First ever job in web development

Chay525

Chay525

Chay525

Associate
Joined
25 Aug 2010
Posts
67
Location
Essex
I managed to land a placement year with my Uni's web dev / internet assistance team. At the interview everything went okay (clearly) and they asked me some questions about all sorts like HTML, CSS, PHP and SQL. All of which I have covered a bit of in the past 2 years of study.

How ever I can't help but be incredibly nervous to start which is not until the 1st of October. I have not done too much PHP, and when I have it has been in group work so I have never been completely alone so to speak in my work.

Does anyone have any advice or can shed light on what it was like when you first started a real job in the industry?
 
you'll probably be a biatch for the first month while they assess you. You don't say you know something when you don't. They'll start you with basic HTML/CSS stuff and work you from there.

If you're nervous about things, start practising now :)
 
Yeah I thought as much, I'm guessing they wont expect me to be "amazing" at everything right away but I have been polishing my skills using a load of different websites including w3schools. I have my own website and that which I manage myself and have done a fair bit of sqlDev work in the past year. I just don't seem to be able to shift the nerves though. The only bit of a relief is that there is two of us doing the placement year!
 
desires said:
Something I've always wondered when learning a programming language, just when do you know the language?
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Exactly this is why I'm nervous. Just a couple of days ago I come across something new to me when I was doing some work and it made me feel like I know nothing again!
 
The developers that take an interest and learn things for themselves, usually by playing and tinkering at home, are the ones that do best. So get hacking :)

I started when I was 17, part time at a local firm after about a few years of messing about at home. Did my apprenticeship with them. It was a good experience, better than going to uni for me. I stayed with them for 5 years but it's good to move around to get different views on things and learn from more experienced people.
 
desires said:
Something I've always wondered when learning a programming language, just when do you know the language?
Click to expand...

Knowing the language is the easy bit for developers. Most languages have common commands/functions, the principles of purpose replicate. Then it's just a case of learning the syntax/nuances of a particular language.

The difficult bit is putting it together in a well formatted, well documented, properly designed program. Most people can throw code together, but writing good code is a completely different story.

Agree with Shad, if you feel you need to improve your skills in an area then set yourself a personal project.
 
You'll be fine! They know you're a student and they'll know it's your first web dev job!

They'll probably get you to do some small content updates and that sort of stuff for a while, but you'll get into the swing of things in no time! Just enjoy yourself - You've picked the best industry ( in my opinion :) )


P.S - I'm a "professional" web developer, but come across new things every day that I've never even heard of... but that's how you learn! It would be no fun if you knew everything :)
 
I wouldn't worry to much about 'knowing' the language, especially trying to remember all the functions etc. I still Google PHP functions every day to remember in which order the variables go, what they return with as a default etc etc. It's more knowing what you an achieve with the language and more importantly the best way of doing it.

Besides, i wouldn't worry, it's not as though they're going ask you to design a eCommerce app on your first day!!
 
Thanks for the reply's guys some great reassuring comments. It's nice to hear that even the experienced still use Google for reference now and then haha!

I have started a little personal project just to keep my mind on top of things but I think I may actually be slightly excited to start now!

Thanks!
 
Addicted said:
Avoid W3Schools like the plague.

http://w3fools.com/ - I say no more.

Other than that, as you've said, just keep writing and practicing, it's all you can do :)
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Oh god not this argument again.

To summarise, W3Schools is a perfectly valid resource and their information is accurate. W3Fools are annoyed because they [W3Schools] are trading under the W3 name when they are in no way affiliated with the W3 web standards organisation. W3Fools selectively quote to make their point which puts me off them just as much.
 
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