Webmaster forum - Career in Web Design?

Author

Career in Web Design?

Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

Hi.
I have designed a few websites for myself and my boss.
I like it.
I'm considering getting a certificate and pursuing this as a career.
I'm in the Denver area.
Does anybody have any idea how hard it might be for me to find an
employer?
I've checked Monster and Dice, etc. and that doesn't look very
promising.
I'd much rather work for someone else than be a free-lancer.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, in advance.

Shawn

Sharif Karim

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz wrote:
> Hi.
> I have designed a few websites for myself and my boss.
> I like it.
> I'm considering getting a certificate and pursuing this as a career.
> I'm in the Denver area.
> Does anybody have any idea how hard it might be for me to find an
> employer?
> I've checked Monster and Dice, etc. and that doesn't look very
> promising.
> I'd much rather work for someone else than be a free-lancer.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks, in advance.
>
> Shawn
>

I don't know about how the field is in Denver but as far as New York
goes, I think I got it figured out.

YES, there are careers in Web Design... and I feel that NO, you do not
need any certificates that say "Yea, this person knows how to make
graphics by this school's standards."

If you would really like to land a big position at a well-paying design
firm, I suggest getting quality work in your portfolio and acquire your
own personal list of clients just in case.

--
Sharif Karim - Attempting To Take Over Your Internet
http://sharifkarim.blogspot.com

trevor

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

> Any thoughts?

what are your other options?

SpaceGirl

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz wrote:
> Hi.
> I have designed a few websites for myself and my boss.
> I like it.
> I'm considering getting a certificate and pursuing this as a career.
> I'm in the Denver area.
> Does anybody have any idea how hard it might be for me to find an
> employer?
> I've checked Monster and Dice, etc. and that doesn't look very
> promising.
> I'd much rather work for someone else than be a free-lancer.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks, in advance.
>
> Shawn
>

If you're good with people and have a great portfolio, that's all that
matters. Build a good site showing off your skills and containing your
portfolio; this is what you show potential clients. Cold calling works
well, but I guess networking is the single best thing. Talk to other
designers in your area. Often designers have small jobs they dont have
time for themselves and these are great to get you started.

--

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.

Sharif Karim

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

SpaceGirl wrote:

> Cold calling works well, but I guess networking is the single best thing.

Does it really? This is one method I have not tried just for the simple
fact that I would not know what to say... or how the person on the other
end might react!

Me: Hello... blah blah ... I make web site ... blah blah
Them: Why the hell are you calling me with this phone spam?

What if that happens!

--
Sharif Karim - Attempting To Take Over Your Internet
http://sharifkarim.blogspot.com

SpaceGirl

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

Sharif Karim wrote:
> SpaceGirl wrote:
>
>
> Does it really? This is one method I have not tried just for the simple
> fact that I would not know what to say... or how the person on the other
> end might react!
>
> Me: Hello... blah blah ... I make web site ... blah blah
> Them: Why the hell are you calling me with this phone spam?
>
> What if that happens!
>

You move on. But that like I said, networking is the thing. My two big
contracts are from doing very small jobs for people in the past which
went well and being recommended for bigger contracts etc etc. Personally
I've never cold-called, but I know a few designers who have done well
from it.

--

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.

Sharif Karim

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

SpaceGirl wrote:

> You move on. But that like I said, networking is the thing. My two big
> contracts are from doing very small jobs for people in the past which
> went well and being recommended for bigger contracts etc etc. Personally
> I've never cold-called, but I know a few designers who have done well
> from it.

By the way... your portfolio is awesome. I love that style.
--
Sharif Karim - Attempting To Take Over Your Internet
http://sharifkarim.blogspot.com

SpaceGirl

2005-12-11, 6:41 pm

Sharif Karim wrote:
> SpaceGirl wrote:
>
>
> By the way... your portfolio is awesome. I love that style.

You are kidding I assume. My online portfolio is terrible - but then I'm
not looking for clients - I might die if I tried to work any more.

--

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.

Red E. Kilowatt

2005-12-11, 6:42 pm

"Sharif Karim" <sharif@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:oi0nf.7093$Ys4.4924@twister.nyc.rr.com
> SpaceGirl wrote:
>
>
> Does it really? This is one method I have not tried just for the
> simple fact that I would not know what to say... or how the person on
> the other end might react!
>
> Me: Hello... blah blah ... I make web site ... blah blah
> Them: Why the hell are you calling me with this phone spam?
>
> What if that happens!

Cold calling is tough, but it is a very cost-effective way to develop
some leads. Rather than just dialing one number after another, you'll be
much more successful with it if you are able to personalize your
approach based on whatever types of businesses you are contacting and
whatever needs you think you can satisfy. It's much easier to sell a
"solution" that saves time and money and/or increases profits, than a
service.
--
Red

Auggie

2005-12-11, 6:42 pm

<Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz> wrote in message
news:1134331509.700145.44410@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hi.
> I have designed a few websites for myself and my boss.
> I like it.
> I'm considering getting a certificate and pursuing this as a career.
> I'm in the Denver area.
> Does anybody have any idea how hard it might be for me to find an
> employer?
> I've checked Monster and Dice, etc. and that doesn't look very
> promising.
> I'd much rather work for someone else than be a free-lancer.
>
> Any thoughts?

No matter which route you go (freelance or working for a company) you'll
need to develop a portfolio of sites. Web design companies would rarely
hire somebody just fresh out of school based upon their school project
portfolio. With freelance there will be a greater dependance upon your
ability to sell than what you've done in the past, but a portfolio will
still come in handy.

In the case of either going to school vs being self taught... Freelance
employers probably won't care how you learned your trade, but in going to
work for a company they probably would prefer somebody who went to school
over somebody self taught. Thats not to say that a course on web design
will necessarily teach you more about web design and programming, but it
will teach you things like team work, project management and structured
programming/development.

If you enroll in a school for a web design course, make sure its one that is
respected and well thought of by potential employers. You'll probably have
a choice between multiple schools for a course in web development... taking
the cheapest one isn't the best answer if nobody has heard of the school...
likewise the most expensive doesn't always mean "the best" either.

One thing you need to watch out for is companies that hire and fire
developers to steal their clients. Most companies will have you sign a
contract that stipulates if you work for them you have to sign over all your
existing clients to them. Not a big deal overall, but there are some
companies that hire people, have them sign the contract, take all their
clients and then fire them a month or two later.

Working freelance you have the chance to make more money... but its alot
more work and doesn't have that safety net of a steady paycheck. On the
other hand, your job at a web design company is only as safe as long as they
can keep the jobs coming in. To this end you want to keep your options
open, even if you have a good and steady job.

William Tasso

2005-12-11, 6:42 pm

Writing in news:alt.www.webmaster
From the safety of the http://groups.google.com cafeteria
<Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz> said:

> Hi.
> I have designed a few websites for myself and my boss.
> I like it.
> I'm considering getting a certificate and pursuing this as a career.
> I'm in the Denver area.
> Does anybody have any idea how hard it might be for me to find an
> employer?
> I've checked Monster and Dice, etc. and that doesn't look very
> promising.
> I'd much rather work for someone else than be a free-lancer.
>
> Any thoughts?

Don't give up the day job till you have ...
o enough regular work to bring in your salary &c.
o a years wages in a savings account
o ddesign and build staff so you can get on with the business of running a
business.

--
William Tasso

Save the drama
for your Mama.

Alex

2005-12-12, 3:40 am

SpaceGirl

2005-12-12, 7:15 pm

Alex wrote:
> <Shawn@Thrillofthechase.biz> wrote in message
> news:1134331509.700145.44410@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Design skills are nice, but I think the trend today is to look for talent in
> programming -- PHP, ASP, etc. Corporate websites typically have important
> business functions (customer contact/interaction, e-commerce, online
> catalogs, supply chain management, intranet, etc.) They are rarely static
> HTML pages, except for very small mom-and-pop companies that would not have
> a web designer on staff.
> So think about whether you like the graphic design side of website work or
> are willing to tackle the programming end. For the latter, I would think a
> certificate from a recognized institution would be a real asset. But I would
> check carefully on their success in placing graduates before I handing over
> my tuition money.
>
> Alex
>
>

I'll second that for corporate sites. Big companies often have their own
brand guidelines, design agencies etc etc and are more interested in
people who can put sites together rather than actually do all the
"design" work.

--

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.

Will

2005-12-29, 6:48 pm

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In article <403k9eF1897qoU1@individual.net>,
nothespacegirlspam@subhuman.net says...
> Sharif Karim wrote:
>
> You are kidding I assume. My online portfolio is terrible - but then I'm
> not looking for clients - I might die if I tried to work any more.
>
>
>

Hi Miranda,

Just had a quick look through your online portfolio, following
the above reference to it, I think it looks quite impressive but I did
notice one apparent error within: http://www.subhuman.net/news/news.asp
if your scroll to the bottom and mouseover "downloads" then the text
that appears relates to the next item "contact us".

HTH.
--
Regards,

Will.

Baho Utot

2005-12-29, 6:48 pm

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 11:19:59 +0000, Will shouted Hoy......

>
>
> In article <403k9eF1897qoU1@individual.net>,
> nothespacegirlspam@subhuman.net says...
>
> Hi Miranda,
>
> Just had a quick look through your online portfolio, following
> the above reference to it, I think it looks quite impressive but I did
> notice one apparent error within: http://www.subhuman.net/news/news.asp
> if your scroll to the bottom and mouseover "downloads" then the text
> that appears relates to the next item "contact us".
>
> HTH.

http://www.subhuman.net/gallery/index.php

CGI Error
The specified CGI application misbehaved by not returning a complete set
of HTTP headers. The headers it did return are:

Nice site.

--
Dancin' in the ruins tonight
mail: echo onub-hgbg@pbyhzohf.ee.pbz | PERL -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
Tayo'y Mga Pinoy

SpaceGirl

2005-12-29, 6:49 pm

Will wrote:
> In article <403k9eF1897qoU1@individual.net>,
> nothespacegirlspam@subhuman.net says...
>
> Hi Miranda,
>
> Just had a quick look through your online portfolio, following
> the above reference to it, I think it looks quite impressive but I did
> notice one apparent error within: http://www.subhuman.net/news/news.asp
> if your scroll to the bottom and mouseover "downloads" then the text
> that appears relates to the next item "contact us".
>
> HTH.

ooh that site is so dead lol. we have a sexy new one launching in a week
or so that replaces that. Thanks for the comments though :)

BTW - we've added stacks of video now too. I just LOVE Flash 8!

--

x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.dhnewmedia.com #
# remove NO SPAM to email, or use form on website #
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2005
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.