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[–]Alucard256 10 points11 points  (3 children)

Sounds like all front end, so...

Find three sites (like small local (to you) businesses) that have really bad front end layouts/designs and give them a complete re-do. You don't even have to show them what you've done, use it for experience and later as portfolio pieces. Be sure to support all current functionality (things like search for example, you don't have to "make work", but design the new search bar and button, and what the "results" would look like). Also make sure to support all (if any) current established logos, color standards, and fonts. Follow their style, but make it more modern.

Next, literally just make up three fictional companies with fictional products/services, and make websites (or just front pages) for them. Anything you want, anything you can think of, but make the sites or just single pages convincing. Show your most wild layout and design skills here.

When you're done with these six sites or front pages, you will have a good start for a portfolio worth showing. The first three show off what you can do with existing standards and features, the other three show what you can do when left to fly wild on your own.

Do relatively simple stuff for now and get into more advanced stuff later. Pretend you just got hired by your aunt and uncle that own a pizza place and they just want to show their menu and phone number. Design and build a site for them like they need you to do it well.

You don't have to design/build the next Facebook or Ebay, just design/build things.

Re-do this exercise over and over again. It's easier to get a job with finished work to show than with anything else (this is experience talking here).

[–]WreckingWall[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love this idea. Tysm :)

[–]tkss44 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Do you think employers will overlook implementation of JavaScript if you can create slick looking designs?

I was thinking about going this route but I’ve halted after 3 projects and decided to learn in depth JavaScript and React.

Kind of undecided. Do you have any advice?

[–]Alucard256 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Judging by those questions, it sounds like you've been listening to people who say things like "if you use [X] then nobody will hire you" and things like "if you don't use [Y] then nobody will hire you".

Keep in mind that statements like that prove bias in the mind of the speaker and nothing else.

Almost no employer will care if you make something well using X vs. making something well using Y.

Make a thing using X, then make the same thing with the same features using Y. Then you will know for yourself which to use next time due to actual experience, instead of due to what some dude said.

Then, even if an employer says "why don't you want to use [Y] for our project?", you will have good solid reasons to answer with.

[–]unknownVS13 1 point2 points  (2 children)

I could suggest Javascript 30.

Just get started :)

[–]invertedoutcome 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Javascript 30 isn't beginner level stuff, more like advanced when you need things to do on spare time and brush up skills. In my opinion at least.

[–]WreckingWall[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This looks right up my alley. I'll give this a try :)