How do I learn to become a freelance web designer?
If you want to know the information to become a web designer, please read this article!
In this article, we will introduce in detail the overview of freelance web designers to how to acquire skills until you become one. Use it as a reference to start learning to become a web designer.
Table of Contents
- Recommended for women] Overview of freelance web designers
- Why web designers are recommended for women
- Skills required for a freelance web designer
- How to become a freelance web designer
- For Women: How To Get Jobs As A Freelance Web Designer
- If you want to acquire the skills of a web designer who is active as a freelancer, go to school!
- Summary
[Recommended for women] Overview of freelance web designers
First, let’s take a look at the overview of freelance web designers.
Give shape to the configuration desired by the customer
A web designer’s job is to create web designs requested by individuals and companies.
As a web designer’s first job, we shape the configuration and layout according to the customer’s request. It is an important step to propose the overall structure and main visual, and solidify the image of the entire website.
Must have good communication skills to listen to customer needs.
give the best design
Once you have an overall image, follow it to create the best web design. Specifically, use tools such as “Illustrator” and “Photoshop” to set colors and decorations. We proceed with the web design for each part while consulting with the client.
also, code
In some cases, web designers also code. Web designers use JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to specify the placement and movement of designs. Optimal design requires precise color and millimeter placement.
It is important to have the ability to “form ideas” while listening to the client’s requests.
Why web designers are recommended for women
So why are web designers recommended for women? There are three reasons.
- Because women have an advantage in creating highly sympathetic designs
- good communication
- Easy to work from home and compatible with childcare
Now let’s talk about each.
Because women have an advantage in creating highly sympathetic designs
Empathy is important in design, unlike art.
Therefore, women with high empathy are advantageous for design creation. It has been scientifically proven that women are highly empathetic, and web designers are perfect for such women.
Being a web designer is a job that allows women to demonstrate their strengths.
Good communication
Web designers need close communication with clients.
Especially in the case of freelance web designers, communication skills are required in addition to web design skills because they often negotiate directly with customers. Compared to men, women are better at communicating, so it can be said that they are suitable for web designers.
Easy to work from home and compatible with childcare
Some of you may be thinking, “I want to raise children in the future.”
Since web designers’ work is completed online, it is easy to work from home and can be compatible with childcare. Especially freelance web designers can work flexibly according to changes in lifestyle.
Web designers are recommended for women who want to balance childcare and work.
Skills required for a freelance web designer
The skills a freelance web designer should have are:
- Design tool skills
- Coding skills
- Knowledge of website creation and management tools
- WordPress skills
- Communication skills
Now let’s discuss each in detail.
Design tool skills
A design tool is a tool that creates the structure of the entire web design and each part.
The main design tools are Illustrator and Photoshop. Illustrator is a tool that allows you to create graphic designs, logos, and icons. On the other hand, Photoshop is a tool that allows you to process and edit images and create the layout of the entire Web.
As a freelance web designer, skills in both tools are a must. You will need to learn how to operate it while moving your hands.
Coding skills
To become a freelance web designer, in addition to design skills, coding skills are also required.
The work of a web designer uses design tools, but by being able to do basic coding, you will be able to create a web on your own. You should learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, etc.
Knowledge of website creation and management tools
To be active as a freelance web designer, it is necessary to know website management tools.
Typical tools include “DreamWeaver” used for coding and “Adobe XD” used for UI design, so please keep in mind how to use each tool.
Knowledge and SKILLSOF WORDPRESS
As I mentioned a little earlier, knowledge of WordPress is indispensable for working as a web designer.
WordPress is a tool that allows you to easily create websites such as blogs, and it is said that one-third of the websites in the world are created using WordPress. If you know the basic operation method and customization method of WordPress, the range of work will expand.
Communication skills (hearing and proposal skills)
Communication is essential for web designers.
In creating a web designer, it is required to have the ability to correctly hear the client’s request and propose a design that meets the request. Even if you have design and coding skills, it will be difficult for you to succeed as a freelance web designer without communication skills.
In addition, the skills necessary for web designers, which have been explained so far, are explained in detail below, so please read them together.
How to become a freelance web designer
Next, I will explain specifically how to become a freelance web designer.
Self-study or learn web design skills at school
Start by learning your web design skills on your own or in school.
In the case of self-study, it is also possible to acquire skills by using books and websites. However, self-study is an environment where you can’t ask questions or consult, and you don’t know the teaching materials that suit you, so it’s difficult to maintain your motivation.
If you are uneasy about self-study, we recommend learning skills at school.
Create original work
Once you’ve mastered the skills, create your original work.
It is important to learn hands-on and hands-on. You can check your learning level through the production of original works, and you can also make use of it in your portfolio, which will be described later.
Organize your work as a portfolio
Once you’ve created a few original works, put them together as a “portfolio”.
As a freelance web designer, a portfolio is essential. By enhancing your portfolio, you can prove your skills and gain credibility as a web designer.
*Please refer to the following articles for portfolios for web designers.
Apply for a project
Once your portfolio is ready, apply for jobs. Jobs for freelance web designers can be found on multiple sites, such as crowdsourcing sites and freelance recruitment sites.
It is important to do the numbers first. By doing a lot of things, you can understand the tricks of acquiring projects, and your ability will follow.
Details on how to obtain an item are provided in the next chapter.
Order receipt/delivery
Once you have applied for the project and reached an agreement with the ordering party, it is time to receive the order. Create a web design according to the client’s request and deliver it by the specified deadline.
The scope of work in web design tends to be ambiguous, so it is necessary to clarify to the client in advance how far the line of work as a web designer should end. If you can deliver without any problems, you are a fine freelance web designer.
For Women: How to Get Jobs as a Freelance Web Designer
As a freelance web designer for women, there are three main ways to get projects.
- Utilize crowdsourcing sites
- Utilize job boards for women
- Search on SNS
Now let me explain each one.
Utilize crowdsourcing sites
Take advantage of crowdsourcing sites to get jobs for web designers.
The main crowdsourcing sites for freelance web designers are Crowdworks and Lancers. The total number of projects for web designers is over 100 on both sites (as of November 3, 2020)
Utilize job boards for women
You can also make use of job sites for women. For example, “Mama Works” is a site that deals with homework projects for moms. There are plenty of projects that you can work on in your free time, such as between childcare. There are also projects for web designers, so let’s check them out.
Search on SNS
It is also possible to acquire projects on SNS. In particular, there are cases where you can win projects by disseminating your portfolio and other achievements on Twitter. Posting on SNS is an important point to be active as a freelance web designer because it also leads freelancers.
If you want to acquire the skills of a web designer who is active as a freelancer, come to our school!
As I wrote earlier, freelance web designers are required to have high skills and experience, so it will be quite a hurdle to acquiring skills by self-study.
School is recommended there. Most of the schools not only have the best curriculum for acquiring web design skills but also support the acquisition of projects.
Our school “Samurai Engineer” offers a web design course. Most of the instructors are active designers and engineers with more than 3 years of freelance experience. We will support you from the creation of a curriculum tailored to the individual to the actual guidance and how to acquire projects.
As there is flexibility in securing study time, it is an environment that makes it easy for housewives with housework and childcare to working on their studies. Some women have gone independent as designers.
First of all, please take free counseling once!
Summary
Web designers are suitable for women. A web designer’s job is to create the optimal design according to the client’s request. To be active as a freelance web designer, you need design skills, coding, and communication skills.
It is possible to learn skills by self-study, but if you want to become a freelance web designer in the shortest possible time, we recommend attending a school. Start learning to become a freelance web designer for women.
