Are you hoping to work as a WordPress developer? If so, you’re in luck! WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems in the world, and it’s a great way to make a living.
However, getting a job as a WordPress developer isn’t easy. You need to be well-versed in the latest technologies, and you need to have the right skills.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to get a job as a WordPress developer and the steps you need to take to succeed.
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First and foremost, let me assure you that you have made the correct decision in choosing to become a WordPress developer.
Why? Because WordPress powers 43.1% of the world’s websites, your opportunities as a WordPress developer are limitless.
Let’s start by clarifying what a WordPress developer is.
What is a WordPress Developer?
A WordPress developer is a web developer who specializes in the WordPress environment.
Simply put, this is someone who creates websites and web applications on the WordPress platform.
When we say “WordPress developer”, we mean someone who knows the code behind the WordPress software and can modify the software’s core, not just someone who can customize WordPress themes and templates to build a website.
The WordPress platform provides an easy way to build a website without learning how to code, which is useful for small freelancing projects, but learning to code is required to secure a job in a reputable tech firm or to develop large projects as a freelancer.
Read More: Will WordPress Replace Web Developers?
How to Get a Job as a WordPress Developer (Step-By-Step)
Now that we know what a WordPress developer is, let’s look at how to get a job as one and make money doing it.
Follow these steps to secure a WordPress job immediately:
1. Choose Your Focus Area
The WordPress platform is massive, and it would be unwise to focus on all aspects of it. This brings us to our first step: choosing your focus area.
The first step to take to secure a WordPress job is to choose an area to focus on.
These are the areas in WordPress you can focus on:
- Core development: The core is the set of software required to run WordPress successfully. A developer in this field focuses on developing the platform’s core. The WordPress core developer focuses on the back end of WordPress, developing it to perform better.
- Theme development: A WordPress theme is the look and feel of a WordPress website. It determines how the WordPress site is structured. The theme developer focuses on designing and building WordPress themes. There are thousands of free themes in the WordPress repository, which are developed by theme developers.
- Plugin development: The plugins expand the features of a WordPress site. The plugin developer focuses on developing plugins for users, most of which are free. There are over 60,000 free plugins in the WordPress directory alone, thanks to plugin developers.
- API development: The API (Application Programming Interface) allows applications to communicate with WordPress. The WordPress REST API enables developers to integrate third-party applications into WordPress without logging in.
These are the areas of WordPress where you can choose to concentrate your efforts.
Analyze your skillset and your aspirations and choose an area that best fits these factors.
Next, acquire the necessary skills.
Read More: Are WordPress Developers in Demand? The Job Prospects in 2023
2. Acquire and Develop Your WordPress Skills
Your next step is to acquire the necessary skills to succeed in your chosen area and develop these to stay on top of the current trends in that field.
What are the necessary skills you need?
Be Familiar with the WordPress Platform.
To be friends with someone, you must first get to know them. The same is true here; you must become acquainted with the WordPress platform.
You can do this by enrolling in low-cost or free courses; there are numerous free resources on YouTube to help you become acquainted with the platform.
Learn the Core Code of WordPress
As mentioned above, to be a WordPress developer, you need to learn the code and not just customize themes and templates.
Your next step in this journey is to learn the programming languages on which the WordPress platform is built.
The languages are HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP.
- Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): This is a markup language that allows you to structure websites with headers, footers, and sidebars. This language is used to create the skeleton of websites.
- Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): After structuring the skeleton of a website, you need to make it presentable to users. This is where CSS comes in; as its name implies, this language styles websites with fonts, colors, backgrounds, and visual effects.
- JavaScript: Imagine a website with a button that does nothing when you click it. Boring right? You need JavaScript; this language makes a website dynamic and interactive.
- PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP): This is a language that runs on a web server. PHP can perform a variety of dynamic operations before displaying content to the client’s browser.
These are the languages in which the WordPress platform is built, and you need to master them to become a WordPress developer.
Here are some resources to help you get started:
Read More: Is WordPress Good For Professional Websites?
3. Build Your Portfolio
You’ve acquired the necessary skills; how do you show them to the rest of the world?
This is what the next step entails.
You must create a portfolio that will showcase your work to a potential client or employer.
This may persuade your employer or client to hire you.
I will suggest you start your portfolio at an early stage to document your WordPress development journey.
Creating your portfolio website from the beginning will also enhance your skills.
You can create a free WordPress portfolio website in under 5 minutes; all you need is web hosting and a domain name, which you can get from Hostinger for as low as $1.99 per month.
4. Look for Job Opportunities
Once you have the required skills and build a solid portfolio, you can start looking for work to earn money. Our main purpose here.
As a WordPress developer, you can choose to work for a business as a full-time employee or as a freelancer for one-off clients, which are both lucrative.
However, with freelancing, your earnings are limitless as long as you create high-quality websites and applications, and clients will keep coming back to you.
Tips to Find a WordPress Job
As always, we are with you all the way. In this section, we are going to provide you with tips on how to Get a Job as a WordPress Developer quickly.
Join the WordPress Community and Network
The WordPress platform is as big as the community around it. Join a community and contribute your knowledge.
This will help build the platform and, most importantly, expose you to potential employers or clients.
There are several online and offline communities you can join.
Some of the online communities are:
- WordPress forum
- Quora
Some of the offline communities are:
Update Your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is a tremendous resource for networking and finding job opportunities.
They also have a job portal where you can submit applications.
Update your profile to reflect your new skills and add any certificates you have to support them.
Networking is important to find a job and finding help in the learning process.
Create Your Own Website
As mentioned above, create your website from the onset.
What is the essence of building sites for people when you don’t have a site yourself?
Building your website will improve your skills and also expose your skills to the world.
Your website should contain information about you, your skills, and your work.
You might not have a lot of work on your plate as a beginner.
To enhance your work experience, make websites for friends and family for free or at a small fee.
Explore Job Sites
Another way to find a job is through job listing sites for full-time employment and freelance sites for freelancing.
7 Genuine Places to Find WordPress Jobs – Full-Time
There are several sites to find a full-time WordPress job.
Some of these sites are:
- Indeed
- WordPress Jobs Board
- ZipRecruiter
- We work remotely.
- Remotees
- Stack Overflow
7 Genuine Places to Find WordPress Jobs – Freelance
Freelancing sites connect developers with clients. On a single platform, you can collaborate, communicate, and get paid.
There is no cap on how much you can earn from freelancing as long as you can market your service and deliver high-quality work.
Some of these freelance sites are:
- Fiverr
- Toptal
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- PeoplePerHour
- Truelancer
- 99designs
Read More: Is WordPress Going To Die? The Future Of WordPress (2023 And Beyond)
5. Negotiate Your Salary or Rates
Once you’ve found a job, your next and final step is to negotiate your salary as an employee or rate as a freelancer.
Negotiate your salary or rate based on:
Research: Do research on the salary of a full-time employee in your field. And the rates that freelancers charge for a project
Experience: A web developer’s salary or rates are also determined by his or her experience.
From the perspective of an employee, a junior WordPress developer will be paid less than a senior WordPress developer.
And as a freelancer, the level of project you can take on will be determined by your experience as a WordPress developer.
Complex projects are done by experienced developers at higher rates.
Take on a project that fits your expertise and skill set to safeguard your reputation as a freelancer.
Read More: Are WordPress Plugins Free?
Conclusion: How to Get a Job as a WordPress Developer
Buckle up! It will be a long journey but also a rewarding career; take these steps and you will find a WordPress job in no time.
- Choose Your Focus Area
- Acquire and Develop Your WordPress Skills
- Build your portfolio.
- Look for job opportunities.
- Negotiate your salary or rates.
Remember ideas work better if you implement them, so go out and work towards your idea.
Build your portfolio website with Hostinger to enhance your web presence.
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