Enjoy a Career as an App Developer

Are you technologically-inclined? Perhaps then you may be well-suited for a career as an app developer.

As an Application Developer, your job will be to create programs that run on handheld devices, operating systems, and/or online. According to Zack Anton, CEO of Euriska Gaia, an app developer “transforms a concept or idea into a consumer-oriented product.”

He continues, “With the ever-growing advance in web-based, mobile and social networking technologies, developers must follow-up evolving 'trends', best practices and preferences of their targeted market segments.”

Educational Requirements

While it is possible to be an app developer without a Computer Science degree, individuals with formal educational qualifications will be likely to be hired first and command a higher salary in today’s competitive economy. That said, if you do not have proper hands-on experience, you will not be successful in this career. Of course, app developers also have the option to go the entrepreneurial route and work for themselves.

Who Should Become an App Developer?

Since a career in app development involves analytical thinking, Anton suggests that any curious person with the innate ability to creatively and logically tackle industry-specific problems can consider a career as an app developer.

However, Anton cautions that in order to be a successful developer, a person needs to constantly update their technical know-how in order to optimize successes and minimize any potential problems.

Future Job Prospects

A career as an app developer looks to be a promising one. Why? Well, Anton explains that the ever-increasing need to "computerize business processes and automate activities are contributing factors. Further, the ever increasing popularity of mobile devices and smart phones directly affects the expansion of the app market.

“Moreover, the wide coverage of mobility in almost every business and every corner of the world implies that mobile apps became a crucial need instead of an optional luxury. This career choice is here to stay,” explains Anton.

Cool Apps

With respect to some of the more interesting apps out there, Anton’s team is currently working on some pretty cool apps. For instance, his company will soon be launching an interesting Green Social Network called Eurisko Gaia™. - which appropriately means “I discover Mother Earth” in Old Greek.

Built as a Facebook app, the environmentally-friendly application allows users to locate pre-defined "green-targeted" regions in the United States and pay to plant a real tree in these locations. Moreover, a multi-platform mobile app (for instance, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile) also allows users to tag regions, check notifications (for instance, nearby trees planted by friends) and promote green tourism – such as photographing and tagging natural landscapes - using advanced geo-locating capabilities.

All in all then, the evidence is clear – for those people who are willing and able – a career as an app developer looks to be a promising one.

Larisa Redins is a full time writer and editor with degrees in both Arts and Biological Science. She writes about career issues for PhillyJobsBlog.com and other topics for a variety of international websites and magazines. Please visit her other blogs at PhillyJobsBlog.com and view job posting at Beyond.com.