PHP Job Market

onion2k

I'm NOT asking for job adverts. So don't post them.

Whats the PHP job market like around where you live? Everyone keeps saying the whole IT sector is depressed as anything, but I'm not so sure. If you left your current position do you think you'd get another PHP job withing a month or two?

Oh, and mention where you are..

Personally, I'm based in the UK, and I reckon I could get another PHP gig pretty quickly if I had to. Maybe.

Bunkermaster

I guess I could find a job pretty quick yeah 🙂 (working from home in france so anywhere on the planet is my job market :p )

Shrike

PHP seems to be a very underrated skill in the UK market. From what I can see most people want Java, JSP, .NET along with PHP. It's quite contrasting to the fact that PHP is pushing toward the top 3 most used languages today. I think it's mainly because PHP is used more often than not for non-commmercial needs. Shame 🙁

Bunkermaster

if only they knew...

pohopo

in southern california i would say php jobs are relatively few. as others have said most people use php for small or non commercial sites.

suepahfly

I'dd be lucky to get a PHP job next year, if I left my current one.

Java developers are asked more.

weekender

i'm talking more generally about developers, as my job is not php specific, around Oxford/London/M4 corridor.

i think i'd do ok, despite flunking my degree - but only because i've got three years experience and a degree (if only a pass); i think most people in my position only have either a degree or three years experience, not both.

my old buddy pete has just finished a masters in computing - he averaged 78% over both his degree and masters, and he's really struggling to find a job due to not having any experience. He told me that everyone wants somebody who is both fresh out of uni (so they are free from bad prog habits) and who has a few years experience!

Hammer65

If I had a couple of bucks for every ad I have seen for a J2EE developer in the last year, I wouldn't need a job. I wish you luck. Where I am I haven't even seen an ad for PHP skills in months. Too bad because I much prefer it over ASP.

onion2k

Originally posted by weekender
i think i'd do ok, despite flunking my degree - but only because i've got three years experience and a degree (if only a pass); i think most people in my position only have either a degree or three years experience, not both.

Over 5 years experience (3 and a bit of PHP, 1 each of ASP and Perl, all web related), and a 1st Hons in "Broadcast and Multimedia Tech.".. Its true about the experience, once you've got a year or two your actual degree result ceases to matter.

sneakyimp

i think getting php work is pretty tough because the term "php" doesn't have the name recognition that java or ASP enjoy. most of the moneybags folks don't know languages from their arse and believe if it's not microsoft or java then they don't need it.

Maybe php needs a marketing push like Mozilla:

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/

Are there any benchmark tests that stack php up against asp/java in terms of speed/security/reliability?

Jarl

I wont say that the whole IT buisness is depressed these days.
Though it is true that after the www. stocks fell like a rock there was some problems, which still is there. These problems though really had no effect at all on the APP making companies so to speak, but www. companies, I guess, was hit bad. - And still is.

This, I think, is why it is hard to get a job when www. languages is the only thing you know.

Luckily I'm more into C++.

LarsLai

Hi! I am from Germany and in about two month I will finish my study of information management, so actually I do not have a degree in informatics, but I have gained much experience the last years in php and Java and I am quite hopeful to get a job... my last impression is that in Germany there are much concerns who are looking for some php progs but that is mainly small business. all of the big firms want Java, ASP, ...

weekender

when i was a part time student/part time employee, i did some freelance work to get some extra money. I started off with organisations such as charity's, which can't afford much and so are super-greatful when you do a site on the cheap, and tell all their friends. Soon enough you'll get known and will hopefully be able to charge enough to get by on.