How to hire PHP developers for your web development project in 2022
According to W3techs, PHP is used by 78.8% of websites. Therefore, hiring PHP developers is critical if you want to design a good website. What makes PHP so desirable for developing web applications? It’s easy to learn, operates on practically any web server, has a plethora of frameworks, and has a sizable community.
Although many companies feel that PHP is one of the best programming languages, building robust and effective PHP web solutions may necessitate the assistance of a true professional. You’ll learn how to hire PHP developers systematically in this blog. Let’s get started!
Who is a good PHP developer?
A PHP developer is a web developer who uses the dynamic scripting language PHP to write, test, and maintain code for websites, programs, and apps. A good PHP developer works on projects of various levels of complexity in addition to writing, testing, and maintaining code for web pages. This necessitates a high level of analytical and problem-solving abilities.
A competent PHP developer also works with other talented developers to design various apps and troubleshoot issues as needed. He or she should be familiar with most PHP frameworks, including Laravel, Yii, Codeigniter, Zend, Symfony, Kohana, CakePHP, Joomla, and others.
I will walk you through the different aspects of hiring PHP developers in the next section.
How to hire PHP developers systematically?
Businesses who wish to recruit PHP developers but aren’t sure where to begin should first identify their candidates’ competency levels. These levels can be categorized into three groups.
- Beginner
Beginners are just getting started with PHP coding. They understand the fundamentals of programming and can create certain features. Beginners usually work well in groups because they can study while being supervised by more experienced peers.
PHP developers with a beginner’s degree of experience are ideal for small and medium-sized projects. They have a modest rate of development and might be recruited to do repetitive work.
The following skills are included in a basic beginner’s skill set:
- Working with content management systems (CMS)
- Knowledge of one of the PHP frameworks
- Primary PHP functions and MVC design pattern
- PHP and HTML programming language
- Mid-Level
The professionals who have a few years of experience in the development field belong to the category. They can’t be considered experts, but they will have the knowledge of working with some projects.
The skillset of a mid-level developer is as follows:
- Knowledge of multiple PHP frameworks, such as CodeIgniter, Laravel, or CakePHP;
- Product requirements analysis
- For easier code refactoring and debugging, adhere to some development guidelines, such as Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY).
- Experts
PHP professionals specialize in certain areas and work with the most up-to-date web development technology and practices. They have a good understanding of product requirements and can make it more effective and secure. They can also advise you on the features to include in your app and improve the source code.
The skillset of experts includes:
- Expertise in innovative technology, such as PHP for IoT, Blockchain, Machine Learning, and other solutions
- Expertise in innovative technology, such as PHP for IoT, Blockchain, Machine Learning, and other solutions
Now, it’s time to take a quick stroll through the various sources to hire PHP developers.
Sources to find the best PHP developer
You may hire the top PHP developers from various sources, including PHP developer networks, freelance sites and portals, and PHP development firms. Turing.com is one of the most well-known among the available options. So, what’s the big deal about the company?
- Turing allows firms to hire pre-vetted, Silicon Valley-caliber remote software talent in 3-5 days across 100+ capabilities.
- Turing hiring approach is developed to ensure a high quality/cost ratio by only hiring the top 1% of remote software engineers from across the world. Turing evaluates three key areas as part of their thorough screening process: technical skills, English proficiency, and remote working capability.
- The AI-powered platform matches developers with companies based on their needs.
Next, let’s learn the differences between the various hiring options.
Hiring: a freelance developer, from PHP development company or from employment platforms like Turing.com
Each of the three options has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. You can weigh your selections and choose PHP experts who are best suited to your requirements.
1. Employing a PHP development firm
Numerous PHP programming firms provide high-quality services. Before you hire a PHP development company, go through the reviews and understand the company’s credibility.
2. Hiring a freelance PHP developer
If you have a limited budget, hiring freelance PHP developers is the best solution. You can assess their skills by analyzing their previous works and choose the best developers who agree to your terms.
3. Hiring PHP developers on a full-time basis
When you hire specialized PHP developers, you will receive high-quality work at an affordable cost. A dedicated PHP developer, unlike freelance PHP developers, works as part of your in-house team. You have complete control over the PHP developer who is assigned to you.
There are plenty of options available to hire PHP developers. As I mentioned earlier, companies such as Turing offer an AI platform to help you with the complete process. Just google ‘Turing reviews‘, and you will understand how extensive the Turing Hire process is. After all, you don’t have to trust me. Let our search engine speak the truth 🙂
Now, let’s move on to a bit of technical details.
Technical questions to check the PHP developers’ capabilities
Business managers generally scan evaluations on freelance platforms or the websites of PHP development companies to determine the level of experience of PHP developers. A face-to-face interview, on the other hand, is unbeatable.
You’ll need a list of questions and a well-organized video conference to conduct an effective interview with PHP prospects. AI platforms of companies such as Turing use top-notch technical questions to vet developers. I will show you the important questions here.
- How much PHP development experience do you have? What projects have you been a part of?
These questions will assist you in determining a candidate’s work experience and skill level.
- What activities in a project piqued your interest the most, and why?
Questions on a candidate’s previous activities in a project will help you understand their passion and ability to take initiatives.
- When working on that project, what technologies did you have to use?
This will assist you in better understanding a software developer’s tech stack and identifying the most intriguing areas of work for them.
- What technologies and frameworks are you familiar with? Which one do you use daily?
These questions detail the developer’s technology stack as well as all of his or her technical talents. For example, a good PHP developer should be familiar with the most widely used frameworks such as Yii, Laravel, and CodeIgniter and object-oriented PHP programming, code versioning tools like Git, Mercurial, and CVS, and databases such as relational and NoSQL.
- What was the most challenging development issue you encountered in one of your projects? How did you solve them?
These questions reveal a software developer’s plan of action during an unexpected crisis.
- In your previous projects, what was the most innovative solution you implemented?
This question demonstrates the versatility of a PHP developer’s job. The more technology they combine, the more unique and modern a product tends to be.
We are done with the technical part. Let’s get into the financial side next.
Factors influencing the cost of hiring a PHP developer
The main factors that influence the cost of hiring a PHP developer are experience, geographical location, skill sets, and the project’s complexity. I will explain one by one now.
Experience
As a PHP programmer’s experience grows, so does the likelihood of being hired. A junior PHP developer, for example, charges around $20 per hour on average. A mid-level PHP developer may charge $30 per hour, whereas a senior PHP developer may charge $40 or more per hour.
Geographical location
You can hire PHP programmers from industrialized countries, such as the United States. Some nations, such as India and Ukraine, have PHP developers who may assist you with your web project for a minimal cost.
Depending on the size and complexity of the project, a customer may need to spend more money on a project in these nations, or perhaps more. PHP developers in Asian countries would be willing to be paid less than the wage of developers in the United States. You can select the geographical location of potential developers by considering the above mentioned information.
Skillset
The skills necessary will vary depending on the project’s nature and requirements. For a small project that does not necessitate the knowledge of a senior-level PHP developer, you can hire a mid-level developer.
For a more complex project, you’ll need to hire a senior-level developer with experience in various web development disciplines, such as back-end, front-end, SEO, technological architecture, web security, and so on. As a result, the cost of employing PHP developers varies depending on the type of project and the PHP developer’s skill level.
The project’s complexity
The project’s complexity determines the rate at which PHP developers are hired. The cost of establishing a basic project with fewer features would differ from that of a mid-level project. Likewise, the cost would vary for a complex product with advanced features.
To create a web-based solution that stands out from the crowd, you’ll need to hire PHP developers who excel at what they do. In other words, any excellent web-based solution relies on developers’ experience, aptitude, and knowledge.
That’s it about the cost. Last but not least, let’s go through some final tips for you.
Tips for hiring the right PHP developer
If you’re hiring for a senior position, it’s more important to ensure you’re employing the responsible candidate, so keep the following recommendations in mind.
1. Asking cliched questions is a bad idea
You’ve done your homework on PHP, assessed your requirements, and are now ready to interview candidates. Create a list of questions for the interviewee. However, avoid using typical questions like –
- What exactly is PHP?
- When was the first version of PHP released?
- Who is PHP’s father?
Rather than putting yourself through a memory test, ask questions that can help you determine whether the developer has the necessary skill sets for your needs, such as:-
- In PHP, how do you set cookies?
- What is the best way to encrypt data with PHP?
- What kind of web services experience do you have?
These questions evaluate the candidate’s technical prowess and provide insight into his or her technical strengths.
2. Inquire about previous projects
It’s critical to dig deep into previous projects, whether you’re looking for a competent offshore PHP development firm or a PHP developer. Ask the candidate for a summary of the projects on which he or she has worked and how significant his or her contribution was.
During the hiring process, assess candidates’ skills and experience by evaluating their portfolio, and client testimonials. This will save you the time and effort of dealing with project quality issues that may arise later in the development cycle.
3.Check for existing knowledge and learning abilities.
Given the rapid pace at which technology evolves, it’s critical to invest in a resource capable of completing your projects, keeping up with the current trends, and learning new skills along the way. You should follow up with the developer to see what he does to stay updated with technology and trends.
4. Evaluate communication skills
Communication may not be the first skill that comes to mind when looking for a PHP developer, but it should be at the top of your list. Your developer may be frequently required to speak with leaders, other members of top management, or clients who aren’t developers.
It might be a big setback for the entire team if the developer fails to have a quality face-to-face dialogue with a client or cannot justify the budget required for development in such circumstances. Furthermore, the developer must be familiar with various communication methods, including audio, video, online, email, and phone.
Apart from assessing communication skills, it is also vital to assess whether an outsourcing firm is willing to employ your choice of communication/project management technology. It’s also crucial to see if you’ll have direct contact with the developers working on your project.
5. Evaluate the mindset
“Hire for attitude, train for skills” is a simple phrase coined by Southwest Airlines’ Herb Kelleher, but it has a big impact on successful recruitment. Throughout the process, keep in mind that it is best to clarify ALL topics on your mind, regardless of how important they are at this point.
If you’ve decided to hire a freelancer or an outsourcing agency, make sure to prepare a contract that includes details like milestones, cost breakdown, and so on. To avoid future glitches, all non-disclosure agreements and terms & conditions must be made crystal clear.
Let’s wrap this up by summarising the main points.
Conclusion
Building web apps with the PHP programming language has been a long-standing trend in online development. PHP is still significant in 2021, with a majority of the world’s websites using it. As a result, developing web apps with PHP is the best and most cost-effective option for many firms.
When you hire PHP developers, you must consider numerous things to stay under project costs and create successful and secure apps. These criteria include PHP developers’ skill sets, whether you hire PHP developers as freelancers, in-house teams, full-time PHP developers, or outsource PHP development, as well as created technology.
Author bio
Hey there, I’m Anaswara Ramachandran from Kerala, India. I work in the tech domain industry and love to spread whatever little knowledge I have about things around me.
