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Career Advice for Job Seekers

The Life of a Web Designer

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
March 14, 2012


I have worked as a freelance web designer for four years, and have completed design projects for lawyers, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, and professionals in a variety of other industries.

My role is to provide web design services on an as-needed basis. I spend about 50 percent of my time working on design projects, and the other 50 percent marketing my services, managing my portfolio, and taking care of administrative tasks such as accounting and invoicing.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate my job satisfaction at an 8. I believe that spending less time handling administrative functions would increase my enthusiasm for my job.

I would not necessarily say that web design is my “calling,” or that it fulfills my heart. Still, it is far more enjoyable than sitting in a cubicle in a corporate office, which I did for a decade before becoming a full-time freelancer. I also enjoy working with people from different countries around the world. About 75 percent of my business comes from international clients.

The global aspect of my job is a unique factor. The language barrier can sometimes be challenging, particularly if the client has limited English knowledge. The chance to learn a little bit of several languages, though, has been enjoyable.

I started in web design quite by accident. I learned how to design websites on my own, and a former business associate in Chicago asked my to design a site for a business he planned to start. This person then referred other clients to me, and I eventually realized that I could make a full-time living from it. Some of these referrals were clients in other countries, which led me to focus on international business.

If I could change anything about the way I started in web design, I would have begun networking with other web designers from the beginning. I began actively networking about two years ago, and have gained a wealth of insights as a result. In my experience, most web designers are happy to share what they have learned, not only about design itself, but about the business of web design.

Failing to properly set rates from the beginning was a lesson I learned the hard way. I started out working cheaply, and raised my rates as I gained experience. This did not always set well with referral clients who expected excellent work at low rates. As a result, I had a difficult time convincing some clients to pay what my services were worth, and I lost several potential and existing clients along the way.

The most important thing I have learned about the working world is that there are real people behind every decision and transaction. Developing relationships with clients, subcontractors, and vendors has been critical to my success as a web designer. I have met few people in this business who did not appreciate a personal approach.

Perhaps the strangest experience for me so far as a web designer happened about two years ago. I received an email from the significant other of a female client in Sweden, whom I had just finished a project for. Apparently, this person had perused the client’s Skype contact list, found my name, and wasn’t terribly amused. Fortunately, I was able to clarify that I was a freelancer, and quickly diffused the situation.

I get up and work every day because I enjoy the challenges of the job, and, of course, because I like to keep the bills paid. Seeing clients attract website traffic and build successful businesses also makes me feel proud.

The main challenge for me, aside from the language barrier, is organization. Trying to find time to work on a half-dozen “rush” projects at once can be frustrating, particularly when clients ask for status updates several times a day.

Working at home takes away much of the stress of working as a web designer; however, it can also interfere with work/life balance. I find that I tend to take my laptop wherever I go, which can make it difficult to “shut down.”

I typically make between $40,000 and $50,000 per year as a web designer. Of course, as a self-employed person, I am responsible for paying my own taxes, which considerably reduces this amount. I live comfortably, but not extravagantly.

I am horrible about not taking vacations, or even days off. If I go on vacation, I usually have my laptop with me. I do think that scheduling a non-working vacation would be beneficial, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it yet.

A web design degree is necessary to get hired as a web designer in some cases. Having the portfolio to showcase projects and design skills might make a hiring manager overlook the lack of a degree, particularly in a smaller company.

If a friend told me that he was considering a career in website design, I would encourage him to find a niche. Designing a website for an attorney is completely different than designing a retail website. Also, in my experience, referrals tend to come from clients in the same niche.

If I could write my own ticket, I would own a website consulting firm in five years, with employees to handle the administrative and coding aspects of web design.

This is a true story as told to LatPro.com, the worldwide leader in providing online employment resources for Hispanic and bilingual professionals. LatPro is the largest diversity employment site in the U.S. and the most complete personal career advancement service for Latino and bilingual professionals.

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