Hello...and need help

Discussion in 'New Members Introduction' started by funkymix187, Mar 3, 2010.

  1. funkymix187

    funkymix187 New Member

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    Firstly I would like to say hello to all

    Secondly I need help!!

    I have been looking for a decent web design qualification to get me out of the hell hole that I call my work place.

    I currently have a HNC in computing and Microsoft Office Specialist and used to be a Microsoft I.T. Trainer. I am now on a helpdesk for the same company as they have terminated the previous roles. I am looking now to change my career direction to web design/development as I received a distinction for the web section during my HNC.

    The two options I have been presented with are as follows and would like some guidence as to which would be the most beneficial to gain me a new job with starting salary of around £25,000.

    Option 1: CIW Master - CIW FOUNDATIONS, CIW SITE DESIGNER & CIW E-COMMERCE - cost £2950 (inc exams)

    or

    Option 2: Adobe/Microsoft .NET

    Entry Level - Adobe Certified (Dreamweaver Expert & Flash Associate) - cost £4450 (inc exams)

    Intermediate Level - Adobe Certified (Dreamweaver Expert & Flash Associate) & Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist ASP .NET Applications - cost £4950 (inc exams)

    Professional Level - Adobe Certified (Dreamweaver Expert & Flash Associate), MCTS - ASP .NET Applications & MCPD - ASP .NET Developer 3.5 - cost £5750 (inc exams)

    Any help would be most welcome.

    Thanks in advance
     
  2. westernkings

    westernkings Gigabyte Poster

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    Stopped caring right about there;

    Too be honest mate, you're not going to find a job at £25k doing web design overnight. You have nothing employers want, no portfolio, no previous clients, nothing. Going on a course will teach you at a very high price, and you are still where you started afterwards, no portfolio, no previous clients and no experience.

    My advice? Get back in the real world. Start reading some books on Web Design, start making websites, and I mean HIGH QUALITY websites. Start learning by your self. You do not need qualifications to be be a web designer. You need a solid portfolio that can be backed up. The world has come a long way since 2001 and web pages are slightly more dynamic than then with a lot more than just HTML. Get your hands dirty, download the trial of dreamweaver and dive in mate but do not for a second think you are going to get a £25k job easily, simply because, well, you have nothing to warrant a £25k a year salary as a web designer. You don't deserve it.

    I certainly wouldn't spend £1000s on a course.
     
    Certifications: MCITP:VA, MCITP:EA, MCDST, MCTS, MCITP:EST7, MCITP:SA, PRINCE2, ITILv3
  3. funkymix187

    funkymix187 New Member

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    Thanks for your very honest evaluation of my problem.

    I understand that I need a portfolio but needed to gauge which direction to take in my studies be it self taught or trained by a company. I guess what I am trying to say is which option above would look best on my CV (along with a portfolio)
     
  4. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Generally, I don't think employers care that much where or how you learn as long as you can do the job.

    There are some employers out there who like seeing that you attended a structured training course... but there are just as many employers out there who like seeing that you can learn things on your own without having to spend the time and money on a course. Thus, it's basically a wash... and self-study is a whole lot cheaper.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  5. Josiahb

    Josiahb Gigabyte Poster

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    I'm with Westernkings on this, you need a decent portfolio for web design/developer jobs. I'd also say you need to seriously think about where you want your focus to be, pretty pictures or functional code. If its the former then dive into Dreamweaver/Photoshop and learn as much as possible (and if I see a site you've worked on with garbage HTML behind it I will hunt you down), if the later then look at PHP, .NET or JAVA learn, play around and find some open source projects to get involved in.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, MCDST, ACA – Mac Integration 10.10
  6. LukeP

    LukeP Gigabyte Poster

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    Also are you an artist?
    Web Design jobs are pretty much what they are: "a designer" job. You have to design websites from a scratch. And belive me it's not that easy if you haven't got a talent for that. If you can create something catchy and good looking from a scratch, pick the right colours and so on, then fine. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

    Web development on the other hand is different. You can pick up many good books on the subject and take it from there. I you're really keen to get on web side of things I would suggest self-study.
     
    WIP: Uhmm... not sure
  7. kevndcks

    kevndcks Bit Poster

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    Yep Mr M Boson is right again on this, my friend went into web design. No qualifications basically just high school marks, and a college qualification. Had a good artistic ability to her, which she now has worked in good web designer roles.

    I have seen many certified network engineers turned away as all they knew was contents and structure of a packet, but knew nothing about network operating systems such as Novell Netware and the like.

    I know what you thinking, and it's good to fill a C.V. However experience is key at this moment as alot of people from all jobs seem to be swarming the IT market. I think Boson might agree with me on this, but i don't think he would want or an employer to read how you know Adobe A-Z, Macromedia A-Z, CSS, XHTML, HTML and Flash etc. Just that at the top of your CV is says for at least a year or a few you successully produced and developed sites. Get out there with a trial development suite ;) ;) and practice and make a portfolio i reckon you will surprise us and yourself how quickly you will advance both in terms of job role and pay packet.

    You could have all them qualifications, but i can develop a good site, nice and to the point and i hold no certifications. In fact when i was a network engineer, i did a site for them. It sucks when you want to be a pro and earn a nice wage but you have to hold out for a bit. It will come.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2010
  8. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Interesting. I've seen more certified network engineers who thought a packet was what their wages came in, rather than knowing what the contents & structure of an IP packet were. Most 'network engineers' nowadays - at the entry level and (sadly) beyond don't have a friggin clue about networks. I worked with one this week on a network issue at one of our clients - he didn't even know what a proxy server was. No **** - senior network engineer, FTSE-traded company - must be on 60k a year.

    Best of luck anyway - agree with the earlier sentiments about building your portfolio prior to investing in any training. Just get yourself one of those cheap-ass hosting packages (or better still, build and host the server yourself if you can get any poublic IP space from your ISP, know how to secure a web server and have access to a decent firewall)
     
    Certifications: A few
    WIP: None - f*** 'em
  9. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    I guess the trick obviously then is to be well rounded in servers as well and not just networks. To be honest I know of senior network engineers too that want nothing to do or know about operating systems and servers.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2010
    Certifications: MCSE: 2003, MCSA: 2003 Messaging, MCP, HNC BIT, ITIL Fdn V3, SDI Fdn, VCP 4 & VCP 5
    WIP: MCTS:70-236, PowerShell
  10. danielno8

    danielno8 Gigabyte Poster

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    thats madness. Although not surprised, networking seems to be something people fall into rather than aim for.
     
    Certifications: CCENT, CCNA
    WIP: CCNP
  11. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    True, but a proxy server though? Come on!! :biggrin
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs

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