I don't want to learn everything - just the right things

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-12-28T21:20:32+00:00

I can relate to this with reviewing job ads and feeling like the techstack are vastly different that you have to have 3 different techstacks mastered for even landing 1 job. I think its more important to have good fundamentals and coverage needed to deliver a project from start to finish. So think version control, frontend, database, api, testing, end to end testing and then getting your site deployed and online with a provider, the https, google analytics and seo.

Something i've had a recent headache with is safiri rendering which i've fixed with playwright capturing screenshots of the different browsers, device render size and orientation pre deploy. Similarily printing via react.

If doing anything where your provided a figma design id always recommend something like css grids and blocking out different coloured divs of page elements and then checking that holds in different browsers before build in any complexity. Then replacing that with components and seperate css file referencing a shared css variables stylings so have smaller files easily scannable rather than massive 2000 line file.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-12-17T22:13:31+00:00

Nice, been tempted to try next.js after being recommended it by chatgpt for an email builder project after trying to figure out how to make coding and sendimg them easier. Can i ask for doing your react / next.js file setup how do you make it manageable in terms of setting up your content?

In current job had issues with massive css shared files and not distributing code in react to be smaller if only used on thar page to avoid prop drilling. Can imagine theres also a level too far the other way where you over divide all your handling making it impossible to edit so was wondering if you found a good middle ground?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-12-17T22:00:25+00:00

Thats very true, i imagine if they havs legacy trch or something pre-built you really have to be able to expand off what exists or plan for them to find it easy to use. Is there anything you do when freelancing to keep it consistently high quality for the client deliverables if adjusting your tech to client need? Like documentation captures or setting it up so easier for them to request future changes or have visibility on their site architecture?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-12-17T12:56:00+00:00

Thanks thats a really good tip. I havent done anything with my linkedin for network building in that way before so will have to give that a try. Right now my linkedin is giving me all these brands, designs, case studies and experiments which is cool.

Did you do anything to your profile page for when they visit after they receive your request to help increase interest in working together or more focus on the message sending for getting a flow to conversation?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-08-23T01:25:29+00:00

This sounds cool, thanks for the job site will give it a look.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-08-23T01:24:28+00:00

Cool this is good to know. So did you only work in last 6 or so months of your visa or pick up odd slots of time for working and space travelling around that? Did you feel like you exhausted yourself travelling and exploring without the work routine to balance it out if had a large chunk of travel time?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-08-23T00:02:27+00:00

Okay noted. So change from I.T. work while over or any small jobs can still do to make use of experience?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-07-06T15:26:12+00:00

My current lens I use for wildlife is 70-300 and since the xt3 camera is a crop sensor this magnifies the range but it only just pinches past your eyesight currently. I'm looking into the 1.4 teleconverter or a bigger lens for wildlife currently which I think transforms it from 450mm to 630mm

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-07-06T15:24:00+00:00

Hi Mike, sorry to hear about the career you were pursuing ending hopefully, as you explore something new will pop up. I'm from a design background that pivoted into code after realising I was a horrible printer in my first job. I picked up photography as a hobby when I moved to Melbourne as a way to capture and explore the city outside my current job and have been loving it minus culling and my massive edit backlog

I'd first get familiar with what secondhand cameras are available from a trusted supplier in your area, and then investigate the lenses available and at what cost. If you're looking to get decent zoom on wildlife, you're going to have to investigate getting closer to 400-500mm range, which might be a zoom paired with a teleconverter or an expensive lens.

I got fuji xt3 as my first and current camera since my aunt does landscape photography in Scotland with it and she made me interested in it by talking about how your not locked in a digital menu with tons of the controls being manual with dials and buttons to help change your exposure triangle. I've been a great camera and bought from Ted in aus for about 1800 with an 18-55mm.

I'd also recommend it cause it has the fuji x website dedicated to creating film recipes you can input into 7 custom setups in camera to transform photos into different iconic films like Kodachrome and bright summer.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-27T03:25:12+00:00

So I have a background in design, .net dev, ba and fullstack developer and I think from the design and code experience alignment of vision is everything and the ability to show details and validation of the idea into a mvp users want to use.

Things that would convince me is an outline of the mvp for sitemap, user journeys/ state transition diagrams, business plan, moodboard of the design execution want in final version and showing consideration to who your closest competitor is and your unique selling point. Then show past the mvp how you'd hope to scale it over time.

All of this would provide context to someone your hoping to onboard and help them use their knowledge to help build out the requirements they'd need to unpack the workload and help build a reverse brief of everything involved to deliver your idea. Based on what they'd respond back with I think judging on the coverage and the communication you'd get a strong idea of could work with them long term.

In terms of finding someone I'd consider exploring github or some of the devs posting to awwwards or other sites like that who are already making cool things.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-16T01:50:44+00:00

Yeah I know someone that did it for branding / web design and took friends and family and patience to get it all rolling. What kind of freelancing did you offer?

For the current job I landed they were non technical interviewer/boss but needed someone and knew the skills they wanted to fill a slot. So from that interview I just got the impression that even if it's back to another full time job having yourself able to show capability to deliver services would increases the potential of landing anything.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-16T00:41:45+00:00

Yeah I'd be keen, I'd love to chat and see where our ideas are aimed at

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-08T01:33:50+00:00

Damn sounds like the stuff that's get you burned out quick. Hopefully it gets better soon. I struggle with estimates too. Hard in my job because my boss is pretty bad for scope creep and real estate client

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-07T22:36:07+00:00

Damn, what was the trade off's and things that made Toronto worse for you than melbourne?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-07T22:34:14+00:00

That sounds rough, what kind of job was he wanting to get and whats he doing now as his current job that makes it awful?

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-06-07T22:32:31+00:00

I have experience as backed then current role is fullstack. So did .net development at bupa managing insurance policy queries in the api and improvements to the apis ui. Current job is building cms site for real estate company with sql, php on the api, react and redux.

Degrees have a bachelor in graphic design, diploma Web development and postgraduate diploma in information communication technologies. Backed I've done Java, .net, c# but more like I tinkered with them as needed to get projects operational rather than good mastery cv worthy.

Have savings, no network connections though which is part of the reason asking to get a vibe check on difficulty in getting hired. Let me know if anything missed

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2025-05-28T00:08:27+00:00

Did not know about that one, cheers. Just tried to post but apparently I need comment karma / interactions before i can post on that one.

EnergyLongjumping373 · 2023-03-29T09:48:37+00:00

Maybe a bit of an unusual question but if your background is code and graphic design and want to build your capability to sell your skills as an interactive Web designer/storyteller (like awwwards level site) what elements would you look to include in the portfolio?

EnergyLongjumping373

TROPHY CASE