Getting a job in web design:
Credentials vs. Experience

Some careers have a path you must follow. Becoming a practicing attorney requires more than simply reading some law books and hanging out a sign that says Attorney-at-Law. In the United States for example, first you get an undergrad degree, followed by a J.D. degree, and finally you have to pass a state bar exam. Only then can you hang up that sign.

Other careers have both an “established” path, and path where you can find your own way. For example, to become a professional musician, you might take the traditional route (gig as much as you can until a record label picks you up) or try your hand with an independent route (get videos and clips on the web and make your music available for sale online).

The path to web design

There are two main paths to becoming a web designer: the traditional school-based education route where getting your credentials gets you a job, or the do-it-yourself route where your work experience gets you a job.

The best path for you depends on your personal style and how you’ll best thrive.

Traditional: Where your credentials are the thing

A traditional path to becoming a web designer might look something like this:

Build a creative portfolio in order to get accepted into an undergraduate art / design program. Once in college, you take your fundamentals and school up on all the digital design and web skills possible (HTML, CSS, etc). When graduation nears, you put together your resume and portfolio and start your job search. On this path, landing a web design job relies on your credentials and your potential.

Non-traditional: Where you let your work speak for itself

One of the fun things about the field of web design is that it’s still young and still in flux. A lot of the adventurous spirit remains; web design is daring, a bit mysterious and not for the faint of heart. The non-traditional route to becoming a web designer embraces chance and adventure.  

The non-traditional path to becoming a web designer might look something like this: Get started by learning some basics from online tutorials or books. Then build small projects for friends or create a website or two for an organization in your social circle and gradually build up a small portfolio. By the time you’ve created half a dozen websites for real-world use (and they don’t have to be paying clients), your work will demonstrate your skill and dedication.

Is one way better than the other?

As the owner of a small web design & development shop, I have the opportunity to hire talented folks from time to time. It makes little difference what path they took to get their portfolio in front of me.  But once they get there, I look for a few key things. Here they are in order of importance.

1. A portfolio website is essential. This is the most important thing for my consideration. This shows me you’ve got both raw talent and skills, and that you know enough about the field to be a serious prospect. A portfolio can be comprised of school projects, but it’s much more interesting if I can look at a couple (or more) projects for real world clients. This portfolio has to be online.

2. Any undergraduate degree will do. It doesn’t matter to me what your degree is in. All you need is an undergraduate degree. And actually, I find it a little peculiar if you have too many degrees. 

3. A resume. Yes, you still need a resume. The resume shows me a candidate’s attention to detail. Simple is fine, but there better not be any misspellings and the alignment needs to be perfect.

Which route is best for you?

If you like to dive in and figure things out for yourself, go the non-traditional route and create a portfolio with relevant real world examples. If you feel more comfortable having a solid foundation and understanding the fundamentals and history of design, go to the best school you can and let your credentials shine. Of course, a combination of the two could blend the best of both worlds.

Getting on the web design career path all comes down to demonstrating you’ve got what it takes.