Finding good PHP developers can be difficult, especially when you’re not sure what to look for or how to find them. As with any type of job, there are going to be exceptional candidates and those who aren’t worth your time and money, so it’s important to know what to look for in order to get the best bang for your buck (or dollar, in this case).
Here are ten tips that will help you find the right people to work on your project.
1. Know what you want from your PHP developer
Before even looking at candidates, you need to know what you’re looking for in a PHP developer. Do you have experience hiring PHP developers before? Did your last hire work out? If so, what made them great and can they be your benchmark going forward? If not, it might be helpful to review some of your favorite projects on Github or check out Stack Overflow Jobs.
2. What skills do I need?
What skills do you need when hiring a PHP developer? First, understand that there are different types of developers. PHP is an interpreted language (meaning it is translated into machine code before execution), which has several performance advantages over compiled languages like C++ and Java. This also means that PHP developers must learn additional development tools, including one or more editors and integrated development environments (IDEs).
These tools typically have syntax highlighting, intelligent auto-completion, debugging capabilities and other features you'd expect from a programmer's editor. The skills required of a PHP developer depend on what they'll be doing on your project.
3. What experience do I need?
If you’re serious about growing your business and want to do so with an experienced team, then you need experienced people. You want a developer who has done it before and done it well, who knows what they’re doing and is passionate about what they do. A lot of companies struggle with hiring developers because they only focus on their soft skills (passion, attitude, etc.).
This can be dangerous because it leads to over-hiring—you don’t necessarily need someone with these traits but someone who knows how to hit deadlines, cares about quality and can deliver results. You should look at a developer's skill set first.
4. What previous projects have they worked on?
Previous projects are an excellent way to gauge how a developer performs under pressure. Look at their portfolio, but don’t rely solely on what’s there. Instead, make sure you check references and contact any previous employers or clients (at least those who are willing) to see if they were happy with their work.
You may also want to look at whether or not that person is willing and available to show off their work or provide you with a demo of what they can do.
5. How many hours should my developer spend working each week?
A general rule of thumb is that you should expect your employees to work at least one day a week on company-related matters outside of regular working hours. That’s not to say you can never hire php developers who work just 40 hours per week—you can! But it’s more likely you’ll have an easier time finding someone who will put in more time when necessary.
Expecting your developer to work on nights and weekends once every three months or so is reasonable, too, but avoid hiring someone who regularly puts in long hours (and, by extension, expects his or her co-workers and subordinates to do so as well). If your company requires truly all-consuming work, consider outsourcing some projects or enlisting freelancers instead.
6. Can they communicate with me effectively?
You will be working with your hired developers, so it’s important that they can communicate effectively with you, their client. If communication is a problem during any part of your business relationship, chances are that it will affect the project’s outcome in a negative way.
Ask yourself: Do I feel comfortable communicating my thoughts with my developer? Are there language barriers that prevent me from understanding and receiving clear communication from my developer? If you answered no to either of these questions, then you might want to reconsider hiring that particular developer. Communication is an essential element in every great business relationship; make sure you can achieve it before signing on a dotted line.
7. What format do they prefer their communication in?
Some people prefer communicating over Skype, some prefer email and some prefer a phone call. Ask them what their preferred communication format is, and make sure you stick with it. Any unnecessary emails or calls can be a huge waste of your time, especially if you are trying to get things done quickly. Make sure that your communication method doesn’t take too much time from either party, or it will be counterproductive.
If you do need to swap methods though, make sure that you talk about how you plan on doing so beforehand! It’s better to clarify details like these before starting a project rather than later down the line when problems could arise as a result of miscommunication (either real or perceived).
8. Do I get references and a portfolio of work?
While most employers should have a policy that asks job applicants to list references they can call or emails they can reach out to, it’s still important to be sure. The best way to do that is by asking references outright if you can contact them. If you can’t (if, say, someone worked at a company in which references weren’t typically given), you should also ask for a portfolio of work as well.
When someone has been in charge of hiring and vetting developers, they’ll usually be able to tell who good ones are and who aren’t worth your time. Make sure those not worth your time don't make it through your door.
9. Are there any up-front costs and is it possible to pay hourly rather than daily/weekly/monthly?
Up-front costs aren’t unusual, but monthly payments could be a problem. Be wary of developers who want you to pay every day or week; a lot can happen in one week, so paying someone on a daily basis can lead to unexpected expenses. Hourly payment models are often used for larger companies and are typically recommended if you are outsourcing overseas or working with experienced developers.
Hourly payment allows you and your developer to see how much money is being spent without having an entire project priced up in advance. You won’t always know what you need ahead of time, so hourly payments give you some flexibility while still providing you with insight into how much work is being done and by whom.
10. The first conversation with the developer - what should we cover in that call or email?
If you're hiring a developer remotely, you're likely going to have at least one conversation with them before making your decision. Make sure that your first conversation gives you a good idea of whether or not you should continue talking. This is your chance to screen out any candidates who don't seem like they'll be a good fit for your team and determine if someone is really able to meet your requirements.
You should hire php developers in India for your projects who have good communication skills. If their English isn't perfect, ask if they'd be willing to talk on Skype, which offers better translation tools than email. Focus on finding people who sound confident in their abilities and are eager to learn more about what it means to work for you.
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