Web designer

Briefly explain what you do for a living.

I design and create WordPress pages. I also offer branding and graphic design services. For example, I help my customers to draw up online course contents, to create visual identities, to produce ad images, and to find effective marketing channels and methods.

How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?

When I was younger, I worked as a sales person in an antiquities shop in Philadelphia. I worked as a volunteer for a couple of operators and said that I could produce websites for you. The pages I created were quite simple because I was still learning how to use WordPress and had previously kept a blog. After this, I told people at my workplace that I could also create a website for the antiquities shop. The word began to pass around and I got more customers. I was soon able to quit my other work and devote myself to branding and designing websites as a full-time self-employed person.

Describe your typical working day or week.

I start my working day by answering emails and other messages. I usually work on several projects simultaneously. My tasks include updating customers’ websites with WordPress, adding a missing online course to Kajabi and creating visual material for social media. I speak with my customers in the United States via Zoom a couple of times a week.

What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?

I work in my own office in the centre of Loviisa.

I work four to ten hours every day. I usually work four days a week and take Fridays and weekends off.

What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?

In this job, you need good interactive skills, customer-oriented thinking and visual competence. You must listen to the customer, ask the right questions and propose solutions even when the customer cannot put them into words. If you want to succeed in this job, you must be interested in learning new things about different sectors.

In my opinion, the most important thing in this work is to have a good visual eye and the ability to think about websites from the user’s perspective. You will learn the required technical skills over time as you work. In this job, you do not need coding skills as you can use platforms designed for creating websites, such as WordPress or Webflow.

What is the best thing about your profession?

The fact that I can use my creativity is the best part of my work. Technology and tools are becoming more advanced all the time, which means that there is something new to learn every day. Customer satisfaction and project success make the work meaningful and inspiring.

What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?

Managing your own time is sometimes a challenge. For many years, I just worked without any days-off or holidays because I did not know how to stop or set realistic schedules. The fact that you have to work on several projects at the same time can also be a challenge.

What would you tell a person considering the profession of a web designer?

Nowadays, you can try your website-making skills with low-threshold tools available online. For example, you can start by creating websites for yourself or someone you know. You can specialise in platforms, tools or programming languages that you prefer. A good portfolio is essential because it is more important than a qualification.

How do you see the future of your profession?

Website designers have a bright future because the need for websites is not decreasing. There is always demand for designers who have good interactive skills and who know how to think in a customer-oriented manner. Although AI-based tools are becoming better all the time, they will not replace the design work that takes users, objectives and technical solutions into account in a comprehensive manner.