Should designers have an online identity?
Earlier today we had a debate in the office as to whether you would employ a (web) designer who didn’t have an online identity. The room was completely split on the matter, so I decided to take the debate to twitter and I recieved a few interesting responses.
Mark McCorkell, Rick Nunn, Inayaili de Leon and Aaron Bassett were all planted in the no camp. With recordstyle, Nick Edwards, Cole Henley, Simon Davies and Michael Byers all stating they would judge purely on portfolio pieces.
I don’t believe that there is a right or wrong answer to this question but here is where I stand.
If you are a web designer then making sure that you have your domain name is a must. Whilst I understand that if you have a fairly common name like John Smith then being able to purchase your domain name will prove to be quite tricky but you should still be able to get an alternative like John Smith Designs.
I also understand that some people simply do not have the time to commit to things such as a blog or portfolio but this isn’t really what I was getting at in my original question. If you have a domain there’s nothing stopping you putting up a lifestream, buisness card website or your CV. We all know that creating these ideas don’t take too much time, so why do people still decide against doing so?
Would you really want to hire somebody who hasn’t bothered to do a quick site for themselves? I’m not saying that you have to constantly up date your website but putting something up that I’ve suggested above at least shows that you have a bit of gumption.
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Who I am
My name is Jack Osborne and I am a Glasgow–based designer and writer. You should follow me on Twitter.
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What I do
I am a front-end developer with proficiency in; accessibility, design, semantics, usability & web standards.
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Where I do it
I am currently working freelance and I am available for hire. Feel free to get in touch with me if you fancy a chat.
I take it the person didn’t get hired! Could that not be classed as discrimination?
I agree that domains and hosting are cheap enough that you should have something. But an out of date or poorly designed site would put me off the person more than no online identity.
I think you have absolutely hit the nail on the head. If they didn’t even have a domain name, or make any effort whatsoever at carving out their own little place on the web, it would make me doubt if they have enough passion to be working in that industry.
Michael, I didn’t say anyone had applied for a job. However, I will agree with you when you say that a poorly designed portfolio could have a detrimental effect but I think I’d rather that someone had something than nothing at all.
I think it depends what type of persona the employer is after. Having been there before, and been at University with guys in my class that didn’t have a website even at Graduation, I know the scenario well.
I wouldn’t doubt the candidates talent necessarily… but the chances are they could be a lazy bugger.
Great article Jack. I must say that I’m of a similar opinion to you. I think designers of any kind should have some kind of website, but especially those that design for the web. As you say it doesn’t have to be a blog or anything over the top, something along the lines of Tim Van Dammes site would do the job. It’s not like it’s hard to put up a website these days.
I especially like this article because you used the word gumption
I’m going to have to agree and say that as a web designer, having your very own site is a great idea.
I enjoy visiting other designers sites to check out what they’ve been getting up to, what they’ve been designing and how they’ve gone about doing it.
If you’re applying for a job, the employee will want to gather as much information about you as possible. And you can control a lot of this information by placing it all in the one spot, your site.
So I think it’s beneficial but not exactly necessary.
Interesting thread Jack.
For the record I didn’t say that I “would judge purely on portfolio pieces.” just that I wouldn’t *require* a prospective employee to have one. That’s not to say an online portfolio wouldn’t affect my decision although faced with two applicants my choice would largely rest on the body of work they had produced.
A few years ago I was recruiting for a front-end position and the successful candidate didn’t have an online portfolio site.
He had previously worked for an agency and viewed his job as a 9 to 5. He had no interest in the web outside of work hours but the work he produced was of a good standard, he had good references and he articulated himself well at interview.
Whilst I had initial reservations at his lack of a portfolio site my gut instinct was to go for him and I had no regrets in this decision. If anything, it transpired that his down-to-earth approach to the web (take it or leave it – it’s just a job) was exactly what we needed at the time!
Not that I’m in the position to hire anyone these days I’m also wary of web designers who redesign their own site all the freaking time.
I’d also be wary of microformats, people who like microformats tend to be really boring.
Also I’d never hire someone who couldn’t name at least 2 members of Buffalo Springfield, or describe to me what Brian Jones’ hair was like.
Cole, I apologise. I just decided to lump everyone together in the no camp.
Whilst I understand that people do not wish for their job to become their life outside of their working enviroment, I feel that this is where creative jobs are a little different, specifically web design. You get paid from 9-5 to do your job but when working in a fast moving enviroment surely you need to stay on top with the latest techniques, when do these people find the time to do that?
I realise that I’ve moved the conversation away from portfolio/blog pieces for this particular point. However I’m totally in agreement with going with your gut, more often than not these reservations always turn out to be correct.
Jason – Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Brian Jones’ hair is like a haystack that has been dragged through a hedge backwards. Only smelling of strawberries.
Jack – no worries
Regarding 9-5 (wary of straying off topic here) to be honest increasingly feeling that keeping in touch with the industry *is* part of your job with the caveat that this is as long as your employer wants to produce up-to-date, competitive, quality web sites.
Web design as an industry thrives on people’s enthusiasm and that should be encouraged but an expectation that this enthusiasm should be nurtured outside of work hours (which having an online portfolio more often than not entails) is fundamentally wrong.
In honesty I’ve encountered designers who are extremely enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable in their field (and have online portfolios) but I wouldn’t employ them because they think making beautiful websites and web standards are more important than generating a profit (not that the two are mutually exclusive).
@Jason And that can’t include Young or Stills. Too easy.
I do think it’s important to have your own presence online if you make websites. It’s important in terms of validating or showcasing your abilities, and can be the difference between winning or losing a potential client. However, I wouldn’t refuse to hire someone purely because they don’t have their own website.
One reason we designers all too often get the itch to redesign or realign our own websites is because we know we could do a better job of it now. We’ve been practicing our trade and learning more with every new project. I’d rather a potential employee give me the URLs for the three most recent websites they’ve designed, than give me the URL for their own website containing those three projects plus another six of a lesser standard. I want to know what you’re capable of *now*, because I expect you to be better now than you were six months ago.
I would like to add to what I said in that tweet by saying that if you were looking for a job and had a great portfolio that wasn’t online then it’s doubtful that an employer would discount you just because you haven’t got an online identity as such.
Although an online identity could help in gaining a job as if there are two people with pretty much the same skillsets and of the same quality but one has an online identity then it’s likely they will be chosen. It shows that they have done something about getting their name out there (and that they know how to publish websites properly).
I’d say that an online identity makes you more likely to be hired (assuming your online identity isn’t just you being a moron), but it’s not essential.
In the next few weeks I will be made redundant. My position is Interface Developer. I see it that I have a couple of options. Look around for another job or dip my toes in the freelance pool.
Freelance is something I’ve been keen to do for a while now. Maybe the redundancy is the kick up the ass I’ve needed!
However, I’ve been spending a lot of time recently trying to find good websites that can help with good advice about going freelance. The biggest worrying thing for me is because I’ve not done freelance before is to actually get clients. I have no idea how to get clients!
Anyway…
On my findings of some interesting blog posts I came across this one which is by a guy called Darren Fell, Founder at http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk. And after recently reading this article I thought it would be appropriate to post a comment.
Here’s the link : http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/2008/02/26/the-fastest-website-in-the-west/
I have to say, that I think if your a designer then yes I would expect to find a well designed site for yourself, however I do agree with Jack. If you don’t have the time, even hosting your CV is better than nothing, which is what Darren explains in the link I have provided.
Ideally, one should be as well-rounded and either bring as many tools to the table, or be able to understand the tools he could/should use – which on the most basic level of the question posed by this post results in a “yes”.
I would like to add a small “but” from my own personal viewpoint, a blend of subjective objectivity if you may? (please don’t crucify me for it)
“but”…
While there is a tremendous (almost forced) push for designers to embrace a freelance professional lifestyle these days, there is a considerable pocket of eager, hungry, and capable designers (raised on the underground rations of the standardistas and not from the university/design schools that now have it standard in curriculum/focus) slightly above the age of recent graduates, and below the age of the dotcom’bombers – and it’s a challenge to find that junior/apprentice position on a professional level – to build, grow, and benefit – and then build an online identity that way – learning, willing to give back, and feed the future of the industry as people progress higher and deeper. Learning/working with the best! There may be a million dime-a-dozen online tutorial sites, but few studio’s (or better yet – larger companies with the budget/ability to do it sooner) open their doors and a desk for that lower slot on the totem pole even if it’s for free (experience trumps the coin). I’m a firm believer in learning, and giving back if possible – that kid in the corner can help out, and one day take off on his own and help out another kid walk the wiser/better ux/ui/design/contentstandards/etc path. No drama meant with my long(er) paragraph.
Don’t mean to make it sound as a rant, it’s not at all – honestly, it’s just a ” * ” to consider as a counterthought with regard to a generation of designers lost in the shuffle of an industry-growth phase with no online identity, but the ability to help the industry and eventually create their own.
Thanks for reading along, I appreciate the insight offered in the site and wisdom of those that comment, cheers!
Steve, I’m sorry to hear about your developments and I hope that things turn around soon.
Freelancning is something that I’ve been giving some serious thought to over the last few months but I think I’m in the same situation as to what you explained, being comfortable and unwillington to jump into the unknown. Perhaps we all need a wake-up call?
Thanks for the link, I’ve just read it there and the suggestion of simply linking up your domain to your linkedin profile is a good piece of advice.
Paul, great comment. I’m pretty much agree with everything you’ve got there. What you’ve got there would make a great post which I’m sure many of us would love to read.