A little while ago a intern asked me for advise. The question was just for some general advise about being a better Front-End Developer. Here is was I wrote back.
The best advise I can give you is to never think you have reached an expert level at anything.
Web development changes faster than you think. In a year from now 50% of what you know / do today will be old news. Keep learning, keep watching videos, talks, presentations and follow the big names in the industry.
Open a twitter account.
Use it only for keeping an eye on things that are happening - and the people who make them happen.
Use Chrome! Get onto a Mac. Learn to love command line. Lint your JavaScript.
People you need to follow / research:
CSS:
- Lea Verou
- Nicole Sullivan
- Chris Coyer
- Eric Meyer
- @snookca
JS:
- Paul Irish
- Paul Lewis
- Addy Osmani
- Sindre Sorhus
- Ben Alman
- Rebecca Murphey
- Douglas Crockford - you can never read / watch enough of this guy!
- Derek Bailey (watchmecode.com)
- Remy Sharp
HTML:
- htmldog.com
- Mozilla Developer Network
NEVER NEVER NEVER: www.w3schools.com EVER!!
Websites:
- appliness (they have an iPad app)
FE development these days is about JavaScript and the workflow around it. But just jumping into JS using a library is dangerous.
LEARN JS. Understand JS. Then get into libraries - and before using a library - look at the source of it. You learn SO MANY things doing that.
Get a github account.
Build prototypes of things. Find bad code online and refactor that. Commit both to github. This can be an awesome portfolio for when you go for interviews. I have lost out on work for not having this - and later I have gotten work as a result of having this. I have even sent the refactored code to the company where I found it. Dodgy territory - but handle it well and you might just land a job.
Search for interview questions on the internet - technical questions. Github has many. Do them, research the things you do not know. Do not stop until you get it.
Getting a job:
Go into a medium sized marketing agency. The hours are crap. But because of the pace you gain experience very fast. 1 year in that environment is like 3 years in another industry.
Now, start here and good luck. Base line for FE Developers
Lastly:
- NEVER go to an interview without your laptop.
- Your CV means nothing.
- Your code is your CV. (github)
- Your degree / diploma will only help you so far. There are 12 year old kids doing presentations at conferences. Think twice before you bank on your education. Harsh - I know. But true. You will see.