It is not a rare thing to hear someone complaining about the job they do. You might find yourself doing just this, even on a daily basis. If so, there is probably a good reason for that – you’re not getting paid well, you hate your colleagues, you hate your boss, you feel as if you’re just a worthless cog in a bureaucratic machine etc. The good news is, this need not be the case for much longer, since there is a career that could just be a perfect fit for you and your career aspirations – web development.
Even better news is the fact that (in most cases) you won’t need a formal qualification to do it. This means you can start even today! This is, of course, provided that you have enough persistence and motivation to learn some new skills, as well as having the time to perfect them. If so, read on; if not (e.g. if you have a family to care for)…don’t worry about it, the opportunity to work from home will give you more time for those activities too! So then, let’s get started
Firstly, why is it good to be a web developer these days?
It pays well
In this digital era, internet presence is almost obligatory for almost any kind of organization that wants to be successful, be it commercial businesses, government departments, charities, artists or anything of the kind. This presence comes in the form of websites, social media, blogs and other media, the creation and maintenance of which is dependent on good web developers. This is why they are in high demand, and with around 4 billion web pages online at the moment. The number is growing daily, which makes this market attractive for developers who can start earning very decent money very quickly. For instance, even after only 4 weeks of learning to use WordPress – the most prominent content management system (CMS) – you could be earning as much as 300 dollars per project.
You can work when, where, and with whom you want
Of course, you’ll need to respect the deadlines set by your clients, but the way you divide your workload will be entirely up to you. You could work in your pajamas while lying in your bed, or in a more conventional office space. This extends to the time dimension too – should you desire to, you can take some days off for family activities and then work overnight when you have more time for the task at hand. Finally, you’ll be left to your own devices, which might seem daunting or challenging at first, but will surely rid you of the need to spend time with any coworkers or bosses that might be annoying you at your current job.
Opportunities for growth and self-fulfillment
Not to mention the amazing variety of project types you can do web development for, you will also feel like a part of something bigger than yourself while doing it. In fact, the internet is the biggest and most efficient communication tool we have today. More importantly, it is also a constantly evolving movement that keeps moving, changing and expanding both in terms of size and the opportunities it provides as a platform for business, education, entertainment and almost any other area you can think of. For such a monumental invention of civilization to keep growing, web developers are needed to lead the way, and you could be one of them. Now how exciting is that?
How do you go about becoming a good web developer?
Learn the basics
This is the groundwork you’ll need to do – and keep improving – if you want to become a serious web programmer. This means learning the basic and/or more advanced programming languages, such as HTML, CSS, PHP, Java and others. However, you cannot even think of moving onto more complex languages before mastering the main elements of the ones just mentioned.
Don’t forget the human aspect!
Remember – as a web developer, you’ll still need to talk to clients and explain any work-related issues in a way that they can understand, seeing as many of them might not be very or indeed tech-savvy at all. In addition, you’ll need to show patience and willingness to cooperate and even redo your work if needed, but this will demonstrate you’re a good businessperson to work with.
Keep an eye out for new trends
You’ll need to keep updating your skill set if you want to remain competitive, especially if working as a freelancer. Included in this are new technologies such as mobile and tablet platforms and developing apps and software for them, as well as knowledge of mail servers, web servers, firewalls, security issues, domain name systems (DNS) etc.
The last words…
Web development is certainly a promising career to consider, particularly if you’re no stranger to learning new and valuable skills. If you’ve got what it takes and are willing to put in the necessary hours, the rewards could be bigger than you can even imagine. Even if you have no intention of leaving your current workplace, learning the very basics of web programming can certainly do you no harm and will most definitely enhance your CV. ust make sure you think your choices through first, and you might just be on a path to the career of your dreams.
