Front-end developers produce the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript part for websites or web applications to allow users to see and interact with the content. The objective is to present the site information so that it’s easy to read and it’s relevant. Front-end programmers are responsible for creating computing components/features that will be viewed directly to the end client.

First of all, a valued front-end developer will be learning a lot, as the technologies in this field are continuously changing. Adding the fact that modern websites must work correctly in different browsers, operating systems, and devices, this requires a lot of thorough planning and upgrading on the side of the programmer. Front-enders work closely with web designers to combine the art of design with the art of coding.

You will first need to be proficient with understanding the web markup (HTML, CSS). Although your primary responsibilities will include working on the client-side web development, an understanding of the server-side (back-end) would add much value to your resumé and make your professional life more comfortable. Make peace with the idea that you’ll need to be a lifelong learner diving deep into frameworks and continuously upgrading to new technologies. Getting involved with open-source projects is a good idea to keep yourself on track.

Depending on how tech-savvy you currently are, gaining skills to do the front-end development job for simple projects can take under a month or even a couple of weeks, as some programmers report from their experiences. If you can devote 20 or more hours a week for learning, you should be able to achieve the level when you start getting paid in around 3 months. Nobody knows you better than you do, so be cautious and try not to burn out. We’re humans, so adjust your learning/resting time adequately!

Once you develop excellent front-end development skills, you’ll have the upper hand in the market when it comes to salaries. Professionals are highly in demand, and it’s still increasing rapidly. The national median salary hits more than $76,000 a year when top talents make well over a hundred thousand dollars. The international market is more diverse with salaries varying from 40k in the Netherlands to 97k in Canada, which secures a very good living in the chosen countries overseas.

Your actions and work results speak louder than your words. Start with putting all that you’ve got into a sample project which you could proudly post in HackerNews, Reddit, GitHub, etc. Next step, make a resumé keeping it short and simple (remember, recruiters don’t have much time!). Devote some time contributing to open source projects, share your knowledge even in the junior stage of your career – there’ll be people who will benefit from it. And it’ll look good on your resumé. Finally, don’t be afraid of rejections. If it’s the first job you’re after, you’ll see how much more prepared you’ll feel for your third-fifth-tenth job interview compared to the first one!