Free Internet Marketing Lessons
Ready to "Go Pro"? Leaving
the 9-to-5 Routine
by
Jeffrey Allan
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 the 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 judgment. 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, and
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 benefit 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!
--------------------
Another quality article from the Cyber Aspect &
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visiting http://www.cyber-aspect.com
--------------------
Ready to
"Go Pro"?
Leaving the 9-to-5 Routine
by Jeffrey Allan
Copyright - Cyber-Aspect.com
www.cyber-aspect.com
