What is a web designer?
A web designer is responsible for creating the design and layout of a website or web pages. They work on the appearance, layout, and, in some cases, content of a website. They understand user experience and are able to build websites that are easy to understand, navigate, and use, and adhere to design standards and specifications.
How to become a web designer?
To become a web designer, you could take a higher national diploma or degree in web design and development, multimedia design, digital media development, or interactive computing.
You could also take a college course to learn some of the skills needed in this job. For example:
- Level 3 Certificate in Web Design and Development
- T level in Digital Production, Design and Development
- Level 4 Certificate in Digital Media Design
When applying, make sure to present a portfolio of work that will showcase your creative design skills to the employers.
Web designer duties
Web designer duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Meeting with clients to discuss requirements and/or project progress
- Creating products that are user-friendly, effective and appealing
- Maintaining the appearance of websites by enforcing content standards
- Communicating design ideas using user flows, process flows, site maps, and wireframes
- Designing sample pages including colors and fonts
- Demonstrating and receiving feedback about draft sites
Web designer skills
To be an effective web designer, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- SEO knowledge
- Creativity
- The ability to work to tight deadlines
- Patience
- Attention to detail
- Excellent visual design skills
- An understanding of scripting languages such as JavaScript, PHP and .NET is often desirable
- Up-to-date skills inline with technology and software developments
How to find web designer job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the web designer jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for web designer jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Web designer Job Titles
When you search for web designer jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for web designer jobs include;
- Digital designer
- Web editor
- Content designer
What does a web designer do?
The job of a web designer varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of web designer job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a web designer include;
- Take a lead role in maintaining and developing a site
- Attend meetings with internal and external clients to plan and develop site content, style and appearance
- Use web content management systems (CMS)
- Analyse website usage statistics
- Write reports for senior managers, clients and partnership organisations
- Carry out quality assurance checks on content
- Report technical problems to IT support staff