Featured article by Richard Grant
Web developers are sought after in the business world and can command competitive salaries and plenty of perks as a result.
If you want to get into web development but you don’t know where to start, here is a look at the main skills you will have to bring to the table to entice prospective employers in the future.
Back-end optimization abilities
While the user-facing side of a website might get all of the attention, it can only perform as intended if you can optimize the back-end aspects.
You will need to be familiar with a few core administrative elements, such as how to resolve deadlock in SQL Server so that the underlying database offers solid performance and how to make sure APIs are doing their duty.
SEO
Search engine optimization makes the difference between a site that succeeds and one that sinks without a trace.
There are many aspects of SEO to consider, only some of which will fall within the remit of a developer. Fast page load speeds and excellent mobile compatibility are two great examples, but it also pays to understand other types of SEO, such as content creation and keywords, so that you have context for the tweaks you make.
Communication & collaboration
It is not uncommon for web developers to work alone, but it is far more likely that you will be plying your trade alongside other people who have different skills and areas of specialism.
As such, you will be expected to communicate and collaborate as part of a team. You will need to be able to listen to others, express your own ideas clearly, and generally be pleasant to work with.
Time management
Keeping on top of web development projects is a tricky task, so you need to be able to organize your time efficiently and stick to your schedule and know which responsibilities deserve priority.
Again there are tools out there to help with this, but ultimately you have to foster good habits when it comes to time management and not be overly reliant on any one platform.
UX expertise
If you know the nuts and bolts of web development, you can build a functional site. If you understand what users want, you can build a great one.
This is where thinking about the user experience (UX) and appreciating that visitors might end up harnessing a site in a completely different way to the one intended initially becomes an important skill.
Persistence
Last of all, the somewhat vague sounding skill of persistence can be precious to web designers. This is not just about starting projects and seeing them through, but also about knowing when you fall short and working to make up for any weaknesses.
Only by striving to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and learning new tricks over time will your success as a web developer be assured.
About the Author
Richard Grant has an established career as a technology consultant, helping business owners and CTOs harness new technologies for their business. He regularly writes and muses about emerging technology.
