In this material we will consider how to become a web designer, what steps you should take, what to try for in general and how to speed up your path.


If you're reading this, you don't need to explain why a website designer is an interesting and in-demand profession. So let's leave aside the long preface and immediately start with how to start in this field. 

Let's consider the ways of becoming a designer of websites, applications, lendings, online stores and graphic interfaces.

Web design: where to start?

Since you want to get into web design from scratch, you'll have to start with the basics. You'll need to get into the theory of color, composition, UX/UI, typography, contrasts and hierarchy, as well as the basics of internet marketing, a bit of psychology and more.

Training

The profession of web designer, like any other, starts with training. Here you need to get into not only the theory, but also to catch up on working in programs. In our humble opinion, the best start for a web designer is WAYUP courses.

Why? Here are the arguments against alternative paths:

  • self-study - long, complicated, irrelevant. You just can't figure out what information is needed and what is really relevant for lack of experience. It will be difficult without a mentor. At our training everything is structured, programs are created by practitioners who understand the modern market and will help you to achieve the same.
  • a university will give you a diploma. And a loss of time. Because it's not just a long process that takes several years. The minus is that during that time, the program becomes outdated, given the rapid development of the field. And after graduation, you'll be far behind the reality of the field.
  • internship from scratch - if you are lucky enough to get a job as an intern with training, this is a good solution for a start. But for this you should already have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the basics of web design, own the tools and be ready to work practically without pay. At the same time, firms teach employees for their own purposes and with their own vision. And this will not always help in future employment.


If there are doubts, start with free training - you do not risk anything and will be able to understand whether you are interested in such a direction as web site design.

Understanding trends and practicing

Practice is the key to success. And it is worth combining it with other people's experience. Constantly monitor specialized sites for web designers, take the best solutions from there, try to replicate them in your own projects.

We have made a whole selection with such resources.

Follow the trends. Ask questions about why in this case it was done in this way and not otherwise. And when you can independently find cool solutions for different tasks, then you can consider that you have become a web-designer. But that's not all, right? You need to start monetizing your knowledge.

How to sell web designer services

You have several ways:

  • freelance work;
  • working for an agency doing work for different clients;
  • working in a company, on one product.


These are not all career options. In fact, there are many more. But the beginning of approximately all of them is standard. And in any case, you will need to demonstrate how good a website designer you are - to potential clients or employers.

This will require a web designer's portfolio. In our courses, we start working on your portfolio while you are still studying. Because it is your projects that characterize you as a specialist.

A classic for a web designer is a portfolio on Behance. It's kind of a good tone to post on this platform. 

What's important:

  • Show cases, not just results. Describe the request, explain the thought process and the solution.
  • Don't cram everything in - there may not be many projects at first. But then there will be more. Choose the best ones: diverse, relevant, interesting.
  • Filter requests - if you want to specialize in certain areas, then publish just such examples. They will find you and customers.

Try also to create a web designer portfolio site yourself. This is a great way to clearly demonstrate your skills. After all, you are a master. And this is a case where you just can't be a cobbler without boots - if you're making your own site, make it cool.

Salary web designer

Let's understand how much earns a web designer. The question is ambiguous, because with the same level of knowledge and experience in practice, the numbers can be very different. As well as ways to earn money. 

But it is worth starting from the base. The average salary of a web designer in Ukraine according to work.ua:

And here's the data from dou.ua:

We take into account that candidates without experience (trainees) are offered from 19 to 32 thousand hryvnias per month. And there are quite a lot of such vacancies. And experienced applicants are more often offered a much (even many times!) higher payment, and it is not publicized in official sources. Therefore, the average value should not scare you.

Again, there is a difference in spheres. An employee of a small local brand and an it-designer in an international corporation have different incomes. 

If we generalize, then without experience or with minimal experience, you can qualify for a salary from $500 both in freelancing and in hiring. Further growth and its speed depends on the ability to pump skils and self-presentation skills. Strong Junior already receives $1000-2000, and when moving to the level of Middle you can qualify for a rate of $2000-5000. Experienced Senior in Ukraine have from $4000 and above.

And it is not necessary to consider only Ukrainian vacancies. If you have a sufficient level of English, you can safely claim to work remotely, choosing other countries. Here we had a story of our graduate Katya, who works with a web design studio in the USA and earns an average of $3500 per month. Not even for a full-time job.

Conclusion

You'll never know everything about web design. You'll have to learn continuously, upgrade your skills, keep track of trends and new tools. But we have created educational programs that will allow you to confidently start in the field of web-design without the need for additional training. Already in the process you will start working on your portfolio, and after completing the courses you will be a ready specialist.

Get started for free!