Guide to Careers in Web Design for Undergrads

Web design drives and sustains the Internet since it can’t run without properly designed websites. Therefore, you are in an advantaged profession if you choose to pursue a career path in this field. So, you can be sure of bright career prospects as you take your various web design courses. We composed this guide to help you prepare well for your future career in web design. In it, you will learn what it takes and means to be a web designer, the career prospects awaiting you, and what you expect to earn on the field. Keep reading to discover more.


Key Duties 

Web developers perform many roles and duties. Here are the leading ones that occupy the daily life of an average web designer.

  • Organizing data
  • The creation and addition of interactive content such as videos, animation, and sound
  • Reviewing customer needs and goals 
  • Meeting clients to establish their wants and understand their target users well
  • Determining the most appropriate colors, backgrounds, and branding to use on a website
  • Preparing design plans 
  • Showing the site’s structure and how its various components work harmoniously and connect
  • Testing and enhancing the site and its design until it attains perfection
  • Creating navigational tools
  • Launching the website to a server for public view
  • Updating websites when necessary 
  • Creating SEO elements to increase site visibility 

 

Job Opportunities

So, what job opportunities await your graduation, and where can you find them? The good news is that it’s easy to land employment in any industry, starting from a small web design firm to a large international firm. Moreover, you can employ yourself since about 25% of all web designers fall under this category. It’s also worth noting that businesses are constructing sites daily and updating their existing ones. Therefore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US estimates that the need for these professionals will increase by 20% in the coming five years. If you are in college taking a web design course, you can be sure the market will be there.

Moreover, the same Bureau reveals that the US alone had 160,500 website developers in May 2018. Here are the figures it established:

  • 17% of them worked with comp systems design companies;
  • 16% of them employed themselves and preferred working as freelancers working from their homes’ comfort;
  • 5% of them worked in software publishing companies;
  • Another 5% excelled as technical design consultants;
  • Advertising and marketing companies employed another 4%.

 

So, these figures should encourage every student seeking to land a fulfilling web design career upon their graduation. 

Besides industries, what specific design jobs can you land in various industries? You can work as either a full-stack or front-end website developer.  Our career masters at essay paper writing service can verify that there is a growing demand for these professions.  If you opt to work as a full-stack developer, you will need to specialize in all matters regarding how the Web operates. You will need to master how to set up and configure Linux servers, write server-side APIs, and dive into client-side JavaScript.

If you opt for front-end development, you will specialize in developing client-side web apps using JavaScript and CSS. You will also master the usage of responsive web design techniques.

Salaries and Income

Now, we come to one of the most critical aspects of your career—the financial rewards. According to the US News and World Report, this career ranked as the third-best technical job and 13th in the STEM academic career system. Moreover, it emerged that web developers suffered low stress at their work and higher salary potential. In the US, for example, an average web designer pockets an average of $82,370 annually, which translates to an average of $39.60 hourly.

These professionals in states like California and Washington earn well with the former state offering $90,230 and the latter an annual average of $134,310. The Seattle metropolitan region pays these professionals an average of $138,600 yearly.

Skills and Qualifications 

So, what skills and qualifications do you need to succeed as a web designer? Below are the soft and technical skills you require for your career.

Technical Skills 

  • SEO, digital marketing, social media
  • Visual design
  • UX
  • Design software
  • HTML
  • CSS

Soft Skills 

  • Proper time management
  • Critical thinking
  • Ambition
  • Proper written and oral communication
  • An artistic nature
  • Creativity 
  • Team player spirit for easier collaboration
  • Mature people management skills at all levels

Steps to Becoming a Web Designer

Lastly, here are the steps you should follow to enjoy a fulfilling web design career.

1. Learn the principles and best practices of web design 

First, you ought to enroll in school to learn the principles and best practices that govern this career. It’s better to attend a class-based training to grasp these fundamentals effectively. Unless you are a super-genius, don’t go for self-taught training. Instead, sit down in class with a trainer.

2. Keep learning design techniques and theories 

Second, learn and keep learning the latest design techniques and theories that keep emerging with time. This field is dynamic; therefore, you ought to maintain a learning spirit to remain on the cutting edge.

3. Earn relevant industry certifications 

This third step is not compulsory for a prolific web design career, but it’s necessary. When you earn these certifications, you stand higher chances of landing better jobs or contracts if you are customer-employed. These certifications show you are highly competent and proficient in your trade.

4. Build your personal brand 

Building your brand is not taught in school. After mastering the theory, you need to master the “jungle” you work in and showcase your suitability in the marketplace. Building your brand will include doing satisfactory work your customers can recommend. You can also join industry networks and attend relevant workshops. This way, you can land useful connections that will boost your success chances in the industry.

 

We hope our comprehensive guide has enlightened and informed you fully on what you should expect in this career. The choice is yours to do the necessary to succeed in your studies while preparing for a successful web design profession.