Do you dream of becoming a professional website developer?
Perhaps you’ve been doing web developer work on the side to earn extra money but want to dive into the practice as a full-time career. The good news is that there are virtually endless opportunities out there for programmers who know how to write web-based applications that are primarily used on the internet.
The other bright spot is that the field not only pays well but is primarily a merit-based world where hard-workers and dedicated employees move up the ladder quickly. If that sounds like a niche where you would want to spend a decade or more, now is the time to act.
You can make the journey easier by knowing a few key points in advance. Here are some of the suggestions you’ll hear over and over again if you hang out on developers’ forums and lurk on website discussion boards where working developers meet.
A Degree Helps
It’s important to note that many developers do not have college degrees. Some of the earliest and most famous never completed high school and were fully self-taught. But today, it’s rare to find any successful ones who don’t have at least a year or two of college coursework under their belts. Whether your aim it to acquire a four-year computer science degree, earn an associate’s degree, or add a master’s diploma to your resume, financing is a key question.
The good news is that it’s possible to borrow from a private lender to cover some or all of your education expenses. For college, private student loans make good sense because they have high lending limits, can be structured to fit with your personal budget, and offer terms for people of all income levels.
If you choose to attend college or grad school to enhance your career potential in the web development field, look for schools that have a solid reputation for turning out grads who get good jobs and have wide ranging course offerings so you can diversity your programming knowled
It's Like Learning a Foreign Language
Much of the effort you’ll expend is related to learning programming languages, open-source tools, and frameworks like JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, jQuery, React.js, PHP, MySQL, Node.js, Ruby, and Java. Experienced pros like to compare the learning process with a language class. You’d never expect to become conversational in Spanish, for example, on the first day of a course.
Likewise, acquiring programming skills with PHP, JavaScript and others takes time, practice, and a good teacher. Yes, you can learn a lot on your own, but eventually, it helps to get out there and interact with others of your skill level, locate a competent instructor, and take on some very small jobs to get your feet wet.
For example, for jobseekers looking to specialize in Node.js, consider searching for “hire Node.js developer” positions to find opportunities in that area.
Decide on Front End, Back End, or Both
Before getting down to serious study and side jobs, choose whether you want to work on the customer-facing side of websites (the front end), or the server side, driving system side. If you wish to do both, and earn the title of full stack developer, consider starting out as a front-end specialist and expanding your skills as you progress.
Your Personality
You’ll have an easier time in school, self-study, or your first job as a web developer if you enjoy solving problems, are patient, enjoy learning programming languages and new things in general, and truly like to write code. That last point is pivotal because code writing is at the heart of what web developers do. If you are reading this list, chances are you already have an interest in the field and possess some or all of the above-mentioned personality traits that are part of every successful developer’s makeup.
Learn to Speak the Language
If you don’t know how to do simple coding, take a live class or head to one of the many online courses that teach the skill from scratch. Fortunately, just about anyone with a desire can gain a solid understanding of coding in just a few weeks of self-study lessons. If you’re currently a good coder, begin adding to your list of programming languages, frameworks, and markup tools. What about specific languages?
If you intend to go the front-end route, start out by acquiring core skills like JavaScript, Bootstrap, HTML, jQuery, and CSS. Those five will give you enough knowledge to create excellent websites, provided you learn to debug and test all the codes you write. For those who aim to become back-end developers, consider MySQL and PHP as your entry level skills. And, don’t fall into the trap of assuming that it’s all about the languages. They are a huge part of the career path, but there’s more to it than that.
Real World Skills
After building up your knowledge base in PHP, JavaScript and other codes, move on to the bulk of website development, doing real projects for pay or as an intern. There are many sites where newbies can accept small jobs and work their way up the ladder. Be careful to read job descriptions carefully so you don’t take on something out of your skill range.
This real-world experience is an excellent way to enhance your resume, make a few contacts, and possibly earn a couple dollars while you’re at it. If you are still in school while you work through this step, all the better. By the time your graduate, finding full-time work will be that much easier. Hiring managers routinely look for candidates who have done web development on the side while learning theory in the classroom.
Join a Forum and Freelance Site
There are plenty of developer forums online for you to check out several and find one that suits your interests and skill level. Some are especially set up for beginners. Once you’re part of a forum, ask questions, make contacts, find out about job opportunities, inquire about small projects, investigate interning opportunities, and simply use the knowledge of everyone there to build your confidence and connections.
Of the many freelance sites, they include projects for those brand new to the field. Be sure to accept several small, paying jobs that are within your competency level and do them perfectly. This is an ideal way of building up a long-term network and finding out what types of tasks you prefer to do.
