Code and Craft

A blog by Amy Cheng

On becoming a better web developer by working for an agency

I recently left my old job in the advertising and have started a new one at non-profit institution. It's the same kind of job but definitely a different kind of environment.

So I've been reflecting on my past two years in advertising and I've come to the conclusion that while it was time for something new, I'm grateful for having the opportunities to learn alot in such a short time.

I've been making web pages as a hobby since I was 12 but it was only until I was hired as a Design Technologist (aka front-end developer) at The Barbarian Group that I really went pro.

My skills and knowledge of various web technologies grew expontiantially due to the fact that projects needed to be launched two weeks ago.

There was also this understanding that I didn't know everything. On the flip side, there was this expectation that I would learn anything that was needed in a short amount of time.

I had become proficient in not only coding in an unfamiliar language (like Ruby, which I got the gist of in a month or so), but also having to consider things like responsive design, performance optimization, and quality assurance (i.e. getting shit to work in Internet Explorer).

You're forced to pick up new things rather quickly due to market demands and tight deadlines. And if you work at a place with a good tech/interactive department, you'll be working with people smarter than you which is great when you're trying to learn as much as you can. Googling the answer can only take you so far.

And if you manage to find a position at a well-known and fairly established agency (been around for a few years, have a few choice clients), it is less risky than going to work at a start-up still trying to get funding. Likely, you'll get a nice starting salary and benefits.

If the agency is well-established, there will probably be more senior developers in the department, and so you have actual live human beings to help you out when you're stuck on something.

At an agency, you'll also find out what kind of developer you are. As in will you be the kind of developer that thrives with short deadlines, an ever changing project scope, and 4 hours of sleep? Some people are adrenline junkies that way. But are you the type of developer that needs plenty of time to work, a clear scope, and 7+ hours of sleep?

It could also be the case that you grow to become the other type of developer or you work long hours for a particular project but drag your feet for another.

So, if you're just starting out as a web developer, getting a job at an agency (I'm speaking mostly about agencies that describes themselves as: advertising, marketing, creative) is a way to become better, faster (because an agency is a pressure cooker).

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