Web development can be an exciting and demanding career. Technology evolves all the time, so working in web development is a continuous learning process. Any company that hires a web developer expects them to take some responsibility for making sure that they are on point with the latest web development processes and tools.
Gaining qualifications such as the Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology is just the start. The learning continues apace once a web developer starts to work in the real world. The learning curve is usually especially steep when first starting out in the arena of web development.
Learning from senior developers
Usually, a new developer joins a team where there are already senior developers in place. This presents the ideal opportunity for learning. There is sometimes a tendency for new developers to try and make their mark; after all, they have the most up to date training. However, the more senior developers have the benefit of practical experience. They also know how the company works. Listening and learning is a useful approach when first joining a web development team.
A multitude of languages to grasp
No web developer starts out being an expert in every language out there. Any new developer needs to be prepared to study and use different languages, depending on the tasks presented to them. Generally, for full stack development, the best languages to know in advance are HTML, CSS JavaScript, jQuery, and PHP. Even, if a developer has a good grasp of all these languages, there will usually be plenty to learn when starting out in a first web developer role.
Getting used to an agile environment
In today’s digital world, agile is the way to go for many companies. Any new web developer should be prepared to work in an agile environment. Agile practices are designed to promote a more flexible approach to development that enables quick responses to business challenges. New developers need to embrace agile methods such as scrum and extreme programming.
Developing knowledge by attending conferences
Many new developers are sent to conferences by the company they work for. Those that are not sent should seek to attend conferences on their own volition. The top developer conferences are important events as they are a forum for new developments to be announced. They are the place to be for any developer who wants to keep abreast of the latest web development news.
Starting out as a web developer can be tough. It’s difficult to emerge from a training environment where you are confident of your knowledge into a busy business environment where you can quickly begin to question your skills. Knowing that it’s not going to be an easy ride helps. Being prepared for the challenge means that you can treat it as a chance to learn, grow and become a better developer. At that stage, you can be the senior developer who shares their expertise with new members of the team.
