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Posts Tagged ‘web development’
How to Pursue a Career in Freelance Web Development Without Floundering
3/14/2012 10:43 AM By Artisan
Nobody ever said that being a freelancer web developer or designer was going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible either. In fact, if you invest the time and effort into your career, you might be surprised at how simple you can make it.
For people who decide to pursue freelance web design careers, the first question is always “where do I find work?” If you are skilled and reliable, that is rarely the problem. Online work is abundant and a good freelance programmer will have clients beating down his or her door once people know they’re available and skilled.
So the real question becomes “how do I get noticed?” That’s called self-promtion and, for a web developer, the first step has to be creating a website for yourself. This is a chance to show your talent, market yourself and have a central location on the web to bring potential clients back to. Some other popular self-marketing techniques include blogging about your industry, posting on industry message boards regularly and networking with other professionals in your field. Of course, for people with web design careers, marketing may not be their favorite thing to do. In that case, joining a talent staffing agency can allow you to pass the marketing work on to them so that you can focus on what you do best.
Focusing on your job is something that needs to be ongoing. Interactive design and development is not one of those careers that you learn in college, do the same thing repeatedly for next 30 years then retire; it is an ever-changing field. You need to stay connected by reading industry news, stay up-to-date on the latest best practices, and yes, even taking an occasional class or getting a certification. More importantly, you need to make sure that your portfolio reflects your knowledge of current trends.
Another often overlooked aspect of maintaining web design careers as freelancers is that of reputation maintenance. The easiest way to damage your reputation as a freelancer programmer is to fail to deliver a project for a client, so to prevent this you need to be careful not to take on more projects than you can handle, projects with shorter deadlines than you are comfortable with or projects that are not in your area of expertise.
Being a freelancer programmer can be a very rewarding career if you make the investment in yourself to keep your name prominently visible in the industry, your skills sharp and your reputation top notch. Failure in any one of these areas could lead you to experience a major setback while proper attention to these areas virtually guarantees success.
Roger C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
Most Popular APIs Used By Freelance Coders
1/27/2012 4:19 PM By ArtisanApplication programming interfaces (APIs) are the tools that enable web coders to develop applications that function with existing services and websites. A perfect example is when a developer uses YouTube’s open API to embed videos onto the main page of a client’s website or when a website uses the Google Maps API to enable brick-and-mortar establishments to map their location so customers can easily find them.
Even more websites are turning to social media platform APIs like Facebook and Twitter as a way of integrating their websites with their social media accounts. This is something that YouTube, Google, Twitter and others encourage, as it is mutually beneficial by creating an interactive, integrated user experience while promoting further use of the API provider’s services.
The following is a list of some of the most popular APIs that are commonly used by freelance coders and website designers for integration with client websites. It’s by no means a comprehensive list of all of the APIs that you can find; therefore, it should only be used as a starting point for your continuing education as a web designer:
If you’re a freelance coder eager to get your name listed in a prominent position on a heavily trafficked web designers directory, learning to be fluent in some or all of the above listed APIs can help you accomplish that. Having a dozen or more websites to your credit that utilize these APIs to drive traffic can also infuse your portfolio with the kind of pizzazz and diversity that potential employers looking to hire freelance coders will sit up and take notice of.
Yet another effective way of increasing your profile in the ever-competitive world of freelance developers and web coders is by allying yourself with a creative talent agency like Artisan, where you’ll be listed alongside other in-demand professionals. To get started, sign up with Artisan today.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
Three Myths About Interactive Design and Web Development
1/19/2012 2:52 PM By Vince Font
Being a full-time Interactive Designer doesn’t mean you know all there is to know about building the perfect website. Believe it or not, there are tons of professional ecommerce Web Developers out there operating on totally false principles, completely obliviously. The real trouble with this is that buying into certain myths can turn a potentially fabulous designer into a mediocre one. Here are three common myths that Web Developers all too often take as gospel.
Too much white space makes a website look empty.
Wrong. While we’ll admit that too much white space can be a bad thing, it all depends on what your definition of too much is. Some people’s idea of the ideal website design is one that doesn’t waste a single solitary pixel. But as you might imagine, taking this approach can result in an incredibly unattractive and cluttered site. When used properly, white space can make a web page more digestable and leave a user with a far more positive impression of a brand or product.
Quality content isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Occasionally, you’ll hear someone ranting about how unimportant online content is by pointing to a popular website with zero content as a perfect example. The only thing is, situations like these are total anomalies and ecommerce Web Developers have to understand this. Effective interactive design balances quality content with quality layout and visuals. If one or the other falls out of balance, the whole site’s integrity is shot. Well-developed content may not be the only determining factor that gets someone to come to your website, but it can play a huge role in keeping them there long enough to make a purchase and often ensures they’ll come back again.
Copying a proven model will work every time.
This isn’t really a dangerous myth as much as it is a time-wasting one. Far too many people believe that they can take shortcuts to website preeminence by blindly following the example put forth by far more visible websites. The only problem is, that’s breaking one of the very basic tenets of organic interactive design. The most successful websites got to be that way as a result of trial and error, and years of making tweaks that not only took user feedback into account but that also anticipated the wants and needs of future users. Copying someone else’s model is like copying someone else’s Bingo sheet pattern. It just doesn’t work.
If you’re having trouble finding work as a full-time Interactive Designer, take heart. Even though companies hiring Interactive Designers and ecommerce Web Developers may seem few and far between, there are still ways to make money on the full-time or freelance market. Artisan is a creative staffing company that has established clients who are regularly seeking developers and designers for full-time and lucrative freelance projects.
Google NY Business Website Program Likely to Spur Web Design Job Market
12/14/2011 11:29 AM By Vince FontThe recent news that Google is unveiling a new program called New York Get Your Business Online will no doubt create tons of new opportunities for those seeking fulltime web design jobs. But rather than hitting the wanted ads and trying to get hired for a permanent position at a corporation, Web Designers are being urged to look into the boundless job opportunities they can find by working through a New York creative staffing agency.
One such agency that web designers are suggested to register with is Artisan, an agency that’s been in business over 20 years connecting job seekers with unique skills with high profile companies and agencies. With locations throughout the United States, Artisan is not only a NYC creative staffing agency but is also a viable job resource for freelancers living near the major metro areas of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
For more information about getting registered with Artisan and to be referred to numerous high profile freelance and fulltime web design jobs, professionals are urged to visit www.artisantalent.com. New York based businesses interested in taking advantage of Google’s brand new offer can find more information by visiting www.newyorkgetonline.com.
Promising Outlook for Freelance Programmers
12/7/2011 9:59 AM By Vince Font
One of the biggest myths about being a professional freelance Programmer is that work is hard to find. Statements like that, apart from being downright negative, suggest that programming jobs are in great abundance on the in-house market. But the unemployment rate will tell you otherwise. Yes, web design careers are secure and job opportunities are going to continue to grow—but the majority of that growth will be experienced in the freelance arena.
As if you needed any more reason to strike out in search of work as a freelance programmer, it’s not just the dire unemployment scene that should prompt you to do so. People with freelance web design careers can make more money than those who work in-house as salaried employees. Even when you consider the fact that freelancers aren’t guaranteed certain perks like medical benefits, paid time off, and emergency family leave, they’re still able to command far higher pay for their work for their dependability and flexibility.
What’s even more encouraging is the fact that at Artisan, freelance Developers are actually eligible to take part in group medical insurance and can even get paid time off. If this sounds like a marriage of the best of both worlds—better pay with benefits—that’s because it is. Get registered as a freelancer with Artisan today to take advantage of this truly unique opportunity and jump start your career.
The Basic Qualifications of Any Web Designer
10/10/2011 2:14 PM By Jeff OrloffThere are many web design opportunities advertised online and through various freelance talent agencies. However in order to find work in this field, there are certain skills that are consistently sought after. If you are new to this area and unsure about the basic yet key qualifications, read on.
HTML
While most websites are being built on robust web application platforms, HTML is still the foundation of the web. Knowing this basic coding language will not only help you fix problems that WYSIWYG editors can’t, but it will give you a better holistic understanding of how websites function.
CSS
HTML is the language that determines how the browser displays a web page, CSS defines its appearance, style and layout. CSS is the language used by all of the major web application frameworks as well as static websites and other frameworks like Ruby on Rails.
Programming Languages
Web coders often have a favorite language they use to program with, but they usually know more than one. Being competent in Ajax (JavaScript), PHP, ASP, Ruby and/or Java can open up many doors for web designers.
Databases
MySQL and PostgreSQL are two of the most commonly used databases management systems. Understanding databases gives designers the ability to better work with the back end of dynamic websites where content, images and other media is stored and retrieved.
Eye for Design
Of course one of the most crucial web designer qualifications to have is a strong sense of design. Without the ability to understand what looks friendly and appealing to the end user, a career in design may be short lived.
Why Web Developers May Want a Working Knowledge of Art
9/8/2011 2:46 PM By Patrick Ogle
Many people attracted to a web development career—specifically custom web design—have a background in computer science. This is obviously an appropriate beginning. But there is another skill set you might want to have when looking for freelance web designer jobs. You might actually want to be an artist or at least a creative visualizer.
A web designer job requires that you know how to program, but it is equally important that you understand key elements of design—and not just HTML color charts. Do you have a sense of what colors work together and how they may affect customer behavior? Do you know how the human eye travels across a picture and its relation to composition? When companies hire a web designer, they may not specifically think they need an artist, but if you have no background in the field and are not working with a creative partner, it will certainly show in your work.
Even if you are an experienced programmer with little or no background in art, remember that a little education never hurt anyone—even if it’s very basic. Simply exposing yourself to more art and design while furthering your knowledge of art history and theory is helpful. You may find yourself wanting to explore your own art, whether through sketches or photography.
You don’t need to know what kind of paint Matisse preferred for landscapes, which of his ears Van Gogh cut off, or that Andy Warhol grew up in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. But you can learn something about the elements of design that have persisted throughout history, and it may greatly benefit your work in web development.
New York Continues as a Mecca for Interactive Jobs
8/4/2011 12:30 PM By William Pirraglia
The market for high tech jobs in New York, formerly strong even during the recession, continues to be active and thriving. While the city’s unemployment rate remained at 8.6 percent in May 2011, hiring in financial services, health care and education slowed.
However, the market for full time interactive jobs in New York remains positive. Employers are posting many new marketing and advertising jobs for freelancers and full time employees. The online community is an oasis for marketing and advertising interactive opportunities.
As noted, hiring for non-high tech positions slowed in May, but freelance digital design and marketing opportunities continued. The demand for graphic artists and designers has been particularly strong in the first half of 2011. While there appears to be no overriding single reason for this growth, the New York graphic designer market remained active even during the depths of the recession.
Interestingly, the non-profit sectors have become excellent sources of interactive designer professionals. Recently, motion graphics designers and digital animators have been enjoying a resurgence of demand with even full time jobs increasing.
Always in demand, talented marketing copywriters should see additions to their portfolios and bank accounts with numerous opportunities in the New York City-metro area. Not wanting the digital community to collect all the talented professionals, the print industry is using the season to ramp up with new jobs for art directors, print designers and graphic designers with both digital and print experience.
As usual, New York, along with Los Angeles, continues to lead the U.S. in interactive design jobs with companies in the entertainment and other related industries. For example, Disney Interactive, with a strong presence in New York City, has been hiring for talented freelance and full time positions throughout the year so far.
The many news agencies, video production firms and web content providers are a lucrative source of contract and full time interactive jobs in New York. According to observers and the Bureau of Labor Statistics alike, this demand should continue throughout the year and could last until 2014.
Where To Find Freelance Web Designer Jobs
7/22/2011 12:34 PM By Jeff OrloffFinding freelance web designer jobs has become increasingly difficult over the years because of advancements in technologies that have made it much easier for people who haven’t necessarily mastered the same skills as web coders to put up a working website. Add this to the fact there are so many freelance web developers and designers out there, it’s no wonder so many talent prefer a fulltime job over freelance work to secure employment.
Even though web design opportunities may not be as easy to find as they once were, there are still many avenues to connect with potential clients.
Networking
Most freelance work is found through word of mouth. A friend of a colleague needs a website for their new business or your Aunt Sally wants to start a customized blog for her book club. Talking to people and letting them know you are looking for clients can have a huge impact on your business. Add this to referrals you have from existing clients and you may quickly find yourself with more work than you can handle.
Clean-up work
Another way to find clients is to look for people who need their website redesigned. Websites that are built on old frameworks or have outdated design and capabilities are perfect places to start. Many freelancers also find work from people who didn’t get the quality they expected from a less expensive “designer” they hired.
Freelance talent agencies
One of the best ways to find work is through freelance recruitment firms. They not only connect you with quality clients, but they can be a huge help with billing, communicating and interceding if there are any problems or disputes. Working with reputable agencies also allows the company you are working with know that you too can be trusted to perform the job at hand.
Three Advantages to the Freelance Web Designer Skill Set
7/14/2011 2:54 PM By Jeff Orloff
The web is an ever-evolving world, and no one understands this better than web designers. Those who have been in the industry since the beginning have seen web pages move from static text-only content to multi-media rich sites to robust web applications.
For freelance developers and designers that have managed to remain relevant in this industry for a long time, much of their success can be attributed to the fact that they are willing to change and learn new skills. Younger web coders need to follow this example if they too want continued employment throughout their career.
Three skills that a designer at any level or stage in their career should seriously consider learning are user experience design, HTML5 and CSS3.
User experience design is nothing new. Web pioneers like Jakob Nielsen have long been preaching the need for designers and developers to create websites that consider human factors, not just technologies. In addition to making a website more friendly to visitors, good UX design also reduces technical problems, avoids unnecessary design elements and expedites development because less time and resources are spent on things that don’t matter to business (and website) goals. Despite the benefits of UX design practices, many designers and developers ignore them.
HTML5 is the latest version of HTML standard, and while it is still in its early stages of adoption there will be a time in the near future when designers will have to move to it entirely. There are some radical changes between HTML4 and HTML5 that effect the way websites are built, so freelance web designers need to be prepared.
CSS3 release has been broken down into modules, unlike its predecessors, where the entire specification was released at once. Web designers and developers can begin to familiarize themselves with the added capabilities and features in modules that are considered stable and expand their skill set as newer ones are released.
