
How to Hire PHP Developers in 2023: A Complete Guide

Skeptics predict that the PHP scripting programming language should have been replaced by more advanced technologies by now. But as practice shows, these predictions were not destined to come true – according to a study of the resource w3techs, 77.6% of all sites with known web programming languages use PHP.
Why has PHP earned such popularity? In this article, we’ll look at the features of this language, what it can give your business, and how and where to hire a PHP programmer who can use its potential comprehensively.
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PHP, also known as Hypertext Preprocessor, is a server-side scripting language commonly used for web development. It is open source and can be easily embedded into HTML documents.
This programming language has a distinct code structure that can be recognized simultaneously. Many well-known websites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Wikipedia, and Zoom use PHP as their coding language. However, there are different versions of PHP in use. According to w3techs, version 7 is used by 71.5% of all PHP-based sites, while version 5 is used in 24.3% of web resources. The remaining 4.2% is split between the newest version 8, and the outdated versions 3 and 4.
In 2020, PHP turned 25 years old. Despite such a long history, it still holds a leading position, and the release of each new version increases its performance. Why have developers been using this language for more than 25 years?
Thanks to the above, PHP remains one of the most well-known development languages. The popular content management system, WordPress, was developed with its assistance and currently holds the top market position, having been used to build 55% of all existing websites.
Creating easily scalable, dynamic web apps, sites, and programs with graphical UI are areas where PHP is unrivaled. We can highlight five things this scripting language does best:
The extensive community, rich functionality, and variety of frameworks all extend the capabilities of PHP, making it suitable not only for developing web programs and sites but also for the server side of mobile software. In addition, it supports all operating systems, servers, and databases. All this makes PHP a universal scripting language. You can hire PHP developers and get a dynamic, easily scalable product to make the most of it.
It can be challenging to hire a PHP programmer as you lack the technical knowledge and skills. Therefore, firstly, it is essential to understand the competence of the PHP programmer.
Such a specialist works with the software’s internal part to create the basis for a web app or website. However, to effectively perform their tasks, PHP developers should have a basic understanding of front-end development. It enables seamless communication with all members of the team.
Responsibilities of a PHP programmer:
First, lay out your basic requirements for the future hire, and define your brackets.
When creating a job listing and conducting initial interviews, specifying the hard and soft skills required for a developer to perform their job effectively is essential. These skills are necessary for the developer to carry out their primary responsibilities.
The phrase “ability to develop web apps in PHP” gives a too general idea of what kind of specialist you need. Therefore, specify the mandatory requirements for a candidate in a more detailed way:
This list can be expanded depending on the needs of the specific company. For example, your project may require knowledge of microservices architecture, Doctrine, Eloquent or other ORM technologies, Docker software platform, GraphQL data query language, etc.
The development of any software involves, first and foremost, well-established teamwork. Therefore, to hire a PHP programmer that suits your company perfectly, a candidate should have specific personal characteristics besides technical knowledge and skills.
The list of soft skills can also vary at the manager’s discretion. For example, suppose you need to hire a dedicated PHP developer to be a team leader. In that case, you can add to the above list the ability to make plans and schedules, influence team members, and make crucial decisions.
It is not recommended to assume that you can easily find a reliable backend development specialist by relying solely on the first online job search platform. It is crucial to approach this process with more thoroughness.
Here are a few steps that will allow you to find and hire a PHP programmer:
Analyze your project and determine its features and primary requirements. Based on this information, you can create a list of requirements for the candidate.
Remember to mention the necessary technical requirements, desired personal qualities, requirements for work experience, and knowledge of foreign languages (as a rule, for any developer, knowledge of English at the Upper-Intermediate level is a must).
Decide on the channel of the applicant’s search. You can hire a freelancer, turn to outsourcing companies or hire an employee on staff. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each method below.
Make a list of several candidates who best fit your requirements, and schedule interviews with them.
During the face-to-face meeting, check the accuracy of the information in their CVs. A few questions about a particular project will let you know if the applicant has dealt with the mentioned tech stack in practice or has only heard about it at school.
Now you know the 5 steps to hiring a developer you need. Now, where do you look for the candidates? It’s an excellent time to discuss channels for finding a PHP developer.
We have already mentioned several ways to hire PHP programmers – take a new employee on staff, use the services of freelance specialists, or go to an outsourcing company and hire a dedicated PHP developer. Can’t decide which one to choose? We’ve put together a complete guide for you on each of them.
Do you already have a development team that needs only a PHP specialist? Or are you planning to create several products in this language and support them after the release? Then this option is best for you. Having the technical knowledge to find a candidate independently is good, and a professional IT recruiter can do it.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
When new employee joins full-time, they may struggle to adjust to working with the team or take a while to get comfortable.
Nowadays, freelance exchanges are a popular way to find IT specialists. However, it’s important to note that the developers offering services on freelance platforms work unofficially and may only be suitable for short-term cooperation.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
It is better to turn to freelancers to perform small tasks that do not affect the performance of the entire project.
Hiring a dedicated developer combines the benefits of working with freelancers and in-house hiring, eliminating these options’ risks. Specialized outsourcing companies search for such specialists. They choose candidates following your request and interview them. And they often allow the customer to participate in the interviewing process themselves. The main thing in successful cooperation with an outsourcer is to choose a proven company with many years of experience and positive reviews.
Advantages of hiring dedicated PHP developers:
Despite the apparent advantages of working with outsourcing service providers, this option also has its risks:
Any risks in working with outsourcers can be avoided if desired. For example, the time difference is successfully used by some companies to provide 24/7 technical support. And to ensure information security, it is vital to highlight this point in the contract with the provider.
Because PHP is easy to learn and widespread, the labor of PHP developers is paid more modestly than professionals in other languages.
The price for hiring a PHP programmer is determined by their location, experience level, and proficiency with various tools.
Do you have an idea for a fantastic product and need a PHP developer to implement it? Contact Glorium Technologies. Our team will locate a specialist who specializes in your project. You can trust us to provide top-quality software while saving you money.
With the help of the PHP programming language, you can create a user-friendly website attractive to visitors. It will increase the traffic to the web resource, which will increase the ROI.
PHP development in itself is quite economical – the difference between the salary of a PHP developer and a JS specialist is about $30,000 a year. In addition, you can save money by not hiring a developer on the staff in favor of a dedicated specialist. And offshore PHP coders from Eastern Europe or India will cost up to eight times cheaper than hiring American specialists.
The recruitment is handled by specialists – an outsourcing company with which you sign a formal contract. It protects your project from unforeseen circumstances. You can adjust the budget of the project yourself by choosing the country for offshoring. Long-term cooperation is possible, which includes product support on an ongoing basis.
The cost of hiring dedicated PHP developers can vary based on factors such as their experience level, geographic location, and the complexity of your project. Rates may range from hourly to monthly rates. It’s important to consider the balance between cost and quality when making hiring decisions.
Yes, there are legal considerations when hiring dedicated PHP developers. If you choose to hire individual freelancers, ensure you have a clear and legally binding contract in place to protect your interests. If you decide to work with a software development company, review the terms and conditions of the service agreement carefully to ensure both parties are protected.
A competent PHP developer should have a strong grasp of PHP frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, or Yii, and be familiar with database management systems like MySQL. They should also have a good understanding of front-end technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
While PHP is primarily a server-side language, many PHP developers also have front-end development skills. However, for a well-rounded web development project, having specialized front-end and back-end developers is generally better. Make sure to assess whether you need a PHP developer who can handle both or whether you should hire specialized front-end talent as well.
Beyond reviewing resumes and portfolios, you should conduct technical interviews that involve coding tests or problem-solving scenarios related to PHP. You can also request code samples or ask about specific projects they’ve worked on. Some companies also opt for a paid “test project” to see a developer’s skills.
You can hire PHP developers through multiple channels, including in-house full-time positions, freelance contracts, or outsourcing agencies. In-house hiring offers better communication and control but is generally more expensive. Freelancers can be cost-effective for short-term projects. Outsourcing companies like Glorium Technologies provide a scalable solution, allowing you to tap into a larger talent pool at lower costs.
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