Websites are the best places to make any business deal, and effective websites are those with effective and eye-catching designs. Website design is something which makes a website engaging, and it is the essential thing that makes a user decide whether to stay on the page or pass it by. If you are a skilled web-designer you are sure to be currently in-demand. Every business requires a website, so you can work at a variety of places.
- You are free to create modern ready-made themes and sell them at popular marketplaces.
- You can work as a freelance designer and make a professional portfolio to showcase your works to potential customers.
- You may look for a job position in a top global company.
- You can set up your own project as a self-employed designer.
Your income will depend only on your knowledge and professional experience, and your college education is not as important in this case. All you need to learn is available online for free, so you can get all required knowledge to start making money right away. Just decide whether you want to be a self-employed designer or work in a team and start searching either for your dream job or your most profitable projects.
We will give you a brief insight on the most popular job websites, biggest marketplaces and popular platforms for freelancers.
Platforms to Get a Dream Job
1. Behance
One of the leading online platforms which was created in 2006 and stays a requested spot for designers to get exciting jobs. The mission of a website is to give less control to corporate red tape and more control to designers. Behance is not only the website with a lot of current job openings but a place where you can create your portfolio and showcase your creative works to get discovered by employers. Your work will be distributed to other gallery sites for more extensive exposure.
2. Dribble Jobs
The site holds itself out as a community of designers showcasing their current projects and completed works to get the job they are looking for. The company, headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, has started its development as a side project and today it helps designers all over the world share their creative works and get hired.
3. Indeed
This is a world’s most famous platform which is considered to be one of the best sources to find jobs for designers. The website is built for companies of all types to post their job openings and hire the best talents. Potential employees can either apply to a job online or add it to their job cart to decide whether to apply to it later. The company was founded in 2004 and today it is one of the largest sites providing job openings available in more than 50 countries. It gives great opportunities for job seekers across the globe.
4. AIGA Design Jobs
The company’s mission is to “bring design to the world, and the world to designers”. This is a great community of design practitioners which advocates for wider understanding of design value in business, media and government. The company hosts various events, provides designers with career guides and numerous job openings to choose from. Moreover, anyone can find here a lot of useful case studies and articles on design.
5. AngelList
A great platform for startups and investors. The company encourages interested people to invest in syndicates, and makes successful introductions between job-seekers and companies. The mission of the company is to serve startups by eliminating challenges on their way to success. The site helps to meet lead investors, find a startup to invest in, post or find a job or apply to incubators for startups.
Marketplaces to Sell Your Ready-Made Products
1. ThemeForest
A popular platform which is a part of Envato Market. If you are good at creating ready-made templates, here you can sell them and earn regular income. The website is developed for everyone who wants to sell or buy crispy modern templates for Joomla, WordPress, Drupal or other CMS products. The price for every item depends on its quality, complexity and file’s usage. The platform is a “shelter” for a community of creative designers and developers wanting to promote and sell their projects on the largest marketplace of its kind.
2. Graphicriver
Another well-known platform belonging to Envato Market. Here you can sell layered PSD files, Adobe add-ons, icon packs, vectors and design templates. All products you sell are royalty-free. Graphicriver is also a community of users, so you can ask your questions in forums, comment on items on sale, contact your fellow users and view their portfolios. News, competitions and interactivity are available here.
3. Creative Market
A powerful platform for selling handcrafted design provided by independent creators from all over the world. The company is passionate about making a perfect design accessible for everyone, so if you are a creative designer or developer, you can try to sell your templates, graphics, fonts, add-ons, photos, and other products that you have crafted by your own. The marketplace’s got its own community where anyone can comment on a blog, take part in discussions and contact their fellow users.
4. Mojo Themes
A great platform which has been developed for you to sell your mouse-made themes if you craft them for the most commonly used Content Management Systems and e-commerce platforms. Here you can sell basic PSD templates, ready-made themes, complex premium WordPress plugins, and many other related products. A startup company based out of the Salt Lake City, Utah, is a trusted place to sell your templates and themes and earn money by doing what you love to do. Moreover, Mojo includes a forum and a blog where you can interact with other users.
Websites to Find a Project and a Customer
1. Upwork
One of the best platforms where freelancers can find a project to work on and where top companies can find the most talented independent professionals to hire. The mission of the company is to create social and economic value by helping job seekers get a trusted online workplace to collaborate and succeed. The best companies are now able to find the greatest talents among the top freelance professionals registered at Upwork.
2. Freelancer
A global platform for crowdsourcing, freelancing and outsourcing. This is one of the biggest marketplaces for self-employed creatives where they can interact with the potential customers to work on interesting projects. The company connects employers and freelancers in more than 247 countries and regions across the globe to assist in their successful collaboration. Web designers, software developers, writers, and other creative folks can find here a project to their liking and earn money.
3. iFreelance
A platform for anyone who wants to work as a freelancer or post a project to hire a freelancer. Create your profile and upload your portfolio to allow customers discover your experience. Every time you apply for a project, a customer can review your portfolio and decide whether to assign a project to you or not. Freelancers are free to bid for an open project or be contacted directly. A platform doesn’t charge commissions or transactions fees so both sides get a better deal.
Any talented designer, freelancer or a startupper can choose any of these websites to get a chance to extend their career, get a good income and become a leading expert in their field.