5 Steps To Kickstarting Your Career In Web Development
We all want to figure out a career path that truly works for us, but picking out a degree or career path can be challenging. One of the best metrics to look at is to see which degree programs are growing in popularity. Web development has exploded in the last number of years. If you want to figure out whether a web development degree is for you, we can help you explore how to get one and just why they’re popular.
There’s tons of reasons why web development degrees have become so popular over recent years. One of the biggest is the salary. Web developers have seen some of the biggest increases in their salaries in recent years out of all tech workers, with their salaries jumping upwards by an average of 5.8% in 2016.
Web development is also a career with high salaries because it’s a career that involves highly specialized skills. Within web development, there are tons of different specializations you can choose, and since those skillsets are rare, you can command a high salary for them. This is also a highly portable career. As all work can be done remotely and almost every company needs a web developer, you’ll have tons of freedom and flexibility.
There are tons of different jobs you can do with a web development degree. You could focus on website graphics and learn how to make a site look amazing. You could hone in on e-commerce, and learn how to do all the behind-the-scenes work that makes online shops work well. Database management is also an option as a specialization, as is content management. With salaries at the lower end being $60,000 and potentially shooting up to as high as $125,000, no matter what you choose in web development, this is a seriously lucrative career.
If you want to get into web development, here’s the best steps to follow to do so.
1) Pick A Specialization
Before you embark on a career in web development, it can be helpful to figure out where you’re going early. Web development is actually a number of different jobs that link together in complex ways. As such, web developers usually specialize in a particular job, set of skills or software package. Knowing which one you want going in will help you save time and effort.
2) Get A Degree
As web development is such a large umbrella term, there’s an equally large range of degrees someone can get if they want to build a career in it. A formal education will help organize and contextualize the specific skills needed for web development, helping you to build critical thinking, problem-solving and project management skills. Examples of degrees that can lead to a career in web development include degrees in HTML programming, digital communications and web design.
3) Learn Technical Skills
However, don’t assume a degree is everything when it comes to web development. Employers keep their eyes peeled for concrete skills as well as qualifications, and when it comes to hiring decisions, the former may trump the latter. Especially in startup environments, what matters most to employers is being able to do something. Key technical skills for this career include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, as well as back-end languages such as Ruby, Java, PHP, Oracle and SQL Server.
4) Practise Coding
To get these skills, you’re going to need to practise them over and over again. Github is a great tool to do this. With Github, you can put your code onto the site. You’ll be able to show your work and how you solved problems. It can also help you practise more complex builds and get you used to working in a team. Additionally, an active Github profile is something that will make you stand out to employers.
A Github profile is just the first step in learning how to show your work online in a way that makes sense to employers. A polished portfolio, specifically dedicated to projects you’ve worked on and skills you possess, is one of the most important parts of getting a job in web development. It will show just what you’re capable of doing as a web developer and confirm to employers that you can solve their problems.
Conclusion
Of course, when it comes to financial, educational and career decisions, it’s always best to do your own research. Take your time, shop around carefully, and figure out what kind of degree would be best for you. But keep web development in mind. It could be the secret to transforming your career!
References
- “How to Become a Web Developer”, Learn How to Become, accessed 26th May 2021, https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/computer-careers/web-development/.
- “Becoming a Web Developer”, Computer Science, accessed 26th May 2021, https://www.computerscience.org/careers/web-developer/.
- “How To Become A Web Developer in 2021 — Everything You Need To Know”, CareerFoundry, accessed 26th May 2021, https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/web-development/what-does-it-take-to-become-a-web-developer-everything-you-need-to-know-before-getting-started/.
- “Starting A Career As A Web Developer: Nearly Everything You Need To Know”, SkillCrush, accessed 26th May 2021, https://skillcrush.com/blog/how-to-start-a-web-developer-career/.