PHP coders are an important asset to your business, especially as they play a critical role in your software’s development. From programming jargon to understanding scripting language, the right individuals are needed to ensure your business can develop product services that will best serve your clients.

It’s important that regardless of who you’re hiring, you’re doing so with care and attention. This type of specialist role is one that you might not easily find like you would a receptionist or accountant. You’ll need to find a PHP coder that not only can deliver on their role but can satisfy your business needs too.

You may be currently in the process of hiring a PHP coder for your business and if that’s the case, then knowledge of what’s needed to hire the right individual is crucial. After all, you want a team that can deliver successfully on every project your SaaS business works on creating. Lacking effective PHP coders can be damaging to your business and its growth.

In this guide, you’ll learn what PHP means, what the role of a PHP coder is, and how to hire for this role successfully. With the right hires, your business can concentrate on driving more success, rather than having to waste more time on rehiring and training those without the right credentials for the job at hand.

What does PHP mean?

PHP is short for ‘Hypertext Preprocessor’. This is an open-source programming language that is used like with other programming languages to create online applications and web pages. This programming language has evolved over the years beyond just providing personal web pages for blog sites and providing HTML code. Now it’s allowed businesses to create a variety of features and online services to help further benefit the organization.

With PHP it’s a code that is embedded in HTML and done so on the server, which is transmitted to the user themselves rather than it being on the visitor’s browser. The benefit of PHP is that it can be run on most major operating systems. 

From Mac OS X to Windows and Linux, it gives businesses and individuals who use it, the freedom they need to select an operating system that works for them.

What is the role of a PHP coder?

What is the role of a PHP coder for a SaaS business? Well, it comes as no surprise that the SaaS industry has grown ten-fold over the past few years and this year is set to be no different. Between 2021 and the end of 2022, the value of the market is expected to reach $171.9 billion by the end of the year.

As a PHP coder, this role contributes majorly to the success of the PHP business that they work for. They are a big part of the development team, working server-side to make sure that all the back-end components of the projects they’re working on are working efficiently.

For online apps, they’re responsible for making sure the foundations have been set so that everything works as it should do and provides the best experiences for the users. From blogs to forums, e-Commerce sites, and more, PHP coders can vary in their skillset and specialisms depending on what the business or individual needs from them.

How to hire PHP Coders for your SaaS business

Some businesses might be limited on resources when it comes to hiring so making the right choice is beneficial to save time. What should you be looking for when hiring PHP coders for your SaaS business

Figure out what type of coders you need.

Firstly, you’ll want to figure out the type of web developers you need for the role itself. For some businesses, it might be online applications that need the skillset of a PHP coder. There are some SaaS businesses that may require a PHP coder in a freelance role or you may need someone more permanent.

As a business, there may be advantages to hiring a freelancer, particularly from a financial standpoint, however, the scope of work may make it more affordable to hire someone internally. 

Consider what skill set and knowledge you should be looking for in a PHP coder

Each PHP coder is going to be different from the next in their specialisms and how efficient they are when it comes to programming. However, most will likely have a similar skill set that you are after when developing an application for your business. Here are a few key skills or experiences that your PHP coder might need to step into this type of role.

• Ability to create software of various types; apps and websites.
• Create website coding and can easily identify issues and repair work needed.
• Identify various software solutions for collaboration with development or project teams.
• Building responsive applications from scratch.
• An expert understanding of PHP frameworks.
• Troubleshoot any security concerns in order to protect the business.

There might be a lot more than you’re after in this role, so it’s good to be detailed and specific when creating your job advertisement. Whilst a job advertisement like a PHP coder will be niche, it’ll be reaching candidates that should be able to understand what’s required of the job. 

Don’t be afraid of using technical jargon related to PHP programming as this will be a good way of filtering out those exaggerating the truth when it comes to their experience and knowledge. 

Utilize online tools or services for filtering candidates

Thanks to the SaaS industry, we’re now indebted to many online tools and services that we can utilize to help with the sometimes mammoth task of hiring a new employee for the business. When it comes to shifting through the candidates that apply, it’s worth using tool like an applicant tracking system that will help filter through it all and find the top talent.

Platforms like Harver are a great tool that can help gather all your candidates in one and compare their skills based on a variety of factors. 

Alternatively, you could approach an agency or outsource this part of the process if you don’t have the time to go through the pile of candidates that have applied. These tools can be helpful when it comes to monitoring all parts of the recruitment progress. Discover more effective ways to track job applications by taking advantage of the tools available.

Screen candidates with TestGorilla’s PHP coding tests

Pre-employment tests are a fantastic way of helping test the candidates and to prove that what they’ve claimed to have experience and skills in, is accurate. Screening candidates with TestGorilla’s PHP coding tests are a great example of professionalism that many candidates will appreciate having and it promotes the right message to those applying.

With TestGorilla, it’s a great resource for all types of pre-employment tests that can help you attain the best talent for your team. It’s easy enough to just skip this part of the recruitment but you may then end up with employees who don’t know what they’re doing or don’t achieve the best results that you might need as a SaaS business. 

Consider a trial period or paid project trial before hiring permanently.

As a niche role, you may want to consider a trial period, particularly in the case of hiring permanent staff. However, it’s important to manage expectations and know that perhaps some candidates might want to know if they have a permanent role ahead of time.

A paid project trial could also be a consideration when it comes to hiring PHP developers. A paid project agreement can help put their work into practice and to assess their performance according to what your needs and wants are as a business. 

If all is successful, then you’ll be able to move forward and if it isn’t you can move on to other potential candidates who might be better suited. It’s important that you’re making the right selection and that you’re simply not rushing into a candidate hire.

Navigate a new hire process carefully and with detail in 2024

A new PHP coder hire is one that should take some time to prepare and hire properly. At the end of the day, they’re an integral part of your SaaS business and are, as mentioned, creating the core foundations of an application you’re developing.

With that in mind, try to take every step with a detailed hand so that you’re sifting through your options carefully and doing all you can to test their abilities before hiring. Once you’ve done this, you’ll likely be more successful in making hires that are great for your business but are also going to be the individuals that stick around for a long time.

After all, hiring isn’t a cheap cost for a business, so it’s good to have long-serving employees that keep employee retention rates low.

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