Launched January 18, 2010, the poll looks at the challenges of how income is derived from working with an open source project, and specifically challenges Automattic and WordPress on how core developers are paid, and how those developing WordPress Themes, Plugins, and code are compensated.

* does Automattic pay WordPress core developers salary?
* are there many WordPress core developers working for Automattic full time, besides Matt?
* how about you, plugin and theme developers – are any of you successful enough that you can make a living off your plugins or themes?
* what are your secrets?

The results of the poll so far show that the majority of those who responded, who may or may not be employees of WordPress or Automattic, voted that they have a full-time job unrelated to WordPress. Next are freelancers. What is interesting to note is that the least income source is from site advertising.

While this is an informal challenge directed to promote more transparency of WordPress and Automattic hiring practices and salaries, the responses represent a lot of the hope and determination of those who want WordPress to “achieve financial independence,” as one noted.

Viper007Bond, a long time contributor to the WordPress core and WordPress Plugins, explained:

Most people work for or run their own WordPress consulting/development business. Except for a few exceptions, it’s not really possible to live off of plugins. People just aren’t willing to pay for them as much as they are for themes.

Plugins are however a good way to show your skills and get people to hire you, either as an employee or for a project.

WordPress Themes and Plugins have long been a portfolio for designers and coders, proving their worth to the community and potential employers. For those who freelance, this portfolio speaks loudly to potential clients, too. Still, many want to move beyond the free portfolio work into making a living as a WordPress expert and developer.

Another WordPress veteran, Ozh of PlanetOzh, has a full-time job unrelated to WordPress, and admited:

I’m doing a bit of freelancing related to WordPress (and to YOURLS lately) but I’ve never advertised it and I’m *really* picky about projects and clients so it barely qualifies as an “income source”, it’s really pocket money :)

WordPress has long been a “hobby” for many people working in a wide range of industries and specialities. They are doctors, laywers, musicians, athletes, chefs, writers, knitters, and ditch diggers. WordPress makes it easy to dig into the code, learning bits and pieces as you go. It also gives many a boost to their confidence, leading many to think it’s easy to become a WordPress “expert.” Most keep their day job, understanding that the hobby is a great distraction and good for stimulating the brain cells, not paying the mortgage, but the numbers of “experts” moving into the freelance and employment market is growing.

Jobs with Automattic are updated frequently. Currently, they are looking for experts in WordPress Theme design and development, a open source mobile product engineer and developer, coders, hackers, server support, and general support team members. WordPress Consultants on Automattic’s site lists a growing list of international “consultants” on WordPress. WordPress Jobs lists many jobs daily for designers, programmers, bloggers, upgraders, and other WordPress-related services. A Google search for “WordPress Jobs” turned up about 68 million results. The need is there and growing for WordPress support and services.

Today’s WordPress Theme and Plugin developers must know more than HTML/XHTML and CSS. They have to understand PHP, JavaScript, AJAX, jQuery, the new XHTML and CSS, shortcodes, embeds, servers, and the language of WordPress. They have to understand security holes, exploits, and vulnerabilities and code against them. They have to understand how WordPress works with Subversions and other support programs. It’s not as easy as it once was, but WordPress continues to “appear” easy to use and develop for under the surface.

WordPress experts and businesses based upon WordPress development will come and go, some rising to become larger companies employing a workforce, and WordPress “gurus” will rise into freelancing fame with noteworthy projects, but where will WordPress be in the future within the job force?

Are you planning upon a WordPress-related career in the future? How? What do you think it takes to be a WordPress expert? And if you are training and educating yourself now to move into the WordPress market, what skills are you going to need?