Career change... Web developer or web designer courses

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blue22

New Member
Quite a lot of topics from people wanting to get into graphic design... I don't understand why, I am applying for jobs and see a lot of them getting to more than 100 applications. Its crazy....
So I want to expand my knowledges into web design / web developer. First of all... what would a web developer do ? what is the difference between the jobs? I have an idea, but I want to be sure.
Second: What courses are best for learning for web developer / designer? Something good and recognizable in the industry.
 
A web developer would be responsible for coding the web content and functionality using HTML, CSS, PHP and any other language that's required, where as a web designer would be responsible for deciding on the look and feel of the site. It's entirely possible to do both of these though, i.e. to be a web designer and developer.

A qualification from a specific course is unlikely to guarantee you an industry job. Employers would be looking at your design and your code so you'd need to make sure both are spot on, so paying attention to correct syntax and web standards is a must.
 
Paul I know a course doesnt guarantee a job, it is the same for graphic designer, but to get to the interview stage... to get your cv picked up from 100 other applications... anything can help.
 
Several years ago a web designer would also be a web developer, they went hand in hand and was kind of an assumable norm. To be honest to this day if you consider yourself strictly a web designer, you should really be able to develop sites as well. If not it would kind of be like being right handed but using your left hand for everything. I generally feel most people, including myself, still assume that a web designer can code and basically has all the skills to design and have a website up and running fully functional. For this very reason, as a graphic designer, I try to avoid listing 'web design' as one of my skills, as clients naturally assume I can code as well as design their sites. While I am more than capable of designing websites, my brain is just not wired to be able to code as well. So instead I make it clear that I can design websites but that is pretty much as far as it goes for me when it comes to the web.

So in short basically, yeah, learn both web design & web developing. As for courses I do not know but I would like to think a 'web design' course will teach you to code/develop as well.

As for 'something good and recognisable in the industry' I don't think that matters so much, which I think was what Paul was getting at; Employers will be much more interested in the quality of your sites design, coding & functionality.
 
blue22 said:
Paul I know a course doesnt guarantee a job, it is the same for graphic designer, but to get to the interview stage... to get your cv picked up from 100 other applications... anything can help.
Click to expand...

Most creative directors look at a portfolio of work before even looking at an applicant's CV though. If both your work and your CV are creative and well put together, you should get an interview.
 
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