Special Report
How to become a Flash/Flex Developer?
W hen I was in college I had a general idea of what I wanted to do, but I had no clue how to get there. Basically, I wanted to create rich interactive experiences. I knew that becoming a Flash developer would allow me to do so, but I did not know how to land a job as a Flash Developer. It is a common problem faced by many college students and, unfortunately, there is no simple answer. What's worse is that what works for one person may not work for another. Everyone's path is unique and therefore you won't truly understand how to become a developer until you already are one. Helpful huh? Don't be discouraged. Even though I can't give you the exact path to take, I can, however, point you in the right direction. After looking back at my meandering path that led me to become a Flash Developer I have compiled the following tips that will save you time and keep you on course. You must learn how to learn. Make sense? What I mean is, you have to be able to teach yourself and not depend on a professor to push you. If you want to become a developer, then you need reach out an grab it. You want to be good at Action Script? Read the books, browse the forums, look up tutorials, follow the blogs and give yourself assignments that will give you new skills and set you apart from your peers. Start the habit early and continue it throughout your entire career. During these exercises, I cannot stress enough the importance of learning how to do things the right way. Don't just go through the motions. Don't just copy and paste code. Figure out why the developer who wrote the tutorial laid out his project the way he did. See if you can find better ways of accomplishing the the same task. By better, I mean ways to use less memory, ways that are less processor intensive and ways that adhere to stronger Object Orient Programming standards. It's one thing to learn how to piece together an interactive website; it's another thing to create an interactive website that is scalable, has modular components and is based on code that is well written and easy for other developers to understand and change. Make it a point to learn the industry standards and to learn the proper way to code. Doing things the right way will make you much more appealing to the industry. If you don't manage your code correctly, no matter how good you are, you won't last long in a team environment. Internships Complete as many internships as your schedule will allow. Employers want to see real world experience, something no classroom environment can provide. Not only do internships provide this experience, they also provide a great networking opportunity that will drastically increase your chance of getting a job. During your internship, do your best to
make connections with your peers and then maintain these contacts even after the internship is complete. Even if you don't get a job at that immediate company, your connections may know of a place that is hiring and can put in a good word for you. If you haven't learned already, networking is one of the most important ways to get your portfolio in front of the right person. Build a Portfolio Sorry to say it, but unlike what you may have heard, your GPA and your degree mean absolutely bupkiss. If you don't have a portfolio, then you don't have an interview. In our field, your portfolio – not your resume – is your first impression. You should be building it from your first day at college and continue to build upon it throughout your career. Unfortunately, I did not learn this until after I graduated. I spent the summer after graduation making my online portfolio http: //www.ickydime.com , which is dated now, but at the time it allowed me to get my foot in the door. Don't wait like I did. Start putting it together as soon as possible. At first it could be as simple as posting images of projects on flickr, exhibiting examples of projects on your domain and writing about your experiences on a blog. Treat every project and assignment as a portfolio piece. Your work is your resume. It's a reflection of yourself. Treat it as such. In the beginning your portfolio may be broad. It could include some AJAX, some Flash work, some Flex, a sprinkle of PHP and a smattering of Photoshop. You'll find most students put everything on their resumes, even if they've only taken one class of it. This is fine while you are still learning and trying to figure out what you want to do, but once you know you want to become a Flash/Flex Developer, then make
EyeGlassGuide An interactive survey done for Transition Lenses: http:// www.eyeglassguide.com/tool/
03/2009 (5)
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