Ready to "Go Pro"? Leaving the 9-to-5 Routine
Although the title may lead you to believe that this article
only discusses issues involved with leaving your "other job" to
become a free-lance Web builder, don't be mistaken - A Web
builder's job is hardly ever finished, and the normal work-hours
of "9-to-5" will soon become a thing of that past, if you're
ready to take that big step. Web builders can frequently be
found in their offices at odd hours of the morning, and often on
weekends, so don't be too surprised if, once you're full-time in
this profession, you get a call at 2:00 a.m., asking you where
you put such-and-such a file, or what the password for some odd
FTP site is. Computer professionals in general are well-known
for their rather free working styles and hours, as well as often
times not seeing the light of day, for weeks on end. This
becomes especially true, when you have clients in foreign
countries, who operate on time zones different than your own.
Many of you out there are not yet employed full-time in a Web
professional capacity, but are more likely starting out, either
as hobbyists, freelancers, or part-timers for organizations that
have limited Web development needs. But, as time goes on, the
urge to develop bigger, better, and more sophisticated sites
will take its toll, and you may be called upon to make a
decision as to whether to try your hand at Web building
full-time or not. In most cases, builders want to give it a go,
and make a full-time career out of the Web industry. One thing
in particular that will be a challenge, is convincing
prospective employers that you have enough experience, and skill
to fill the position being sought.
So, how should you prepare for this, and when is the correct
time to make your move into the Web industry, as a permanent
career switch? To say, "Seven months, two days, and 14 minutes
after you build your first site is the correct timing" would be
an impossible thing to do. Bringing it down to specifics is not
a science, but more like an art, and you'll have to rely a lot
on your own instinct, as well as the self-confidence you have in
your own abilities. Look at the position you're applying for, in
regard to the skills you possess. If you find yourself
consistently not possessing the skill-set sought, then you need
to spend more time honing your knowledge in these subjects. At
some point, you'll see that certain advertisement and say "Hey!
I fit all of those requirements!". Bingo! You've just realized
that the time has arrived.
While you're waiting though, there are several key things that
need to be prepared. First and foremost, get yourself together a
good resume, in HTML format PLUS a text-only format. No Web
development company is going to take a potential job candidate
seriously, when they haven't even taken the time to prepare
their resume in an online accessible format. Likewise, Web
companies have a tendency to request resumes be submitted via
e-mail, and that means having a resume ready in text-only form.
When creating that HTML resume page, make sure that it is one of
the cleanest pieces of code you're created in your entire
development history. Make sure that every browser can access it,
without error messages, that layers don't show up in 3.0
browsers placed on top of each other at every turn, and that it
downloads quickly and efficiently. Creating dynamically
generated, dHTML pages, with hi-resolution graphics that take 10
minutes to download is a sure way to NOT impress a prospective
employer, and a bad reflection on your design style and
judgement.
But your work is not finished there. Aesthetics aren't
everything and your content will need to back up, what your page
design infers. Pick up a copy of a book, such as "The Damn Good
Resume Guide" (Yana Parker / 1996) and Harvey Mackay's all-time
great "Swim With The Sharks: Without Being Eaten Alive" (Harvey
Mackay / 1996). Read them, study them, memorize them. Learn what
sells you and your job skills. When the time comes to present
yourself, you'll be glad you did.
Onward with the preparation... Every developer who possesses a
personal portfolio, will have a much better chance of getting
the job position they seek. If you've built any type of site, be
it a personal site, or something built on a freelance basis,
make sure that it is available for viewing by potential
employers. If the site was built as a temporary or time-limited
site, make sure that you retain a copy of it, and it is
available somewhere, online. A note though, if you do include
personal sites in your portfolio, make sure that they represent
an image of yourself that is both professional and desirable to
prospective employers. In these cases, it may be better to
suppress references to your hobby of collecting sharp weapons,
or your on-going campaign to convince authorities you WERE
actually abducted by an alien.
In closing - The final thing to take into consideration, is to
be sure that you are getting your real worth, when being offered
a position of employment as a Web developer. Do your homework,
research the job market, pay scales, and comparable items that
are specific to your geographical location. Don't just accept
any position offered, without first considering what your OWN
requirements of the employer are. The industry is highly
competitive and the right skill-set can mean a huge difference
in the compensation and benefits packages offered.
"Wait!", you're saying, "I don't want to be a full-time
employee. I want to be a freelancer!". Well, in this case, we
have one important piece of advice for those of you wanting to
become full time freelancers... Stock up on instant noodles. You
may need them in the early days. But, that's another article,
and another month!.