The demand for mobile application development skills has grown dramatically over the past few years up 82% year-over-year from February 2011, 295% compared to 2010, and more than 400% from February 2009, according to WANTED Analytics™. In February 2012 alone, more than 19,000 online ads were placed for mobile application developers in the United States alone.

There is no doubt that the mobile application industry will continue to grow rapidly. If you are a software developer with experience building web applications, consider a shift to mobile application development and add highly demanded skills to your personal brand and your market value. Unlimited options exist to build mobile driven spend applications, small business mobile platforms that supersede the desktop experience, or possibly more intriguing, augmented reality and entertainment applications.

Think mobile – the opportunities are endless!

Whether you are a recent college graduate or a midcareer IT professional, have confidence that your skills are transferable into mobile application development. Here are 5 skill enhancing recommendations to make a smooth transisition into mobile application development:

1. Make a long term commitment to learn new technologies. Designing, building and upgrading mobile applications, as well as cross-platform adaptation of mobile technologies is an evolving process. Device, platform and browser technologies, and techniques will require you to stay current and regularly update your skills over time
2. Decide on an operating system to dedicate yourself to: Android, iOS, Java, HTML etc. The most demanded mobile application development skills are: Java, Android OS, JavaScript, Structured query language (SQL), HTML, CSS, Linux, XML, Unix and AJAX. Also, take into consideration that, although Android OS is the most popular, it is also very fragmented. Android devices are different from one to another so developing is more complex from a design perspective.
3. Update your technical skills by getting certified in HTML 5, object-oriented programming, Java, iOS and/or Android programming. Becoming a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) will always give you an advantage in the job market.
4. Test your new skills by creating test apps. Let your creativity flow by building a strong portfolio of project initiatives. Many skills come with experimentation and practice.
5. Add more operating systems and take your total skillset to the next level. A successful mobile application developer should be able to move between languages easily, since mobile development essentially involves learning a new syntax. Moreover, be prepared and open to understand how users interact with their devices, because you will need to deliver highly targeted functionality.

If you have the required skillset or are interested becoming a mobile application developer, count on Relational IT’s expertise in finding you your dream job. Start by checking our current openings at www.relationalit.comand register your resume to be made aware of future projects.