There are different kinds of web developers. Each one requires a specific set of technical and creative skills. If you enjoy working with the Internet, you may like this field. Here is a description of these career choices.
Content Developer
Content developers are writers that produce articles, marketing text, or other types of information for websites. The position requires the individual to be comfortable working with Internet tools, websites, browsers, templates, and a general knowledge of HTML. These types of web developers need to understand how information is found on the Internet, along with a strong knowledge of search engine optimization techniques (SEO). Due to the importance of fresh information on the web, it is important to know how to produce content quickly as well the ability to adapt to changing technologies and environment conditions. Strong writing skills, along with good spelling and grammar are essential in this job. It is also important to have solid organizational, communication and analytical skills.
Web Designer
A web designer is concerned with the look and feel of a website. The job requires an individual with creative and technical skills. These individuals should understand what makes a website appealing and user friendly. A strong knowledge of HTML and CSS (hand coding and web editing software) is needed as well as a familiarity with SEO techniques. Experience with JavaScript and Flash can be helpful in some positions. Web designers should also know about web browser and screen resolution differences.
Web Graphic Artist
Web graphic artists create images utilizing drawings and photos with the use of freehand illustration and photo editing software. These types of web developers also design user interface elements like icons, logos, and buttons. Individuals who are considering this type of work should have artistic ability, be detailed, organized, and have an understanding of how to optimize images for fast loading onto the web. Some web graphic artists may have a stronger technical background and may incorporate web design and SEO techniques as part of their job.
Web Programmer
A web programmer works on the functionality of a website. While a web designer is concerned with the visual appearance of the site, the programmer creates the interactive elements like report generation, auto lease calculation, ecommerce transactions and security functions. Individuals pursuing this path as a career choice have strong technical knowledge in programming languages like Java, C/C++, Pearl, PHP, or Visual Basic. Web programmers should have solid logic skills, be detailed oriented, and be able to communicate well on a verbal and written basis. Due to fast changing web technology, these web developers have to update their education on a continuous basis to adapt to new applications, languages, and changes in operating systems and browsers.