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Advice - courses/experience?

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  • 08-04-2008 9:59am
    #1
    440Hz
    Registered Users Posts: 6,424 ✭✭✭


    Hi all!

    Been lurking here for a while and very impressed by the forum, and the talent of the posters here. So I decided to post and ask for some advice.

    To start off my own background is Computer Science, and an MSc in Music Technology. In job land I keep getting offered software dev roles, and I really want to get away from it. As a hobby I'm a photographer, and when I took a step back recently to try and find the best path out of s/w dev one of the things at the top of my list was to use my coding skills and (limited) graphics skills to do something more interesting, like this.

    So I can code, and I can use all the regular apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign etc (no Flash yet). Trouble is I don't have a portfolio and right now I don't have the skills or the confidence to make one. So my question for you experts is what would you think the best way for me to make this change over - take a course? just start working away and building up my own experience? try (and i know this is unlikely) to get some work experience somewhere else?

    I'm just not sure what the best approach would be. Any/all advice would be really welcome. Thanks


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    #2
    Goodshape
    Registered Users Posts: 8,488 ✭✭✭Goodshape


    So you're leaning towards the web designing (Photoshop etc., HTML, CSS, JavaScript.. the look and feel) rather than web development (PHP, Rails, SQL, application building, coding) ?

    I'd recommend that you just start working away and build up your skills and experience. Largely because you can, and I've always found that potential employers / clients are more interested in portfolio and experience than qualifications.

    Design and build sites for friends, for hobbies, just for kicks.. whatever.

    Personally I've always learned well by doing. Choose a hobby project that you know is slightly above your current skill and learn how to get it done. There's a wealth of tutorials and helpful / inspiring websites and articles online.


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