Employers

Approximately 944,200 software application developers are employed in the United States. They work for tech companies (from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies), “mom and pop” software design firms, and any company, government agency, or nonprofit organization that wants to develop mobile software applications.

Starting Out

Some people break into the mobile software development field by first obtaining experience as Web developers or programmers. Others hone their skills developing mobile apps while they’re in school, gradually building a creative portfolio that attracts the interest of hiring managers.

Participate in internships at software development firms to obtain experience and build your professional network. Many developers landed their first jobs after performing well during internships.

Use the resources of your college’s career services office. Career counselors can help you to improve your resume and interviewing skills, direct you to internship and job opportunities, and provide encouragement and general career advice during your job search.

Attend meet-ups listed on Dribble (https://dribbble.com/meetups), an online community of designers, and Meetup.com. 

Mobile software developers with experience and strong project management skills can advance to the position of mobile software project team leader, and then to software manager. Those with exceptional skills and an entrepreneurial mindset can launch their own boutique software development firm or provide consulting services to businesses and other organizations.  

Develop your own apps to increase your skills. Visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231145 to read A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your First Mobile App.

Visit the following Web sites for job listings:

• https://www.upwork.com
• https://dribbble.com/jobs
• https://jobs.computer.org
• https://stackoverflow.com/jobs
• https://jobs.acm.org
• https://www.dice.com
• https://www.indeed.com/q-Mobile-Software-Engineer-jobs.html
• https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/app-developer-jobs

Join professional associations to access training and networking resources, industry publications, and employment opportunities.

Check out Stack Overflow (https://stackoverflow.com), the largest online community of programmers, to interact with programmers and learn about career opportunities.