Granted it is now the 18th day of this month, with the Christmas period to come so there isn’t necessarily a huge amount of time, though I am still unemployed and there will be plenty more hours to fill until this changes.
I chose PHP as it is something that I am keen to solidify my current basic learning of, and expand to a level where it could definitely be classed as a skill to a potential employer.
I know the basics fine, if statements, loops, building my own functions, etc – I know that from JavaScript and the principles apply albeit the syntax is slightly different.
Two things that I am particularly keen to learn is how PHP works with MySQL databases, and how to structure a registration/log-in system. I do also feel that I should learn how to use classes and how Object Orientated Programming is reflected in PHP.
There are two courses which will teach me all of this in Lynda – PHP with MySQL Essential Training and PHP with MySQL Beyond the Basics. Totaling a whopping 25 hours of video, not to mention the additional time it will take me to code along with the videos, it would be quite a feat if I completed both by the end of the month.
Not to mention that I have my own projects to finish too, including My Website Is Shit, where I will present the user with a horrendous-looking website to begin, and a button to fix it – it will then animate into a nice, finished state. I have only done the finished state so far, and I am not yet overly happy with it. It may well undergo a new iteration not long after it is finished. Its just something fun I’m playing with and who knows, maybe it will get me one or two projects, especially if I can integrate my sense of humour into it.
I’ve also promised a friend that I will do something for him – basically mock up a preview of a website. I’m sworn to secrecy though.
Then I do also have a PHP project that I’d like to do once I know how to use databases and log-ins. Hopefully I will get time to start it next month. It is something I want on the internet and it will fix an issue I have if nothing else.
Finally, in properly exciting news, I had an e-mail on Friday from a potential employer that included the words, “I had a read of your blog”, my first thoughts were “oh crap what have I written” but all positive and he has set me a coding challenge to do. Which I should probably start to do now.
I would give it the whole, its such an amazing opportunity, I’ve truly love to work there thing but he has already read my blog once and I don’t think that would be overly subtle.
But it would be perfect and not only that, they are ethically right up my street. I’ll say no more, I don’t want to get excited. I just need to prove that I can be their perfect junior web developer now.
I best get a shower and some food, and get cracking. Although I have a date with a crazy Cumbrian and a plate of gravy at 2pm.
