PHP, a common scripting language, has been around for over a quarter-century. PHP, similar to Python, is a programming language that was created as a side project by a single developer in the 1990's. Because of the script's durability, hiring managers look for hiring PHP developers, and thus, candidates have had plenty of opportunities to hone their PHP developer skills.
As per various surveys, PHP is used by 78.3 percent of all websites with a known server-side programming language, with nearly 40 million live websites using PHP right now. This means PHP is used in nearly 8 out of 10 websites you visit on the internet.
Despite the fact that millions of websites are built on PHP, some people think that technology is no longer with us and that it is time to call for the funeral. The truth is that PHP was sentenced to death and came back with a bang.
As PHP is so widely used, it's not difficult to find developers who claim to be PHP experts. But recruiters often struggle in finding experts that not only have the required knowledge and skill-set, and are also culture-fit. Often, one of the biggest struggles there is to hire PHP developers with a range of expertise and specialties.
So we have taken out the top core skills required for PHP developer to help you hire PHP expert for your company.
So, let's get right into it!
Some of the important skills developers must possess include:
1. Willing To Learn & Expand Knowledge
To help a project reach its deadline, developers may need to collaborate and learn new skills while deploying a new application. To figure out if a developer is a good match for your business, you have to look beyond the PHP programmer skill set. Find out what they think about professional growth and new training opportunities if you want them to thrive and stay with your company for a long time.
2. Expertise In Other Programming Languages
Knowing PHP code alone will not be enough to make your website stand out; developers must also be familiar with front-end programming languages such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML in order to detect and correct any errors in the web design. Knowing these languages would aid in the management of the user experience (UX), which is the ultimate objective of most programming projects.
3. Problem-Solving Skills
Learning the 'hard' technical skills is one part of being a high-level PHP developer, but without the right set of complementary 'soft' skills, you're unlikely to make it to the top. Problem-solving is one of them, and it's essential in all aspects of web development.
It's the role of the PHP developer to encounter unforeseen problems. The developer needs to resolve, and how you do so will determine how valuable they are on a development project. Thus, critical thinking, or the ability to analyze and evaluate various solutions to a problem in order to arrive at the most effective one, is also necessary for writing good code.
In addition to making sure your candidates have the skills mentioned above, here are some steps you can take to ensure the PHP developer candidate pool you're creating is relevant:
1. Crafted Job Description
A well-created PHP developer job description has long-term, multiple benefits. Even while conducting interviews, job descriptions act as a foundation for the interview. So spend time creating the job description for hiring PHP developers. As a recruiter, then, you'll be able to match the skills of candidates with the job description; this process may act as the first round of the filtration process.
As part of this process, you must ask yourself the following questions:
- How many years of experience must the PHP developer have?
- What are your budgetary constraints?
- What level of flexibility can you offer? Can this role be performed remotely?
2. Conduct Skill Assessment Tests
Conducting skill assessment tests helps in determining if a web developer is qualified for a position before inviting them in for an interview. You can test the applicants' knowledge as soon as they apply using one of the best pre-employment testing tools such as iMocha.
As we mentioned earlier, any skilled PHP developer must have knowledge of other scripting languages as well, and some of them are:
- Understanding of SQL and MySQL databases
- Experience working with HTML and CSS
- Good grasp of JavaScript
To ensure that your candidates are proficient in the desired skills, you can conduct an online coding test. You can create a comprehensive test, including questions about varied skills expected.
Also Read: Pre-Employment Testing Best Practices
iMocha (formerly known as Interview Mocha) is the world's largest AI-powered digital skills evaluation network, helping businesses create winning teams. Our platform enables businesses to thoroughly evaluate employees and applicants, which is critical for identifying and bench-marking their skill proficiency against industry and company requirements.
Some of the special features include:
- 20+ coding languages & simulators
- SQL tests with simulators
- Latest IT skill tests for QA & software testing
- LogicBox questions
- Live Coding Interview
- Intelligent AI-based proctoring
Therefore, conducting online PHP tests using iMocha helps in concentrating and hiring PHP developers who are cultural fit and have problem-solving skills instead of just assessing technological skills. It also helps to cut your initial screening time by up to 80%, resulting in more in-depth and interesting interviews.
