Web development is a promising career path for those looking to make a living. It is a technical job to say the least, and it requires some kind of commitment, because the demands of the job are different from others, where a 9-5 schedule has to be adhered to. It is rewarding, in terms of offering job satisfaction, since it offers challenges from time to time and financially too. Seasoned web developers, make as much as $100000 a year, which is unreachable in many other careers. So how do you get started in web development? What are the specifics of them job in the broadest terms?

The first part is always the training- it is constant for all jobs in the market. For web development, you may need to enrol for a course that relates to the industry. It could be in programming languages, such as Perl, C++ or HTML/XHTML and CSS or in graphic design. Getting training in both these fields will lead you to web development eventually, though you might find yourself doing more programming, coding and scripting than you had initially anticipated. Courses are offered online, so you don’t have to worry about making your way to a brick and mortar institution. What’s more, once you complete the course, you are given an assessment exam, and passing it is necessary if you want certification. Though there are those web developers that go into the field without certification, getting it when you are starting out is important, as it is an account of the skills that you have gained through the courses that you undertook.

After you have part of the technical skills needed, you have to decide which path to follow. Will you join a company and work under the direction of someone with greater expertise or will you branch out on your own and start a web development service? The decision you make at that point is critical, as it might be life-changing. Joining a company is advisable if you are new to the industry. The information you get in training is not sufficient to make you an expert, and that’s why the guidance of a more seasoned developer might do you good. Besides, when you work in a company, there is the regular promise of getting paid, which is not the same when you decide to freelance.  Web developers that work contract jobs get the independence that they seek, but not without a new set of challenges. There is no promise of work all through, and there is constant struggle when setting up a reputable service. An independent web developer needs to set up their site as they will use it to market themselves. Creating the perfect site that will create a reputation of you as a web developer is challenging, but achievable nonetheless. With time, as you work more contracts, you gain professional confidence, and give greater customer satisfaction, which is ultimately what you need to get to the top. It’s not difficult to get into web development with a committed mind, but it’s not that easy either.