New Web Designers: Getting Started in the Industry (Part 2)
In part 1 of this series, we talked about the preparation involved in getting into the web design industry. We went over deciding on an exact niche, buying the necessary equipment and materials, and we covered learning the basics of web design and the business behind it.
In today’s part 2, we’re going to get into the actual doing of becoming a web designer. We still won’t be able to get any clients yet, but we can start to set up a portfolio, our work, and put ourselves into a position that will get us some real clients. Today’s post is all about setting up your online presence and defining yourself and your work as a web designer.
1. Create Some Example Work
One of the first things new web designers try to do is go onto Craigslist or oDesk to try to find some cheap ‘starter’ work. They want examples in their portfolio so they can gradually take on bigger and better projects. Unfortunately, this method is only half correct. Web designers who try to do this discover it is incredibly difficult to land that very first client.
Yes, you do need to start small, and no, you will not be able to take on high-paying clients right away. However, you should not have to take on $10 web design jobs right away either! You can start with web design clients who would like to pay you a few hundred instead. While this is still cheap, you most definitely will not be working for free.
To do this, don’t present yourself as a new web designer with no examples to show them, and ‘looking to build your portfolio’. Your years of experience, possible schooling, and stunning resume aren’t enough to please any client if you literally have nothing to show them.
That’s why step one is to make some example projects. You won’t be paid for them, and they will take up your valuable time, but your wasting time anyway trying to get clients to hire you with nothing on your plate. By creating sample projects for your portfolio you have two benefits:
- You have something in your portfolio, even if it does not represent client work. The client can still get an idea of your design style and talents.
- You have the ability to create your best work by not having to deal with client alterations, custom content, or suggestions. Essentially, you can make your work perfectly presentable, and show off only your best!
For your web design examples, you’ll want at least five, coded or non-coded. Coded work can give you the benefit of the doubt however, and also can give you another selling point if you show off any cool CSS or JavaScript tricks.
2. Set Up Community Portfolios
One of the main things that holds back new web designers from finding clients, is simply their inability to be seen. Without much time to get into the community, and nobody else recognizing their work, how are they to get noticed?
Mistake #2 that new web designers make is that they pay for their own domain name and hosting, set up their portfolio, and wait for things to happen. Once it doesn’t, they try to start marketing like crazy to get their portfolio noticed by clients, but it does little to no good.
When you make your own website for your portfolio, you are really starting from scratch. You are starting from scratch in terms of making the portfolio, and in terms of making connections with clients and others in the field. Don’t get me wrong though — I don’t mean to say that web designers should not have personal portfolios. All I’m saying is that it is a terrible place for a new web designer to start.
Where you should start are places like DeviantArt, Flickr, and other community portals. You will not be able to upload full websites to show off your coding work, but you will be able to upload JPEG’s of PSD work you’ve done, and any other additional illustration, logo, or graphic design work.
The benefit of this is it will get you out into the community, get you some great feedback, and furthermore show of your work in a setting where there are already thousands of visitors per day — some of which are clients searching for web designers. By starting out with just a personal portfolio, you have none of this.
Within each profile, share your contact info and any other ‘selling points’ you have to offer — schooling, experience, and skills. Find out some more places that can get your work noticed.
3. Set Up Your Own Portfolio
While a personal portfolio will not get you noticed directly at first, you still need one after setting up your community portfolios in order for interested clients to check out your work further.
HostGator and This* Web Host are great starting points for buying a domain name and getting hosted. They are relatively cheap, while at the same time offering the quality and uptime a business needs. Sign up, create a portfolio design, and include your web design examples.
Many times new web designers think that a portfolio design needs to be perfect. Well, there is no doubt that it needs to be excellent work because it is often times a new client’s first impression. However, this ‘perfection’ theory has a backwards effect in that it causes procrastination in a lot of web designers to get it done. There are far too many ‘Coming Soon’ pages for web designer’s homepages. The longer you wait to put your portfolio up, the more clients you are losing. So follow a design method you’re familiar with to create your portfolio, and stop starting over, revamping, or redesigning! Get it up and starting doing business instead.
After setting up your portfolio, you can now offer coded versions of your work and any additional content you’d like. Now your portfolio can finally be fully customized to your own needs, instead of the confinements of what any community portfolio setup offers. Do this, and link your personal portfolio from you Flickr account, your DeviantArt account, or wherever else you set up shop.
Today’s Assignment
- Create 5 PSD mockups that portray your best work. Don’t hold back — get creative! Also keep functionality and your own unique style in mind. The PSD’s should show off your talents, but also be able to function as a web design a client could use. Then, code at least 2 of them in valid XHTML & CSS. Feel free to get creative with any CSS or JavaScript effects too; something that’s simple, but impressive.
- Pick a few places where you can upload your work in front of a community and possible clients looking for work. Create accounts, set up your profile including your experience and contact information, and upload your work. This is also a great time to start getting involved in the web design community by taking in feedback and offering your own to other designers. I stress DeviantArt and Flickr in this article the most because they are both active and appeal to a more mainstream audience.
- Finally, set up your own portfolio, and stop procrastinating! If you feel you can design websites for others, don’t feel as if your own portfolio design is always inadequate. You may not be up to the point of your favorite designer just yet, but know that you have your own style and talents, and also that everyone has to start somewhere. Upload your coded versions as well as your images to your portfolio, and display your own content. Remember, your portfolio is meant to be a place for clients who have already found you to find out more about you. Then, link your new and pretty portfolio from your links within the community.
This is a bit more work than in part 1, but very productive work to say the least. Even if it takes you a few days, the main point of these three steps is to finally take action. Stop dreaming and start doing!
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