The first thing to know about a PHP job is that it has something to do with the internet and designing websites. PHP or Hypertext Processor is a kind of scripting module that helps embed dynamic content on web pages, making them more interactive and interesting. A PHP professional is usually someone who has an educational background in programming and web designing. These people are responsible for all the well thought out, innovative, and attention-grabbing content that each one of us experience on the web everyday.
Which brings us to the question that if you were a PHP professional what kind of a job would you be in? Typically, you would have to design web pages for the online websites of your clients - which would involve scripting in PHP (of course) and HTML; and putting together a lot of graphics, text, and other data formats. You would be working either alone or in a team, with your workload chalked out. You would be credited of your work and be able to cite the projects in your bio-data. And you could be either working for a firm - which would fish projects for you and allocate them to you as per your standing and pay you a fixed salary according to your workload and quality - or you could freelance.
Freelancing as a PHP professional is a viable career option with many takers and excellent opportunities for growth. As a freelancer, you would be able to select your own projects, and sometimes, even your own team. You would get to choose your own timings and take part in setting up the contract with your client. These contracts would ideally be very short term contracts in which you get the rough sketch of the product to be put up, which you deliver within a stipulated period.
It is needless to underscore the importance of a website for any company, government body or organization. Thus, PHP professionals - especially good ones - are constantly in demand. Companies put up ads in papers and on the net - numerous forums on the net act as platforms for PHP professionals to meet and interact with potential clients. It is essential that you remain alert at all times - a single visit to any one such freelance PHP forum is enough to give you an idea of the competition out there. As a PHP freelancer, you would have to keep up to date on the latest in web developing tools and keep evolving with the times - a never-ending process of constantly being in the loop and staying ahead of the pack.
A creative streak, along with the solid foundation in computer programming and web developing, is essential to come up with out-of-the-box results appealing to the public and your clients. Although PHP professionals are aplenty, only a few deliver offbeat products that catch the eye and captivate your mind. More often than not, a good PHP freelancer can expect to earn as much as an average pay package offered by a web designer firm to PHP professionals. If you are good at multitasking, taking up several projects simultaneously, and are good at meeting deadlines - freelancing as a PHP person is the right way to go for you.
Even though PHP professionals may freelance to gain more freedom and more money for their efforts, freelancing is not as sweet as it sounds. There are a lot of setbacks when you are a freelancer in the tech business. First, you have no fallbacks. A slight depression in the economy induces a horrible slump in the market and you find it hard to nail a project. There aren't any medical benefits, bonuses, or retirement contingencies - you are on your own and if anything goes wrong, you have to fetch for yourself. And, of course, the competition is ruthless and without mercy.
A freelancing PHP job comes with thorns attached, but it is sensible to be well informed of the collaterals before jumping into it first. Once you have an idea of what you are in for, you can take measures and prepare yourself for the worst, if it comes to that. Web designing involves creativity - no doubt - and if your firm is stifling it, then you have a good alternative as a freelance PHP professional.
