Web Developer

by Kim Higgins

Part I: Background and Job Description

While "Web Developer" is truly a broad job title that can be applied to the several careers involved in creating and maintaining Web sites, I will be focusing on the Web Programmer's responsibilities. Web Developers must work on several assigned Web site projects and tackle them on schedule. If you like creating clever, cool things for everyone to see and use, then you would enjoy the life of a Web Developer. The starting salaries for these positions can vary immensely depending on your skill set, location, and the type of company. For example, a starting salary for a Web developer could be anywhere from $45K all the way up to $95K.

To be successful in a Web development career, you need a solid knowledge base in Internet technologies and programming. While HTML is a requirement, you also need good knowledge of Perl, XML, SQL, Java, JavaScript, ASP, or Cold Fusion – preferably a combination of these. One of the most important characteristics of a Web Developer is willingness to stay on top of the latest technologies and to continue to build upon your current skill set. You don't want to be left behind!

You will use all of these skills to create a wide range of Internet applications. The applications can be anything from a shopping cart for an online store or a Web site search tool to a sophisticated online catalog that keeps track of hundreds of company products. A Web Developer should know which technologies fit the specific needs of each project.

A Web Developer also needs to know how to work on a schedule with deadlines and how to estimate the duration of a project. Good team-working skills are also important because you are very rarely the only person involved in a project. Project Managers, Database Administrators, Programmers, and sometimes end-users take part in a Web project from start to finish.