Getting started as a web developer

So you want to be a

Web Developer

Anna Debenham

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anna_debenham/2309976423

How did you get started in the

industry?



http://www.flickr.com/photos/boagworld/1676054628



http://www.flickr.com/photos/iboy/4333362932

Europe is about to face a shortage of

70,000 skilled workers in the tech

sector by 2010

http://goo.gl/VrCI

http://www.flickr.com/photos/e3000/2104850919





One reason for this is the general level

of understanding among today’s

students…http://www.itpro.co.uk/626212/ict-education-fails-at-a-

level








…their use of technology often outstrips that of their teachers.

http://www.itpro.co.uk/626212/ict-education-fails-at-a-level







http://www.flickr.com/photos/carina/141960724

£25,000Student debt for those starting

University this year

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-10952303





Screenshot from Fallout 3 by Bethesda Software Ltd.


Getting a job


Interning


Freelancing

FreelanceSwitch Survey Report 2008


Why freelancing rocks

You are your own boss

Flexible hours

It’s a challenge

Varied work

Money


Why freelancing sucks




You are your own boss




Flexible hours




It’s a challenge




Varied work




Money






http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenr/2861459880

Limited Companyvs

Sole Trader



http://www.flickr.com/photos/johannahobbs/321295599

Marketing




http://www.flickr.com/photos/zizzy/89696604

Money





Undercharging





The less they pay you, the less they

respect you





£500 over 4 weeks divided by 2 people works out at £1.56 per hour – I’m not showing you those sums to be patronising at all, please don’t think that, but I’m just merely trying to point out why it would have to be increased considerably before we could look to producing the site for you.

http://sazzy.co.uk/2009/04/why-i-cant-build-a-website-for-500

“

Sarah Parmenter




Ask for money up-front. Always.





Do the maths




Business Expenses(£10,000)




+ Personal Expenses(£10,000)




÷ Days you work(200)




÷ Hours you work(8)




% Billable work(80%)




+ Pension/Yacht Fund(£11,000)




=Ideal hourly rate

£25Break even rate

£16.50




freelanceswitch.com/rates




22% 22%

43%13%FreelanceSwitch Survey Report 2008





http://www.flickr.com/photos/427/2255670331/

Taxes




Why should I register?




National Insurance




VAT




Tax Return (class 4)





http://www.flickr.com/photos/julishannon/2434691031

Contracts




What services you’re providing




What happens if things go wrong




Whether you can talk to other people about

the project




Who owns the work




What happens if deadlines aren’t met




When they must pay for the work




When the project launches




If you do not already take some form of payment prior to launching a site, no matter how difficult you think it might be, I urge you to re-think as I have never lost business due to it. While you are in possession of your hard work and while the client wants possession of their new website, the ball is in your court.

http://sazzy.co.uk/2009/04/why-payment-prior-to-launch-is-so-important

“Sarah Parmenter



http://24ways.org/2008/contract-killer



http://www.flickr.com/photos/cathski/4983434794

Top 5 Freelancing Mistakes



http://www.flickr.com/photos/maistora/3014414972

#1Offering too many

services



WEB DESIGNER (SPECIALIST)

FRO

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DES

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UX

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Modified from Undercover User Experience Design - Cennydd Bowles and James Box (New Riders 2010)

Modified from Undercover User Experience Design - Cennydd Bowles and James Box (New Riders 2010)

WEB DESIGNER (GENERALIST)

FRO

NT

EN

D C

OD

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DES

IGN

UX

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/vizzzual-dot-com/2226095398

http://twitter.com/aral/status/3128153930





http://www.flickr.com/photos/dschex/2352996007

http://twitter.com/aral/status/3123545872





http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukasvermeer/4185262465

#2Taking on more work than you can cope

with



http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewbain/2228633614

#3Not backing up



http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinsteele/1507196484

Buy a laptop



http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/2149309015

#4Linking from you

professional website to your

unprofessional Twitter feed



http://www.flickr.com/photos/barwell/114781031

#5Referring to yourself as ‘we’ rather than

‘I’



flickr.com/photos/nowhere77/3377526222/

The Stereotype



http://www.flickr.com/photos/paopix/1005012929/



http://aneventapart.com/alasurvey2009/07.html



http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcthiele/5032878619



http://www.flickr.com/photos/adactio/463842816



http://www.flickr.com/photos/adactio/463842816



Nick Cammarata and David Merfield from http://uploadrobots.com/Nick Cammarata and David Merfield from http://uploadrobots.com/



Nick Cammarata and David Merfield from http://uploadrobots.com/

“Do you think your age has been a help or a hindrance to the development of the

project?”




“Being so young, VC backing was not an option as it’s too

risky to invest in a couple

highschoolers.”




“We also have to constantly conceal our age because we are dealing with people’s important documents, and they might not trust us

because people, including ourselves, are inherently

ageist.”



James Proud http://giglocator.com

http://giglocator.com



“Has your age got in the way of what you do, or has it helped

you?”




“Before I had to show my face I never really promoted my age. I just didn’t think it was important. But it’s helped me the fact that

people are amazed that I’ve done this at this age.”



http://www.flickr.com/photos/koesbong/158345090

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will

be successful.”- Herman Cain



www.scrunchup.com

http://www.scrunchup.com

http://www.scrunchup.com

Technology

Getting started as a web developer