As a mobile app developer, you know how important it is to keep your skills sharp and up to date. But how do you know which areas of your expertise are your strengths and which ones need improvement? In this article, we'll share some tips on how to identify your strengths as a mobile app developer and how to use them to your advantage.
The first step to identifying your strengths is to evaluate your own skills honestly and objectively. You can use various tools and methods to do this, such as online quizzes, self-paced courses, or feedback from peers and mentors. You can also review your past projects and analyze what you did well and what you struggled with. Try to cover different aspects of mobile app development, such as design, coding, testing, debugging, security, performance, and user experience.
Comparing your code and projects with other projects that follow the best practices is also a great way to identify your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you are an Android developer, you can check projects like "Now In Android" by Google. Or you can check projects of other senior developers.
In my view, practicing new skills daily is crucial, not limited to watching tutorials, but actively implementing them in your app. Cultivating a routine of daily learning and hands-on practice aids in identifying strengths and focusing on their enhancement within your domain, whether it’s app design- UI to code, core feature development, app architecture, app deployment or app testing.
Regular self-assessment is essential to ensure that our skills remain up-to-date with the evolving landscape of technology. With advancements occurring approximately every six months in various languages and technologies, it becomes crucial to evaluate whether we have adapted to these changes. Assessing our proficiency in the latest technologies and languages helps us stay relevant and competitive in the ever-changing job market. It enables us to identify areas for improvement and prioritize learning new skills accordingly. By regularly evaluating our knowledge and skills, we can effectively track our progress, address any gaps in our expertise, and take necessary steps to keep pace with the rapid advancements in technology.
Assess your past projects and experiences to identify tasks or aspects where you excelled. Reflect on the feedback you received from clients, colleagues, or supervisors to pinpoint areas of strength.
The next step is to compare your skills with the industry standards and best practices for mobile app development. You can use online resources, such as blogs, podcasts, newsletters, or forums, to stay updated on the latest trends, technologies, and techniques in the field. You can also look at the requirements and expectations of employers, clients, or users for different types of mobile apps and platforms. This way, you can see how your skills match up with the market demand and the quality standards.
The third step is to focus on your core competencies, which are the skills that you excel at and enjoy doing. These are the skills that make you stand out from other mobile app developers and that add value to your projects. You can identify your core competencies by looking at the feedback you receive, the recognition you earn, the challenges you overcome, and the goals you achieve. You can also ask yourself what you are passionate about, what you are curious about, and what you want to learn more about.
The fourth step is to leverage your strengths to enhance your career and personal growth. You can do this by showcasing your strengths in your portfolio, resume, or social media profiles. You can also use your strengths to solve problems, create solutions, or innovate new features for your mobile apps. You can also use your strengths to mentor others, collaborate with teams, or network with professionals. By leveraging your strengths, you can increase your confidence, credibility, and satisfaction as a mobile app developer.
Present your strengths and skills in mobile app development to both recruiters or clients. Simply explain your project contributions calmly, showcasing relevant skills tailored to the job role. A portfolio streamlines everything, so compile your projects, particularly highlighting major and complex ones.
The final step is to keep learning and improving your skills as a mobile app developer. Even if you have identified your strengths, you should not stop there. You should always look for opportunities to expand your knowledge, diversify your skills, and update your tools. You can do this by taking online courses, reading books, attending webinars, joining communities, or working on personal projects. By keeping learning and improving, you can stay relevant, competitive, and adaptable in the fast-changing mobile app industry.
Keep abreast of the latest trends, tools, and technologies in mobile app development. If you find yourself naturally gravitating towards certain areas or technologies, it could indicate a strength worth further developing
Find a mentor on your team. When trying to improve there are many areas you don't know you should improve at. Team leads and mentors exist for this very purpose. Self-assessing is fine, but everyone has biases. Receiving feedback on what to improve on from a non-biased person make all the difference.
Engage with various communities and groups on platforms like Discord, Slack, LinkedIn, and Twitter. By joining these communities, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from other developers and share your knowledge. This networking approach keeps you informed about the latest tech updates and allows you to learn new things every day.
Skill Assessment Tools: Utilize online skill assessment tools or quizzes specifically tailored to mobile app development. These tools can provide insights into your proficiency in various areas and help identify your strengths. Peer Comparisons: Compare your skills and expertise with those of your peers or industry benchmarks. Notice where you stand out or receive recognition, as this could indicate areas of strength