The most important skills for Android developers
Being an Android developer can be highly rewarding, but it can also be very challenging — especially if you’re just starting out. There are plenty of stories of indie developers spinning their code into gold, but in reality those stories are exceptions rather than the rule. It’s hard to be successful when you’re still in the learning phase… and often, it can be tough to be successful even if you already know a lot. Getting started as a junior Android developer is similar to many other entry-level oriented programming positions, but let’s look at exactly what Android-oriented employers look for.
Technical skills
Among the technical skills you can have, Java is one of the most important. While you can use a variety of technologies to develop Android apps, most Android development positions are doing native development with Java and Eclipse or Android Studio as the IDE.
What does it mean for you to be comfortable using Java? While you don’t have to know the intricate details of the latest Java version, you should have a general sense of the programming structures and basic syntax. You should understand things like lists, variables, loops, control structures, and things like static methods vs. classes and inheritance. Plus, since being a developer is all about continuous learning, you should be comfortable using documentation to learn new areas of the Java SDK.
Also, it goes without saying you should understand the Android SDK. Specifically, you should understand basic concepts like the views and layouts, the activities and the activity lifecycle, user inputs, how to get data from the web, storing data, adapters and collection views, the Action Bar, and how to accommodate different screen densities and sizes. Similarly, you should also be able to use the documentation as well as resources such as Treehouse to star working with new areas of the SDK, as well as using your IDE’s debugger to troubleshoot problems with your code.
On top of these two basics, you should also be able to work with APIs to get data from the web, use Git to manage versions and push changes, and have some knowledge of back end systems (like Rails, .NET, etc). Looking to get started with tech-led skills without a technical background? Coursiv teaches AI-powered skills that enhance your tech skills in as little as 15 minutes of gamified daily learning. Get started today.
Non-Technical Skills
When you’re looking at a technical position it tends to be easy to focus on technical skills, but don’t forget about the equally important non-technical ones at well. There are plenty of candidates who know plenty of Android programming but who don’t know nearly enough about how to communicate or collaborate with their team.
For example, employers are often looking for “passion,” though very few people know what this really means. Most people don’t have a particularly good answer here. The important thing to convey is you believe in what the company is doing, and you also believe in yourself — that you’ll excel in the position. It’s OK to admit that you don’t know some things, provided you follow this up by explaining this has never stopped you in the past, and you’re dedicated and willing to learn new things.
Similarly, team collaboration is vital for most development positions, so you’ll need excellentcommunication skills to collaborate well. You must be able to explain what you’re working on to non-technical and technical people alike.
Writing is a key part of this. You must be comfortable communicating in written text, and you should be able to write everything from technical documentation, summaries of the work you’ve done (for the benefit of non-technical coworkers), user-oriented text in the app, and the innumerable communications via email, chat, and the like.
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