Web Developer's Still Needed

Web Developer's Still Needed

Ronald Jasper

Axia College of University of Phoenix

Abstract

There are about as many reasons to be a Web designer as there are Web designers. Web design is a fun field and there are many possibilities out there for growth and development. According to Computer World, internet technology (IT) jobs are still in demand and growing everyday. As the number of IT job rise, so does the pay, for the first time since the Dot Com era ended with so many companies going out of business. Yes, these careers dropped off five years ago, but with the new boom of job growth there are more jobs out there to be had and sought-after.

Web Developer's Still Needed

There are about as many reasons to be a Web designer as there are Web designers. Web design is a fun field and there is so much possible, ones imagination is the only limitation. My original passion started out with interest in drawing sketches on paper, but I soon discovered that computers offered so much more. As I started designing graphics with various computer programs, I was hooked, I could not get enough of it. There were endless possibilities of things that could be designed. After a short time of building graphics for a friend's business, I managed to get an entry-level position with a local computer company building websites. This was so exciting to have a job that went along with my love for drawing. As the years went by I discovered that my passion for graphic design was slowly changing, as I had discovered the wonderful world of website design. I found the idea of being able to build an entire site for a company more exciting then just building graphics. At this point, I decided it was time to do some research on getting a degree as a web developer. As I searched for articles on web design, I found an article from "Computer World's 2007 Jobs Report: Back From the Brink" (Hoffman, 2007) that gave some amazing examples of some IT positions that are available and how the pay is on the rise for these positions. I also liked seeing the article, "IDC sees healthy IT growth through 2009" (Itworld.com, 2005) that discusses how media, communications, and health-care industries are going to be spending more on advertising on the internet then ever before. IT spending will grow at a rate of 5.9 percent through the end of 2009, which is a beneficial thing to read when a person is considering going into the IT business. There are many advantages to pursue a career in an industry that is still growing, as not all industries are on the rise. But as my search continued, I discovered a list of the "Nine Nontechie Skills that Hiring Managers Wish You Had (and How to Get Them)" (Hoffman, 2007). This list was very informative simply because if gave me a basis on what classes to take in college. This resource listed many of the main skills to have which are:

1.Writing ability. Communication skills are a requisite for IT workers, says Tom Casey, senior vice president and architect of the workforce transformation practice at BSG Concours, a Kingwood, Texas-based consultancy. Many community colleges and online universities offer continuing education courses on business writing, says Robert Keefe, incoming president of the Society for Information Management (SIM) and senior vice president and CIO at Mueller Water Products Inc. in Atlanta. (Hoffman, 2007)

2.An understanding of business-process mapping and tools. "If there's one group in the company that needs to excel at process mapping, it's the IT group," says John Roulat, vice president of IT at Carl Zeiss Inc., a Thornwood, N.Y.-based medical technology manufacturer.

Although flowcharts can be used, swim charts, which offer a visual depiction of how business processes flow across functional areas, are very effective, he says. Roulat says there are "books galore" on the subject, but he recommends bringing in consultants to train IT workers on how to use swim charts. (Hoffman, 2007)

3.An aptitude for public speaking. They may be a throwback to the 1960s, but Toastmasters International clubs can help IT workers refine their public speaking skills and get past their jitters. Also, SIM's Regional Leadership Forum can help up-and-coming IT professionals polish their leadership skills, including their speaking ability, says Keefe. (Hoffman, 2007)

4.An understanding of accounting. Universities, training firms and even professional organizations such as Omicron, an Atlanta-based consortium of IT associations, offer courses in accounting and financial principles. Alternatively, in-house financial experts from a company's accounting or finance department can offer tutorials to IT professionals, says Roulat. (Hoffman, 2007)

These skills are a great start, but most IT managers want to see even more in their potential hires. Hiring managers say they also look for attributes like entrepreneurism, intellectual curiosity and traits like these:

1.The ability to work well with a team. "Anyone can muscle their way through an already overburdened IT group," says Roulat. But a person who is able to gain consensus and sell an idea "not only gets the job done, but makes the group stronger," he adds. Still, it's not easy identifying and finding people with these traits. "You have to see how they do in the field," he says. (Hoffman, 2007)

2.Initiative. "Being a small [IT] shop, I like to hire people who have demonstrated they can deliver without constant oversight," says David Dart, regional head of IT at HSH Nordbank AG in New York, where he oversees a 10-person staff. Dart says his management style is to create a vision or a goal and allow his staff to "make it happen without too much supervision." (Hoffman, 2007)

3.An inquisitive mind. IT professionals "need to be able to learn on their own" and acquire needed skills through a variety of venues, including online classes, blogs and networking sites, says Roni Krisavage, vice president of IT at World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. in Stamford, Conn. (Hoffman, 2007)

4.The ability to get a point across. IT professionals should possess not only an ability to speak to business people in terms they understand, but also strong writing skills and a talent for conversing with people who are in a variety of roles, says Didi Raizen, IT applications manager at Flatiron Construction Corp. in Longmont, Colo. While these types of skills can be developed, some people are just natural-born communicators, notes Raizen. She encountered people like that at a previous job she had