What is an application development team lead and how to become one

An application development team lead is a professional who oversees a team of developers working on software applications. They analyze customer requirements and implement changes to web-based content management systems. This role often involves working with cutting-edge technology like JavaEE, SharePoint, and AJAX. They lead teams, typically consisting of developers and business analysts, through the entire application development process, from design to implementation. They also deliver code reviews for performance improvement and coding standards. Their responsibilities can span across various platforms, including web, mobile, and desktop applications. They may also create web services for external systems and develop database procedures using SQL. Their role often includes project management tasks, such as planning, requirements gathering, and testing. They also train and guide other developers in the team.

How long does it takes to become an application development team lead?

It typically takes 6-8 years to become an application development team lead:

Score Application Development Team Lead US Average

Avg. Salary $107,381

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

Growth Rate 21 %

Growth Rate 0.3 %

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17 %

Asian 30.06 %

Black or African American 4.29 %

Hispanic or Latino 8.01 %

Unknown 4.76 %

White 52.71 %

Gender

female 23.06 %

male 76.94 %

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00 %

Asian 7.00 %

Black or African American 14.00 %

Hispanic or Latino 19.00 %

White 57.00 %

Gender

female 47.00 %

male 53.00 %

Age - 38

Stress Level

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Application Development Team Lead career paths

An application development team lead can move into various roles. Many become managers of application development, senior project managers, or information technology directors. They can also move into leadership positions like chief technology officer or president and chief technology officer. Other options include project management, product management, or senior development management.

Key steps to become an application development team lead

Explore application development team lead education requirements

The educational requirements for an application development team lead are typically a Bachelor's degree, with a significant number also holding a Master's degree. According to Jared Onyango Oluoch Ph.D., Associate Professor and CSET/IT Program Director at the University of Toledo, "Engineering and engineering technology graduates will boost their earning potentially by getting the Professional Engineer (PE) license." Relevant majors for this role include Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Business, and Computer Information Systems. Notable institutions known for producing successful application development team leads are Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and California State University - Bakersfield.

Most common application development team lead degrees

Start to develop specific application development team lead skills

An application development team lead should have strong communication and teamwork skills. They must be able to adapt and learn new technology, and have the ability to analyze and interpret data for decision-making. Proficiency in specific technologies like Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Data Science is also crucial. As Dr. Frank Mitropoulos Ph.D., Professor at Nova Southeastern University, puts it, "Skills in these areas to solve real-world problems will be even more critical in the future."

Skills Percentages
Application Development9.03%
Architecture7.20%
Project Management5.93%
C++5.83%
Code Reviews5.77%

Complete relevant application development team lead training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New application development team leads learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an application development team lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real application development team lead resumes.

Research application development team lead duties and responsibilities

An application development team lead's responsibilities vary, but some common tasks include analyzing customer requirements and implementing changes to web-based systems, leading a team of developers through design and implementation, and streamlining access to databases using developed utilities. As Dr. Jonathan Geisler, Associate Professor at Taylor University, says, "The long-term trend of using smartphones and web-based applications will not slow, leading to an increase in the demand for computing talent."

Get application development team lead experience

Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an application development team lead. The most common roles before becoming an application development team lead include senior software engineer, applications developer team lead and software engineer.

Prepare your application development team lead resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your application development team lead resume. You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an application development team lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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