The world of software development is evolving rapidly, and one of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the rise of cross-platform development. With businesses looking to build applications that function seamlessly across multiple operating systems, the demand for skilled cross-platform developers has surged. Recruiters must stay ahead of this trend to attract and retain the best talent.
If you’re a recruiter navigating this shift, here are seven key strategies to help you adapt and thrive in the cross-platform development hiring landscape.
Understand the Demand for Cross-Platform Development
Before diving into hiring strategies, recruiters must understand why cross-platform development is rising. Businesses want to reduce development costs, accelerate time-to-market, and reach a wider audience with a single codebase. Technologies like Flutter, React Native, Xamarin, and Kotlin Multiplatform are gaining traction.
Action Steps:
- Follow industry reports and trends to track demand shifts.
- Attend developer meetups and conferences on cross-platform frameworks.
- Engage with tech leads to understand business needs and skill gaps.
Identify the Right Cross-Platform Tech Stack
Not all cross-platform developers are the same. Understanding which frameworks are in demand will help recruiters refine their hiring strategy.
How to Identify the Right Tech Stack:
- Engage with Hiring Managers: Work closely with hiring managers and development teams to understand which frameworks best align with company projects.
- Evaluate Market Demand: Analyze job postings, salary trends, and competitor hiring practices to identify which frameworks are in demand.
- Understand Business Needs: Some businesses prioritize performance (favoring Kotlin Multiplatform), while others prefer developer productivity (choosing Flutter or React Native).
Popular Cross-Platform Frameworks:
- Flutter (Google) – Used for mobile, web, and desktop apps.
- React Native (Meta) – Popular for mobile development.
- Xamarin (Microsoft) – Preferred by enterprises.
- Kotlin Multiplatform – Gaining traction for native-like performance.
Action Steps:
- Align job descriptions with the most in-demand frameworks.
- Evaluate coding portfolios rather than just resumes.
- Ensure assessment tests focus on relevant frameworks.
Revise Your Job Descriptions for Cross-Platform Roles
The old way of hiring “iOS” or “Android” developers is outdated. Recruiters should create role-specific job descriptions emphasizing cross-platform expertise.
How to Optimize Job Descriptions:
- Use Clear, Specific Titles: Instead of “Mobile Developer,” specify “Flutter Developer” or “React Native Engineer.”
- List Required and Preferred Skills Separately: Make sure core skills are differentiated from nice-to-have skills.
- Include Performance Expectations: Mention required experience in performance optimization, debugging, and UI consistency across platforms.
Key Elements to Include:
- Required framework expertise (e.g., Flutter, React Native).
- Experience with UI/UX best practices for multiplatform applications.
- Ability to optimize performance for different devices.
- Knowledge of API integration and native modules.
Action Steps:
- Collaborate with hiring managers to refine JDs.
- Highlight problem-solving skills over just tool expertise.
- Use engaging language to attract top talent.
Source Candidates from Cross-Platform Communities
Top developers often participate in open-source projects, online communities, and developer forums. Recruiters should tap into these talent pools to find the best candidates.
Best Platforms to Source Candidates:
- GitHub & GitLab – Check contributions to cross-platform repositories.
- Stack Overflow – Identify highly active contributors in relevant tags.
- Reddit & Discord – Discuss Flutter, React Native, etc.
- LinkedIn Groups & Meetups – Join tech-specific forums and events.
Action Steps:
- Reach out with personalized messages rather than generic job offers.
- Attend tech webinars and hackathons to network with developers.
- Partner with online bootcamps and coding schools to access fresh talent.
Prioritize Problem-Solving Skills Over Platform Experience
A developer’s ability to adapt to new frameworks and solve complex problems is more valuable than experience with a specific tool. Instead of looking for “React Native developers with 5+ years of experience,” focus on:
Evaluating Problem-Solving Skills:
- Scenario-Based Questions: Ask candidates how they would handle a platform-specific UI bug or optimize performance across devices.
- Coding Challenges: Test their ability to debug and optimize applications.
- Project Portfolios: Review GitHub projects to understand their adaptability and problem-solving approach.
Action Steps:
- Conduct coding challenges instead of just technical interviews.
- Assess their approach to problem-solving with real-world scenarios.
- Look at past project execution rather than resume keywords.
Leverage AI-Powered Hiring Tools
Recruiters can use AI-driven hiring platforms to screen, shortlist, and match candidates more effectively. These tools can analyze coding patterns, problem-solving approaches, and adaptability to multiple frameworks.
Recommended Tools:
- Supersourcing – AI-powered recruitment for tech roles.
- HackerRank & CodeSignal – AI-based coding tests.
- LinkedIn Recruiter & HireVue – AI-assisted candidate screening.
Action Steps:
- Integrate AI tools for resume screening and skill assessment.
- Use predictive analytics to identify top-performing candidates.
- Automate pre-screening interviews to save time.
Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
Cross-platform developers are in high demand, and offering market-competitive salaries is crucial.
Factors to Consider:
- Salaries vary based on framework expertise (Flutter vs. Xamarin vs. React Native).
- Perks like remote work, flexible hours, and upskilling programs can be strong incentives.
- Stock options and bonuses can attract highly skilled developers.
Action Steps:
- Research salary benchmarks using tools like Glassdoor & Payscale.
- Offer continuous learning stipends for tech updates.
- Highlight a strong work-life balance and culture in job postings.
Case Studies
Case Study 1: Scaling a Mobile App with Flutter
Challenge:
A mid-sized fintech startup was looking to develop a cross-platform mobile app to serve its growing customer base. The app needed to provide seamless user experiences on both iOS and Android, but the startup had budget constraints and needed a faster time-to-market to gain a competitive edge.
Solution:
Instead of building separate native apps for iOS and Android, the company decided to use Flutter, Google’s UI toolkit for cross-platform app development. To make this possible, they leveraged Supersourcing’s AI-driven hiring platform to find highly skilled Flutter developers who could execute the project efficiently.
- The team hired 3 senior Flutter engineers with expertise in fintech app development.
- A single codebase was used for both platforms, cutting development efforts significantly.
- The developers used Flutter’s pre-built widgets and Dart’s optimized framework to create a fast, smooth, and highly interactive app.
Results:
✅ 40% Cost Savings: By hiring Flutter developers, the startup reduced overall development costs by eliminating the need for separate iOS and Android teams.
✅ 3-Month Faster Launch: The app was delivered 3 months ahead of schedule, allowing the company to enter the market before its competitors.
✅ Scalability & Performance: The Flutter-based app offered native-like performance, enabling a smooth and responsive financial transactions experience.
✅ Higher User Engagement: Post-launch analytics showed a 30% increase in user retention due to an enhanced user interface and experience.
Key Takeaway:
By choosing Flutter, the startup was able to reduce development costs, speed up time-to-market, and deliver a seamless fintech app experience—a crucial advantage in the competitive financial services industry.
Case Study 2: Enterprise Adoption of Xamarin
Challenge:
A Fortune 500 company with a suite of legacy mobile applications faced significant challenges in maintaining and updating its apps. Their existing apps were built natively for iOS and Android, requiring separate development efforts for every update, which increased maintenance costs and slowed down feature rollouts.
The company needed a modern, cross-platform solution that allowed them to maintain native-like performance while reducing development complexity.
Solution:
After evaluating multiple frameworks, the company decided to transition its legacy applications to Xamarin, a Microsoft-supported cross-platform development framework that allowed for code reuse across iOS and Android using C# and .NET.
To make this transition successful, they partnered with Supersourcing to source specialized Xamarin developers with deep expertise in C# and mobile performance optimization.
- A team of 6 Xamarin engineers was onboarded within 4 weeks.
- They migrated 80% of the existing codebase into a shared Xamarin framework, significantly reducing duplicate efforts.
- Xamarin’s native bindings allowed them to retain high performance while improving app maintainability.
Results:
✅ 50% Reduction in Maintenance Efforts: The adoption of Xamarin allowed the company to manage updates more efficiently, reducing maintenance overhead by half.
✅ Seamless Performance: Xamarin’s native UI capabilities ensured that the apps maintained a smooth, responsive experience, even after migration.
✅ Cost Savings on Developer Hiring: Since C# was already used within the company, hiring Xamarin developers allowed for easier team integration and knowledge transfer.
✅ Future Scalability: With Xamarin, the company could now roll out new features simultaneously across platforms, improving agility and reducing time-to-market for future updates.
Key Takeaway:
By transitioning to Xamarin, the Fortune 500 company streamlined app development, reduced maintenance efforts, and ensured native-like performance—all while lowering costs and improving scalability.
These case studies showcase how cross-platform technologies like Flutter, Xamarin, and React Native can drive cost efficiency, speed, and scalability for businesses—whether they’re startups or large enterprises.
Conclusion
The rise of cross-platform development is reshaping the recruitment landscape for tech talent. To stay ahead, recruiters must refine their sourcing strategies, revamp job descriptions, use AI-driven tools, and focus on problem-solving skills over rigid experience requirements.
By following these 7 strategies, recruiters can hire the best cross-platform developers and future-proof their hiring processes in the fast-changing world of tech.
FAQs
1. What skills should a cross-platform developer have?
- Proficiency in Flutter, React Native, or Xamarin.
- Firm grasp of JavaScript, Dart, Kotlin, or C#.
- Experience in UI/UX for multiple platforms.
- Understanding of performance optimization techniques.
2. How do salaries compare for cross-platform developers?
Salaries depend on the framework and experience level. On average:
- Flutter Developers: $80k – $130k per year.
- React Native Developers: $75k – $140k per year.
- Xamarin Developers: $85k – $150k per year.
3. Is cross-platform development the future of mobile apps?
Yes! Companies prefer cross-platform solutions due to cost-efficiency, faster development, and broader reach. Native apps still have advantages, but cross-platform frameworks are closing the gap.
4. How can recruiters test cross-platform developers effectively?
- Use technical assessments on HackerRank, CodeSignal.
- Check GitHub projects for quality code samples.
- Conduct practical coding tests focused on real-world scenarios.