Careers

Pudd · 03-16-2004, 04:42 PM

I had a talk with my carrers department today and I was basically told to find some direction cause I have the qualifications and brains (apparently...).

I'm interested in webdesign, but I have a few questions that I want answered... I though it'd be best to ask here...

I'd like to get as many views as posible on each question, so I'dd appriciate any time and effort you put into all this, thanks in advance!

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?
(Where did you learn what you know, what qualifications do you have regrading webdesign, where did you get them, what company(s) have you or do you work for)

2. What are the good and bad points of the profession in your experience?
(Any times where you wanted to get out of the profession, or loved it so much you can't get enough of it, if that's possible)

3. Pay?
(Maybe not what you personally earn, because that's personal, but how much does an average webdesigner earn, what are the lower and higher ends like in comparision?)

Thanks for your help!
Pudd

HT · 03-16-2004, 05:29 PM

1. I was asked about 6 years ago by a neighbor if I knew how to make a website, I said no and learned. I taught myself mostly the graphic design stuff. I have a degree in software engineering so that is my qualification for programming. I work for one large design firm and freelance on the side.

2. If you try to run your own business; the bad points are trying to find clients. The good points is when you find the clients, having a new project in front of you is a good feeling. I love the profession.

3. Pay is interesting. If you have a degree, I find it to be good. For a small business, if you have good work history and recommendation you can make good money per project. The hardest thing is getting the first couple projects.

Pete

alpha3m · 03-16-2004, 07:40 PM

1. I started doing web design and development at age 11. Was just a football playin computer junkie. yeah, imagine that. Learned HTML, and Photoshop.. just have done crazy since then. Ive ran three web development companies and have done work for some fairly large companies.

2. Good points: creativity, difference in work (no project is ever the same), awesome pay

Bad Points: headaches, lack of free time, idiots for clients (mostly)

3. My average is about $34,000 / year.

RonHollingsworth · 03-16-2004, 09:37 PM

I don't consider my self a webdesigner but I'll chime in anyway

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?

Built my first site for school back in '96 which sucked btw (full of frames) I worked for an .com back in 98 in their IT department running the network. Oh, wait, I was their IT department. I was pretty much forced to take on the duty of webmaster or at least help the one we had. I learned a little bit from him. Most SEO stuff. You know white text on white background..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

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

Good points are loving what you do....bad points are hearing wife yell "get off that damn computer" and spending alot of time on the computer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

3. Pay?

My e-commerce site does me quite well...won't get personal though.

Pudd · 03-17-2004, 02:28 PM

Loads of good points here... and only a few bad points that I've already taken into consideration (lack of free time, the "geek" attributes, ie spending too much time on computers, and the "idiot" clients? So long as they pay me and they're satisfied with the work, pass on a good word, all is good. No?)

Thanks again, anymore views on webdesign, programming and maintenance as a career?

SVB · 03-17-2004, 02:48 PM

Coding in game development is very good, I was offered a job of $85000 a year (no joke) but it was in USA. Over here the game jobs arent paid as well as in America. I also know that over here webdeisgn isnt too well paid, but for a part time online job, making a good bit every week from deisgn and coding is pretty nice.

Pudd · 03-17-2004, 02:57 PM

Game development...? I didn't think of that route...
I'll extend my questions to game developers as well...
(Thanks Unreal)
Any game developers out there?

DaveyBoy · 03-17-2004, 03:06 PM

1. Used to dabble at college, since then have been learning it as a trade.

2. Sitting about, adding content, can be tedious and unrewarding.

3. Pay? - Last year, about £19k

Pudd · 03-17-2004, 03:17 PM

£19k isn't too bad... (I'm aiming high, that way I'll push myself more! lol, though really I'd be happy with 1k!!!)

sem4u · 03-18-2004, 01:32 AM

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?

In my first company, using Front Page

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

SEO and PPC can bring great benefits to companies. When algos change and some sites suffer.

3. Pay?

Not saying

Jazzee · 03-18-2004, 05:50 AM

1. I didn't choose web design as my profession. My sister worked for a company who was looking for a full-time website designer. She told him I could do it. I took the job even though I didn't know the first thing about how to make a website. I needed a job, so I figured there was no better time to learn

I learned HTML by reading a book. Everything after that, I learned by doing. I have worked for three companies on staff, plus Jazzee Design (freelance work).

2. Bad - I often get very bored with my job. Clients can be very difficult sometimes.
Good - At least I'm not bagging groceries, right?

jadzia · 03-18-2004, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Good - At least I'm not bagging groceries, right?

LOL

And to clarify, it was our other sister who got her the job.

SVB · 03-18-2004, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

Game development...? I didn't think of that route...
I'll extend my questions to game developers as well...
(Thanks Unreal)
Any game developers out there?

I have connections with alot of game developers thorugh my website. If you need any info just ask :-)

Pudd · 03-18-2004, 03:07 PM

Unreal, if you could find out the following for me please:
Popular languages, how much to you need to know about them?
And the questions I asked above.

Thanks again unreal, hey it's my life we're talking about here, don't you guys feel priviliged?

Thanks again to all those who've taken the time out to help me with this, any more information will be greatly appriciated!

basadmin · 03-18-2004, 03:57 PM

1. Im self thought , i dont do a lot of jobs for other people
2. Jobs are thin on the ground but things are getting better now again
3. I earn as much as i need to get bye most the time .. beer money mostly

ferret77 · 03-21-2004, 02:24 PM

1. How and why did you get into webdesign?

No one is hiring database and applications programmers here, in NY USA at least fresh out of college such as myself. No one I know who graduated has been able to find a job yet. So I found instead of waiting for someone to hire me to make money on the internet
(2. What are the good and bad points of the profession in your experience?

Finding clients can be challenging, they are a pain in the neck , the compeition on line is intense

3. Pay?
I couldn't live of my web design stuff by itself, SEO and the ocassianal db programming stuff is way better pay. There are people who make a lot of money doing web design. I just don't know any personally.

al2six · 03-21-2004, 02:38 PM

i'm not planning on doing web design for much longer (not that i do much now anymore anyway) because i keep thinking of one simple fact... i've been doing this stuff since i was 16!!!!!!!!!! i was no child genious. if a 16 year old can do it, will it really be much of a career? thats why i'm working on my engineering degree.

Pudd · 03-24-2004, 02:58 PM

Another thing that's popped up as a choice is software engineering. I sat through a talk on Thales Underwater Systems the other day and according to them it's fairly good pay...

And you guys say:

(Thanks so much for all your help again!)

schmeg007 · 03-24-2004, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudd

Another thing that's popped up as a choice is software engineering. I sat through a talk on Thales Underwater Systems the other day and according to them it's fairly good pay...

And you guys say:

(Thanks so much for all your help again!)

If you want to start programming it is going to take a fair investment of your own time(at least a few months dedicated) before you can get a paying job. If you are serious about programming/software development be sure to get a good C++, C# or Java book and get reading.

After that join up with an open source programming project to get a better idea of the steps involved in the development cycle.
http://sourceforge.net/
If you understand this you will be much more valuable in the job market.

ash · 03-24-2004, 10:20 PM

I wanted to get into webdesign because I loved creating things on my computer. Borrowed heaps of books on html & webdesign from friends I spent more time learning web design than studying....In the end I just couldn't do it.

*Beware Ash is about to reveal his soul to IMR Forum*

I really wanted to get into webdesign but I had to face facts... I was crap at it! I don't mind saying it now, I just didn't have to mindset and I can be a determined SOB at times, I can pretty much learn anything if I set my mind to it. But I found Webdesign wasn't for me.... there was no joy in it.

It takes a lot of time and effort to become good. There's no shortage of webdesigners out there.

I earned nothing thru web design, but it did take me thru to several other IT jobs including games tester, alpha&beta software testing, network admin etc.

Please let me make it clear... I DO NOT wish to Discourage you, pursue it as far as you can. But give yourself air to breath and don't push yourself into a single minded career too hard.

I hope what I've written helps you. Lastly you never know where you'll end up in life as far as jobs go... it's just one of those things.