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Evolution of a Web Developer

By: Rob Miley - Milco Web Design

For those of you who are trying to break into an Internet profession these tips could be very helpful. With any career, employers want employees to have real world experience prior to employment. This is especially true in the Web development arena. I have assembled this tips based on my own encounters to help combat the "catch-22" of having real world experience and to give you a better guide as to how you can become an Internet professional.

  1. Choose your career for the right reasons
    Although this is a fundamental concept for any field, it is certainly key in the Web world. If dollar signs are your only motivation then please reconsider your options. Flooding the market with non-dedicated workers will ultimately drive wages down and produce substandard work. Embracing the science of technology, the art of creation, and the process of business models is a good start at finding out what motivates your desire to enter this field.

  2. Learn "raw" HTML
    After you have established why you want to be a Web professional you can start on the how. Regardless of whether you want to be a Web designer, Web developer, Web marketer, or claim name to any other "Web" related title, you will need to learn the backbone markup language of the Internet: HTML. HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the presentational language that is used in creating basic Web pages. It is the first technology that you should learn. While some people may suggest learning an HTML editor program such as Frontpage or Dreamweaver first, I would suggest learning the raw HTML code without an editors help. There are at least 2 reasons for doing this. The first is cost. If you have a computer with a browser and a simple text editor (ex. NotePad) then you can start making Web pages now without buying anything. Buying professional HTML editors can cost upwards of $200. The second reason is to better understand what the editors do and to reduce your learning curve for other editors. If one can hand code HTML than that person will have an advantage when working with different editors and platforms than a person who solely depends on a program to do the work for them. There are plenty of free online tutorials that will help with learning HTML so start with the raw basics.

  3. Create your own Web sites
    Once you understand how to create a Web page you can then experiment with creating your own Web sites. There are free Web host companies out there that will give you a cost effective playground to perfect your skills (ex. www.brinkster.com , www.freeservers.com ). Make a Web site about anything you want. The object here is to learn as much as possible at the cheapest cost.

    Creating a few personal sites will help give you a portfolio to build off from. Your portfolio will be used to show prospective employers of what you can do. After awhile, you may even want to create your own freelance site with your resume, portfolio, contact info, and other information to help market your new skills.

  4. Paying your dues
    Rarely will an employer offer a full-time paying position to an individual with only a few personal Web sites under his/her belt. This means that you will need to get real world experience. One way to do this is to approach small business owners that you may know or have worked for in the past. Ask them if you could build a Web site for them. Mention that you will do it for free and they will be more apt to allow you to develop their site (I found this technique VERY helpful). You may then get referrals to do other sites or at least add a little real world experience to your portfolio.

    Another avenue to explore is interships. A non-paid or low-paid position where you learn about how professionals operate is better than any classroom lecture I can recall. This allows you to gain valuable working experience along with creating relationships with possible employers. One drawback to internships is that it could be difficult to find a company willing to offer them.

  5. Use college resources
    The best way to find an internship or entry-level job is at your local college or university. Most have a career or employment services department that focus on getting their students jobs. This approach seems to be the most used technique on entering into any profession.

  6. Networking...and not just computer systems
    Start to network with people. Get involved with organizations, such as the St. Louis Web Developers Organization, and starting mingling with people already in the business. You can gain a great perspective of what is currently going on in the industry as well as meeting people who could help you with technical questions, career guidance, or even a future co-worker.

  7. Third party recruiters
    While Hollywood has agents for actors, the Tech industry has agencies that place professionals into short term and long term positions with various companies. Once you have a few years of experience these types of recruiters can help out tremendously. Basically, third party recruiters search for jobs for you so they can make a commission if you get placed. Check out the latest postings on Monster.com, or Hotjobs.com and you will notice that a lot of the opportunities are thru agencies. In a slow market having an agent could prove to be an advantage in securing a job.

  8. Persistence and Patience
    Although the radio commercials want you to believe that as soon as you get a diploma or training certificate the employers will line up to hire you, I would not expect it. Being proactive in your job search is essential. Make yourself as visible as you can to prospective employers by sending out resumes and going on any interviews you can. Don't get discouraged when you do not receive a call about a resume you sent out. There is most likely more than one person looking for the same position.

If you ever do land a job, don't take it for granted! Give 110% effort and work your way up. Since your position may never be secure I would also suggest that you keep your resume up to date and periodically browse the want ads, online job postings, and talk with recruiters just to be safe.

I am sure that there are other tips out there that could be added to this list, but for now these basic 8 should help get your feet wet in the Web development industry. If you would like to learn more about how to become a Web developer you can contact the St. Louis Web Developers Student SIG (Special Interest Group) to participate in their monthly meetings.