The web development industry is growing rapidly, leading many to wonder how to become a web developer and how to be successful in the field. It is important for you to research not only how to be a web developer, but you must learn to be successful in the field, too. The following seven tips can help you not only decide if the field is right for you but also how to be a success.
What is yours, why? Before you begin, answer this question: Why do you want to be a web developer? Does the idea of making websites excite you? To begin your journey to becoming a successful web developer, you need to determine what it is that is going to motivate you to begin learning the skills you need.
Beyond skills, though, it is important to decide if web development would be in line with the lifestyle you currently have and that you want to attain. Will the hours and pay to support your future goals, such as having a family, having free time for travel, etc.? It’s vital for you to know about your future career and your future desired life will strengthen each other.
You also need to decide what aspect of web design you would like to pursue. If you love design and visuals, you’ll likely enjoy front-end development – everything you can see and interact with on a site. If you prefer logic and problem solving, you might want to pursue back-end programming – this is all of the coding and language you cannot see on a website, but that makes the website work.
Create a game plan and begin
Once you know that web development is what you’d like to pursue, it’s time to make a plan in order to learn the skills you need. Doing this will take a bit of research. You will need to decide how much time you will be able to devote to your studies as well as what kind of budget you have to spend on materials.
Spending some time online doing research or speaking to someone at a college that offers a web development course of study will help you design not just a list of what to study but approximately how long it will take to master your new skills. Keep in mind you will have to learn several coding languages and different tools with which to build websites.
Once you have an outline of how to go about studying website development Australia, jump right in. The sooner you begin your studies, the sooner you will be able to begin building a clientele and gaining success. Work to eliminate distractions while you study and stay disciplined through your studies.
Market yourself
One of the biggest keys to success is to market yourself. Start out by building an online presence for your business. Create profiles on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to make each of them reflect your brand and each other. If someone looks at your Facebook profile then your Twitter, they should know on sight that both belong to your business. Don’t just create these profiles and ignore them. Post regularly in order to build a strong social media presence.
Create a portfolio site for yourself, as well. This is the time where you can showcase your skills and talent to people looking for a web developer. Make your site reflect you and your business so people looking at it can see not just your talent, but also your personality. Also, be sure to include a page for links to other sites you have built so prospective employers can see a range of your abilities.
Work Smart
As you begin to work on websites, you’ll soon discover your own workflow and pace. Always seek ways to streamline your work & production without compromising your quality. However, if you spend a little time working on balancing the aspects of your business in the beginning, it will save you time & work in the long run.
Use what you know, but leave room for growth.
It is important to use your skills and knowledge to the best of your ability in every project, whether for pay or for free. But regardless of how much you know and how successful you become, always leave room to learn more and hone your skills. Stay relevant and up to date with changes.
Be Stubborn
Part of being a web developer is developing stubbornness while you work. You are going to face challenges, such as a mistake in your coding, that you are going to have to solve. Some may be easy to fix, but others will take a lot of work and tenacity. Be stubborn about working out your problems.
Be both sides of the transaction.
Remember to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, too, as you work. Take a step back from your work and look at it through your customer’s eyes – is the website fulfilling what your customer wants? Is it customer-friendly? You want your work to be impressive and attractive, but it also needs to be useable and understandable.
Success is measured in several ways, not just financially. As long as you are clear in what you want to get out of a career as a web developer, disciplined in your studies and growth in skills, and determined to market yourself in a way that shows off your skills, you will find success.
