development, our developers ensure high-quality, maintainable code. They leverage the reusable components of React Native to deliver solutions quickly without compromising on quality. |
| Team Collaboration | Not just technical experts, our React Native developers are team players. They have excellent communication skills and work collaboratively with other team members to meet project goals. |
Remember, the best way to appreciate the talent of our developers is to see them in action. Feel free to get in touch with us to discuss your project requirements.
Final Thoughts
There are numerous ways you can find and hire a fantastic React Native developer. But they all take time, commitment, and energy, even when you know what you want and need. You’re already good at your job—you shouldn’t have to be suddenly a good recruiter, too. Leave that to TurnKey!
FAQ
You should hire React Native developers if you are publishing code for Android and iOS. React Native is one of the most popular cross-platform development frameworks to help you build a mobile app on both platforms, thus saving you from having to absorb the costs of separate development teams.
Yes! Developers with React Native experience are highly in demand, as many companies use React Native for their mobile apps due to its flexibility and development efficiency. But high demand also means low supply, meaning you need (or need to partner with a company that has) a perfected methodology for finding such a scarce resource.
The cost to hire a React Native developer can vary significantly, depending on several factors such as the developer's experience level, the complexity of the project, location of the developer, and the specific contractual arrangement with the company.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on costs, I would recommend contacting TurnKey Labs directly.
Productivity can depend on a variety of factors, such as the complexity of the app, the expertise of the developer, and the specific requirements of the project. Therefore, the choice between React Native and native development should be made based on the specific needs and constraints of your project.
TurnKey Staffing provides information for general guidance only and does not offer legal, tax, or accounting advice. We encourage you to consult with professional advisors before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business or legal rights.
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