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PHP/Web Development Jobs

PHP and web development is a highly competitive field, and one of the greatest challenges in that field is finding employment. You've taken the time to build up an impressive resume, now it is time to find the job you have been preparing for all of this time.

While the traditional methods of looking through newspapers or simply calling around to PHP development firms in your area can still work, it is significantly more efficient to put the technologies that are now available to work for you. In this case you will want to focus your job search more on recruitment agencies rather than individual companies as the same amount of time invested in applying at a recruitment agency will get your name in front of more human resources managers than the same amount of time spent applying to a specific position at a single company.

The difficult aspect of applying through a recruitment agency is that it can be very difficult to find a reputable and efficient agency. You do not want to waste time by applying to a fly by night operation that is going to sit on your resume for three weeks while only submitting it to a single company, nor do you want to submit your resume to a recruitment agency that has no contacts. Unfortunately, most recruitment agencies do not disclose their success rates and even the ones that do are under no obligation not to "sweeten" those numbers a bit. Even worse is a recruitment agency that will have you driving halfway across the country for an interview that never had a chance of ending in a new position.

The best, and easiest way to determine if a recruitment agency is worth your time is to speak with others in your field who have been through a particular recruitment agency. They will have the inside information you need to make a good decision and will generally be willing to provide a reference should you decide to go through that agency.

Another good place to look are large job posting sites such as http://www.indeed.co.uk or http://www.cwjobs.co.uk. While there tend to be hundreds of positions posted on sites like these, it is again important to keep in mind that there is someone out there at all times who is trying to get your personal information to use for inappropriate purposes. Because of this, it is never a good idea to apply for a position at a company you have never heard of before. Do a little research, in most cases if the job posting is illegitimate you will not be able to find a web presence for that company.

There are other job listing sites available, but in general you will want to find a dedicated IT staffing agency such as http://www.octopus.net.uk or http://www.londonrecruitmentservices.co.uk. While these sites will not always have a job listing available specifically for PHP or web development roles, they make a good stop on your journey to a new position or career.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that you should not be afraid of temporary positions. Temporary positions are frequently how a company will test a new employee to see if they are capable of what they claim to be capable of, and to ensure a good fit for both the employee and the company. This is not to say, however, that you should automatically assume that a position is going to be a temporary to permanent position.

In any development position, no matter the language or type, the nature of the programming field is that changing positions frequently is simply part and parcel of the career. Projects end, companies go bankrupt, and the I.T. department is a very expensive target when cost cutting comes around. With that in mind, always be on the lookout for a new position. In fact, research has shown that younger employees do better to change jobs frequently rather than stay at a single job. As your skill set grows, so too does your salary requirements, and changing positions may get you that larger paycheck faster than waiting for a promotion.