How to Hire the Best PHP Developers

As a seasoned developer or tech lead, you know the critical role PHP plays in web development. But finding a PHP developer who can understand and manage the complexities of modern frameworks, optimize database queries, and write clean, maintainable code is no small feat. Whether you’re scaling your backend team or seeking to hire a full-stack PHP wizard, we’ve got the strategies to help you identify the right talent.

This guide cuts through the noise, offering insights on evaluating PHP proficiency beyond just syntax knowledge. We’ll explore how to assess candidates’ understanding of PHP 8’s new features, their experience with popular frameworks like Laravel or Symfony, and their ability to communicate easily with the rest of the team. Learn how to spot great coders, understand costs, and get the most value for your money. Let’s start.

What to Consider When Recruiting a PHP Developer?

When recruiting, you want to keep in mind the following:

• Experience and qualifications: What kind of experience does the candidate have and do they have any relevant certifications or qualifications?
• Technical skills: What specific technical skills and coding languages does the candidate have
• Problem-solving skills: Are they able to troubleshoot, debug, and solve complex problems
• Communication skills: Are they able to clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical colleagues?
• Time management: Can they manage their time effectively and work within deadlines?
• Reviews or References: Can past clients vouch for them?
• Teamwork: Are they able to work effectively within a team environment?
• Adaptability: Are they able to adapt to different working environments and technologies?
• Cost: You want to make sure to hire someone whose rates are within your budget.

What are the Essential Skills for a PHP Developer?

A skilled PHP coder dives head-first into projects of all shapes and sizes, doing everything from whipping up code for webpages, to debugging, and keeping that code running smoothly. They also know their way around PHP’s latest features and the popular frameworks at the back of their hand.

An excellent PHP developer always stays one step ahead of trending technologies. They have their eyes on the future and a continuous learning mindset. A good PHP coder knows the value of clear, regular communication, and they’re just as comfortable talking to a team as they are getting lost in their code.

Here’s a fundamental rundown of skills that any top-notch PHP programmer should possess:

• Comprehensive Knowledge of PHP: They have an in-depth understanding of PHP and can efficiently use it to create web solutions. They are comfortable using the latest PHP standards (like PHP 7.x or 8) and techniques.
• Familiarity with Frontend Technologies: While specializing in PHP (a server-side language), a good PHP developer should also have a basic understanding of frontend technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS to cooperate with frontend developers effectively.
• Knowledge of PHP Frameworks: They should be adept at using various PHP frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, or CodeIgniter. These tools speed up the development process and ensure more secure and reliable coding.
• Problem-Solving Skills: An effective PHP developer is skilled in identifying problems, troubleshooting issues, and finding efficient solutions.
• Knowledge of Databases: Good developers should be able to work effectively with databases, have knowledge about SQL, and understand how to work with different DBMS like MySQL, MongoDB, or PostgreSQL.
• Organized and Detail-Oriented: Good developers write clean, organized, and commented code that other developers can understand and edit if needed.
• Experience and Qualifications: Look for programmers with practical experience in PHP development and formal education, certifications could be a plus but it’s not mandatory.

Where to Find PHP Developers Online?

When hiring a PHP developer, it’s important to take your time and evaluate candidates thoroughly. Here are some of the best places to find PHP developers:

1. Job Boards: Websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn are great for posting job listings and finding qualified candidates.
2. Freelance Platforms: Websites such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal can help you find freelance PHP developers for short-term projects or ongoing work.
3. Remote Job Boards: Sites like Remote.co, We Work Remotely, and Remote OK specializes in listing remote job opportunities, which are perfect for finding remote PHP developers.
4. Developer Communities: Engage with communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Reddit where developers share their work and expertise.
5. Staffing Agencies: Services like DistantJob specialize in finding and vetting remote PHP developers for you, ensuring you get top talent quickly and efficiently.
6. Referrals and Networking: Ask for recommendations from your professional network or attend tech meetups and conferences to connect with potential candidates.

First, determine the type of developer that best fits your business needs, budget, and desired level of commitment. You can choose between an in-house developer, a freelancer, or a full-time remote developer. Our expert recommendation? Go with the remote option. Here’s why:

• Wider Talent Pool: Access to a global pool of talented developers.
• Cost-Effective: Often more cost-effective than in-house employees.
• Flexibility: Greater flexibility in working hours and scalability based on project needs.

By leveraging these resources and considering these factors, you can find the right PHP developer to join your team and elevate your projects.

Now that you know where to look for PHP programmers, how can you screen and spot the right one?

4 Key PHP Interview Questions To Screen Your Next Candidate

Here’s a list of key PHP interview questions to ask your future team player. Should you require more complex and detailed interview questions, feel free to explore our set of questions to help identify the ideal candidate for your needs.

Yet, if you want to skip the grunt work, don’t worry; the only thing you have to do is contact us and we’ll do the heavy lifting for you.

1. Explain the difference between == and === operator in PHP.

This question is relatively simple but helps us understand if your potential developer knows common operators in PHP and understands the concept of data types. == is an equal operator and will return TRUE if $a is equal to $b after type juggling. ===, instead, is the identical operator and will only return TRUE if $a is equal to $b and they are of the same data type.

Let’s take a look at an example:

<?php
$a = true;
$b = 1;

// Below condition returns true and prints "a and b are equal"
if ($a == $b) {
    echo "a and b are equal";
} else {
    echo "a and b are not equal";
}

// Below condition returns false and prints "a and b are not equal" 
// because $a and $b are of different data types.
if ($a === $b) {
    echo "a and b are equal";
} else {
    echo "a and b are not equal";
}
?>

2. Explain what a session is in PHP and how to remove data from a session.

Essentially, PHP sessions are used to directly store data for individual users and clients against a unique session ID to maintain states on the server and share data across multiple pages. The session IDs are typically “sent to the browser via session cookies and the ID is used to retrieve existing session data.” If, however, a session ID is not present on the server already, PHP creates a new session and generates a unique session ID.

Let’s look at an example:

<?php
// Starting a session
session_start();

// Creating a session
$_SESSION['user_info'] = [
    'user_id' => 1,
    'first_name' => 'php',
    'last_name' => 'scots',
    'status' => 'active'
];

// Checking session
if (isset($_SESSION['user_info'])) {
    echo "Logged In";
}

// Unsetting (removing) a value from the session
unset($_SESSION['user_info']['first_name']);

// Destroying the complete session
session_destroy();
?>

3. Show how to register a variable in a PHP session.

There are two ways to register a variable in a PHP session that your PHP developer to hire should know. In PHP 5.3 or below, it should be registered via the session_register() function. Now, however, it’s possible to directly set a value in $_SESSION Global.

Here’s an example of both:

<?php
// Starting session
session_start();

// Use of session_register() is deprecated
$username = "PhpScots";
// session_register("username"); // This line is commented out because session_register() is deprecated

// Use of $_SESSION is preferred
$_SESSION["username"] = "PhpScots";
?>

4. In PHP, what are constructors and destructors?

Constructor and Destructor – although it sounds like the relatives of Optimus Prime or Megatron – it’s quite (a lot different). 

They are special type functions called when a PHP class object is created and destroyed. 

Constructors are typically used to initialize the private variables, while destructors free up the resources created and used by the class.

Here is a sample:

<?php

class Foo {

    private $name;
    private $link;

    public function __construct($name) {
        $this->name = $name;
    }

    public function setLink(Foo $link) {
        $this->link = $link;
    }

    public function __destruct() {
        echo 'Destroying: ', $this->name, PHP_EOL;
    }

}

?>

Over to you

Describe your dream PHP developer. You might be thinking of someone who has expertise in the area, who delivers projects on time, knows how to handle problems the right way, is a team player, has initiative, and communicates clearly. 

Is hiring someone with these traits hard? Yes, very hard. 

We all know that the hiring process is time-consuming and it requires a lot of work to handle. And the IT area is one of the hardest areas to hire for. Taking aside the fact that talented programmers are usually working for other companies, the tech marketplace is crazy competitive, and not all the options will make the best suit for your company. 

Choosing DistantJob to hire a PHP Developer is the best way to ensure that you are getting the best tech talent for your company. With over ten years of experience in headhunting the best IT talent, you can rest assured that you will find the perfect fit for your company in just a few weeks. We also take care of all the payroll – making the entire process of hiring a PHP Developer much easier for you.

Hire the right PHP developer for your company now with DistantJob! 

Ihor Shcherbinin

Ihor is the Vice President of Recruiting at DistantJob, a remote IT staffing agency. With over 11 years of experience in the tech recruitment industry, he has established himself as a leading expert in sourcing, vetting and placing top-tier remote developers for North American companies.