Top 10?... More like top 5...

I was all excited about your top 10 list (I love the ones from letterman =) but upon reading, I think it's more like the top 5 tips for getting a better job... here are the 5 that I think totally qualify:

1. Qualify yourself to stand out from the crowd
2. Stay up to date with the latest trends
3. Get more exposure to yourself in the PHP community
4. Advertise yourself conveniently
7. Evolve in your career making your employer profit more


These are great pointers! And I'll surely take them to heart. Here are the other 5 and the reasons why I think they just don't belong.

5. Do well on job interviews -- this is a no brainer... has nothing to do with getting a better "PHP Job" -- although you give some tips of the type of "tests" the interviewer may perform on you, you give little else as to how to deliver a "successful interview".

6. Get ready to adapt to a new company culture -- Although this is important, it really doesn't come into play until after you get the job... Yes, you need to be prepared for the interview... And I think it's a great idea to learn as much about the company as possible before you get to your interview, but still doesn't fit into the top 10.

8. Preserve your job -- Although this is also important, it has absolutely nothing to do with "get better PHP jobs".


9. Get ready to move on to a better job -- I absolutely agree with you on this point... From personal experience, it makes all the difference in the world to be able to leave a job professionally, offering to stay longer than the standard 2 weeks, training a capable replacement, etc. etc.... in fact, upon leaving my last job (and moving to a different state), I received a call from my previous employer begging me to come back... a great feeling though there is no way I would have (landed my dream job).


10. Other people tips -- It's great to ask for others tips, but not sure how this can land on a top 10 list...

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Now instead of just blasting your ideas, as it seems people like to do, I figured I'd take advantage of number 10. Using the above mentioned 5 as a launching pad, here are my own top 10 to landing the "dream" PHP job, as I recently have.


1. Qualify yourself to stand out from the crowd -- Do something new and unique... what makes you the better candidate?

2. Evolve in your career making your employer profit more -- Nothing looks better to a prospective employer than to hear that you saved your company 28% of the bottom line by develop custom tools to boost productivity!

3. Stay up to date with the latest trends -- Technology changes rapidly... so should your knowledge... one of the reasons I was hired, though I completely bombed a section of questions my interviewer was asking, I immediately followed the interview with a live sample I posted to a personal web server, proving I could easily keep up with current trends.

4. Get more exposure to yourself in the PHP community -- absolutely stick your neck out there and show your community what you are made up of... in my experience, you don't find the best jobs, they find you!

5. Advertise yourself conveniently -- This is important... be careful not to compromise your current position, but get your name out there to the people that matter

6. Blog -- about technology that interests you, about projects you are working on (just don't violate any dnd's), provide tutorials, and instructionals...

7. Become an expert -- Find an area you love and become the industry leader in that area... you don't have to become an expert in all areas, just specialize in something you love and peruse it more than anyone else.

8. Educate yourself -- Some employers will require certain educational levels... the good ones only suggest them... My degree is in Youth Ministry from a Christian University... not Computer Science from an Ivy League... How did I land my Job? I am a highly motivated self-learner... Everywhere I go, I bring a book, my library has grown to over 30 technical books that I have devoured from cover-to-cover... when I interviewed for this new job, I knew very little about Ajax. The day I got hired I went to Barns & Noble and bought a book. By the time I started my job, I knew Ajax.

9. Network -- Get to know people who matter and develop "genuine" relationships... not myspace relationships.

10. Be passionate -- do what you enjoy, enjoy what you do... when you are excited about something it really shines through... your eyes light up, the pitch in your voice changes... this is stuff you can't fake.

Maybe it was not evident but, the way it was intended, getting better jobs does not apply only to those that do not have a job, but also those that have a job but are always hoping to either keep the jobs because it is really good, or make the current job even better, or get an even better job elsewhere.

It is important to note that you career will only end when you die. Until then, you always need to do your best to grow your career so you are satisfied with your life.

Other than that, thank you for your other tips. I am sure other users will appreciate it.