How to Hire an iOS Developer: Tips and a Step-by-Step Guide

In the competitive landscape of mobile app development, hiring an iOS developer can significantly impact your company's ability to innovate and deliver top-notch products. Many companies often struggle to identify the right skill set that distinguishes an average developer from an exceptional one. A proficient iOS developer possesses not only technical expertise in Swift and Objective-C but also an eye for design and an understanding of user experience. It is crucial to thoroughly assess candidates to ensure they align with your project goals and organizational culture.

This article provides insights into the skills and qualifications necessary for iOS developers, advice on crafting effective job descriptions, and methods to efficiently screen resumes and conduct technical interviews. We also offer guidance on using skills tests to evaluate candidates' abilities and recommend top platforms for sourcing talent. For detailed resources, you can explore our iOS Developer Job Description page.

Table of contents

Key Skills and Qualifications for Hiring an iOS Developer

Hiring an iOS Developer can be tricky, as the ideal candidate profile often varies significantly between organizations. What is a must-have skill for one team may just be a nice-to-have for another. Therefore, it's important to clearly define what your specific requirements are versus what would be valuable additions to your team.

To help you build a clear candidate profile, we’ve outlined the essential skills and qualifications for iOS Developers. This includes both required and preferred skills that can guide you in your hiring process.

How to write an iOS Developer job description?

Once you have a clear candidate profile in mind, the next step is to capture that information in the job description to attract the right talent. A well-crafted iOS Developer job description is key to finding the ideal candidate for your team.

• Highlight key responsibilities: Clearly outline the primary duties of the iOS Developer role, such as designing, developing, and maintaining applications for iOS devices. Explain how these responsibilities contribute to the overall success of your projects and the organization.

• Balance technical skills with soft skills: List specific technical requirements like proficiency in Swift, Objective-C, and experience with Xcode, alongside essential soft skills such as teamwork and communication. This ensures you attract candidates who are not only technically proficient but also a good cultural fit.

• Showcase unique company attributes: Describe what sets your company apart, whether it’s opportunities for career growth, innovative projects, or a collaborative work environment. Highlighting these aspects makes your job posting stand out to potential applicants who seek engaging and fulfilling work.

For a detailed outline, you can find our iOS Developer job description here.

Top Platforms to Hire iOS Developers

Once you've crafted a compelling job description, the next step is to list it on job platforms to attract potential candidates. Identifying the right platform is crucial as each caters to different hiring needs, whether it's full-time, freelance, or remote positions.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is ideal for full-time positions as it is a vast professional network with a wide range of skilled developers seeking long-term opportunities.

Upwork

Upwork is great for finding freelance iOS developers due to its large talent pool and easy-to-use platform for project-based hiring.

Toptal

Toptal is recommended for hiring top 3% freelance developers when quality is a priority, offering rigorously pre-screened candidates.

For the remaining platforms, consider Indeed for its extensive reach in full-time roles and AngelList for startup-centric hiring. GitHub Jobs and Stack Overflow Jobs are great for targeting technical talent actively involved in coding communities. If remote work is what you're offering, platforms like Remotive and Remote OK provide access to a global talent pool. Lastly, Fiverr is an option for short-term projects where quick and affordable hiring is a priority. To streamline your recruitment, tools like Adaface's online assessment platform can enhance your hiring process by ensuring candidates meet your technical requirements effectively.

How to Screen iOS Developer Resumes

Screening resumes for iOS developer roles is crucial due to the high volume of applicants. It allows you to quickly identify candidates who have the necessary skills and experience, saving time and resources in the hiring process.

To start, familiarize yourself with the important keywords related to iOS development. As you scan through resumes, look for skills such as Swift, Objective-C, iOS SDK, and Git. This initial filter helps in shortlisting candidates who meet the basic technical requirements.

Utilizing AI language models can streamline this process further. Input the resumes and specify the keywords you seek, allowing the AI to highlight matching resumes. Tools like Adaface's online assessment platform can assist in this task, offering a more efficient screening method.

Here's a sample AI prompt you can use:

TASK: Screen resumes to match job description for iOS Developer role

INPUT: Resumes

OUTPUT: For each resume, provide following information:
- Email id 
- Name
- Matching keywords
- Score (out of 10 based on keywords matched)
- Recommendation (detailed recommendation of whether to shortlist this candidate or not)
- Shortlist (Yes, No or Maybe)

RULES:
- If you are unsure about a candidate's fit, put the candidate as Maybe instead of No
- Keep recommendation crisp and to the point.

KEYWORDS DATA:
- Swift, Objective-C, Xcode
- iOS SDK, UI/UX design
- RESTful APIs, JSON, Git

For more insights, explore our blog on iOS developer interview questions.

Recommended Skills Tests for Assessing iOS Developers

Skills tests are a great way to evaluate iOS developers objectively. They help you assess candidates' practical abilities beyond what's listed on their resumes. Here are five key tests we recommend for screening iOS developers:

iOS Developer Test: This iOS online test evaluates a candidate's proficiency in iOS development fundamentals. It covers topics like Swift programming, UIKit, and iOS app architecture, which are core to building iOS applications.

Swift Test: Swift is the primary programming language for iOS development. A Swift skills assessment helps you gauge a candidate's ability to write clean, efficient code for iOS apps.

UI/UX Design Test: iOS developers often need to understand design principles. A UI/UX design test can help you identify candidates who can create user-friendly and visually appealing iOS interfaces.

Git Test: Version control is important for any development project. A Git skills test assesses a candidate's ability to manage code versions and collaborate effectively with other developers.

React Native Test: For companies developing cross-platform apps, knowledge of React Native can be valuable. A React Native assessment helps identify developers who can work on both iOS and Android platforms using a single codebase.

Structuring Technical Interviews for iOS Developers

After candidates pass initial iOS developer skills tests, it's crucial to conduct technical interviews to assess their practical abilities. While skills tests help filter out unqualified applicants, technical interviews are key to identifying the best fit for your iOS development role. Let's look at some sample interview questions to help you evaluate candidates effectively.

Consider asking: 1) 'Explain the difference between strong and weak references in iOS.' 2) 'How do you handle memory management in iOS?' 3) 'What's your experience with Core Data?' 4) 'Describe your approach to implementing push notifications.' 5) 'How would you optimize an iOS app's performance?' These questions help assess a candidate's understanding of iOS fundamentals, data management, user engagement features, and performance optimization techniques.

How much does it cost to hire an iOS Developer?

The cost of hiring an iOS developer varies widely based on factors like location, experience, and project complexity. In the United States, iOS developer salaries range from $68,172 to $184,292 annually, with a median of $112,087. Major tech hubs like San Francisco and New York City tend to offer higher salaries, while smaller cities may have more budget-friendly rates.

For companies looking to hire internationally, countries like Canada offer competitive rates. Canadian iOS developers earn an average of CAD 97,108 per year, with salaries ranging from CAD 66,131 to CAD 132,491. Remember, these figures are just starting points - your actual costs may differ based on specific requirements and market conditions.

iOS Developer Salary in the United States

iOS developers in the United States earn competitive salaries, with the national average ranging from $68,172 to $184,292 annually. The median salary sits at $112,087, while the mean is $120,850.

Location plays a big role in salary variations. San Francisco tops the list with a median of $149,809, followed by Dallas at $145,022. New York City offers a median of $131,101, while Chicago comes in lower at $95,656.

iOS Developer Salary in the United Kingdom

The average salary of an iOS Developer in the United Kingdom ranges from approximately £30,000 to £70,000 per year. Entry-level positions might start at the lower end of this spectrum, while experienced developers can earn towards the higher end or beyond. Factors such as location, industry, and company size significantly influence these figures. For instance, iOS Developers in London often earn more due to the higher cost of living.

iOS Developer Salary in Canada

The average salary for an iOS Developer in Canada is approximately CAD 97,108 per year. Salaries can range from CAD 66,131 at the lower end to CAD 132,491 at the higher end, reflecting the varying levels of experience and expertise across different regions.

Specifically, cities like Waterloo and Calgary offer competitive salaries, averaging around CAD 145,362 and CAD 137,250 respectively. In contrast, cities like Halifax and Quebec City show lower averages, around CAD 62,880 and CAD 61,754, which may influence your hiring strategy.

What's the difference between an iOS Developer and an iOS Architect?

It's common to confuse the roles of an iOS Developer and an iOS Architect, as both contribute to creating mobile applications. However, their responsibilities, experience levels, and focus areas differ significantly.

An iOS Developer typically has 1-5 years of experience and focuses on app development and implementation. Their skills are centered around languages like Swift and Objective-C, and they work on individual features or modules, making implementation-level decisions and ensuring code quality and feature completion.

In contrast, an iOS Architect has over 5 years of experience and is responsible for system design and architecture. They make high-level technical decisions, focus on the entire app structure and scalability, and ensure optimal system performance. Their role is more strategic and leadership-oriented, overseeing the technical direction of projects and typically working on app architecture and performance optimization.

What are the ranks of iOS Developers?

When hiring for iOS developer positions, many recruiters often confuse the different levels of experience and responsibility in the role. Understanding these ranks helps in finding the right candidate for your specific needs.

• Junior iOS Developer: A junior iOS developer is typically new to the field, often with less than two years of experience. They possess basic knowledge of iOS development and primarily work under the supervision of more experienced developers.

• iOS Developer: This role generally requires 2-5 years of experience. An iOS developer is expected to handle projects more independently, contributing to design and implementation with a solid understanding of the iOS ecosystem.

• Senior iOS Developer: With over five years of experience, a senior iOS developer takes on more complex tasks and often leads projects. They guide junior developers and are responsible for architectural decisions and code quality.

• Lead iOS Developer: In this role, the developer not only oversees the development team but also collaborates with stakeholders and ensures that the project aligns with business goals. They typically have extensive experience and are involved in strategic planning.

• iOS Architect: An iOS architect is an expert in iOS development with a focus on system architecture. They are responsible for high-level design decisions and ensuring that overall system architecture is robust and scalable.

• iOS Development Manager: This role combines technical skills with leadership. An iOS development manager oversees the entire development process, managing resources and timelines while ensuring the team adheres to best practices and project requirements.

Hire the Best iOS Developers for Your Team

In this guide, we've covered the key skills, qualifications, and screening processes for hiring iOS developers. We've explored how to write effective job descriptions, where to find talent, and how to assess candidates through resume screening and technical interviews.

The most important takeaway is to use well-crafted job descriptions and targeted skills assessments to ensure accurate hiring. Consider using an iOS online test to objectively evaluate candidates' technical abilities and find the best fit for your team.

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