Vanishing web design careers...

Web design careers do seem to be vanishing.
That is... if you are looking to work for a firm.

The only way to have a successful web design
career is to go into business for yourself.  Go to
big companies with crappy web sites and have
them compare theirs to yours... then let them
know they can hire you to create a better site.

My problem is that I completely emphasize
graphics.  I don't know e-commerce, etc. yet.
I can do just about everything you need in web
design, except for database stuff.  That's
really what people want right now.  They want
to find an artist/programmer. No one wants
to hire two people -- an artist and a programmer.
If they do, they'll put up $8/hr. for each.

If you're a web programmer, your in luck.  If you're
an artist, then there's another option...

I've pretty much given up on a web design career.
I maximized my prepress knowledge, and am
now in the market of print graphics.  Companies
are still paying artists $25/hr.+ for their talents.
If you want to take your graphic talents into the
direction of a successful career, go for print.

The only people making money nowadays are
advertising agencies.  That's who you go to.
I hate to say it, but porn is really the only thing
making money off the internet (this excludes sites
that are simply an online source for an already
successful product), and I don't think anyone
(myself included) wants to exchange integrity
for an extra buck.

Online stores, search engines, directories, etc.
don't really make any money.  They spend and
spend on advertising, but simply don't profit.  That's
why they can't really afford to pay web designers
the money that they once did.

Argh!  This was long.  Summing it up... web
designers -- go into business for yourself,
graphic artists -- try for printing or advertising.

That's my opinion and advice.  It doesn't make
me right or anyone else wrong.   ;o)

-Steve

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