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As the old joke goes… a web designer is like a… never mind.That joke isn’t very funny anyway. It’s also not very funny if you have atalent as a web designer and you are trying to get started but you see thehundreds of other designers out there trying to get the same work you areshooting for. Not only are there hundreds of web designers competing for thesame work but each came to the field along a different route. Some began as programmers,some as graphic artists. Still others came up through administrative rankswhile others began as hobbyists. So how can you set yourself apart in the seaof other web designers?

A good first step in establishing yourself as a web designeris to design some sites. That may sound like a no-brainer but you really do needsomething to show people. Of course, you’ll want to have your own personal sitebut if you are just getting started you can also build a portfolio by creatingand maintaining sites for groups you are affiliated with such as church orvolunteer organizations. Perhaps you have a few friends that are in businessthat can use a site. Jump in.

While you are building a portfolio you should try todetermine what your strengths are. Are you a top notch web designer that canalso write solid content or are your design skills more graphically oriented?This is important when you are bidding or interviewing for jobs because nothingis worse than getting in over your head. Every single web designer out there hasdifferent strengths and weaknesses. You want satisfied customers and bosses!That means knowing your strengths and your limitations. What are yours? Targetyour sales pitch or your interviews toward your strengths. In the meantime, tryto work on your weaknesses by taking courses, reading books, and learning newtechniques. The web world is constantly growing and evolving. You will need tokeep pace with the changes and you should try to stay on the leading edge.

There are many web design educational programs out there.You can try courses at a technical school or community college or you can findmany self paced tutorials on the web. The tools and techniques available in thewebsite design field are constantly changing. There are many web designerniches out there for the taking. Perhaps you should become a specialist in Web2.0 or Joomla. How about CSS? Do you prefer more graphically oriented sites? Ifso, are you expert at using tools such as Flash and Photoshop?

The point is, there is always room out there for a talentedweb designer who know how to read his or her customer’s needs and set about thetask of interpreting them on the web. If you know yourself and what you can do,are willing to continue learning, and have the ability to work with people, youcan make a go of it. Create your own special style and you will be able todifferentiate yourself from the many other web designers out there.

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