IT Services
Web designer and web developer: two new professions of the 21st century. It is sometimes difficult to understand the difference between one and the other, as these two professions are so complementary. Moreover, the same person can be both a web designer and a web developer. In order for you to see more clearly, we return to each of these two professions and their common points and differences.
The webdesigner: The graphics of a website
To fully understand the webdesigner’s profession, it is necessary to mention the tools he will generally use. These are essentially graphic design software, the most well known to the general public are Adobe’s 3 programs: Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. Very often, the webdesigner will work with a graphic tablet allowing him to draw by hand, not on paper, but directly on the computer.
By definition, the webdesigner takes care of the graphics and design of a site. He is a very creative person who is able to select the shapes, colours and typography that suit the site. To summarize, the webdesigner takes care of the look of the website, i.e. its external appearance.
The web developer: site encoding
The web developer will mainly use a simple open source editor like Notepad++ or others. He will write lines of code in a specific computer language. There are several of them. The most commonly used by web developers are generally the following: HTML, CSS, jQuery, PHP.
The web developer builds the foundations of the site. From a blank sheet of paper, it happens that the site is functional, that it offers a good navigation experience for the Internet user and that it integrates specific and useful functions for the site.
To simplify, the web developer takes care of the website’s skeleton, i.e. its internal aspect.
Create an attractive and functional website
While these two professions do not necessarily interact on the same aspects of the site, they both have the same final objective: to ensure that the site attracts as many Internet users as possible thanks to its design and ergonomics.
To achieve this, it is essential to work together. Most often, it is the web developer who will integrate the design elements created by the web designer into the site code.
One and the same person?
Nothing prevents a person from being both a web designer and a web developer. Once the person has acquired the techniques of each of the two professions, he or she can offer this versatility. Web development requires a certain logic and knowledge of different computer languages, when web design requires creativity and knowledge of creative software.
These are professions in which there are many self-taught people. Some are what we call keys to everything, while others will be much more specialized. Whether to use separate professionals or a single, more versatile person depends on the site, what is being sought and its complexity in terms of design and/or functionality.
Building a career through social media
Networking! In the mid-1990s, the guidance counsellors assured me that this was what would seriously advance my career. The more people you meet, the more you know; the more people you know, the more people will think of you when they have career opportunities. At least that’s how it was supposed to work, but it’s easier said than done. I had great difficulty establishing appropriate networking among the IT elite in my city because it was impossible to know where they would be at one time or another. And it’s not for lack of trying everything; the truth is that most IT managers don’t like candidates in need of jobs trying to reach them when they’re playing golf with their buddies. Succeeding in joining them was therefore a tour de force.
Fortunately, social media has greatly simplified modern networking. Those who use social networks for their personal needs do not need as much to be convinced of their high effectiveness. Although platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are commonly used for personal interaction, the use of these tools for professional purposes is an undeniable advantage.
Increase your visibility
As an employer, I always do some form of online research before I meet a candidate. If you are serious about finding a new job or advancing your career, an online professional profile is a must. Ideally, the professional profile is different from the personal profile. It allows potential employers to review your public profile before meetings. In addition, they can easily find you, providing access to countless job opportunities. Given the immense popularity of social media, no employer will hold you responsible for having such a visible online profile. Posting on the Internet should not worry you because it has now become a very common practice.
Establish your brand
Imagining that you represent a brand may seem a little ridiculous to you, but that’s exactly what you have to do. The more you strive to create a professional voice that describes you, the better the chances are that someone will come across your profile when looking for someone with your skills. Spend some time and effort to ensure that an employer consults your gleaming professional profile rather than an absolutely unrelated and potentially embarrassing aspect of your private life.
Be active
Social media brings the most benefits to those who make the greatest use of it. The main way to create a strong brand and achieve excellent visibility is to always use your preferred platform and work on your relationships. It will come as no surprise to anyone to learn that those with the most Twitter subscribers are the ones who chirp most often. Routine consultation with your peers will prove invaluable to your career.
Approach people
It is much easier to approach someone through a social network than during a cocktail party. So don’t be shy! If a potential employer has a public profile on a professional social media, do not hesitate to introduce yourself. But remember that if you are a complete stranger, your approach must be justified by a concrete reason. Join online communities, participate in discussion forums, solicit and provide feedback on free debates. All these steps will help you to be noticed in an appropriate way.
Be Known
Recently, Monster used the Facebook platform to launch a professional network to help people find employment. Beknown (beknown.monster.com) is a medium that provides highly effective connections between companies, employees, job seekers and colleagues. It is the normal evolution of a platform that can provide a link between those who want to fill positions and those who want to fill them. If you are looking for a platform to help you build your career, don’t hesitate to create your profile today!
Social media is now an intrinsic part of our modern Western society. Few sectors have not sought to take advantage of their high efficiency and even fewer employers continue to ignore them. Job seekers would be wrong not to use social media to its full potential when seeking new opportunities. Today’s world operates with micro-data sets. It’s time to create your own!
