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PHP Meetings and Conferences in London

One of the best ways to advance your career in web development and PHP programming is networking with others in your field. Most positions these days require references and while you can always use a former co-worker as a reference, sometimes it is more advantageous to have a reference from a person that works at the company at which you are applying, or who works for a more prestigious company in the same industry. In addition to advantages in finding new employment, professional networking is a great way to learn from the very best and brightest in your field.

Participating in conferences has several advantages in addition to professional networking opportunities. Along with spending time with the some of the most notable names in the field, you are also exposed to new ideas and new technologies that you may not be introduced to in your professional life. These new ideas and technologies can be just the competitive advantage you need to advance your career.

At any given time there can be dozens of conferences in your area, and it can be difficult to know which ones are the best use of your time and money. Most conferences have fees associated with entry, as well as the time you will be spending at the conference itself. Another important consideration is the distance to the conference, as if the venue is far away you will need to consider lodging and other expenses.

One of the biggest PHP conferences in London is the annual PHP UK Conference which is generally held in late February in London. This conference usually has dozens of speakers and sessions spread out over two days, and is a phenomenal resource for any PHP developer in the United Kingdom. Being located in London means that lodging and travel is extremely straightforward as London has multiple resources available for tourists and visiting business people. It's important to purchase your tickets to this event early, as they tend to sell out every year. That being said, video recordings of the conference are always available on their website at http://www.phpconference.co.uk.

There are other kinds of meetings available for those who use PHP professionally, and it would not do to discuss PHP conferences and gatherings in London without mentioning the monthly meeting of the PHP London User's Group. While the location varies, it is always held on the first Thursday of every month at a pub in central London. While it can seem a bit unorthodox to meet with others in your field in a pub, this allows for much greater opportunities for professional networking, and is generally less expensive than going to a conference held at a major venue. More information about this conference can be found at http://www.phplondon.org. This meeting also has the advantage of having significantly more information on open-source PHP projects.

While these are the two largest recurring PHP related events in London, this is in no way an exhaustive list. There are also other software engineering and programming related conferences in London that would be a good idea to attend if your position at your company requires the use of these technologies. As always, search engines such as Google are an indispensable resource for locating events in your area. In addition, when attending one conference or meeting it is entirely possible that you will discover other meetings and conferences in your area that would be relevant to your career.

You will want to consider what you are trying to obtain from a particular meeting or conference when deciding whether or not to attend. In addition, if you begin appearing at these conferences regularly there is a possibility you will be asked to present or speak, which not only has the advantage of expanding your exposure, but will generally cover the costs associated with attending the conference or meeting in the first place.

Conferences are a terrific way to meet new people in your field and learn new things, by attending conferences you will be improving not only your skills, but your chances of finding new opportunities in your field. By investing a small amount of time and money in attending conferences you could see tremendous returns in the years down the road.