Upsetting phone call

[OwlHoot]

SY01, what languages or frameworks does he use? i.e. .Net/C#/..., or PHP, perl, etc?

I'd imagine purely aesthetic or "arty" web development contracts, just hacking HTML and CSS and Photoshopping for example, are quite few and far between, and most also require language and database skills such as the LAMP stack or frameworks such as Visual Studio.

[d000hg]

If you're on the arty side it's more graphic design. Creating logos and artwork, defining a brand/theme for the website, putting wireframes together, Flash animations. I imagine you can be a web designer without even knowing CSS/HTML, though I think most do. But certainly, throw in a little Javascript and being a front-end web designer/developer is pretty normal if you're working on bigger projects or in a team. If you want to do it freelance then I think you'd have to know at least PHP and some SQL... although designers getting into development leads to developers making rude comments about the quality of the code produced

[Green Mango]

If he has lost confidence after 9 months on the bench, this could be having an adverse effect on his interview performance.

I find I do best in interviews when my frame of mind is that I don't really need the job (even if I do), I'm more confident and relaxed. If you're feeling a bit desperate which is natural after 9 months on the bench that will be picked up by the interviewers and generally it's not going to do you any favours.

[doodab]

designers getting into development leads to developers making rude comments about the quality of the code produced

They are normally happy to return the favour when they see my imaginative colour schemes.

[MarillionFan]

A friend of mine has a hosting company. He offers the services your friend has (ie. Basic website design) to clients for next to nothing ie. Few hundred quid. He makes his money from hosting. It's a fairly low grade skill and during recession there is less work.

He is also up against Bob offering sites from £50.

He needs to xtrain.

[alreadypacked]

If he has lost confidence after 9 months on the bench, this could be having an adverse effect on his interview performance.

I find I do best in interviews when my frame of mind is that I don't really need the job (even if I do), I'm more confident and relaxed. If you're feeling a bit desperate which is natural after 9 months on the bench that will be picked up by the interviewers and generally it's not going to do you any favours.

One of the reasons I suggested doing some voluntary work, make him feel valued again. Some people can't switch off the 'desperate' as easy as others. Also gets him out there meeting new people.

[d000hg]

He is also up against Bob offering sites from £50.

He needs to xtrain.

Or, be really good. Many people do recognise how much easier things are working with someone they can hold a proper conversation with, and people often just feel more comfortable with someone in the same country, who they can chat to about football over the weekend. Probably a little bit of unconscious xenophobia as well - a UK-based person needs to exploit all of these and make it clear they may cost more but are offering a premium service.

[gingerjedi]

Got a call from a contracting buddy this evening. Benched for 9 months now on the brink of losing everything. 2 years ago he was a real web design hot shot. No contract work out there apparently.
I am not in web design so I have no real idea what the market is like out there.

Could those members of the panel that are into aesthetic web design (html, css, content management etc) please report back their findings on the state of the market in this sector?

Meanwhile I've got to try and think of some diversification that might just get the ball rolling again for him.

Quite upset, so go gently.

Thanks

SY01

Does he have no other skills to fall back on? I've found myself fixing hardware in permieville.

It is soul destroying but certainly beats 'losing everything', sorry to be harsh but your mate needs a wake up call.

[suityou01]

Does he have no other skills to fall back on? I've found myself fixing hardware in permieville.

It is soul destroying but certainly beats 'losing everything', sorry to be harsh but your mate needs a wake up call.

He is applying for permie gigs as well as contracts. He is attending networking meetings. He does do voluntary work as well as DIY to keep motivated. He really is doing everything he can. Including doing websites for local businesses at Bob prices. That is why it was upsetting, I really can't fault him in what he is doing and how much stiff upper lip he is showing.

@Owly: He is more into content management stuff these days, drupal, wordpress, plone. He is tuliphot with flash, photoshop, css, html etc. I agree most of the gigs on js seem to be needing framework / lamp as well.

[pmeswani]

He is applying for permie gigs as well as contracts. He is attending networking meetings. He does do voluntary work as well as DIY to keep motivated. He really is doing everything he can. Including doing websites for local businesses at Bob prices. That is why it was upsetting, I really can't fault him in what he is doing and how much stiff upper lip he is showing.

@Owly: He is more into content management stuff these days, drupal, wordpress, plone. He is tuliphot with flash, photoshop, css, html etc. I agree most of the gigs on js seem to be needing framework / lamp as well.

I assume your friend has registered on Home - iT4Communities ?

I need someone to do my Website for me. The package I have doesn't, from what I can see, have a DB backend. Need to improve it badly.