Career In Web Development?

[perklator79]

Hello Guy,

 

I have recently learned HTML, CSS, and starting on JavaScript. What dose it take to make it as a web developer and what should I learn to get a job. I expect it to take a year or so to get good at web development, I am starting college in spring for networking, I have been looking for a job involving computer for over 3 years and have been playing with languages like java and C for a few years never really mastering them, but in the last year I have found myself having fun making websites and designing them. 

 

What should I learn over the next few months that I am going to have to know to get a good job doing web development, what is normal pay for a web developer and is it enough to live off, have a nice life, I know I can google wages, but I would like to know about starting off, from someone who has done it.

 

also are things like bootstrap, if I did get a job doing web development for a company do they normal frown on using that and, after you learn bootstrap are other libraries easy to learn?

 

Thanks, PerkelatorZ

[JefferyD90]

Hello Guy,

 

I have recently learned HTML, CSS, and starting on JavaScript. What dose it take to make it as a web developer and what should I learn to get a job. I expect it to take a year or so to get good at web development, I am starting college in spring for networking, I have been looking for a job involving computer for over 3 years and have been playing with languages like java and C for a few years never really mastering them, but in the last year I have found myself having fun making websites and designing them. 

 

What should I learn over the next few months that I am going to have to know to get a good job doing web development, what is normal pay for a web developer and is it enough to live off, have a nice life, I know I can google wages, but I would like to know about starting off, from someone who has done it.

 

also are things like bootstrap, if I did get a job doing web development for a company do they normal frown on using that and, after you learn bootstrap are other libraries easy to learn?

 

Thanks, PerkelatorZ

One of the first things you need to do is find openings and apply.  I personally would make sure you develop a webpage as your resume, not a paper resume.  Start applying to places right now.  There are TONS of openings but even more applicants.  Get a internship, or a cheap job even.  Develop a website or two for a church, then one for a local shop that doesn't have one.  And make sure you tell them they get a "discount" for letting you build it if you're allowed to use it in your resume for future purposes.  (make sure you put a note that says "Developed by *insert name* on *date*")

 

The reason why you should start applying now is because no high profile job is going to hire you without experience, you're going to have to take a low paying or low attention job.  So get it out of the way now!

[PrimeSonic]

I've had to begrudgingly work with web for many years. (I prefer back-end coding, not websites)

Here's what advice I can add.

 

With the direction the industry is moving, you'll want to pick up some or all of these skills:

 

1- Javascript frameworks like jQuery, Boostrap, or NodeJS that get "pretty" things on the client side up and running quickly. Knowing fundamental Javascript is important but at times you'll find that you'll want to code something that's already been done and you'll be using a Javascript framework to just plug it in.

 

2- A server-side framework, if you're going for Microsoft technology, get into MVC right away with only a glance as ASP.NET WebForms. I can't say much more for other server-side frameworks but I know that .NET skills are still plenty in demand.

 

3- A content management system (CMS) like Sitecore, where the basic skeleton of the website can be given to the client and they easily add in their text and pictures without needing to actually touch the website source code.

 

 

Now, javascript libraries are generally easy to use if you just check the references as needed. Just Google anything you want to know how to do and hopefully you'll end up on Stack Overflow. Any self-proclaimed web developer will know at least one of these well enough to use it comfortably.

 

As for salaries, assuming we're talking about the US, annual salaries for full-time employed web developers can range anywhere between $40,000-$90,000 depending on the company and the level of expertise you bring, with $60,000 being the most common starting salary for someone who already brings knowledge to the company.

That said, don't worry about what you don't know right now. You'll always be learning on the job forever, especially in web dev which is a very rapidly changing environment. A willingness to learn, and the resourcefulness to find out how to make something work will go a long way in both the job and the interview.

But yes, if you land a job that pays a respectable wage within that range, you should be able to make a decent living. Web development is a full time job, rarely a "side gig" unless you want it to be.

 

 

As for a resume, JefferyD90 gave some solid advice. If you can point to an existing site and say "I made that" it will speak volumes more than any list of buzzwords on a resume.

 

When you do begin the job hunt, make sure to get your resume on all the important job hunting sites. Monster.com happened to be the one that got me the most phone calls.

Be prepared to talk to a lot of recruiters whose job it is to scout these place and connect you with employers.

Based on that experience, I found it was more important to put up a public resume of myself rather than personally reach out to companies one by one.

 

Avoid temping agencies if you can help it. They will take a heavy chunk of your salary when you work through them rather than directly for an employer. I would argue that you should never work through a temping agency for any kind of skilled, technical work.

 

Start off free-lancing if being a full-time employee right now isn't the best option for you. Just be prepared to deal with the headache that is freelance taxes if you go that route and make enough to declare earnings.

 

Okay, that's all I can put out there. Good luck and feel free to ask more questions.

[Brenz]

Firstly, expect it to take more than a year. I spent 5 years in full time education focusing solely on Software Engineering before I got my BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering.

 

I assume you are in the US so will be around 17? The best thing you can do is go to college and get a recognised qualification, at the same time start thinking about a personal project that you can work on in your free time, it needs to be something you are actually interested in to ensure you put as much effort in as possible and won't become bored and forget about it.

 

Salary wise it will depend on your location and skill level. In the UK the average starting wage for a software engineer graduating from university is about $25,000 but if you can prove yourself this can rise quickly.

 

I wouldn't recommend looking for work of any kind now. You are inexperienced and the work load can only detract from your studies plus as you learn your code will become better and more presentable to a potential employer.

[madknight3]

Well, if the popularity of coding boot camps says anything, you can go from zero - job in less than a year if you work hard enough. So it's been done before, but it's probably not easy and there's certainly no guarantee.

 

How much time can you dedicate to learning? Can you spend as much time learning and practicing as you would working a job?