Where to start for working online as a web developer or designer

Here are some opinions and ideas for starting to work online. We will focus here on graphics and programming because they are areas that I am familiar with. So taking those 2 main categories first decide...

What is your talent? 

You can find this out by taking some online courses and seeing which you enjoy and excel at. You should be able to figure this out fairly quickly - after 1 or 2 online courses in a programming language or graphics course. Personally I took courses in art and design for photoshop/illustrator for web design and loved it, but just did not have the natural talent to make good looking designs so I switched to programming.

What do you want to build?

Try to find what excites you, rather than first learning the technology and then thinking what can I build. Are you interested in making an iOS or Android app? Do you want to make a flashy website? Do you want help people manage E-commerce sites? Just as a carpenter would first think what they want to build (a desk, bookshelf, etc.) and then they would know what tools they would need or skills to build it, that is how to think of web development learning.

How long might it take? 

It could take about 3 - 6 months of intense study to start being a developer/designer and perhaps taking some paid jobs.

Tips for starting in graphics

Designers will always need to know the basics - Photoshop and Illustrator. Even though I don't work in design, this is just the standard. Also do not overlook paper/pencil skills which can be converted over to a computer with a proper touch sensitive display, drawing tablet or ipad pro.

  • Designers still need to know html/css - learn that too as well as responsive design even if you don't think you want to code websites. You should know how to "slice" your design and make a website out of it. 
  • Wordpress design is a good basic place to start for designers that want to do CMS work, try to get comfortable with one of the top-selling designs on Themeforest for Wordpress and learn how to make a custom design for it. Think of it like "placing on top" your design to one of the Wordpress templates.
  • Make a portfolio of your designs and post it to https://www.behance.net/ and start networking for jobs - it's also a great site for inspiration

Tips for being a developer:


  • Do not jump to frameworks when you first start learning. First learn the most basic building blocks of programming like basic javascript, php, java, sql (database query), or ruby. Then later you can start using the frameworks (jQuery, ruby on rails, Laravel, etc.)
  • When taking online courses to learn a programming language, do not copy and paste the examples. Rather, type them out, and even better yet change them around to see how they work. Copying and pasting is like expecting to learn a new language by copying sentences into google translate and then copying the answers. You need to understand the grammar or you'll never really speak the language.
  • Learn as soon as possible command line - it will save you lots of time and hassle later on if you know basic command line / ssh commands

What programming language should I learn?

This depends upon what area you want to work in. Do you want to develop mobile apps, e-commerce web sites, desktop computer programs? The good news is that if you learn the basics of any programming languages, other programming languages will be much easier to learn. 
  • JavaScript - any web developer needs to know JavaScript - all websites use it
  • Java - always popular, not as much for web sites though, but for mobile or software is a must
  • Ruby - a popular programming language that is used in "Ruby on Rails" a framework to make sites like shoppify, hulu, and github
  • HTML / CSS - not a programming language rather a markup language - everybody needs to learn it and is a good place to start for new developers.
  • PHP - an older but very good programming language that is used for Wordpress - a CMS that powers most websites
  • Python
  • SQL - the query language used by databases - very important to learn

Programming Frameworks

After the basic programming languages, there are what are called frameworks. What these basically is make programming languages faster and sometimes easier to build with. It's like a house builder using pre-built walls rather than installing all the pieces of the wall individually. It can be confusing the difference between frameworks and systems like CMS, E-Commerce, etc. Usually CMS systems are built using frameworks, but can also act like a framework in themselves. Here we will first mention frameworks: 
  • PHP based: Laravel, Symphony, Cake
  • JavaScript based: Vue, React, jQuery, Angular, Knockout
  • Ruby: Ruby on Rails
  • Python: Django

Popular Systems Using Programming Langauges / Frameworks

  • E-commerce: Magento (PHP based), Shopify (Ruby on Rails) but uses an API so PHP, JavaScript (React, etc.) can be used with it
  • CMS: Wordpress (PHP based)

Tips for getting work

  • Specialize in something (a business niche, programming framework). Do not try and be a jack of all trades
  • To start - utilizing personal contacts can be good. Do you know anyone with a particular type of business with certain web/software needs?
  • When you build something, try to think of how to make it resellable later. Do you have unused logos that you could use for something else? A cool web based program that a certain industry might find useful - not just your current client?
  • Online work sites are crowded, if you have any local access to businesses start there with networking, ads on craigslist, even yellow pages ads are still effective. 

Sites for finding work

  • https://www.upwork.com/ the dominant player in online work - but they do charge a lot of commission. Now the issue is the sites is highly competitive and inundated with low cost providers. Though some people do prefer to hire USA based and will pay a little more.
  • https://www.outsourcely.com/ a great site the advantage being you don't have to pay them commissions on the workers you hire - hourly wages or salary are handled separately
  • Your local area - starting with your city, then county or state - many of these companies will have jobs available that are not posted online - you have to ask or network and these jobs are not so highly competitive to get

Further Tips

  • Make sure to attend web developer or software programming type meetups in your area (meetup.com). They are great for learning, making contacts, and even finding jobs. You will definitly want some other developers that may be able to help you if you get stuck on a programming problem and you can't find the answer on stackoverflow or by googling. 
  • Listening to podcasts can help too, checkout these great podcasts and listen to them while working, driving, etc. You can browse the list of episodes in iTunes or Spotify and start with the episodes that most interest you.
    Web Development: 
    Syntax
    Coding Blocks
    Learn To Code with Me
    Business / Marketing
    Tim Ferris Show
    Entrepreneurs on Fire
    How I Built This - with Guy Raz
    Magnificent Marketing

Sites for learning My Favorites

Other Good Sites For Learning

Other ideas for online work

  • Social media management - post regularly for companies, charge them a monthly fee or by some other method
  • Data entry - import/export spreadsheets of inventory for e-commerce sites
  • Translation
  • Virtual assistant
  • Online one on one training of how to use different software programs

Best PHP Stack for Windows

If you decide on PHP, I've found this PHP stack by far to be the fastest performing (when compared to WAMP or other Windows PHP stacks): https://winnmp.wtriple.com/



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