What is relative job market value of PHP, SQL and JSP?

[MarcMiller]

Hi
I had a conversation with a job developer who specializes in helping disabled people, like myself, get computer related jobs. I told him I had been studying HTML and CSS intensely. However as of now I have not gotten any online reviews of my sites which seems good enough to breaking to the web design field right now. He informed me that in his opinion was design skills would not be enough unless I could also write copy for web sites or alternatively program. As writing is not my thing, for I am dyslexic, I asked him more about his ideas of what programming would be of value to become a web page designer. He informed me JSP and SQL. Then I mentioned PHP and he seemed to agree with that as well. He also said I could not just learn the programming on my own because the companies he works with require at least a certification and even a bachelor's degree.

I am not sure if I should follow his opinion about the programming because previously on forums I asked the question on how to breaking to the web design field. And was told all you have to show is you could do good work. So I have been endeavoring to improve the quality of my designs. So my question is a twofold. Should I be deterred from the idea that I can break into the job market just by showing some good enough web designs. He claims that is not enough anymore. Secondly looking at what goes into studying PHP a little it seems that a lot of the material also includes material mySQL. So I am wondering if SQL and PHP together is all that you need as a second scale in addition to design skills to become a web page designer or if you need the JSP as well. I hope this is not too convoluted a question but if you could try to answer I certainly would appreciate it.

Very truly
Marc

[AWildman]

Last summer I was unemployed for 5 months. At that time, I had solid html, css, and javascript skills, some mysql experience, lotsa Perl, and moderate seo skills. And STILL I had a VERY rough time finding jobs, even with 3-5 yrs experience. Every job ad had every conceivable language included, and they wanted umpteen years experience with those languages. My job search covered a large geographic area in the US, so it wasn't like I was restricting myself, either.

However, I'm sitting here writing this to you from work. So, it is possible to get a job without php, jsp, and asp experience. I've since learned a lot about php, asp, mysql, and mssql, not to mention IIS management. Don't be detered. Just be prepared for it to take some time to locate work AND, depending upon location, you could be looking at $30k per year or less. Send your resume out even to those who do have the 10 million languages listed. You may be the best resume they receive. Point out that you can and will learn any language that they need.

I wish you the best of luck!

[LifeinAsia]

I would vote for SQL. Database skills can be applied to just about any programming language.

As for the specifics of PHP, Perl, JSP, ASP, Cold Fusion, etc., it's almost always going to depend on what the company that hires you is using (or moving to). So no matter which language you choose, you're pretty much limiting your pool.

However, after being strong in one language, additional languages are much easier to pickup- you just need to learn each particular language's way of doing the same basic things (loops, conditional statements, accessign a DB, etc.).

[encyclo]

If you want to work for a consultancy firm or large company, then Java (JSP) and/or Microsoft .NET are much more in demand than PHP or Perl. They also expect university computer science qualifications and prior experience. Knowledge of databases (MySQL, MS-SQL, Oracle) is vital too, as well as XML.

That doesn't mean that you can't get a job if you learn PHP, Ruby on Rails, etc., but such jobs are more likely to be with smaller web development firms.

[MarcMiller]

"If you want to work for a consultancy firm or large company, then Java (JSP) and/or Microsoft .NET are much more in demand than PHP or Perl."

IS Java (JSP) harder to learn than PHP.

[barns101]

IS Java (JSP) harder to learn than PHP.

I know PHP and have looked at Java a little. Java seemed harder to get my head around then PHP had been.

[httpwebwitch]

once you learn programming in one language, you can pick up other languages pretty easily. What is programming? variables, loops, conditions, objects, properties, methods. Figure out those concepts and how to use them effectively, and you can do it in any language.

I suggest PHP because it's friendly for beginners, while powerful enough for serious applications. And it's free. You can set up an Apache server with PHP at home for $0.00 and train yourself in the same server environment used by XYZ corp who will someday hire you.

And it's true: PHP and MySQL go together like PB&J. Start out with PHP and you'll soon be picking up a little SQL here and there... in no time you'll be developing data-driven pages. I wish I could learn it all over agian - the exploration is intoxicating. Do that for 6 months and you'll be ready for Regular Expressions and XSLT.

Ignore Java and JSP. Waste of time.
(httpwebwitch ducks to avoid malicious projectiles)

[edited by: httpwebwitch at 2:56 am (utc) on Sep. 21, 2006]

[httpwebwitch]

such jobs are more likely to be with smaller web development firms

That's what you should expect at first anyways, until you've cut your teeth on your first 30 web projects. Look to the smaller agencies, especially "design" agencies who would have a greater need for intermediate web developers for simple projects.

What's that about needing a CompSci certificate or bachelor degree? No way. I'd RATHER hire someone who learned it on their own. I consider that an ASSET. What will I do if I want my employee to learn a new technique? send him back to school? Forget it - I like someone who can become an expert by RTFM.

I also prefer hiring someone who knows what RTFM stands for