Many people who have taken an interest in tinkering with computer programming as a hobby or side project eventually end up pursuing it as a career full time. This applies even if the person‘s previous field of specialization is something that has nothing to do with computers, such as history or the theater. The reasons why a person diverges from his or her career path and dives into computer programming instead are as varied as they come. Mostly, however, these reasons have a lot to do with the benefits a computer programmer usually gets as part of his or her job.

Money is a big factor. Whether we admit it to ourselves or not, tech careers pay more than any other jobs out there in the market. Being a computer programmer is one of the more highly paid jobs to be had on the block right now. Contract programmers, or computer programmers who go freelance and work with companies on a per-project basis, for instance, get paid anywhere from $100 to $400 per hour. Computer programmers who are tied to a specific company as a full-time employee get paid less than contract programmers but the difference is not really that big.

Another factor that makes shifting to being a computer programmer so attractive is the flexibility it offers and the telecommuting possibilities available to the computer programmer. A contract programmer, for instance, has the choice of working on a project that he or she likes, and with a company that he or she likes. The work involved does not have to be confined to the office; it can be done at home, at the coffee shop, or anywhere that is convenient to the contract programmer. And if the work can be done outside the office, it can be done anytime the programmer pleases as long as the deadline is met. The same goes for most computer programmers fully employed by a specific company.

And yet another factor that makes being a computer programmer a great choice to start a career on or for shifting career paths is the fact that entry requirements are low and the training period involved can take as little as six months. A person looking into getting a job at computer programming can teach himself or herself the skills and the computer languages needed for the trade, or he or she can take a few short courses. A degree in computer technology or in computer science can provide an edge over the competition, but it is not really a requirement. The qualifications that most companies look for when hiring computer programmers are experience and mastery of one or so programming languages, and mastery of a programming language actually comes with experience.

Designing the overall look of a website and balancing this look with the supposed function of the website is the responsibility of the website designer. It is the job of the web designer to create pages that make up the website, putting in the images and the text, incorporating features such as community chatting and forums, search engines, e-commerce applications, animations, applications that will allow visitors to interact with the website, and other such features and add-ins. While balancing the overall look and function of the website, the web designer is also supposed to make sure that the website will remain accessible to users regardless of the computer and browser they are using, as well as compatible with the technologies that support it. The performance of the website, whether it generates traffic and sales, depends on the quality of work the web designer put into it.

Typical Activities of the Web Designer

In order to accomplish a job, the web designer typically does the following tasks:

1. Take part in planning sessions with the website development team and the client to discuss the requirements for the website

2. Collect articles, images and other material for the website

3. Write up code that will generate the pages to be put up in the website

4. Test the performance of the website and participate in monitoring the said performance

5. Provide user support for the website

6. Update the website content on occasion

Industry Prospects for the Web Designer

In the nineties, during the dot.com boom, many people thought that the limits of the Internet have already been reached. But while the dot.com startups that had their heyday back then have mostly fizzed out, the Internet continues to grow by leaps and bounds. There are millions of websites on the Internet, and that figure is yet to grow a lot further. We are still on the tip of the iceberg that is the Internet; as long as the Internet continues to grow, there will always be work for the web designer.

The challenge for the web designer is to keep abreast of the development of technology surrounding the Internet, and to keep updating his or her knowledge on the different extensions that support HTML.

The average salary pegged for web designers in 2006 was $54,159, with average bonuses at $1,066.

The Necessary Skills

Web designers often have a background not in computer programming but in fine arts, graphic design and publishing. It is necessary for them to know how to work with software like Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and other such software. How to work with Flash, XHTLM and XML programming and other such applications are also a must. Web designers also need to be familiar with working with different kinds of operating systems, i.e. Windows, Macintosh and Unix. The ability to work within a team, as well as good communication skills when interacting with clients and the team, are also skills that the web designer must cultivate.

Finding the Job

Most of these computer programmers from overseas are skilled enough, but according to the FAQ sheet published by Computerworld.com, the total education and training of a computer programmer from overseas amounts to only an Associate degree from a school in the United States. It can be said that companies that outsource their computer programming projects may be shortchanging themselves. Outsourced computer programmers will still need a local lead programmer who has the expertise to oversee the work coming in from overseas.

Hiring Skilled H1-B Workers

In order to fill in the need for computer programmers in the market, many companies bring in skilled computer programmers from overseas into the United States to work for them for a short period of time using H1-B visas. This has sparked a hot debate in the IT community. It is claimed that the shortage of computer programmers locally is not that much of a problem and companies are only using this excuse to employ computer programmers at a cheaper rate. Nonetheless, it is not a guarantee that these H1-B computer programmers are as skilled as purported. The expertise of a local programmer will still be needed.

What Can Be Done

The excuse companies use to outsource computer programmers, or even bring them from overseas using H1-B visas, is that there is a lack in the home field for the skilled computer programmers that they need. The people who do have these skills come for a price that these companies cannot always afford to pay for.

If you are a person studying to be a computer programmer, what can you do? The industry needs computer programmers who are masters in a particular programming language and specialize in a specific field. To gain an edge over outsourced or guest personnel, gain the mastery of a specific computer language. And then, think of what kind of place you would like to work in, whether in banking, finance, education, medicine, and know what computer programming needs are required there.

Read part 1 of the computer programmer job outlook now

3. Let your prospective employers know what skills that you have, what courses you have taken and what projects you have completed that make you qualified for the job.

4. List down whatever special accomplishments you may have that will impress your prospective employers.

If you already have gained some experience from a previous job or from a project you have handled, list them down and describe them using short phrases in active voice, as stated above. State what each job or project was all about and include in the description what your role there was. Also include the outcome of the job or project as well as the results.

You should make note whenever you upload your resume to a headhunter website or email it to your prospective employer, it is likely to end up in a searchable database. So, in order for your resume to gain a bit of an edge over those of your competitors, insert relevant keywords that you think possible employers are likely to use when searching their database or the headhunter websites they subscribe to whenever they are hiring.

Despite the hiccups faced by the United States economy in the previous year, computer programming jobs remain as one of the highest paid jobs out there in the market. According to the 20th annual salary survey released by Computerworld.com late last year, a programmer/analyst just starting out at an entry level position had an average base salary of US$65,030 in 2006, with additional bonuses averaging US$3,525. The percentage increase of these figures compared to the figures presented in 2005 is 2.6%.

These are just the figures for the entry level positions. Computer programmers in middle management positions made as much as US$96,938 in 2006, while senior managers and CEOs have earned twice that amount.

Many are called, few are qualified. There is obviously a lot of money to be had in being a computer programmer. If the money is not enough to make for a suitable bait, most companies offer additional perks such as travel, free training and skills enhancement, performance bonuses and a lot of job flexibility. The problem is, while there are a number of fish in the ocean, a scant few are really qualified to bite the bait.

It is no longer enough for a computer programmer to just know how to code. Nowadays, it is necessary for a computer programmer to master a specific computer language, be knowledgeable in a few others, and to specialize in a certain seemingly unrelated field, such as pharmaceuticals, education, banking and finance, and the lot. Many would-be computer programmers are daunted by the requirements, but those who persevere certainly reap the rewards.

The competition among companies to recruit the right computer programmer that they need is stiff, and so they dangle a lot of dainties to snag the best of them. These companies also work their damnedest to keep the people that they have because they know that if a better offer comes looming in their horizon, they will certainly make a grab for the greener opportunity. It always hurts a company to lose a good computer programmer.

Read part 2 of the computer programmer job outlook now 

• Experience: The more experienced a programmer is in a specific programming language, the higher a salary or bill rate the programmer may command. Contract computer programmers are not paid based on their total programming experience but only on how recent ot cutting edge their programming experience is. So, a contract programmer with 20 years of experience in 5 different programming languages can earn less than a programmer with 5 years of experience in a hot, in-demand programming language.

• Location: Some cities and countries pay more than other cities and countries. For example, programmers in the U.S. tend to be paid more than those in third world countries.

• Market Demand for Programming Skills: Some programming languages command more money than others. For example, Visual Basic .NET programming skills commands more pay than Visual Basic (Classic VB) programming skills or Microsoft Access (MSAccess) programming skills.

• Negotiation Skills: It is possible for two computer programmers with the same years of experience in a hot programming skill like C# to bill two widely different rates. For example, the more confident programmer may bill at $45/hr. while the less confident programmer bills at $35/hr.

• Employers: The pay a programmer gets is set by the employer. For example, one employer could compensate programmers at $50/hr. while another employer wants to compensate programmers for the same skills at $30/hr. , difference of $40,000 in annual compensation.

In this tutorial I reviewed some of the reaons why computer programmers earn widely different salaries. In estimating what you want to earn as a computer programmer, use this article as a guide to come up with a fair and reasonable billing rate or salary for your programming services.