Re: [PHP-EVANGELISM] Question on business want for PHP

Hey Stan,


Stan Lemon wrote:

> Hey there, I'm hoping I'm in bounds of the purpose of this news mailing 
> list with this post, but I guess what I am wondering if how much of a 
> demand for PHP programmers is there in the business world?

The demand is growing, but not yet inline with the likes of ASP and especially Java based systems.  And the reason is simple; PHP is often seen as "quick and dirty" and businesses generally find someone already in house to do the work.  This trend is changing, but slowly (ie, the "enterprise PHP" buzz).

> Reason I ask 
> is because I am going to be a freshman college student very well versed 
> in PHP and living in the Chicago land area (actually I'm going to school 
> right outside of the city) and I have been contemplating on what type of 
> a job I'll be able to find when I attend.  Is it worth it for me to look 
> for companies which might need PHP based solutions?

Sure; often it's smaller companies or non-profits that will have explicit positions in PHP.  Large corps and firms generally have their needs covered by developers inhouse.  As another poster alluded to, if you want to make a quick buck, get MCSE certified.

> Also, I don't have 
> any type of certification, is there something I should be looking 
> toward?

There isn't any certifications at this point that I'm aware of, but there is training.

http://zend.com/training.php

> And finally, I'm assuming most of you guys have portfolios of 
> some sort, what do these look like?

I have a resume  :)  http://hans.zaunere.com

> I would love to program in PHP and design write applications for 
> businesses, but is this probable/plausible, or am I hoping for something 
> I won't find?

It is; it's what I do.  But it is a tough job.  That said, it's also getting better all the time.

Lastly, to again reiterate what others have already said, PHP's bread and butter is Linux/FreeBSD/etc.  Having sysadmin knowledge/certs is a big plus, since you'll be much more valuable to a business.


Hans Zaunere
President, New York PHP
http://nyphp.org
[email protected]