These days, you can find web design courses everywhere. Such is not surprising considering web design is one of those courses that result in the best 2-year degree jobs. Two-year degree jobs are those jobs you can apply to after completing an associate degree.
Many people consider an associate degree their stepping-stone towards a higher degree (bachelor’s degree), while many consider it their gateway to high-paying jobs. Indeed, many two-year degrees pay well, which is why the term 2-year degree jobs came to be. According to one human resource website, website designers can earn upwards of $50,000 annually.
However, the earning can significantly change depending on how you plan to use your degree and experience. What do we mean? Entry-level web designers can make more or less $45,000 a year. Mid-level designers make upwards of $60,000 annually. Senior-level web designers get to take home over $89,000 each year. Indeed, it is one of the best two-year degrees out there.
Even the country where you plan to market your services can have a bearing on your earnings as a web designer. Still, whatever the case is, web designing is among the highest-paying 2-year degree jobs. Also, your earnings will depend on your speciality. If you are more of a user interface (UI) designer, you could earn as much as $90,000 a year. On the other hand, if your speciality is user experience (UX), you can earn over $126,000 annually.
Typical Courses to Focus On
If you decide on a web design course, chances are you have an idea of how it works. However, if you decided on it because you learned that it is one of the highest paying jobs with a 2-year degree, it may seem all too confusing for you. Remember that designing styles and concepts vary depending on a couple of things, and this includes coding. You need to understand their differences and purposes before you take any of them. So, here are a couple of courses you may want to check out.
XHTML
XHTML (extensible hypertext markup language) web design courses are among the more popular options. Its design focuses on XML’s simplicity plus HTML’s flexibility. Many free online XHTML courses can teach you frames, tables, and text manipulation, all these without you having to pay a penny. These are also offered online for a fee if you want more comprehensible or in-depth courses. The same thing goes with your local colleges.
CSS
CSS design or cascading style sheets is also a famous course taken by web designers who want to improve their skills. When you enroll in this class, it is understood that you already know XHTML or HTML since what it does is give a broader perspective on how these codes can also be displayed and used in different styles. It is used to address your web pages’ font styles and other variables to give them a special unique appearance.
Graphic Design
Such has become a favorite among the many web design courses. No matter what people say about things like, “there is more than meets the eye,” you are typically drawn to things that are attention grabbers and eye-catchers. This is just normal. People love looking at beautiful and attractive things, especially when surfing the net. That is why graphic design plays a significant role.
For those who love making images, banners, or anything that has something to do with art and many colours, this course is for you. There is not much focus on web design other than on overflowing creativity and love for art.
Where to Start Looking
Depending on what you plan to take, be it the basics, XHTML, CSS, or graphic design, you can check out so many places. You can find virtually everything online, whether free information or online courses. You can even find legitimate websites that provide online degrees. Many people have discovered how convenient it is to buy degrees online, especially if they have ample experience in something, like web designing.
For instance, if you have a knack for self-learning and have taught yourself how to design websites professionally, you can check out buyuniversitydegrees.com to buy a degree in web design from them. The degree will come from a world-renowned university, and you can include it in your portfolio to show to prospective clients.
As a web designer, you have the option to work for an agency or go freelance. According to some freelancers, they earn anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000 per website. Not bad, considering there will be minimal overhead expenses if you decided to turn it into a business. However, before going freelance, check out the following section.
Going Freelance – Checklist for Freelance Web Designers
It is easy to go freelance as a web designer. Usually, people’s talents flourish outside the confines of an office, and you could be one of those. As long as you have the drive and skill, you can succeed even without the backing of an established company.
Let us suppose you are a web designer who has decided to go freelance. Following is a checklist of things that would help you determine whether you are ready to be your own boss.
- Build Your Portfolio – Your portfolio is a testament to your talent and ability as a web designer. However, when preparing it, keep in mind that numbers do not matter. You don’t need to include every design you have made. Just include a selection of your best works. If you have designed websites in the past that have since gone live, indicate the web pages’ live links for potential clients to visit. Consider your portfolio as your ticket to fame.
- Coding Skills – Designing is one thing; coding is another. You may be an extraordinary designer but lack the HTML and CSS coding skills that are part and parcel of web designing. Being adept at designing and coding will make you a well-rounded designer and cement your reputation as a no-nonsense freelance web designer.
- Scout the Competition – Have you done your homework and scouted the area to see what you are up against? There may be freelance web designers in the local area who have years of headway over you. Even if you are aiming for a global clientele (given that you can close deals with clients who are halfway across the globe), you still want to build solid ground at home. Targeting local businesses as clients is an excellent way to start earning some cash and building your portfolio.
- Determine Your Rate – If you were initially part of a company, you probably earned a fixed wage for your 8-hour job. Nevertheless, once you become a freelancer, you have the liberty to charge your clients by the hour. Of course, that freedom is not meant for you to take advantage of your clients. Be honest and reasonable when determining your hourly rate. Besides, charging hourly rates at the start of your freelancing career will help you determine how long it takes you to finish one design project.
- Invest in Tools – You will need weapons in your arsenal. These tools will help make your life as a freelancer so much easier. You will need tools to help you design websites quickly and efficiently, as well as organizational tools to help you set your priorities straight. You might also need software or a program to help track your income and help you with your invoices.
- Set Working Hours – Ask yourself how you intend to work – do you want to set an 8-hour shift, or would you rather have flexible working hours? Your answer would depend on your ability and capacity to get things done right away. Even if you were your own boss, it would not do you good to keep putting off work until the last minute.
- Dedicate a Workspace for Yourself – While freelancers may choose to work whenever and wherever they want, it still pays to have a dedicated workspace. Delegate a corner of your room as a workspace, or if you have an extra room in your house, convert it into an office. You will get more things done if you have your own space. Most importantly, having your own space would help put your mind into work mode; thus, you would be able to finish your projects breezily.
- Prep the Paperwork – There are three important documents you need as a freelance web designer – contracts, quotations, and proposals. Prepare templates for all three and have a professional proofread the templates. Every time you get a new client, make sure you have these three documents ready.
The contract should stipulate the terms of your services – copyright terms for your designs, how invoices would be sent to the client, when invoices would be sent, how payments should be made, and many more. On the other hand, the quotation should include your rates based on various sections of the project. A quotation is essential for keeping things organized for you and your client and helping the client determine whether he is still working within his budget. Finally, the proposal would state the deadline and timeframe for a particular project, give the client project details, and provide the client with a description of the design and how you intend to work on it.
This simple checklist will help you decide once and for all if you are cut out for a freelance web designing career, so make sure you go over this list ponderingly.