Web Designer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a web designer. Feel free to use our web designer job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a web designer.
Who is a Web Designer?
Visual components of websites are designed by web designers. They meet with customers, either online or in person, to acquire a clear picture of the message that has to be conveyed on the website. They produce layouts, styles, and features that display the client’s services in an appealing manner to the intended audience once the details have been identified.
The aesthetic part of the website is crucial, and choosing the right colors, typeface, layout, and photos gives it its individuality. Aside from aesthetic considerations, the website’s usability must be a top focus – it’s critical to build pages that are simple to use for the target demographic.
A web designer’s work environment is determined by the type of firm for which he or she is employed. Web design firms are often led by creative individuals that take a modern approach to workplace space, often providing open-concept offices where ideas and inspiration may be exchanged. A casual dress code is most likely in this type of workplace. Working from home is occasionally an option, and employers may offer flexible work hours.
In-house web designers are common in larger organizations that rely heavily on their online presence for a large portion of their revenue, and this type of workplace is likely to be more traditional.
Many web designers work from home as freelancers. Their home office will be set up completely according to their preferences, yet they may need to travel to meet with clients. This option allows for a great deal of flexibility in terms of working hours and location.
Categories of Web Designers
Freelance Web Designers, agency Web Designers, and in-house Web Designers are three distinct categories of Web Designers with three distinct work arrangements.
Freelance Web Designers
Freelance Web Designers are effectively self-employed, which means they must manage and promote their company while still executing the design work they’ve been hired to do. As a result, you must decide whether the flexibility of picking your own tasks is worth the time and work it takes to manage a business and acquire clients.
Web designers for agencies
Working for an agency provides security and some predictability in terms of pay, but you lose most, if not all, of the control you used to have over which projects and customers to take on. Firms may specialize in specific areas or niches, which may influence how much you enjoy working there.
In-house web designers
In-house Web Designers typically work for a firm on one or a few websites. In-house Web Designers may also be in charge of a single feature or portion of a bigger website; for example, one may focus solely on a company’s mobile capabilities.
In-house Web Designers are the only ones who aren’t concerned with pleasing clients, despite the fact that their sites will have numerous stakeholders. On the negative, they do not have access to the same level of variation as other designers.
Web Designer Job Description
Below are the web designer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a web designer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a web designer include the following:
- Working with clients to develop innovative concepts.
- Improving and testing the website’s design.
- Establishing Design principles, standards, and best practices that are excellent.
- Enforcing content standards in order to maintain the image of websites.
- Creating visual images for websites and ensuring that it is consistent with the client’s branding.
- Utilizing various content management systems.
- Making Use of User flows, process flows, site maps, and wireframes to communicate design ideas.
- Including features and functionalities in web pages.
- Creating sample pages using colors and fonts.
- Showing the structure of the website and creating design plans.
Qualifications
- A degree or diploma in a discipline that is closely related.
- Graphic design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and other visual design tools, should be mastered.
- HTML & CSS, JQuery, and JavaScript are all examples of front-end development web programming languages.
- Content management systems are something you should be familiar with.
- Search engine optimization fundamentals are well understood.
- Cross-browser compatibility is something you should know about.
- Visual design skills are outstanding.
- Experience with the most recent international web protocols, standards, and technologies.
- Innovative and receptive to fresh ideas.
- Adaptable and eager to learn new methods.
- Communication abilities are excellent.
- Coding the navigation of the website.
- Creating the site’s buttons and other controls.
- Making site mock-ups for approval by the client.
- Addressing any faults with functioning, such as “dead links”.
- Maintaining the site’s upkeep and updating.
- Making a copy of the site’s backup files
Essential Skills
- Compromise
Compromise is difficult to achieve. You’ve spent a lot of time and effort creating this stunning design to demonstrate your talent. However, if the client disapproves, you may have to slay your darlings. If you let it, this can be a terrible blow to your ego.
Don’t put too much emotion into your work. If something doesn’t suit the needs of your audience or client, don’t take it personally when you’re informed it has to go.
That isn’t to imply you should agree to everything, but you should choose your battles wisely. Make a strong case for why that aspect is important to the design’s usability or branding.
- Understanding of design fundamentals.
To make a song, you don’t need to understand music theory, and you can sketch even if you’ve never taken an art lesson. Although some people are born with artistic talent, understanding the principles can be the difference between reproducing what you see and being able to create a calculated and distinct design. The book “Essential visual design concepts” delves deeper into the Gestalt psychology-based principles of visual design. These fundamentals are crucial to understanding online and graphic design. These ideas can help you steer your work, whether you’re creating a portfolio or a print ad.
- Communication
Having people skills is just as important as having pixel skills. It’s crucial to convey your project’s vision in a way that non-designers can comprehend. Stakeholders can range from the marketing department to the founder, and you must be able to describe what you’re building and how it will achieve the project’s goals.
Getting out of your creative bubble, listening intently, and sharing what you’re working on is still vital, even though much of the design is done alone.
- Patience
Patience is a talent you’ll need whether you’re puzzled about how to incorporate a client’s comments, can’t figure out how to simplify the navigation, or are upset with the pace of your design job.
Take a step back and do something else if you’re about to tear your hair out. A change of scenery can help you think about things differently and, maybe, discover a solution to whatever difficulty you’re dealing with. If that doesn’t work, consider simplifying the project.
Patience is a social ability. Clients aren’t designers, so you’ll probably have to clarify things several times before they understand what you’re saying. You’ll be easier to work with if you have patience. Nobody would like to collaborate with someone who is irritable.
- Ability to pay attention to the details.
Effective design does not happen by accident. Consider Navigation, layout, and color design should all be careful. Every aspect of a design should be given careful consideration. Making sure that every aspect of your design has a purpose will result in more precise work.
- Taking Feedbacks
Finding Web Designers Who Will Take Outside Opinions Always look for web designers who are prepared to take outside opinions and commit to modifications that the organization needs. Creating a website necessitates ongoing changes to fine-tune all of the elements. The perfect designer understands how to use feedback.
- Discipline
Freelancers, in particular, require discipline to aid productivity and meet deadlines that constantly seem to sneak upon us. A large component of this is time management. Turning off social media and removing oneself from distractions is part of getting to work. Make good use of your time by taking a leisurely stroll through the design process rather than rushing through it.
It’s critical to keep track of your work ethic as well as the discipline of expanding your knowledge and talents. Design blogs, online workshops, and meetups will help you stay on top of industry trends.
- Skills in Critical Analysis
How do you think your design will be received by a visitor? What can you do to maintain user interest and engagement? The ability to make decisions in web design is put to the test. Everything you have to think about, from strategy to implementation and promotion, includes making tiny but significant judgments about site design.
- Project management
Professional Project Management websites take a long time to build and frequently require modifications. You must know how to begin a project and stay on track with a company’s goals throughout the process.
How to Become a Web designer
- Develop the skills that are required.
To work as a web designer, you must be familiar with the technical aspects of website development. Many web designers are self-taught, despite the fact that you can get a college degree in web design, such as an associate or bachelor’s degree in computer programming or graphic design. You can improve your abilities by taking subject-specific courses offered online. The following are the most important abilities for a web designer:
Graphic design software
To make visuals for websites, web designers employ a number of applications, such as Photoshop. Learn about these programs by doing a study, practicing, or taking lessons.
Languages for coding
Basic programming languages including HTML, CSS, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript, and Flash are required expertise for most web designers. Web designers working for an agency will most likely work on a team alongside programmers and graphic designers, whereas freelancers will need greater coding experience.
Search engine Optimization
Understanding SEO tactics will aid a web designer in creating sites that rank highly when consumers search for specific keywords or themes.
Theory of Web Design
Structure, user experience, and color theory are some of the core elements for developing outstanding websites. If you don’t want to go to college, you can still learn about this topic by reading books about it or conducting research online.
- Obtain credentials
Certifications in specific fields can help you gain new skills, improve your resume, charge a higher fee, and demonstrate your expertise to potential clients. Web designers can obtain a variety of certifications, including:
Adobe Certified Expert
Adobe produces a lot of the tools that designers use, therefore this is a well-known credential. In a variety of programs, you can become an ACE. There is a course and an exam for each certification.
General Assembly Bootcamp
Digital marketing, web development, mobile app development, user experience, and JavaScript are just a few of the topics covered in General Assembly’s Bootcamps. Each course is taught by specialists in the business and is available online or in person.
Specialist in Google Mobile Web
This Google certification verifies your ability to create mobile apps using the web. Accessibility, speed optimization, mobile web forms, and progressive web apps are only a few of the subjects covered in the exam. To help you prepare for the exam, Google provides a free study guide that you can use three times.
- Develop a web presence
Create your own website when you have the relevant skills. This site should serve as your professional home page, where potential clients can learn about your expertise, availability, and fees. Regularly update your website to properly introduce yourself, display your understanding of current events, and explain your web design experience.
- Job hunting
Begin your web design career by doing web design projects to build your portfolio and develop expertise so you can get more clients. If you wish to work for an agency, you can look for job postings online or bid on projects through freelancing sites.
- Develop your professional portfolio
Maintain an up-to-date portfolio of your work and talents as you get clients, establish websites, and gain experience. Include samples of your work, testimonials from satisfied clients, and a summary of your design skills. You should have a version of the portfolio that you can email to potential clients, as well as a version that you can keep up to date on your personal website.
- Market Yourself
If you wish to work as a freelance web designer, your success will be determined in part by your ability to promote yourself, as well as your technical abilities. While updating your own website and portfolio is a smart start, look for other ways to get your name out in the design community and to potential clients.
Increase your presence through social media and professional profiles. Stay up to date on industry news and job prospects by communicating with other web designers online. Build positive relationships with your customers to secure return business and ask for referrals, and attend networking events to expand your network.
- Think about specializing.
You may be able to obtain more clients and recognition for your expertise if you concentrate on a specific specialization of website design. Consider specializing in a particular aspect of web design, such as e-commerce sites, mobile apps, or websites for specific types of businesses.
- Keep yourself up to date
Web design is a topic that is continually changing as technology advances, new design methodologies emerge, and consumer needs shift. Continue to learn, practice, and grow your abilities to stay current in your field and show clients that you have the knowledge and expertise to construct websites that meet their needs.
Where to Work As a Web Designer
IT consultants and software firms
Companies that specialize in web design
Corporations of a large size
Any company that makes use of computers qualifies.
Individuals with relevant experience can typically find self-employment/freelance work. Vacancies are advertised on the internet, through career services, and through recruitment firms.
Web Designer Salary Scale
As of February 25, 2022, the average Web Designer I salary in the United States is $67,543, with a salary range of $59,436 to $73,954. Salary ranges rely on a lot of criteria, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.
In Nigeria, a Web Designer earns about 279,000 NGN per month on average. The lowest salary is 142,000 NGN, and the maximum salary is 429,000 NGN (highest).
This is the monthly average wage, which includes housing, transportation, and other perks. Salary for a web designer varies greatly depending on experience, abilities, gender, and geographic area.