Become a Web Developer Overnight - Well, not really

Since she works in the field of technology, I had many people tell me that would be paid to develop websites. I have asked many questions like: How do I start? Where is work? How much should I pay? and so on.

The truth is that there is work out there and lots of it. But the work that is readily available really depends on your experience.

When I started, I was fresh out of college, with a handful of websites that I personally developed through a Multimedia Journalism class taught by Cindy Royal. And honestly, I was not the best or most talented student. I was married with a baby, who breastfed while I worked on my homework. Who has time or energy to develop websites rewarded with a baby strapped to them? And since I had no real life experience working with clients, I scrounged some websites like mom-and-pop for really cheap. And I mean really cheap. I had these jobs by my friends and relatives.

That 's when I saw a full-time employment in the non-profit technology sector with the salary and benefits I honed my skills and learned how the industry operates. When I had time, I train on Lynda.com. Which I highly recommend for under $ 400/year you get the training that would otherwise cost thousands. And luckily for me, my boss loved to send me to training seminars, and said "yes" when I suggested that I go to Photoshop World in Boston and "yes" again when I went to Las Vegas, has sent me to all SXSW years, Knowbility of AccessU and a plethora of others. I did a lot of money at that first job, but the "benefits", has made it's worth.

After that job (and my second son), I freelance for a while ', but I was anxious to return to the world of work and see what the for-profit organization held for me. So when I got a job at an advertising agency and interactive with competitive pay, I was excited.

Compared to my first job where my skill set is growing by leaps and bounds and I practiced at home, this second job was where I put everything into practice. I was constantly under deadline for big name clients money. I learned quickly that it's all about the customer, the money and "do things right the first time." A huge adjustment after my work "for the good of the people."

In fact, the first day my supervisor asked me how he was going, I said, "I did not realize it would already be working on a project," whereas I was still setting up the computer and get the password to my system. He said: "sink or swim!" If I had jumped into the waters of this second job before the first try, I definitely would have sunk.

That work has catapulted me to become a true professional. I worked long hours of hard. "This is not working 8 hours a day," I was told regularly. Eventually, the late nights and constant stress got to this mother of two children (not to mention his wife, cleaning staff, and all around super-woman-extraordinaire). More tired so afraid of if I had enough work or not, I'm back full-time freelancer and I have not looked back.

Knowing the people in the industry, was a key factor in getting jobs. But there are a couple of other tips I can offer to those before you leave.

1. Offer incentives to your customer reference, if you send someone to sign a contract, you get 1 year free hosting or something like that.

2. Start with people you know, have business cards ready to distribute.

3. Vai seminars in the sector (World Photoshop, Flash Forward, SXSW, etc.) - to get people through the network to find out how to get customers.

4. Find a niche market and meet the people in that market. (Ideas for the markets listed below)

5. Avoid people who want something for nothing like the plague, try to work with people who know how to start a site that actually cost you money.

6. Applying SEO to your website. Advertising for you. Write articles for industry, you never know when it will be gathered and bound, which will increase your web ranking.

7. Subcontract with former employers.

8. Subcontract with agencies.

9. Always keep learning. The more you know ... the more you know ... and the more you apply to a client.

10. Get acquainted with other web developers and try to get a semiotic relationship going where you can deliver to customers outside one another.

Niche Market Tips

1. Wedding Industry
2. Restaurants and nightlife
3. Maintenance (Lawn Care / hydraulic / Car Care)
4. Government / Non-Profit
5. Music (experienced musicians, not only rock band looking to make it big because they usually do not have the money anyway)
6. Children (Boutiques / nursery)
7. Medical (HIPAA Rules Apply)
8. Home Builders / Construction
9. Lawyers
10. Death - a little 'morbid, but as my favorite motto is personal business research "Birth and Death - are not preventable, or stopped by the recession" (mortician, casket makers, etc.) ......