In today’s times, every industry is adopting a remote or flexible working style. Remote job postings have grown by over 173% in the last ten years. Millennials and Gen Z from all over the world seek a better work-life balance. For most industries, especially the tech world, the post-pandemic era is all about working remotely. Enterprises have enabled not only workplace flexibility, but also the privilege for employees to work from their personal devices, thanks to the BYOD management trend.
If you’re an android developer, going remote could be a step in the right direction. If you’re not an android developer yet, there are various steps you can take to become one. The perks of a remote lifestyle are many. Less commuting will mean more time and money saved and you’ll enjoy a better work-life balance too.
What Does a Remote Android Developer Do?
An Android developer builds applications for the Android operating system, which as of 2021 accounts for 72% of the mobile app development market. The apps that we use every day on our Android smartphones and tablets are created by android developers who do so via coding.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Remote Android Developer
- Build applications for the Android operating system.
- Ensure proper functioning,responsiveness and quality of the application.
- Identify and fix bugs.
- Update the apps with new technologies from time to time.
- Collaborate with other developers and UI and UX designers.
To be employed as a remote Android developer, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in software development and knowledge of the tools used by remote teams to collaborate and communicate.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for software developers, which includes Android Developers, is expected to rise a whopping 17% through 2024. By then, the corporate world is expected to see a lot of companies imbibing a remote work culture. The overall demand for remote Android developers will continue to rise.
How to Become a Remote Android Developer?
Since we are discussing “remote” jobs, how does an Android developer prepare for that? Is there any specific training for remote developers? Let’s understand the steps.
1. The Skills and Tools of a Remote Android Developer
There are hundreds of coding bootcamps on the Internet. There are also multiple courses that you can take to get those coding skills in place. Taking the course of Android development online will be the first step towards a remote career. You’ll get used to interacting and communicating on virtual platforms.
The online learning experience will introduce you to some useful remote tools like Slack, Zoom, Trello, Basecamp, etc. Most coding bootcamps now have fully online curriculums.
The online classroom will give you multiple opportunities to interact with fellow students remotely. You’ll be able to collaborate and work on projects too. You’ll start getting familiar with all the remote tools and apps that are used for various purposes. This not only prepares you as an Android Developer but also as a remote worker.
Along with the necessary technical skills, you’ll develop the right set of soft skills that employers look for when hiring remote Android developers.
Since there are plenty of ways to learn online, you can choose the one that suits you the best according to your budget, time and requirement.
- Online courses with pre-recorded lectures are the least expensive (free to 500 USD). You’ll need to study on your own but can always seek help via chatting with fellow students and other developers.
- Online bootcamps with mentors provide some level of virtual guidance and are more expensive than pre-recorded online courses. Expect to shell out somewhere between 3,000 and 10,000 USD. You will experience weekly one on one sessions with your mentor (someone from the same field). Use this time to clarify your doubts and get some solid career direction. 1:1 Mentorship is one of the most effective ways to learn programming. You are able to tailor your learning experience to your needs, rather than confining to a set course. You will also be able to learn more efficiently as experienced mentors can often spot knowledge gaps or underlying roadblocks you didn’t even know you had.
- Remote full-time bootcamps are priced between 10,000 to 20,000 USD and are the most expensive of all options. However, you get an entire college-like experience albeit virtual. There are live lectures and you’ll get a visualisation of what a remote work environment looks like. Targeted career coaching is one of the key features.
2. Your Remote Job Search Begins
Once you’ve chosen your path towards becoming a remote Android Developer, there’s no looking back. In fact, there’s a lot to look forward to once you reach this point. Where should your remote job search begin? From an ocean of remote job posts, which one do you apply for? Then there’s part-time, contractual employment and full-time remote jobs. Don’t get confused because the more the merrier!
- Full-time employment or freelancing?
Here you must pay some attention to your personality traits. Do you like to work under a mentor and with a team or are you self driven and aloof? If the former sounds like you, then a full-time remote employment suits you the best while for those who chose the latter, freelancing and contractual employment will be a perfect fit!
Full-time remote employment comes with paid vacation perks and healthcare benefits while freelancing and contractual employment gives you the freedom to set your own schedule and decide your own fee.
- Soft-skills are important.
Remote employers pay a lot of attention to soft skills because online collaboration and communication are a top priority in a remote work setting. Besides technical skills, remember to include soft skills in your resume and portfolio.
- The remote Android Developer interview questions.
Since this is a remote position, you will be interviewed remotely. Practice the interview answers well (check Distantjob’s resources) and take some advice from other remote Android developers online before appearing for the remote interview.
- Update your resume.
An important thing to keep in mind is to keep your portfolio and resume up-to-date. Update your LinkedIn profile and use the summary section to showcase your personality. This will help a potential remote employer to understand you better.
- Remote job boards.
There are so many of them that look promising. As mentioned before, it’s an ocean of remote job postings out there and looking at each and every portal will be an endless task.
Here are some of the best job portals that have listings from employers looking for remote tech talent. You’ll be able to find remote Android Developer job posts where you can apply.
- We Work Remotely
- DistantJob
- GitHub
- AngelList
3. Your Remote Job Interview
As a remote Android developer, you can dress casually when there are no meetings but don’t make this mistake in an interview. A remote interview shouldn’t mean a white tee with a ketchup stain and kids shouting in the background.
After you install the virtual call app that the interviewer asked you to, make sure that you spend some time understanding how it works. Here are some things you need to take care of before you hit “tap to enter the meeting” on the video conferencing app.
- Choose a room/location that is devoid of any disturbance and distraction.
- Check your video and audio equipment and quality before getting on the video interview.
- Be in a well-lit environment so that the Interviewer doesn’t have to struggle to look at you.
- Just like you would for an in-office interview, be on time for your Remote interview.
- Keep your background clean and clutter-free.
- Last but not the least, remember to brush up your soft-skills along with your tech skills right before the interview. This is a remote position and the interviewer will be keen to notice how you interact with them.
That’s all there is to take care of till you get hired as a remote Android Developer. Once you’re in, your success ladder will be determined by how well you worked as an Android Developer in a remote setting.
Tips to Be a Successful Remote Android Developer
- Home is where the heart is and a job is where the home office is. Even though the position is remote, make sure you keep a separate designated workspace in your home to draw the line between your personal and professional life. This will help you focus better and stay disciplined.
- Check all your equipment before you start applying for a remote job. Is your laptop robust enough to handle heavy tasks? Will you need one more monitor? Is your WiFi connection strong enough to provide uninterrupted Internet connection? Get all of it fixed before the first day of your job.
- Get to know your teammates and colleagues over a period of time in order to understand their work styles and preferred modes of communication. This will help you build strong professional relationships while optimizing the flow of seamless communication.
- Stay connected to the tech community on the Internet. Fellow developers across the world are your support system and can help you navigate various challenges that will come with your projects and a remote work environment.
Use this guide to kickstart a successful career as a remote Android developer. From beginner to expert, the journey of remote tech careers is full of learnings and milestones. It’s all about who you really are behind that screen. Proxy over proximity.
Author’s BIO
Aneesha Kochar is a Content Contributor at Think Remote. Her love affair with writing began when she was only ten years old. As she grew up, filling the pages of her diary with poetry transformed into writing real-life stories, experiences and informative articles for national and international publications. With more than a decade long experience in content marketing and business development, her love for all things “communication” is seen in everything she does.