Looking for Web Design Job

[g350z]

If you know of any people that need a website, or know of a web design company that might be hiring, or are in need of a website yourself, please PM me.

Thanks a lot!

[Khyron]

You need to have some premade or previous sites. There are so many "web designers" out there, if you don't have examples of your work you're usually SOL.

Khyron

[eur0]

im in the same boat, for starters you gotta have a nice portfolio of your previous work put together...a nice mixture of web, graphic, print, flash etc. would be good. It also helps to have some kind of post secondary, superesc works for critical mass, a very reputable company...im sure he can answer some of your questions.

[bart]

me too, somebody gimme some work, i need new tires, ahaha.

[switch]

I have a day job as an IT Instructor and do web contracts on the side -- much better than working for a web firm for less than half the $$$$.

How many Web dev. firms will pay their employees $40+ /hr?

[kevie88]

HP hired a person to replace me on the Server Admin team at Transalta for $20,000 a year.. The IT industry sucks soooooo bad right now.

I'm making $10,000 more a year working at a motorcycle dealership :eek:

[switch]

Originally posted by kevie88
HP hired a person to replace me on the Server Admin team at Transalta for $20,000 a year.. The IT industry sucks soooooo bad right now.

I'm making $10,000 more a year working at a motorcycle dealership :eek:

Thats brutal, $10 /hr? must be a junior, junior position.

[kevie88]

Originally posted by switch


Thats brutal, $10 /hr? must be a junior, junior position. +

Actually, no! I was on the server admin team, 4 years of experience! I was making more than that, but not a ton more. They cut out ALL benefits when I left too.. Every single one!

[switch]

Originally posted by kevie88
+

Actually, no! I was on the server admin team, 4 years of experience! I was making more than that, but not a ton more. They cut out ALL benefits when I left too.. Every single one!

Thats disgusting, if any of them are still working there they are stupid. I wouldn't work for $25, let alone $10.

[Superesc]

Originally posted by switch

How many Web dev. firms will pay their employees $40+ /hr?

40 bucks an hr would be like 80k a year... good luck finding a stable web "design" job these days that will pay you that. (unless you have lots of experience; exclude junior/entry positions)

Also depends it may depend on which dept you are looking at. Design/Motion Design? or Developer/IT?

[g350z]

Personally, I created www.g35.ca

I dont find Flash useful at all, expecially when you can't skip the intro. Must of the time, it is just padding, there isnt any content to it and it slows down loading times...

[eur0]

i guess it depends, some people use only flash in their work..its mostly up to the client theyre designing for...if they want more of a gui then flash is a better way to go imo, yes it is a slower loading time but can be very visually appealing. :)

[VWbloke]

Originally posted by g350z
Personally, I created www.g35.ca

I dont find Flash useful at all, expecially when you can't skip the intro. Must of the time, it is just padding, there isnt any content to it and it slows down loading times...

Including a "skip intro" button is the web developer's responsibility, it doesn't mean that it can't be done. Also, using Flash elements in a site enhances its aesthetics to no end and if you make sure to use smallish elements, the loading times are often faster than static images. Besides, it's 2004, not 1994. You've got to keep up with the times.

I worked for a small web development company for ~9 months and have been doing contract work since quitting in November. In my opinion, it's the best way to go. I've been fortunate enough to have established lots of contacts while working at the web development company and by building a good relationship with clients, I've been able to keep busy working on a contract basis with them.

If you know what you're doing, and you have talent, you don't have to bill $45/hour, you can be billing $60-$80/hour! Of course this depends on how good you really are and judging what your clients have budgeted.

My advice would be to first build upon your existing site and employ as many techniques as you know how (ie: Flash, asp, java, etc.) in order to show diversity as well as making your site dynamic and look "professional". Then use that as the beginnings of your portfolio.

Then I would take a look at existing sites that you feel need updating or overhauling, and then create a 5 page mock-up with your own design. Contact the company and explain who you are, that you've looked at their site and inform them that you've created an updated version for them to look at. If they like it, then meet with them to discuss all their wants and needs and then agree on a price. It's a bit of a gamble, but your persistence will pay off.

Then once you have a few sites under your belt, you will have a better portfolio to show. I also think that rather than using your G35 site as a showcase, create a site specifically to use as a portfolio piece - whether it be for your "company" or whatever. I strongly suggest creating a Corporate Image for yourself. Come up with a company name, design a logo, get business cards, etc. It will do wonders for your credibility.

I would also suggest attending some trade shows in order to network with some potential clients. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce puts some on every once and a while - take a look at their website for details. www.calgarychamber.com

The best thing you can do is make some contacts and build relationships with your clients so that you not only receive referrals from them, but also loyalty. Once you've done that, it won't be a matter of trying to find jobs, but rather, trying to find time to get all the work done!

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

[Ben]

I like Flash site that use nice vector graphics.

www.2advanced.com and www.eye4u.com have some impressive portfolios.

Archived versions of previous 2advanced.

http://www.2advanced.com/archive/v2/flashindex.htm

http://www.2advanced.com/archive/v3/flashindex.htm

[g350z]

meh, I dont know how much I want to go into this design stuff. It has served me better to create car websites, place ads on them and then sell them when they start loosing profits. It would be easy to make $5000 per month just by running a few seperate websites....

Besides, I dont like working for other people, which is why making my own sites my way and making money off that suits me better.

But thanks for the info anyways, it was quite helpful.

[Superesc]

yup I guess it depends on what you prefer. Some ppl prefer to have a bit more security as of stable income / benefit / etc and some prefer freelance projects where there's more money, but it might not be stable.

[VWbloke]

Originally posted by g350z
meh, I dont know how much I want to go into this design stuff. It has served me better to create car websites, place ads on them and then sell them when they start loosing profits. It would be easy to make $5000 per month just by running a few seperate websites....



Um, I guess you have your answer right there then ;)

[switch]

Originally posted by Superesc


40 bucks an hr would be like 80k a year... good luck finding a stable web "design" job these days that will pay you that. (unless you have lots of experience; exclude junior/entry positions)

Also depends it may depend on which dept you are looking at. Design/Motion Design? or Developer/IT?

I charge:

$40 /hr for HTML/Graphics Design
$80 /hr for ASP/PHP/.NET
$80 /hr for DB development

Your right, there aren't ANY high paying stable jobs in IT anymore, thats why everything is contract -- I prefer it that way. I have a good paying day job and do contract work in my free time.

If you are good and can complete a project on time you can command what you are worth.

It is uneducated hacks charging $20 /hr that are ruining the industry.

[Superesc]

Originally posted by switch

$40 /hr for HTML/Graphics Design


I think this is the only thing I question. Everyone say they can do graphic design when they have a copy of PS, but not many understand branding and visual commuication. Knowing how to use PS does not make a designer.

[switch]

Originally posted by Superesc


I think this is the only thing I question. Everyone say they can do graphic design when they have a copy of PS, but not many understand branding and visual commuication. Knowing how to use PS does not make a designer.

I agree but you should never assume someone's skills/background/education.

Graphics design is a small portion of web development that does not command a high wage.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

Originally posted by kevie88
HP hired a person to replace me on the Server Admin team at Transalta for $20,000 a year.. The IT industry sucks soooooo bad right now.

I'm making $10,000 more a year working at a motorcycle dealership :eek:

u kidding me?? i know a guy that graduated last year and he has a job paying like 35 000 which is ok for a starter fresh outta school. His position is pretty low too

[BebeAphrodite]

20, 000/ year isn't enough to live on - if it's a full time job then there's no way to survive.
As for the http://www.g35.ca/
No offense but I don't think anyone is going to hire you based on that website. The graphics weren't visually stimulating since they were just images with words on them.
The layout is very basic and doesn't showcase what you can do.
I'd take the advice of others as well and create a portoflio that showcases whta you can do graphically as well as the scripting.
I liked the idea above to create a 'mock' site

[Ben]

Originally posted by CuteAsianAngel
20, 000/ year isn't enough to live on - if it's a full time job then there's no way to survive.
As for the http://www.g35.ca/
No offense but I don't think anyone is going to hire you based on that website. The graphics weren't visually stimulating since they were just images with words on them.
The layout is very basic and doesn't showcase what you can do.
I'd take the advice of others as well and create a portoflio that showcases whta you can do graphically as well as the scripting.
I liked the idea above to create a 'mock' site


I agree

Check out those links I posted a few posts up, thats the kind of website you're gonna need to show you mean business.

[bart]

www.derbauer.de

best flash site of all i think. go through the portfolio, their flash is good stuff.

i personally like this one trailer:

http://www.flash4all.de/productions/BIII/BIII_TR.htm

[g350z]

lol, I already said I decided not to become a designer per-say, its 50 times easier to design sites and sell them for a profit, you can make $300-$500 per site, which only takes a few hours to make and advertise...

[Ben]

Well if you plan on "designing sites and selling them", you're gonna need some better "designs" in order to "sell" them.

[switch]

Originally posted by Ben
Well if you plan on "designing sites and selling them", you're gonna need some better "designs" in order to "sell" them.

Thanks Ben, I was going to reply with the same thing but instead I was doing this:

:banghead:

[g350z]

actually, I have already sold many of my sites for hundreds and thousands of dollars to people who are looking to make money off the site, where design is not the key element. You have to understand the business of it, its really the domain name + the traffic + the content on the site + revenue of ads...

That is how I can make $300 from a couple hours work...

If you dont believe me, look at: http://www.fast-autos.com (the new owner screwed with my origional design) which I sold for $3000 or http://www.fantasyautos.com which I sold for $1000...

Thats how to make money on the web...

[switch]

Originally posted by g350z
actually, I have already sold many of my sites for hundreds and thousands of dollars to people who are looking to make money off the site, where design is not the key element. You have to understand the business of it, its really the domain name + the traffic + the content on the site + revenue of ads...

That is how I can make $300 from a couple hours work...

If you dont believe me, look at: http://www.fast-autos.com (the new owner screwed with my origional design) which I sold for $3000 or http://www.fantasyautos.com which I sold for $1000...

Thats how to make money on the web...

Design is the key element, if it looks like ass -- will customers take the business seriously? First impressions are key to the success of any business, online or not.

Domain-name takes about 2 seconds to setup and it is usually done by the host. Traffic comes with customers, without a pleasing design no customers will stay. Content is important but if the packaging looks like crap no one will want to read it. Revenue via banner/ads on applies to some types of sites.

You charged $3000 for that Fast-Autos site? ouch dude, you took them to the cleaners.

Other than your b&w banner, the entire Fantasy-Autos is a pre-built PHP-Nuke template -- so I hope you weren't trying to call that work your own.

ie. http://www.rjwb.com -- the same template used by tens of thousands of people online.

Not trying to bust your balls, just telling it like it is.

[g350z]

you dont know what you are talking about...

The domain name can take hours and or hundreds of dollars to buy, because 99.5% of all good domains have been taken already. I do all my own domain work to make sure it is top notch.

Traffic comes from people wanting to see CONTENT, people really dont care THAT MUCH about design on a content based site, obviously it is important, but CONTENT is easily the most important thing.

Fast-autos.com was getting 1000 visits per day and was making $300 per month, so it was certainly not a rip-off...Fantasyautos.com came with lots of content and mods, I sell at the price people are willing to pay, and the buyers of both of those sites are very experianced in the website/domain field, so I know they were paying market value...

I am sorry to prove you wrong, but I dont think you know what you are talking about, check out:

dnforum.com
domainstate.com
namepros.com

when you are a member with hundreds of posts at each of those forums, then tell me I dont know my stuff

:werd:

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by switch


Design is the key element, if it looks like ass -- will customers take the business seriously? First impressions are key to the success of any business, online or not.

Domain-name takes about 2 seconds to setup and it is usually done by the host. Traffic comes with customers, without a pleasing design no customers will stay. Content is important but if the packaging looks like crap no one will want to read it. Revenue via banner/ads on applies to some types of sites.

You charged $3000 for that Fast-Autos site? ouch dude, you took them to the cleaners.

Other than your b&w banner, the entire Fantasy-Autos is a pre-built PHP-Nuke template -- so I hope you weren't trying to call that work your own.

ie. http://www.rjwb.com -- the same template used by tens of thousands of people online.

Not trying to bust your balls, just telling it like it is.

:werd: Again, not very impressive 'graphics'.


Originally posted by g350z

The domain name can take hours and or hundreds of dollars to buy, because 99.5% of all good domains have been taken already. I do all my own domain work to make sure it is top notch.

It does look like a template.... my brother (12 years old at the time he made a page) has a site that looks like your second link. Very very similar and I'm 100% positive that he didn't write it himself. What do you mean domain work?

[g350z]

its not easy to aquire a good domain, for my newest site, for instance, I looked for a week for a good domain name (.com name)

Since most of the nice names are taken, either you buy one from someone else and pay a lot (sometimes $10,000 or more) or you use a not-so-good domain...

For instance, www.G35.ca is short, and descriptive, seeing as my site is a Canadian G35 site, if I used www.CanadianInfinitiG35Forum.com - its long, hard to remember, ect.....

.com names are as important as graphics on a website, because you want your visitors to remember your website address and come back again...

What I meant by I do all my own domain work is I buy my own .com names for development, my 'host' or anyone else doesnt do this for me, which cuts down costs...and I like my own domains better than names other people try to get my to buy...lol

[Ben]

They simple fact you hozed the owners of those sites for that muh is outstanding. But eventually people will figure out how easy it is to build simple sites like that and you'll need to step up your skills a couple knotches.

[g350z]

no, that wasnt hozing them, when sites make hundreds of dollars per month, the new owner can make the buying price back in less than a year (do you know anything about business?), I just get tired with the sites and like to sell them quickly. That day will never come, people will never figure out how easy it is to make quick money this way, you can doubt it as much as you want, but I have been doing this for about a year and the checks still roll in. When you can find a job you can do for a few hours a week, at home, whenever you have spare time, that makes enough money you could almost live off of, then come show me

[switch]

g350z it is people like you that give web designers/developers a bad name -- uneducated hacks that are only concerned about making a few dollars from a sloppy website.

I don't see how that horrid fantasy-autos site creates any revenue; the forum has a total of 6 posts and the rest of the site reads like a 9 year-olds fixation with Italian sports cars. In addition to the crappy design the entire site is full of misinformation about cars.

What is with your obsession with domain names? A descriptive domain mattered back in 1997 but these days it means squat -- thats what indexing search engines are for: finding sites that match user queries. You really think people just randomly type in URLS in their address bars looking for sites? Of course not, they use search engines -- descriptive content, meta tag keywords/desc. and using robots.txt /meta robots is how users find your site.

With your careless attitude and lack of skills I am surprised you have found any contract work willing to pay you. I guarantee that your current portfolio paired with your lack of knowledge will not find you a job at any web design firm in Calgary.

Anyways, I am not wasting anymore time arguing with you -- ignorance is bliss and I will let you enjoy it until reality slaps you in the face.

[89coupe]

I use flash to create all of my sites. I usually do the opening homepage in html though. I always have a skip intro link if there is an intro theme. None of my sites are slow to load except for one which has a large gallery. Website design is tough to make money on unless you are doing high profile sites with large databases. Most static websites these days are usually created in-house, for the simple fact that there are so many tools out there these days to help you do it on your own. I charge anywhere from $1000.00 to $15,000.00 depending on the size of the site. All of my sights are simple static based sites. I never charge by the hour, I usually work out a flat rate based on the size of the site and the amount of graphic design and content involved.

Some of the sites I have done.

www.performanceplus.com (Did the Intro and a gallery that is not up yet)
www.mcdan.com
www.burmisenergy.ca
www.strategesolutions.ca
www.lawsportraits.com
www.golonggolf.com ( My golf business)
www.designsanew.com ( My own site, not sure I will ever get it done...LOL )
www.designsanew.com/elkpoint/elkpoint.html ( An oil & gas company that was bought out a year ago.)
www.performance-shop.com ( My on going project )

Just a note...if a business desires a certain domain name and someone else owns it but has no business and is hoping to make a quick buck by selling the domain name, that just doesn't happen anymore. By law the business can force that person to give up the domain name.

[g350z]

Originally posted by switch
g350z it is people like you that give web designers/developers a bad name -- uneducated hacks that are only concerned about making a few dollars from a sloppy website.

I don't see how that horrid fantasy-autos site creates any revenue; the forum has a total of 6 posts and the rest of the site reads like a 9 year-olds fixation with Italian sports cars. In addition to the crappy design the entire site is full of misinformation about cars.

What is with your obsession with domain names? A descriptive domain mattered back in 1997 but these days it means squat -- thats what indexing search engines are for: finding sites that match user queries. You really think people just randomly type in URLS in their address bars looking for sites? Of course not, they use search engines -- descriptive content, meta tag keywords/desc. and using robots.txt /meta robots is how users find your site.

With your careless attitude and lack of skills I am surprised you have found any contract work willing to pay you. I guarantee that your current portfolio paired with your lack of knowledge will not find you a job at any web design firm in Calgary.

Anyways, I am not wasting anymore time arguing with you -- ignorance is bliss and I will let you enjoy it until reality slaps you in the face.

Did you not read anything I wrote...people visit a site because of CONTENT, CONTENT, CONTENT!

If I can make easy money, then why wouldnt I do it, I never ever said I am a great designer, in fact, I am realize I am pretty bad, but at this point, I really dont care, because I have learned how to make quite money without having amazing design skills...

Design is all well and good, but the checks keep rolling in for me anyways, and I must be doing something right as there were over 40 bids for my Fantasyautos site on ebay...

[BebeAphrodite]

what do you mean content?

[switch]

Originally posted by CuteAsianAngel
what do you mean content?

He means the body text of a page.

But he is still wrong, people visit a site for content but if the wrapping looks like crap no one will stay long.

[MerfBall]

What g350z is missing is the big picture. It's not just content, design, graphics, performance, usability, etc. etc. It's all of it. You want a good example of good websites, go to any corporate website.

If web development is as trivial as you make it out to be than companies would be going to your local highschool and getting some code monkey to sit in a room for a week to build a site for them. But it's not, most good websites takes hours upon hours to properly design and implement. Usually requires various people who are good at design, coding, graphics, and ensuring the site follows good usability practices.

Sure cheques will roll in for any mediocre job ( the guy handing you a Big Mac has cheques rolling in too). But for the same amount of work that you do, if you had more pride in your work and not just out to make a quick buck, you might find that you could get double to triple of what you are currently making.

[g350z]

I'm not missing the big picture, I am improving my skills, I never said I was an amazing designer, but I am making enough money to get ready to buy my first car, while I improve my design skills, whats the problem with that?

[mudpuppy]

Hey g350z, you really are ripping people off....

I am the owner or www.rjwb.com, just to let you know, I paid NOTHING to get that set up, it was done for free by some site I found. I personly would feel guilty for charging www.fantasyautos.com anything...its a template man. I mean if people are paying you then hey...but I almost feel like telling these people that they could have got the same site for free....I won't, but man....I would be PISSED if I found out.....:drama:

Good luck...

You guys have some great smileys....:poosie:

[ehos]

Its' a business. If someone pays you 3000 for a template, then all I have to say is 'caveat emptor.'

[g350z]

It wasnt just the design, it was the content and traffic and domain name...

Its all good, if someone came up to you and said they would pay you $30,000 for your stock 1996 Honda Accord, would you say, "No, I think that's a little too much money, how about you only pay me $14,000"?

Of course not, if someone makes a good offer, you accept it, the buyer got what he wanted for a price he was willing to pay.


Originally posted by mudpuppy
Hey g350z, you really are ripping people off....

I am the owner or www.rjwb.com, just to let you know, I paid NOTHING to get that set up, it was done for free by some site I found. I personly would feel guilty for charging www.fantasyautos.com anything...its a template man. I mean if people are paying you then hey...but I almost feel like telling these people that they could have got the same site for free....I won't, but man....I would be PISSED if I found out.....:drama:

Good luck...

You guys have some great smileys....:poosie:

[g350z]

by the way, in the sale of the site, I actually stated that the website was built using a pre-made template from PHP-Nuke, so the buyer knew it was nothing origional

[mudpuppy]

Cool...as long as they knew....the site looks good btw....I am very novice and learning as I go....its fun.

[VWbloke]

The question I'm left with now is: Why are you 'looking for a web design job' if you have all these cheques 'rolling in'?

I mean, why try to find a job at a development company when you're obviously doing so well for yourself? Wait... where's the sarcasm font on here?

It seems to me that you're an adolescent boy, barely weened from your mother's teat, who has assumed a grossly skewed representation of his knowledge about the web development industry; all because he managed to slap some sites together. Sites that include copyrighted photos found elsewhere no less!

I also like how you contradict that fellow Switch - someone who definitely knows how this all works as reflected by his previous posts.

You claim to have sold one of your sites for $1000? I'll pay you $1000 to stop posting such tripe and choose a new career befitting someone of your stature. I hear McDonald's is always hiring.

As for your next domain name, I hear that www.i-should-have-been-aborted.com is available.

[jonik]

Originally posted by g350z
If you know of any people that need a website, or know of a web design company that might be hiring, or are in need of a website yourself, please PM me.

Thanks a lot!

I have on for you, it doesn't let me PM you, but you can email me @ [email protected] or you can AIM me @ ogeorgeko

[jonik]

Or for that matter, this is about anybody who is seeking a position. It is a good paying job, which also has incentives.

[Dope Dealer]

Hahaah, 3000 dollars for that site?

I made a site for an advertiser on here and I practically gave it to him for free..

Build your portfolio using small time clients, then you can charge the big bucks...

I work for several companies online, and they will pay big dollars once they see what you can do. You just have to put yourself in the proximity of these clients, and nature will take its course. If they are impressed, they will tell their friends and you will have more clients than you know what to do with.

Freelance is the only way to go in my opinion, as you have complete control and not being told what to do, but that can also be a downfall if you are not good in a certain area.

[Ben]

Well this thread shit the bed.