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I am a PHP developer. I have 1 years of experience in PHP in a middle scale company. now I just realize that there is no top MNC use this technology. So for a better opportunity should I switch technologies and I should learn new technology? please suggest Thanks! Richa |
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Top MNC is a very subjective word. What are your target companies ?? Amazon/Google/MS are probably top MNC's in most countries. Yes they dont work in PHP, you might have to move to C++/Java for that but that will not be enough, you will also have to be good in OS/Algorithms and become an overall better Engineer to be hired there. However if you are worried about Job security PHP is not bad there are a lot of companies who are working in it. |
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Generally, I think you should never choose a technology because of its perceived value on the current job market. You should choose technologies because there's something good about them and you can do great stuff using them. To be able to judge that, you probably should know a few, though. Also, you don't really switch tech, you just add new ones to your repertoire. If you learn Java now, you can still code PHP, right? My guess would be, that you even write better PHP by learning something else. Not because of PHP in particular, just because knowing more different paradigms helps you understand each one better. They say the second programming language is the hardest to learn, because it's the first time you have to really grok the difference between language-specific issues (such as typing) vs. API/library-specific (such as the concepts behind a particular framework) and general programming issues (such as big-O). Past that hurdle, it becomes more fun all the time, I think. My first serious switch (I had toyed around with Python before) was from PHP to Java, and it was quite an eye-opener (and I didn't like the switch at all for quite a while). For the past two years, I'm constantly switching from Java to EcmaScript (both JS and AS), and for me, that was really, really instructive. I had read books about LISP and even played around with it a little, but it wasn't until I actually worked in JavaScript, that I realized what the strengths of this sort of language are. |
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WARNING: All this is quite personal. While I don't really code in PHP anymore (and prefer to avoid it if I can) I don't think the tech is dead "market-wise". You might not score a MNC, but a lot of startups are still favoring PHP over big-guns like Java/JEE solutions. But obviously, the news trends are in favor of Ruby-on-Rails and Grails, and even Lift or Seaside if you want to be bleeding edge. I think PHP will be around for a while, but it's becoming the tech people avoid, a bit like Perl. Except Perl has always been and is still amazingly good as certain things, where you just bite the bullet and use it if you really need to. PHP, I really don't see it have a competitive edge anymore, so to be on the sage side I'd recommend learning other technologies, yes. Otherwise in 5 or 10 years from now, you might be in a pickle. And it will be easier for you to learn something else now than in 5 or 10 years. |
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Highlight your HTML/CSS experience if you want to go the designer route, but if you want to go the programming route, the best paying jobs are in Java. Those are going to mostly be in either IT or consulting/contracting companies. Ruby is another good choice with lots of opportunities, but I don't see it being a big player with big companies. It is finding a nice home in niche companies. Get some self training and then you may have to take a lower level entry job in Java to get real experience. If you want to go Rails though, there is a lot of stuff you can do on your own there including creating your own web project. Doesn't have to be big, but you will cover all the basics to get it up out there, you never know it might even make a buck or two. Good Luck |
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It's not a matter of if you will ever need to switch, but when. I've been paid to program in seven different languages, and done open source work in a few more, including learning python a few weekends ago. I highly recommend having an 15-minute tutorial level knowledge of just about every language you read about. Then when the opportunity presents itself to use a new language in a real project, you will recognize the best language for the job and can come up to speed on the details quickly without being scared of the unknown. As far as your career goes, remember that businesses switch technologies too. Even with no significant experience in a language, you can get hired by showing a mastery of a different programming language, showing a knowledge of the basics of the new language, and demonstrating that your skills can transfer by asking intelligent questions. Trust me, that's how I got my current position. |
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