In today’s fast-paced digital world, becoming a web designer can be an exciting and lucrative career path , making it a popular choice for those considering degree completion programs. However, you’ll be surprised to learn that a college degree is not necessary to become a successful web designer. We’ll explore some tips and tricks for becoming a web designer without a college degree (whether you want to become a freelance web designer, own your own agency one day or work for an employer), and share tips shared by a web design agency owner we reached out to.
Step 1: Develop Your Skills Without a Degree
“The first step for me was to pursue programming courses online to learn the necessary technical aspects of developing a website. You should absolutely learn HTML and CSS. Javascript isn’t necessary unless you want to focus on more of a technical role as a web designer.” – Sacha Darosa, Owner of Take Two Digital Marketing
The first step to becoming a web designer without a college degree is to develop your skills. Start by learning the fundamentals of web design, including: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can find numerous free online resources to help you learn these skills, including Codecademy, W3Schools, and Udemy. It’s important to practice your skills regularly. Create your own website or work on projects for friends or family members to build your portfolio and gain real-world experience.
Step 2: Build Your Portfolio
“This is the most important part. Without a college degree you need to build a good portfolio to showcase your work. How do you build a portfolio? Reach out to business owners, or friends and families with businesses, and offer your services at a discount or for completely free. You need portfolio items.” – Sacha Darosa
A strong portfolio is essential for showcasing your skills and attracting potential clients or employers. As you develop your skills, create a full portfolio of your work that you’re proud of to showcase your abilities. Include a variety of projects in your portfolio (no need for too much, aim for though! 3-4 portfolio pieces), such as website designs, logos and graphics. Make sure each project is well-designed and highlights your unique style and skills. And detail the challenges you faced for each project and how you overcame them.
Step 3: Forget the College Degree and Gain Experience
“You can reach out to web design and digital marketing agencies and check if they’re willing to take you on as an intern. The pay doesn’t matter, because this will only be temporary and you’ll be able to have credit on any work you complete. Alternatively, you can keep reaching out to local businesses to build them a website. Real portfolio pieces are always more valuable than project pieces.” – Sacha Darosa
How do you become a web designer without a college degree? To become a successful web designer without a college degree, it’s important to gain real-world experience. Consider taking on freelance projects or internships to build your skills and gain experience in the field.
Networking can also be an effective way to gain experience. Attend industry events, meet other web designers, and seek out opportunities to collaborate on projects. You never know where your next opportunity may come from!
Step 4: Stay Current with Trends
“The web design industry is always changing. There are always new design trends coming up, new software that makes the process easier, and new programming libraries. You have to keep your skills up to date. When you’re doing courses and tutorials online, make sure that what you’re learning is current.” – Sacha Darosa
Web design is a forever evolving field, so it’s important to stay current with the latest trends and technologies. Follow industry blogs and social media accounts to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices.
Attending industry conferences and workshops can also be an effective way to stay current and connect with other web designers –plus, it’s a great opportunity to network and learn from others in the field.
Step 5: Consider Certifications
“A lot of people expect little value to come from certifications. But the truth is, you have to put something related to web design on your resume, and some certificates are actually pretty good. I recommend certificates from popular brands such as Google, Adobe, and Facebook.” – Sacha Darosa
While a college degree is not necessary to become a web designer, certification can be a valuable asset. Certification programs, such as those offered by Adobe and Google, can demonstrate your proficiency in specific tools or technologies and help you stand out in the job market.
Step 6: Hone Your Soft Skills
“If you’re going to work for an employer, you’ll need experience in working with others. If you’re going to work for yourself as an agency owner some day, you’re going to need experience communicating with clients. Of course you will learn as you do it, but it helps to seek out opportunities to work with others, and to learn about sales if you go the agency route.” – Sacha Darosa
In addition to technical skills, soft skills are also important for becoming a successful web designer. Communication, problem-solving, and time management are just a few of the soft skills that can help you thrive in the field. This is especially true if you want to become a freelance web designer without a college degree.
Practice your communication skills by working with clients and collaborating with other web designers. Improve your problem solving skills by working on complex projects and finding creative solutions to challenges –and hone your time management skills by setting realistic deadlines and managing your workload effectively.
Step 7: Be Persistent
“It’s not easy. Without a web design related college degree you will have to stand-out from the crowd. Many large companies won’t even consider you, but the good thing is that many small to medium companies WILL consider you, so long as you can display your skill and knowledge. It’s 2023 and the tech industry –employers mostly look for competence and skill, not so much at degrees.” – Sacha Darosa
Becoming a web designer without a college degree takes hard work and persistence. Don’t let setbacks or rejections discourage you from your chosen path. Keep practicing, building your portfolio, and seek out new opportunities.
Step 8: Find a Mentor
“I recommend this in all aspects of life in which you want to improve quickly: find a mentor or pay for a coach. There will always be people out there who are willing to give you some guidance. It’s important that these people are in the position where you eventually hope to be. This is especially important if you want to start your own website design agency some day – the right mentor will be much more valuable than a college degree” – Sacha Darosa
One of the most effective ways to learn and grow in any field is by finding a mentor. A mentor can provide guidance, support – and advice as you navigate your career path.
Look for experienced web designers who you admire and reach out to them. You can also consider joining online forums or networking groups to connect with other designers and seek out mentorship opportunities.
Step 9: Create a Personal Brand
“This part is important if you really want to stand-out. When your portfolio website is complete to display your work, try to add some style to it. Brand yourself as a specialist at a particular task that you’re especially interested in. Add personality to your portfolio website. Stand out!” – Sacha Darosa
Creating a personal brand can help you stand out in the job market and attract clients or employers. Your personal brand should reflect your unique style, skills, and values.
Consider creating a website or blog to showcase your work and share your insights on web design. Develop a strong social media presence and use it to share your work, connect with other professionals, and build your network.
Become a Web Designer Without a College Degree
While a college degree is not necessary to become a web designer, developing your skills, building your portfolio, gaining experience, staying current with trends, considering certification, honing your soft skills, and being persistent can help you succeed in the field. If you asked yourself how can you become a web designer (especially without a college degree), then consider following the steps above.
Remember, becoming a web designer is a journey, and there are many paths to success. By following these tips and putting in the work, you can achieve your goals and build a successful career in web design.
