Reality for many web designers, even me :(

Allo Allo,

This post is to give many a wake up call.

Through many forums I have seen many people say, "When I grow up I want to be the a graphics designer who gets paid to do web pages."

As much as I like that idea, I have to simply say, wake up. In todays freelance market of millions of web designers the odds of you getting a job is slim to none.

Though many I know are good at pages and I can say im pretty decent, reality is there are thousands better then you, no matter what, someone will always be better then you and hell, they might charge cheaper then you.

Most freelance web designers now in the field get degress in many fields and join a big firm to do pages and get minimal pay. Indepent freelancing is basically gone.

Though I am not saying it is 100% to do this independent, im just saying its damn near hard and you better dedicate lots and lots time for this.

That means learn to use EVERY web graphics tool, learn EVERY web language ASAP, learn to strike up deals and CALL up companies, I'm sorry e-mails wont cut it.

I don't think you're right. You don't start as a pro, everything starts as a hobby. Along the way you'll notice if you're good at it, and if other people are interested in your work.

The best of the best (Might be you, think of that!) make lots of money doing webdesign for very big companies, but the less talented, experienced designers can make quite some money too, working for smaller companies or having a small business themselves. I know this guy, 19 years old, earns lots of money, but his pages don't even look that great! He knew the right people, had a bit of talent and apparently did the right thing.

Okay, all of us wants to be a professional webdesigner making lots o money one day, but if that day never comes, you can do it as a second job.

So what if someone is better than you, he can't do one million projects a day, so can't thousend of webdesigners. After that thousends of webdesigners, you suddenly pop up: Low costs, and pretty good pages. Bingo! You've got yourself a job.

Of course you need talent doing graphics and designing pages, but when it comes to languages, like HTML, PHP, you can learn everything by buying a book or reading the internet.

All I know is that I want to get a job I really enjoy, and when I get the opportunity of that being a job as a professional webdesigner I'll take it, but if it's something totally different, and I like it, I'll take it too.

I'd say, just think positive. When you believe in your self, you'll get there, or somewhere nearby.

i have trouble accepting your bleak vision of the future. you can't make accurate predictions about a business that has only been around for 5 years or so. i bet all the people who lost their jobs when the dot com industry went from easy money to crap recently would agree. not to mention all the people that invested in dot com companies one year ago that don't exist anymore (the companies not the people....well maybe some of the people too!)

Indeed Charm and Zdevil are correct. People don't want freelance work that much anymore. Thier webmaster might have some freelance work hired to do graphics work or they may have one inhouse.

A friend of mine I grew up with just got a job doing a website for a great deal of money. He is in-house, fulltime.

The market is there, you just have to look for it.

yeah, so I guess the only way to make a living in this industry is work your ass off and get lots of good connections! lolz

Well though I always encourage you to follow your dreams, have some back up since the e-economy is so unstable right now :P

Well you have to admit he is right but only slightly. How many people have you seen saying they are going to start their own web design company, or do freelance work.

Alot, hell even i was bouncing around thinking i was gonna do webpages for money and it would be easy, fun, great, and i'd makes lots andlots of money. Yah well i was a stupid kid so we'll ignore me for now.

Freelance, though, isn't obsolete. There will always people who want to skip the complex development stages and just pay money for someone to pump out a site for them. No everyone wants to drop 20 grand on one site.

I do both freelance and hold down a full time job. Its the only way I can survive.

Maybe it depends where you live? I live in a rather small city, who has only one place that does design for the web . You'd have to drive down the valley to find another place, but all the designers seem to be making fine money. Maybe its a just because of the area i live in? La County.

i do web design fulltime and freelance. where you live definitely effects your ability to find a fulltime job in your area (small town vs. big city). but, where you live can have absolutely no effect on your ability to do freelance work. the freelance work i do is for people all over the country and actually nobody local.

freelance work is a great way to make connections and build up a portfolio.

So I guess we can say get some good rep and go out there. But I totally agree with you, big cities are the place to go now a days, move to the cities where all the new business's go and be the first to offer the best prices.

Though most companies prefer reliabily i.e. big name and well known people, you can always take the root of working from small businesses to big.

But we have to settle in the with the economy right now as many things are headning down hill :(

But who knows, maybe their will be a internet boost in some other country besides us and they'll need lots of web designers :D