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itcareerblogs · 4 months ago
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Design career: Designers types, Role and Salary
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The design field has become an exciting and popular career choice, combining creativity, innovation, and practicality. Designers shape the world around us, from digital interfaces and brand identities to physical products that make life easier. Their work balances beauty and functionality, making them valuable in many industries.
In this blog, we’ll look at the different types of design careers, what each role involves, and the potential salaries for these creative jobs. Whether you’re starting out or thinking about a career change, this guide will give you a clear picture of the opportunities in the design world.
Types of Designers
1. Graphic Designers
Graphic designers are experts in visual communication, crafting designs that deliver clear messages and evoke emotions. They create designs for a variety of mediums, including print (brochures, posters, and business cards), digital media (social media graphics, banner ads), and branding (logos, brand guidelines).
Responsibilities
Make creative designs for print and digital platforms.
Work on branding, like logos and business cards.
Collaborate with clients and teams to bring ideas to life.
Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign.
2. UX/UI Designers
UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) designers focus on creating seamless and engaging experiences for digital users. While UX designers ensure the product is functional and user-friendly, UI designers concentrate on its visual appeal and interface.
Responsibilities
Plan layouts and user journeys for websites and apps.
Test how easy it is to use the product.
Create designs that look good and feel smooth.
Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD.
3. Product Designers
Product designers focus on the design and development of physical goods, from everyday items like furniture to advanced tools and machinery. They balance functionality, ergonomics, and aesthetics, often working closely with material specialists, prototyping experts, UI/UX Designers,Quality analyst and market researchers to create user-friendly and innovative products.
Responsibilities
Design and prototype products.
Work with engineers to make sure designs can be produced.
Choose materials and test the product’s functionality.
Tools: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Fusion 360.
4. Web Designers
Web designers specialize in the visual aspects of websites, focusing on user-friendly layouts, cohesive color schemes, and responsive designs. They ensure websites are both functional and visually appealing.
Responsibilities
Design website layouts and navigation.
Make sure websites work on phones and tablets.
Collaborate with developers to build functional websites.
Skills and Tools
Tools: Adobe XD, Figma, Canva,CMS.
Basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
5. Game Designers
Game designers create the concepts, storylines, and mechanics that make video games engaging. They work on designing immersive gameplay experiences, collaborating with developers and artists.
Responsibilities
Create game concepts, characters, and levels.
Plan how the game will work and look.
Test and improve gameplay.
Tools: Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, Blender.
6. Motion Graphic Designers
Motion graphic designers specialize in creating animated visuals and effects that enhance storytelling and communication. Their work is commonly used in advertisements, films, and social media content.
Responsibilities
Designing animations and video effects for multimedia projects.
Collaborating with video editors and producers.
Bringing static graphics to life through movement and transitions.
Tools: Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro.
7. Fashion Designers
Fashion designers create clothing and accessories that blend style with functionality. Their work involves conceptualizing designs, selecting fabrics, and overseeing production.
Responsibilities
Designing clothing collections and accessories.
Sketching and creating prototypes.
Collaborating with textile manufacturers and pattern makers.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, CLO 3D, or Browzwear.
8. Interior Designers
Interior designers enhance indoor spaces, focusing on aesthetics, functionality, and safety. They design homes, offices, retail spaces, and more, often collaborating with architects and builders.
Responsibilities
Developing floor plans, layouts, and mood boards.
Selecting furniture, fixtures, and color palettes.
Using design tools to create 3D visualizations of spaces.
Tools: AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, and 3ds Max.
Roles of Designers
Concept Development: Translating ideas into visual or practical concepts.
Collaboration: Working with clients, teams, or other stakeholders to align designs with objectives.
Problem-Solving: Addressing challenges through creative and functional solutions.
Prototyping: Creating models or samples to test and refine designs.
Presentation: Showcasing designs to clients or stakeholders for feedback and approval.
Salary For Designers (IN INR)
Salaries for design professionals depend on factors like experience, location, and industry.
1. Graphic Designer
Entry-Level 2,00,000–4,00,000
Mid-Level 4,00,000–8,00,000
Experienced 8,00,000–15,00,000
2. UI/UX Designer
Entry-Level 3,00,000–6,00,000
Mid-Level 6,00,000–12,00,000
Experienced 12,00,000–20,00,000
3. Product Designer
Entry-Level 3,00,000–6,00,000
Mid-Level 6,00,000–12,00,000
Experienced 12,00,000–22,00,000
4. Web Designer
Entry-Level 2,50,000–5,00,000
Mid-Level 5,00,000–10,00,000
Experienced 10,00,000–18,00,000
5. Game Designer
Entry-Level 3,00,000–7,00,000
Mid-Level 7,00,000–15,00,000
Experienced 15,00,000–25,00,000
6. Motion Graphic Designer
Entry-Level 3,00,000–6,00,000
Mid-Level 6,00,000–12,00,000
Experienced 12,00,000–20,00,000
7. Fashion Designer
Entry-Level 2,00,000–4,00,000
Mid-Level 4,00,000–8,00,000
Experienced 8,00,000–15,00,000
8. Interior Designer
Entry-Level 2,50,000–5,00,000
Mid-Level 5,00,000–10,00,000
Experienced 10,00,000–18,00,000
A career in design offers many opportunities in areas like graphic design, UI/UX, product design, web design, game design, motion graphics, fashion, and interior design. Each area has its own role, requiring a mix of creativity, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities. Designers help shape the world around us by creating visuals, user-friendly experiences, and innovative products.
If you’re thinking about a career in design, it’s important to understand the different roles, the skills needed, and the salary range. Whether you’re just starting or looking to grow, the design industry offers many opportunities for success.
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jobyoda-philippines · 5 months ago
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Exploring Career and Job Opportunities in Davao City Philippines
Davao City, recognized as one of the Philippines' most progressive cities, continues to experience remarkable economic growth, creating a vibrant job market that attracts professionals from across the country. The city's diverse economy offers numerous employment opportunities, from entry-level positions to executive roles, making it an attractive destination for job seekers at all career stages.
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector stands as one of the largest employers in Davao City, providing thousands of jobs across various specializations. Companies in this sector actively recruit customer service representatives, technical support specialists, and quality assurance analysts, offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages. The industry's continued expansion has created numerous opportunities for career advancement, with many organizations promoting from within and providing extensive training programs.
Part-time employment opportunities have also flourished in Davao City, catering to students, professionals seeking additional income, and individuals preferring flexible work arrangements. The retail sector, food service industry, and education field offer numerous part-time positions with varying schedules and responsibilities. These roles often provide valuable work experience and can serve as stepping stones to full-time careers.
The Information Technology sector in Davao has seen significant growth, with many companies seeking software developers, web designers, and IT support specialists. This growth has been fueled by the city's improving technological infrastructure and the increasing number of tech-focused businesses establishing operations in the region. Tech professionals can find opportunities in both established companies and startups, with many positions offering competitive compensation and the possibility of remote work arrangements.
Davao's hospitality and tourism industry continues to expand, creating jobs in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and tour operations. The sector offers positions ranging from entry-level service roles to management positions, with many employers providing training and development opportunities. The industry's growth has also sparked demand for professionals in events management and tourism marketing.
The education sector presents numerous opportunities for both full-time and part-time employment. Educational institutions regularly seek teachers, tutors, and administrative staff. The rise of online learning has created additional opportunities for English language teachers and academic consultants who can work flexible hours from home or teaching centers.
Job hiring  in Davao, the digital economy has opened new avenues for employment. E-commerce specialists, digital content creators, and social media managers are in high demand as businesses increasingly establish their online presence. These positions often offer the flexibility of remote work while providing competitive compensation packages.
Professional development resources are readily available in Davao City, with numerous institutions offering skills training programs and industry certifications. Job seekers can access career counseling services, resume writing assistance, and interview coaching through various employment support organizations. These resources prove invaluable in helping candidates prepare for and secure desired positions.
The financial services sector in Davao has also experienced substantial growth, creating opportunities for banking professionals, insurance specialists, and investment consultants. These positions typically offer attractive compensation packages, including performance bonuses and health benefits, making them highly sought after by experienced professionals.
Davao's agricultural sector continues to evolve, combining traditional farming with modern agribusiness practices. This has created opportunities for agricultural technologists, food processing specialists, and supply chain professionals. The sector offers both technical and management positions, with many companies providing specialized training and development programs.
For those entering Davao's job market, proper preparation is essential. Successful job seekers typically maintain updated resumes, prepare comprehensive portfolios, and stay informed about industry developments. Professional networking, both online and offline, plays a crucial role in discovering opportunities and advancing careers in the city.
The future of Davao's job market looks promising, with emerging industries creating new employment opportunities. The city's commitment to economic development, coupled with its strategic location and robust infrastructure, continues to attract businesses and investors, ensuring a steady stream of job opportunities for qualified candidates.
Whether seeking full-time employment or part-time job in Davao City offers a diverse range of opportunities across multiple industries. Success in this dynamic job market often comes to those who combine proper preparation with continuous skill development and effective networking. As the city continues to grow and evolve, its job market remains a beacon of opportunity for professionals seeking to build meaningful careers in Mindanao's premier business hub.
#Davao City#recognized as one of the Philippines' most progressive cities#continues to experience remarkable economic growth#creating a vibrant job market that attracts professionals from across the country. The city's diverse economy offers numerous employment op#from entry-level positions to executive roles#making it an attractive destination for job seekers at all career stages.#The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector stands as one of the largest employers in Davao City#providing thousands of jobs across various specializations. Companies in this sector actively recruit customer service representatives#technical support specialists#and quality assurance analysts#offering competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages. The industry's continued expansion has created numerous opportunities fo#with many organizations promoting from within and providing extensive training programs.#Part-time employment opportunities have also flourished in Davao City#catering to students#professionals seeking additional income#and individuals preferring flexible work arrangements. The retail sector#food service industry#and education field offer numerous part-time positions with varying schedules and responsibilities. These roles often provide valuable work#The Information Technology sector in Davao has seen significant growth#with many companies seeking software developers#web designers#and IT support specialists. This growth has been fueled by the city's improving technological infrastructure and the increasing number of t#with many positions offering competitive compensation and the possibility of remote work arrangements.#Davao's hospitality and tourism industry continues to expand#creating jobs in hotels#restaurants#travel agencies#and tour operations. The sector offers positions ranging from entry-level service roles to management positions#with many employers providing training and development opportunities. The industry's growth has also sparked demand for professionals in ev#The education sector presents numerous opportunities for both full-time and part-time employment. Educational institutions regularly seek t
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tccicomputercoaching · 2 months ago
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Full Stack Web Developer Salary in India 2025 – Career Guide
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Is web development a career good in 2025? What is the salary of full-stack developers in India nowadays? Which skills are essential to become one?
Thinking of a career as a full-stack developer? With businesses shifting online, the demand for web developers is growing rapidly. This guide covers everything you need to know, including the salary of a full-stack developer in India, city-wise salary variations, and insights into the job role. We also discuss how to start your journey in full-stack web development and the essential skills required for success.
Why Choose Web Development as a Career?
You know the beauty of a fortune, right? The demand for web developers in the market is skyrocketing along with soaring figures for every industry adopted the feature of digital transformation. Today, every single entity, may it be start-ups or multinational companies, requires highly robust online platforms, and full stack developers play a very vital part in this entire process.
What is Full Stack Web Development?
Full stack development involves working both on front sites (user interface) and backend (server, database) of a website or application. Full stack developer does entire development cycle therefore makes him or her of great value.
Define Full Stack Developer
A full stack developer is one who knows:
Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap
Backend: PHP, Java, Python, Node.js
Databases: MySQL, MongoDB, etc.
Tools: Git, GitHub, version control systems
They can independently design and build web applications from the scratch.
The 2025 Must-have Full Stack Developer Skills
To be a great full stack developer, one would have to be proficient in:
Frontend:
HTML, CSS, JavaScript
js, Angular, Bootstrap
Backend:
js, PHP, Python, Java
API development, server handling
Database and Tools:
MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL
Git/GitHub for version control
Soft skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communication are equally important.
Full Stack Developer Salary in India - Insight into 2025
✅    Average Salary:
6 LPA (driven by professionals in India)
✅    Monthly Salary:
75,000+ per month average
✅    Fresher Salary:
8-4.5 LPA varying with location and skills
✅    At 2-3 Years Experience:
An average of 5.9 LPA
✅    After 5+ Years:
At 9 LPA and above
Full Stack Developer Salary by Company (2025)
Infosys – ₹5.5 LPA
TCS – ₹4.9 LPA
Cognizant – ₹6.6 LPA
HCL – ₹8.2 LPA
Accenture – ₹7.7 LPA
Amazon – ₹15.9 LPA
Google – ₹26.5 LPA
Full Stack Developer Salary by City in India
Bangalore – ₹7.1 LPA
Chennai – ₹5.7 LPA
Pune – ₹6.3 LPA
Hyderabad – ₹6.5 LPA
Ahmedabad – ₹5 LPA
Jaipur – ₹4.8 LPA
Salary by Industry Type
IT Services & Consulting – ₹6 LPA
Software Product – ₹9.4 LPA
Financial Services – ₹10.9 LPA
Analytics & KPO – ₹11 LPA
Internet/E-Commerce – ₹9.2 LPA
BPO – ₹7.2 LPA
Factors Affecting Salary
Experience Level: A senior earns many times more
Size of Company: Big companies pay more - especially at MNCs
Location: Salaries are higher in metro cities
Industry: Finance, IT, and healthcare offers best packages
Skillset: Specialized skills in frameworks or new tech stacks add value
Education/Certifications: Advanced training increases salary potential
Ways to Enhance Your Salary as a Full Stack Developer
Always Learning: Keep in touch with the frameworks like React, Angular, and Node.js.
Accredited: Professionalize with certifications from cloud, security, or advanced JS frameworks.
Build a Portfolio: Locate all the real-world projects, be it from clients or personal projects.
Niche: Specialize into e-commerce, fintech, or AI-integrated development.
Improve Soft Skills: Leadership, time management, and communication go a long way.
Location: Bopal & Iskcon-Ambli in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Call now on +91 9825618292
Visit Our Website: http://tccicomputercoaching.com/
FAQ
What is the average salary of a Full-stack developer in India?
As data shared on AmbitionBox, the average full-stack developer salary in India is ₹8.9 Lakh Per Annum (LPA).
 Is full stack development a good career choice?
 Yes. It’s one of the most in-demand and future-proof roles in IT.
Can a fresher earn well in this field?
 Absolutely. With the right training, a fresher can start with ₹4–5 LPA.
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infinkey · 2 months ago
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hiringjournal · 3 months ago
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How to Write a Job Description That Attracts Top QA Engineers
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For ensuring the reliability and performance of web applications hiring skilled QA engineers is a prerequisite. A well-drafted job description lays the foundation for attracting highly qualified and skilled professionals that improve your software quality and enhance the user experience. 
If you are considering hiring software developers with finesse in QA, a clear and compelling job post will serve as the first step towards finding the right talent. As a SaaS company, continuous testing and quality assurance are more vital, which is why hiring the best QA talent will prevent costly errors and downtime. Let’s look at what are the nitty-gritties you need to consider when drafting a job description. 
Crafting a Job Description That Draws Skilled QA Engineers to Your Team
Begin with a strong job title
The job title ought to be precise, unambiguous, and search engine optimized. Use the following clear and professional title instead of ambiguous ones like "QA Rockstar": 
Web QA Engineer.
Senior Web QA Engineer: If you're hiring for a more senior position.
Automation QA Engineer: If knowledge of automation is essential.
Including keywords like "automation" or "performance testing" can help SaaS companies draw in experts who know how to use cloud-based apps.
Write an engaging job summary
Candidates should get a brief rundown of the duties of the position from the job summary. Be succinct and emphasize the following: 
The company's goals and products. 
The significance of the QA position in preserving software quality. 
The candidate's influence on the development team.
For instance: Looking to hire web QA engineers for our rapidly expanding SaaS company. As a QA engineer you will collaborate directly with developers to provide a great user experience by testing and enhancing our web apps.
Clearly define responsibilities
Before applying, candidates should be aware of the requirements. Creating test cases and strategies for online applications and conducting both automated and human testing to find faults are typical duties.
Making sure it works on mobile devices and across browsers.
Working together to solve problems with product and development teams.
List essential skills and qualifications
Clearly state the technical abilities needed for the position. These could include: 
Expertise in testing technologies such as TestRail, JIRA, or Selenium.
Proficiency in automation frameworks like Playwright or Cypress.
Experience with RestAssured or Postman for testing APIs.
Excellent knowledge of CI/CD and Agile pipelines.
Software developers who can work with QA teams to ensure seamless testing integration might be a good choice if you also need developers for other project components.
Offer competitive compensation and benefits
Transparency in salaries helps draw in serious applicants. A salary benchmarking tool, which delivers real-time market data to match salary offers with industry standards, can be used to assess appropriate compensation.
Emphasize perks like: 
Opportunities for career advancement 
Performance-based rewards 
Remote work choices
Make the application process simple
Steer clear of lengthy, complex forms that turn off applicants. Rather: 
Make a clear call to action ("Send Resume" or "Apply Now").
Limit the necessary documents to a portfolio and resume.
Provide a cover letter submission option.
Summing Up
A well-written job description establishes the correct expectations and draws in top talent. A strong job posting will guarantee that you discover the ideal candidate, whether you need to hire software developers to improve testing frameworks or hire web QA engineers for automated testing. Investing in qualified QA specialists helps SaaS organizations achieve long-term financial success by improving software performance and user experiences.
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buildoffshore1 · 7 months ago
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Experience innovation with a trusted front end development company. Our expert developers craft interactive, user-friendly, and high-performing web solutions tailored to your needs. Combining cutting-edge technology with creative design, we deliver websites that captivate and convert. Partner with us to bring your vision to life and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Let us help you stay ahead in the digital landscape.
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codesandprogramms · 11 months ago
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Beyond Design: How Front-End Developers Drive Business Growth
The visual appeal of your digital interfaces should stand out in the digital era. For this it’s crucial that you hire front end developers who possess not only technical proficiency but also a deep understanding of user experience and business growth strategies.
To create visually appealing and user-friendly websites the demand for skilled front end developers is on the rise. In this article, let’s look at the unparalleled contribution of these developers in your business growth. 
Why Front-End Developers Are Vital for Business Growth
Front-end developers are the brains behind shaping the user experience of your website or application. They implement the visual elements that your user interacts with, to offer a seamless and aesthetically pleasing experience. 
Their work has a direct impact on user engagement, satisfaction, and retention which are all vital for business growth. When you hire front end web developers you must therefore pay close attention to evaluating a combination of technical and soft skills.
This means that along with proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, they should also have knowledge of frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js. Additionally, an exceptional understanding of user experience and a strong problem-solving approach is also an indispensable requirement.
Their contribution can drive business growth in the following ways:
Improved conversion rates
Front-end developers can greatly increase conversion rates by enhancing a website's functionality and design. A well-designed website can translate into enhanced client satisfaction and increased sales. 
2. Enhanced user experience
Front-end developers ensure that a website is simple to use and offers an uninterrupted user experience. This promotes longer site engagement and returning visits in addition to fostering user happiness.
3. Brand consistency
Keeping all of the pages' designs consistent aids in building a strong brand identification. In order to ensure that the website reflects the company's brand values and vision, front-end developers uphold this consistency.
4. SEO optimization 
SEO experts and front-end developers collaborate closely to make sure the website is search engine optimized. This entails enhancing website performance, putting responsive design into practice, and making sure the website is user-friendly for everyone.
To hire front end developers who can drive business growth you need to employ smart hiring approaches. One way to strategically resolve your dilemma of how to hire dedicated front end developers is by connecting with Uplers. 
As your one-stop hiring platform, Uplers matches the top 3.5% of AI-vetted Indian remote talent. A rigorous 4-step vetting process eliminates the hiring hassle for you so that you have top-tier talent at up to 40% cost savings.
It also provides a Uplers salary analysis tool that helps you compare the front-end developer salary of a local hire to that of an Indian remote talent. This kind of market salary analysis helps you formulate an equitable and aligned compensation to pace ahead of the competition in attracting and retaining top talent. 
Closing Remarks
Front-end developers are not mere designers, but essential drivers of business growth. To secure the best talent in the industry you can choose to hire remote talent. This will expand your reach to connect with ideal candidates at cost-effective rates.
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hivextechblog · 1 year ago
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devtroop · 1 year ago
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tripta-123 · 1 year ago
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MERN Stack Development in Demand
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Explore the roles and responsibilities of a MEAN stack developer why it is in-demand and what kind of skills are required to become an in-demand developer.
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ds4u · 1 year ago
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If you are preparing to learn Mean Stack Development or are ready to begin your career as a mean stack developer, this article is the right place to begin. The article covers all the information one needs to know before entering the mean stack development. You can collect details like skills-set, education requirements, pay scales, and the future of a developer in the Mean Stack category.
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ojesvi06 · 1 year ago
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ReactJS Developers Hiring Guide for 2024: Hire the right person for the job
Click here to learn more
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iihtsuratsblog · 2 years ago
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Becoming a Full Stack Developer: A Guide for 2023
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A full stack developer is a software engineer capable of working on both the front-end and back-end aspects of a web application. This means they possess the skills to design and create the user interface (UI) and manage the server-side logic that drives the application.
The demand for full stack developers is high, as businesses increasingly seek professionals who can handle a wider scope of responsibilities. If you're interested in a software development career, pursuing the path of a full stack developer offers an excellent starting point.
The necessary skills for becoming a full stack developer can vary based on the technologies you intend to work with. Nonetheless, some fundamental skills encompass:
HTML and CSS: These form the fundamental elements of any web page's structure and styling.
JavaScript: This programming language empowers the interactive elements of web pages.
Back-end programming language: This could involve Java, Python, Ruby, or other prevalent languages.
Database: This is where the web application's data will be stored.
Version control: Employing a system to track code modifications.
Web framework: Utilizing a pre-built code collection to expedite development. Discover the details : How To Become A Full Stack Developer In 2023
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ourjobagency · 2 years ago
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Technology plays a vital role in everyone’s daily lives, from the simplest forms of applications to the most creative inventions. Every application or software has been built by a web developer. In these present days, students and youngsters want to be web developers to make their careers way better.
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gamingavickreyauction · 2 months ago
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I think people delude themselves about how effective intellectual property is. In the pure world of intellectual property you can patent a discovery and sell it for all the value it adds, or use it to make that much profit, but in reality the value of intellectual property corresponds very loosely to how much value it adds.
It's relatively easy to read a few books and write a pop history book about a topic which makes ten times as much money as what the academic history books made, even though those books may each have taken 10 times as long by more skilled workers, and amount to the vast majority of the work that went into your book. The incentive structure is clearly wrong if you want books like your pop history book to be made about more topics.
If you do basic research that leads to an important new drug being developed 20 years down the line, you will get nothing- the organisation that actually gets the patent is the one that does the last step. And many kinds of valuable research don't lead in any immediate way to a marketable product in the first place.
The reason the neoliberal argument fails here is because people are getting patents intellectual property that doesn't just capture the value they added, but all the work others put into the idea before them, which no intellectual property was awarded for. So there is a huge incentivise to focus on the last mile, the marketable part, to the neglect of everything else, even though that's most likely to be the part that anyone could have done.
The neoliberal might reply that this is actually a problem of incomplete property rights- the neoliberal's model works if the basic research was patentable too, so that the person who brings it to market pays for the basic research, gets paid the value of the market product, and pockets the difference- the value they added. But the reason that isn't done is that a world like that would be unlivable. It would be impossible to get any research done because the web of how ideas feed into each other isn't simple, and the negotiation of how much to pay for each idea would be arduous. This is why patents cannot work in the 'ideal' way they do in economic models, and why they will inevitably have this serious flaw in the real world.
The neoliberal might argue that this is a problem solved by universities- universities can do the basic research, which becomes commons, and the researchers are paid salaries because paying them based on their value added would be impossible, and the applied research is done by businesses, who are paid their value added, because it's close enough to the market that that is possible. Aside from neoliberals cutting universities, the problem with this is that it allows private companies to capture the value of research done by universities if there are only a few ways to apply that research effectively. If a company uses X basic research to make Y product, and there are no profitable alternative ways to apply X to make a competitor product, the company hasn't just been given a monopoly on Y, they've been given a monopoly on X- they have captured a piece of the commons, created by a university researcher for the good of everyone, and they're extracting rent from it. This also creates a strong incentive for reinventing the wheel, because if you can turn X into Y in a way different enough to fall outside of that patent, you get half of that economic rent.
Additionally there is no clear delineation between basic and applied research, so there is a balance that must be struck between not letting things too basic be patented, as that would be devastating to all the research that might build on it, while allowing applied research to be patented. But it is difficult to tell early on how far an idea could be taken, and patent assessors are generally not well placed to do that, so it is easy for them to hamstring any attempts to build upon a crucial idea for the duration of the patent- 20 years in the UK. Potentially this creates an incentive to veer away from more basic lines of inquiry.
And there is no such thing as a terminal creation, that there is no point in trying to improve, so counting research as applied and giving a patent is still cutting off the possibility of future improvements being made for 20 years, except by people at that company. This is particularly devastating with arts and writing, where works want to iterate on each other rapidly. Maybe someone made some important discovery, but they're a bad writer, so you want to rewrite their article so that people will actually read it, but you can't do so because that would undermine the incentive to read the original article, the copyright of which is owned by the publisher, so it's illegal- and has to be for the intellectual property regime to function, stifling the spread of ideas.
This capturing of value added by others isn't the only problem. Monopolies are an inefficient way for industries to be organised, leading to higher prices, so less sales, meaning less people are able to actually make use of the innovations, both applied and basic. The number of people who can access a drug is slashed to make sure the value from those who do access the drug can be captured by the market. But even when there are several variations of a product, patented by different companies, this creates the same problem, because of fixed costs- the companies have to charge above the marginal cost to make back their investment, reducing the number of people who can access the product. And this is a drastic effect when the marginal cost is often near zero.
This of course exacerbates inequality, and means that there is a strong incentive to create innovations that are aimed at the affluent, not the poor. Invent Ozempic, not a cure for malaria.
And finally there's the problem of the institutional structure actual people are innovating under. In theory everyone is a lone inventor-entrepreneur who chooses what they research and gets paid by their results, and aims to maximise profit. But really people are employed by a corporation, and when they discover something the shareholders capture most of the value, not them, so after this elaborate, expensive, destructive system to create a financial incentive for innovation, a tiny fraction of it gets passed on to the actual innovators, in the form of increased chance of a promotion or pay rise. And yet the innovations still get made, so clearly this is enough, or people are motivated by the desire to make the world a better place, not just money. Either way the patent system we have is patently excessive.
And if you aren't a researcher at an existing company and you want to get any money at all for your discovery, you're going to have to found a company yourself to extract the surplus- an arduous task, and one that you might not be any good at, and that in any case will take you away from making further discoveries. To be rewarded as an engineer you must remake yourself as an entrepreneur, or accept that someone else is going to take most of your reward. And it may be half your lifetime before you get that reward.
There are additional problems with access to educational resources, incentives for black/grey markets, deadweight loss from litigation, etc. but this is more than enough to show intellectual property is very inefficient at incentivising innovation. So when alternative models are also criticised for being flawed, economically inefficient that shouldn't kill those alternatives- because it would take a lot for them to be as flawed as the existing system.
A panel of experts awarding a payment for a discovery might get its value drastically wrong- but so might investors buying a start up, so might an unwilling, untalented entrepreneur failing to price their product correctly and losing money from their creation. And at least they can go on inventing/writing/innovating instead of changing careers, and the valuation will be based on opinions of people who know what they're talking about, and based on the value of their innovation to everyone, not just the wealthy. There might be political pressure to reduce the value of payments, but there's also political pressure to cut university funding- at least it would mean there is some connection between output and compensation for university researchers, and there isn't an incentive gradient driving people out of basic research and into applied research, and at least all of the value of the payment would be going to the actual innovator.
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aorish · 10 days ago
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love that listing salaries for job postings is finally becoming the norm, partially because it helps with negotiation but mostly because it makes it much easier to tell at a glance which postings are for web developers (because they pay noticeably less) or are for soon-to-fail startups (because the salary range is enormous)
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