How to Hire PHP Developers?

While some say that PHP will someday be replaced by another programming language, as of now its used in more than 75% of web projects. It still stands strong and with PHP 7 sneaking out, it doesn’t look like its going to be replaced any time soon. Furthermore, there are so many different frameworks around that are based on PHP, any respectful web company would more than likely have a full time PHP developer on their payroll or at least be working with a reputable development service that provide qualified professionals.

If this is your first time hiring a PHP developer then this guide is for you. The tips below will give you practical advise on what to look out for and what to ask when looking for your perfect candidate to develop your project.

Our Tips to Hiring PHP Developers

1. Past Experience

The first and most obvious one is experience. There are so many different coding schools on the internet, that virtually any one can take a quick crash course and state that they are a PHP expert. If you want to hire developers and are looking for good ones, you should first of all look at their resume. Where have they worked? How many years experience do they have? What type of projects have they tackled and most important, did they do the projects by the themselves or did they work on the project with a team of programmers.

2. Check Your Developers Capabilities

How many projects has your developer got behind him? Did the candidate develop the project by him or herself and how long did it take. You should always give your candidates a quick test or ask a few questions when interviewing them. At TechSors we have developed a series of questions that we ask our programmers when they apply for one of our job posts. According to their answers we can tell whether or not the developer has experience and knows how to code or is just starting out. If you’re working with an outsource company, this is especially important. Sometimes, you’ll be surprised to find out that your candidate, who claims to be a top developer, is actually someone else – this happens a lot. When we interview our candidates we always have a live video interview with the candidate to see who we are dealing with.

3. Good References

In today’s day and age, there is nothing like word of mouth, or a good recommendation. It is always best to ask the PHP expert for references along with their team member’s references as well. Furthermore, you can check out their social media account, in particular their Linkedin account. You can tell a lot by just looking at the developer’s work history and projects that he or she has worked on. Remember, after all, you want to hire a good reputed and knowledgeable PHP expert to develop your project.

4. Review your Developers Code

A good developer will always document code. A developer that respects his clients and puts a lot of stress on his/her reputation will try to deliver the best final product possible. This includes an error free product, minimal bugs and code that is optimised and documented. When interviewing a candidate always ask to review some code that he/she has developed. It is even worth asking one of your current programmers or hiring a third party developer to go over the code. This is called “code review” and while it may cost you an hour or two of development time, it is completely worth it. Especially if you intend to spend thousands on the development of a new website or custom software.

Final Thoughts

To hire PHP developers is not an easy task. Due to the popularity of PHP, almost everyone is hiring for it, which can make it really hard for you to find the perfect PHP developer. Make sure you know exactly what you need, what framework you are using, and what the final goal of the project is. Try to understand if your candidate can solve problems and always observe his/her communication skills. If you need help on the matter and are looking for a qualified PHP developer, contact us at TechSors. We would be more than happy to help.