Web Developer: Job Profile and Role

Nowadays, a strong online presence, including a professional website, is mandatory for every entrepreneurial individual and every business to succeed. However, programming websites, front-end, and back-ends are hardly the things an average entrepreneur can do. It is a specialist field that requires an almost ridiculous amount of knowledge, tech affinity, foresight, flexibility, and adaptability. It is the perfect field for a web developer.

This blog will explore the job and the roles of a web developer. We will look at the expected salaries and potential employers. You will also find out which qualifications and skills you should have when you want to become a web developer. To give you a better idea of the practical approach to your theoretical knowledge, we will take a look at the day in the life of a web developer. To conclude this blog, we will give you three tips for thriving as a web developer.

Short Summary

• As a web developer, you write codes that enable websites to function optimally and smoothly.
• As a web developer, you are responsible for constructing a website from scratch. This includes building both a front-end and a back-end.
• As a web developer, you are responsible for ensuring that the final website meets your employer’s and the target audience’s needs.

Job description

A web developer constructs websites for companies that specialise in e-commerce or companies that offer services, both online and in the real world. As a web developer, you need to have an extensive knowledge of programming, codes, and the optimal appearance of a finished website. A web developer is also responsible for website adjustments, changes, and maintenance. This can include debugging, performance optimisation, and ensuring the necessary security levels.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring and Maintenance
• Performance Optimisation
• Back-End Development
• Front-End Development
• Full-Stack Development
• Testing and Debugging
• Website Development
• Content Management
• Version Control
• Security

Different types of Web Developers

• Full-Stack Developer
• JavaScript Developer
• WordPress Developer
• Mobile Web Developer
• E-Commerce Developer

Salary

UK-based web developers typically earn between £33,100 and £37,400 annually. The salary is affected by the company size, the employer, and the location. The level of work experience and the specialisation of a web developer also affect the annual salary. Full-stack web developers can earn up to £43,100 per year, whereas junior web developers can expect £27,100 per year.

Working hours

Typically, a web developer works a standard 9 to 5 job, Monday through Friday. These working hours refer to a full-time web developer. Part-time web developers work less hours per week. Note that your working hours can increase during peak times, for instance, before a project completion or due to unforeseen website problems that need to be fixed ASAP. It is not unusual that your work can continue into the evenings. Emergency maintenance can also take part during the weekend.

As a web developer, you may have the option of remote work. This gives you more flexibility in both your working hours and your work location. We recommend that you check with your employer whether the option of remote work is available.

Employers

Web developers can find employment at tech companies, web development agencies, e-commerce companies, or marketing and advertising companies. If you choose these companies, you are usually an independent contractor for other companies which need a web developer. You also have the option to work as an in-house web developer. If you want to have a high level of flexibility and influence on both your working hours and your salary, you can opt to become a freelance/self-employed web developer.

First Impressions Count

And by this, we do not mean your first personal impression on your future boss but the first impression a website makes on potential customers. This is one of your key responsibilities as a web developer. You should know intricately which backgrounds, colours, fonts, images, animations, layouts etc. work to attract huge numbers of customers. You should also know that most of them love to “scam” and therefore need headlines, bullet points and lots of pictures to keep them interested.

Qualifications

There are no specific requirements to become a web developer. You have the choice between an academic degree, an apprenticeship, or a college course in an appropriate field. Your qualifications should be related to IT, web design and development, and computer science.

Besides, you can look into earning further qualifications and certifications, for example, in programming languages and project management. Further career-advancing qualifications are the Udacity Front-End Web Developer Nanodegree, the edX Front-End Web Developer Professional Certificate, and the IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer Professional Certificate, to name but a few. You can also find more qualifications on the Chartered Institute for IT website.

Skills

When you want to become a web developer, you should make sure that you have the relevant strengths, competencies, and interests. Being interested in arts and literature is all well and good. However, these interests might not necessarily help you to excel as a web developer. Instead, you should have a strong interest in numbers, data, statistics, and analytics. Even though you spend a lot of your time in front of a computer, you should also have good communication skills.

In this section, we will take a look at a few more soft skills that are beneficial for you when you want to become a web developer.

Persistance and Determination

Web development comes with hitches and problems which can be both time-consuming and frustrating. It is very easy to throw in the towel at the first hurdle. Unfortunately, this will neither save you time nor will it make the problem go away. If you want to excel as a web developer, you need to be both persistent and determined instead. These traits help you overcome and solve problems without losing your nerve and your patience.

Flexibility and Adaptability

The technological world changes almost daily. And the changes are by no means always minor and negligible. To be a professional and good web developer, you have to be adaptable to the latest trends, changes, and developments. You also need to be flexible to take the changes on board – especially those you are not 100 per cent on board with.

Writing Skills

Yes, you have read correctly. When you want to be a web developer, you should have excellent writing skills. But these writing skills do not apply to your abilities with the written word. They apply to writing computer programs and codes, which in turn help you construct and build websites. These strong writing skills ensure the smooth functioning of a website and the satisfaction of your employer and the target audience.

Career Path

You start your career as a web developer at entry level. By gaining your first work experience, you can then choose between different and higher positions. After a few years, you can either move into senior positions or other areas of web development. Depending on your preferences, you can become a lead manager as well as a project leader, for example, in IT project management.

Educational Background

You can become a web developer by three different approaches: a university course and degree, an apprenticeship, or a college course in an appropriate field, such as computer science or web design and development. Note that you need the required number of GCSEs and the appropriate grades, depending on your educational approach.

Although a university background is not mandatory to become a web developer, it can be of advantage. Most employers prefer candidates with a Bachelor’s or even a Master’s degree. However, an apprenticeship has its benefits for you. Besides the theoretical knowledge, you will gain your first practical experience as a web developer.

Entry Level

Your first job as a web developer is likely an entry-level position, such as a junior web developer. This might not pay the highest salaries but it will give you something which is equally important, if not even more so: your first work experience. This sets you up for becoming an excellent web developer. Gaining experience also enables you to look for different and higher positions within the web development profession.

Continuous Learning

As a web developer, you are in charge of developing websites. Since you work in the digital world every day, you also know that the digital world is prone to change rapidly and drastically. You need to continuously learn to keep all the relevant changes and trends in mind. It is the only way to be and stay a professional and outstanding web developer. Continuous learning can be both part of your working day, for example, by attending webinars and workshops, and of your personal time at home.

A Day in the Life of a Web Developer

You now know which qualifications and skills you should have when you want to become a web developer. But how do you make practical use of these qualifications and skills? How are they part of your working day? And what, exactly, does a day in the life of a web developer look like? Let’s take a look at a typical day in the life of a web developer.

Coding and Development

Maybe you have just been assigned a new project? In this case, one of your first tasks of the day is to start coding and website development. This can include front- and back-end development and usually involves database management, JavaScript, and CSS. Coding does not only apply to new projects but also to existing projects that you are still working on.

Debugging

The more you work on a new website, the more advanced it gets. Even though you are brilliant at your job, hitches and bugs will occur. Part of your working day as a web developer is to debug which is nothing other than to fix bugs and make sure that the website runs smoothly and bug-free.

Team and Client Meetings

Meetings with your team/colleagues and clients are another part of your day as a web developer. After all, you are mainly responsible for a website’s set-up but not necessarily for its design. Liaising with web designers or graphic designers can be a meeting you take part in. You also discuss ongoing and new projects with your respective clients. Here, you talk about progress, possible changes, issues, and potential new projects.

Tips for Thriving as a Web Developer

You already know that continuous learning is important when you want to thrive as a web developer. Knowing everything there is to know about the latest developments, changes, algorithms, and software enables you to work professionally and efficiently. But there are more ways that help you thrive as a web developer.

In this section, we will take a closer look at three tips for thriving as a web developer:

• Master the basics
• Build a strong portfolio
• Improve your security knowledge

Master the Basics

Granted, mastering the basics is a tip for a web developer newbie. When you start your career as a web developer, you need to know the relevant software and programming programs, such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. However, knowing the basics does not mean that you cannot improve and broaden your knowledge. We are sure that there will always be new developments and changes that you as a web developer need to be aware of. Mastering these will help you thrive as a web developer.

Build a Strong Portfolio

A strong portfolio is an important asset for a web developer – whether you work for a company or as a self-employed web developer. The projects you have worked on and completed give valuable insights into your abilities and competencies. They are advantageous, especially when you are looking for a new project or when you are thinking about changing jobs. Therefore, building a strong portfolio of your projects and competencies is another great tip for thriving as a web developer.

Improve your Security Knowledge

The internet might be a fast and easy option to perform most of our daily chores. Unfortunately, online shopping and googling have another and less pleasant side. By now, phishing, scamming, and data theft are par for the course. Only strong security levels and measures can guarantee protection against the misuse of personal and highly sensitive data. Therefore, you should know everything there is to know about digital security. Improving your knowledge daily will help you thrive as a web developer.

Frequently Asked Questions