Careers - Page 2

Malignant · 03-25-2004, 04:00 AM

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?

I was involved in a gaming clan for a Half-Life Mod called Team Fortress Classic. They needed a website so I decided to have a go. I had no idea at the time how to code them so I used Microsoft Publisher 98 to help me. From then on I decided to learn how to design and code web pages properly.

2. What are the good and bad points of the profession in your experience?

I'm a free-lancer so I tend to hate the up-and-down nature of the job. Just recently I didn't have any clients for a whole week and then suddenly got three new clients on the same day. Also because I work from home it's difficult to relax as it's also my workplace as well. Because of this I'm looking for a web design job that gets me out of the house.

Another negative are the clients that think you can still buy a fully designed and working dynamic website for £50. Then you see a full page colour advert of theirs in a local magazine that you know is worth £400 a time. Maybe it's just the area I'm living in but I seem to get more joy from clients further up the country or abroad.

A good point about free-lance in this profession is that I can work when I want. If I work too long into the night I can reward myself by having a lie-in the next morning.

Pudd · 03-27-2004, 05:39 PM

You were involved in the making of TFC? That comes with the game now doesn't it?
(Off topic: Any plans for a mod for HL2? )
That's one thing I want to be able to to, reward myself. I find that I can motivate myself if I can reward myself afterwards, like having a lie in, or going out for the night if I work that day... That type of thing. But I don't like the idea of being stuck in a dead-end job (who does?), I want a job with variation and somethign that I enjoy.
Which is why I thinking about programming, there's variation, and if I were to freelance, I set my hours (within reason) etc. But I'm still looking around...

If anyone has anyother idea, feel free to shout them my way, and I'll listen and give it a thought (or two, if your lucky!).

Cheers again!

Pudd

Malignant · 03-29-2004, 06:05 AM

Quote:

You were involved in the making of TFC?

No, I was in a clan. Which is a group of people who play the game online together as a team against other clans.

I haven't done that sort of thing for over two years now.

Pudd · 03-29-2004, 02:50 PM

Ah, sorry, I misread... Somehow I managed to miss out the "in a gaming clan for" so I read "I was involved in a Half-Life mod..."
My mistake! lol
Still, Half-Life is a great game, if I could be payed to be in a clan, I'd do that! Would be a gret job!
Can't wait until Half-Life 2 is out...

kiwidesigner · 03-29-2004, 10:43 PM

It does seem (at least thats what I've found) that the best designers are always self taught which of course doesn't count when you're submitting your CV to a Web Design company. They really should take into account the portfolio much more than all the degrees a designer has. I've had a ton of designers with all sorts of degrees sent their CV's to me and yet their work is crap

Seems someone with a 'natural knack' for the design process and programing get left out in the cold really. And "NO" I'm not looking for a job :wink:

Karen

syncmaster · 03-30-2004, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?
2. What are the good and bad points of the profession in your
3. Pay?

1. While in college I learnt web design and worked part time for an ISP where I was in technical support and designed websites for their clients. From then on I developed my web design and development skills.

2. It is fun to work with clients, to be creative and solve problems. The bad points are the pressure to complete the projects on time and keeping track of multiple projects at the same time.

3. It pays very well if you are in web development, from customizing scripts to programming databases. Also, E-commerce design such as creating and/or customizing shopping carts pays very well.

Pudd · 04-14-2004, 05:28 PM

I'm self taught, and I hold no qualifications... Yet, though I may get some just to show I can do what I claim to be able to do when I finish college...

aawebmaster · 04-14-2004, 09:39 PM

1. I wanted to create a personal website and perhaps make money developing websites.

2. HTML was easy to learn, but it's hard to keep up with the new (don't know Flash, barely know PHP, starting to learn ASP.NET).
3. Never made any money yet except for nickels and dimes from using AdSense on my websites.

Pudd · 04-15-2004, 07:07 AM

Is there anyone else involved with non-open-source programming. Things like C++, C#, VB?