...tomorrow's talent today
About web design
Hire freelance graduates and students, get jobs done!
- Make sure the employer understands your capabilities. Do you design or do you develop or can you do both? Can you do static sites or interactive or both?
- Ask the employer to give you examples of websites that they both like and dislike
- Show them examples of websites that you think they might like and get their feedback.
- Discuss colours and explain that web colours can be restrictive.
- Discuss fonts and explain that only a limited number are recognised across all browsers.
- Remember to find out which browser and operating system the employer uses.
- Explain that pages need to contain text rather than graphics in order to be picked up by web crawlers.
- Can you offer Search Engine Optimisation? This would be real added value.
- Be prepared to develop the site, for example change the colours/fonts/sizes according to employer's requests but make sure the employer understands the time this will involve.
- Be prepared to listen to what the employer wants. Make positive suggestions but be prepared to explain clearly when something will not work.
- If you can build in a content management system, tell them at the start of the project.
- Make sure any photos, images or audio files you use are not subject to copyright.
- Check time frame. Bear in mind everything always takes much longer than you might think.
- Don't be tempted to take on a task you will not have time to finish.
- When agreeing the fee, remember you are benefiting from this experience.
- Ask the employer for permission to use the website as part of your portfolio.
