[Web Dev] - Possible to Earn... Something?
- Thread starter SpicyDuck
- Start date
There's less of a demand given the current economic climate but definitely enough work out there if you spread yourself around and market yourself well enough.
Unfortunately it's a market that is utterly saturated and differentiating yourself from the competition can be difficult, especially as it's a market where people are constantly trying to undercut each other to gain the work; even if it is of a lesser quality.
Unfortunately it's a market that is utterly saturated and differentiating yourself from the competition can be difficult, especially as it's a market where people are constantly trying to undercut each other to gain the work; even if it is of a lesser quality.
I think that depends where you're working and what you're doing, this has been the best start to year I've ever had (though I'm jinxing myself now!).
Soldato
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- 12 May 2007
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- Bristol
Very true. I'm finding that a lot of clients are actually now wanting to 'upgrade' their websites with the hope that it will bring in more business. Also, many businesses without a web presence are now wanting sites commissioned for the same reason.
To the OP: You NEED a portfolio if you're just starting.
Many new people think it's a catch22 as you need a portfolio to get work but you need to work to have a portfolio. This is not true.
If you want some diversity, just create websites for various non existent companies. You could also redo high profile websites to be how you think they should look. You'll obviously not be paid for your time but it will help get you started.
Also, I think if you're good with front end development (XHTML/CSS/*whatever*JS library), design and able to use any of of many backend packages, you'll be fine. If a client wants something done beyond your ability and you simply cannot do it, just outsource that one part.
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No you don't, it's useful when selling yourself (especially as a designer), but it's still pretty easy to get work without a portfolio. You just need to speak to the right people and be able to sell yourself, no need to spend ages creating dummy sites.
I've been doing freelance work for 10 years, almost 5 years fulltime now, and I still don't have a portfolio really. I have sites I can show people and explain what I did, but I could never advertise them as my own work (without facing legal action at least).
If you do feel you need a portfolio, ask around, there's bound to be someone in your family/social network who's wanting a website but can't spend a lot. Build them a site rather than creating dummy companies.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Nov 2008
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- 10
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- Londong | Bournemouth
YES, you do.
I bet you have and that's where your devaluation of portfolios has come from; you do not need a portfolio because you have developed experience and confidence.
This chap needs a portfolio to show capability. I interview and I run in many circles (SEO / backend / graphics / marketing) and manage people to take care of that. The first thing I will ask of a creative bod is a portfolio. Even a graduate has a portfolio, an *employable* person (in or out of work) will have one too.
What, am I expected to be content with someone 'convince' me that they 'can' do a 'great' website and that they 'know' x,y,z? Of course not, it's absurd.
SpicyDuck,
I have two pieces of advice for you. Take a website (example below), identify what works, why they did that, and look at the code. Download the code, images, everything so it's on your harddrive. Learn it, and make it your own; with your own graphics (or modify, or use royalty free graphics), add your own content (text). Obviouslly you can't do this with Amazon.com or a large dynamic website, so you will have to use your initiative to locate a simple website, 3-5 pages that works for you. Google 'template websites', or search for resellers (example below) and look at how they sell a portfolio. The idea is that you DO NOT invent the wheel, start with something someone else has created and make it your own. This is the first step and; it will teach you content awareness (identifying what's good, what's bad -remember to add that to your sell process / CV) and it will develop skills (css, html, graphics) without needing to invent everything.
Secondally, you will benefit by picking a niche that you can develop and that you have natural skill in. Profitable niches, especially in this climate or ones that offer your customer (or employer) the ability to create or save money. Website designer niches that are in less profitable are things like Photoshop, Illustrator etc. Things like SEO, copy writing, e-commerce, and blog-based websites are very big sells at the moment. My next tip then, (and this is a personal opinion), is to develop a little knowledge on SEO. Every employer and every customer can benefit from it, and learning the art of it can be very profitable for you. Best of all, the more skills you develop in step 1 (above) will bolster your SEO capability as the two are linked. Step 2 then, create a Google Analytics account. Become familiar and learn the trade of SEO and copy writing from there. It's a big one, but hey, I'm not concerned with your difficulty learning stuff and this step is optional. For your convenience, Google do host a wealth of information on YouTube (Google University) and you can pick up so much information from there until your head hurts.
But the first and most important step, to recap, is pick a 'nice and simple' website that is effective in it's goal and make it your own.
Perhaps not the answers you were looking for, perhaps not the 'best practice', but this will develop your skills (both technical and content awareness), show capability and make you employable. Don't get intimidated by my second suggestion and concentrate on that first website.
Good luck, let us know how you get along?
Majestic~
NB: On selling yourself and our friend Mickey...
If you are still in the 'amateur' stages then you need to mask that. This is called selling. I am assuming that you are not a wizard so do the next best thing, sell yourself as one cleverly. Our friend Mickey may be a wizard and doesn't need to rely on portfolios but you do. And lastly, do not go and make a website for your friends and family. I'm not being personal, I am being business. Look at the link below and make an example business website.
NB: The website I have given as an example...
If the website below (based on a Wordpress engine) is too much then Google around for a particular sector (lawyers, training, plumbers, etc etc) and find a website that works. Identify what works and create your own website with that code as a starting point.
http://www.studiopress.com/demo/corporate.html
i am in the same situation as the OP, im redesigning a site for my girlfriends fathers business, done 1 for my partner, now im in the process contacting small business owners along the line of hairdressers, joiners and such so i steer clear of e-commerce for the moment and letting them know im doing the first 5 websites at a discounted rate and i already have 3 to do, hopefully if theyre thinking about having one they'll take me up on it sooner to get the discount.
just explain that for the price of 2-3 weeks advertising in a local paper they could have a site, a .com address and hosting for 12months and the period after that would only be around £20-£30 for hosting. that makes it quite an attractive deal
just explain that for the price of 2-3 weeks advertising in a local paper they could have a site, a .com address and hosting for 12months and the period after that would only be around £20-£30 for hosting. that makes it quite an attractive deal
Right, so how did I develop my experience and confidence without a portfolio?
Having a portfolio full of examples and not real websites can often do more harm than good, all it shows is that you've not got much experience doing real work. It doesn't show that you can take a client brief and design what they've actually asked for, that you can take their input and change your designs etc... Spending time creating fake sites is mostly just time wasted.
SpicyDuck, find some real people who want real websites doing. Tell them what you can do and how you'll do it, push that you'll design based on their input, if they're wary, maybe work on spec. Even doing work on spec that you don't get is better than wasting your time on an example portfolio. You could still include failed designs in a portfolio too.
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
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- 424
Do some free work - small sites just to get yourself some example works. You could also set up your own site and sell templates. People make a small fortune off them and if you're a business and you want a site up and running quickly this sort of thing is ideal.
Associate
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I started freelancing a few years ago. Did a few cheaper jobs in order to get my name out there and a few examples to show people. I have to agree above with the need for a portfolio. You have to imagine the clients viewpoint, if they are inexperienced with the web, they will try and get as much info as possible from you. Seeing you have completed a design brief before, may help them part with the cash. It certainly won't harm the deal, unless you have poor sites in your portfolio!
I suggest just having print screens of your previous work.
Also, have a look at freelancers.net, can pitch for jobs on there so may help you get started.
I suggest just having print screens of your previous work.
Also, have a look at freelancers.net, can pitch for jobs on there so may help you get started.
Totally agree with that. If i'm being honest it's my porfolio that got me my job. For example, I made a totally ott user signup form using php, that protected from a huge list of nasty things people can do. I'd probably never put all that in an actual project, but when I was being interviewed, they were quite impressed.
I'd also say throw in bits an pieces of you fav javascript lib as I found they really impressed some employers. E.g. its only takes a few lines of JQuery to create an anuimateion effect of an item moving into your basket, but looks very impressive.