Web Design’s Golden Gun
If you’re one of those people in the industry who can write high quality back-end code as well as the same quality semantic front end markup, tableless layouts in stylesheets and some kick arse JavaScript then you’re what I’d call web design’s golden gun. I’d call you a friggen dodo but there’s at least one woman I know personally who falls into this category and there are a number of high profile bloggers who seem to also fit the bill. Still, how thin can they spread while still having a meaningful relationship and life?
But they are rare birds indeed. The danger of being such a generalist in today’s labour market means that unless you’re willing to forfeit your life in the pursuit of everything about everything you’ll just end up mediocre. Generalists aren’t always mediocre but they’re nearly always going to be – its a question of simple math.
If I were a business looking to hire PHP programmers, for example, I’d be looking at the quality of the (X)HTML that they’re able to provide. My web application stands or falls on the quality of its foundation.
Have you noticed that anyone who is actually a golden gun doesn’t seem to be in the available labour pool? Of course they’re employed. But there are long queues of generalists who just weren’t good enough at everything to stand out from the crowd. For most of us being a specialist about something is what makes us worth the money.
May 19th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I like the ‘Golden Gun’ (and Dodo) analogies mate – very true. It’s a good point you make about generalists (the old phrase ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ springs to mind as well) – it’s something that some Web Professionals seem to find out the hard way isn’t it?! I think we’d probably all want to be great at front and back-end coding in equal measure…but you’re right, it’s a very rare beast that can really do that convincingly (and they are freaks of nature!! Haha)
Personally, I made a clear distinction between Web Designer (Front-end, with XHTML/HTML and CSS) and the original meaning of Web Developer (Back-end programming languages, complex application development) quite early…when I realised there was no way on Earth that I’d have enough free-time to be good at being both. My skills are as a Web Designer, and unlike some of my peers who have chosen to refer to themselves as Web Developers – only because it pays better (even though they also just do front-end stuff anyway!) – I’ve stuck with being a Front-end Web Designer (emphasis on ‘Design’ being important). So I’m a Front-end specialist…possible former generalist! hehe
The only reason for me to refer to myself as a Web Developer is if I start doing back-end coding and building applications….and that’s unlikely because I don’t have time to be masterful at it (and there are already plenty of people who are!)…well, in the UK at least.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Too true Matt. The industry is actually too big to be a master of much at all, but great for specialising. Some designers (oh I wish I were one) are even lucky enough not to have to code at all, necessarily. They’re usability, accessibility and experience design specialists or graphic designers in a web context.
I figure at the end of the day its about working out what you’re interested in, what you can get paid well for doing someday, and then accepting that on any project worth its salt you’re far better off hiring a PHP or ASP programmer, a great graphic designer etc to pull the project together.
Oh My God!!! Am I saying I’m into team sports now?
Mind you, currently I’m copy writing and graphic designing in a very basic corporate sense. Not my area of expertise at all, but its contract work that’s paying well and may fund a re-birth of a Nortypig rebranding later in the year.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
All hail Nortypig… shining pile of rotten pooh on a stick it is… was… well kind of is.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
….You’ve already started sketching ideas for Nortypig haven’t you? I can tell!
May 20th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Not nortypig, apparently that name marketed the wrong impression. People don’t like pigs on the whole, perception of greedy and dirty. And it does sound a little pron for corporate business.
Maybe something sedate… still thinking.
But have to push my rates up a bit (I’m working on good money but not enough to cover computer / software replacement and freelancer needs) and find a few more smaller contracts to make that option work. Otherwise I’d be looking for a large organisation with a career path and an appreciation of usability / accessibility etc. That would be nice.
Definately not teaching kids how to code when they just want to watch youtube and tell me how they’re taking the easy path to high wages. Duh… (God I’m a bitch ay)