E-dreamz Company Blog

Engineering can come with many definitions these days. In our industry, Engineers are what most people would think of as computer programmers. To pool all this together we sell this side of our business as Application Development Services. 

Engineers are responsible for all the back-end code, database and technology integration. A difference from the front end construction we discussed in the previous area of focus regarding Production Art.
 
To some extent, it seems like more and more people send in their information thinking they are Web Engineers or Web Programmers. When in fact they aren’t either. A true “Web-based” Engineer or Programmer (however you like to say it) can actually code a complete online custom application. (ie: Content Management System, eCommerce, Inventory Management, etc.) A true web engineer doesn’t just copy and paste JavaScript or PHP code they never wrote to begin with. They are challenged to come up with custom built dynamic technical solutions that work via the internet.
 
Let me say this one time because this probably bothers me more than anything with regards to this area of focus......“IT” is not “Web Development” and vise versa. To us they are 2 very different things. Too many candidates claim to know the web because they worked in IT for some large corporation. That really doesn’t cut it with a company like ours.
 
To be a valid candidate for a Web Engineer position you first must be proficient in a middle ware programming language (see list below). Meaning, you know how to develop custom applications with this particular language. Knowing how to do “includes” does not make you an engineer. Stating you know ColdFusion on your resume because you name a file in .CFM does not make you an engineer. Ditto that with naming files with .ASPX and saying you know .NET.
 
You need to know and be able to produce complete custom applications from the ground up. From there you can build a framework for future components, but you need to know how to produce the framework yourself. And finally you know how to integrate the application with a database. 
 
The primary web languages we focus on here at E-dreamz are (in no particular order):
1. ColdFusion
2. Classic ASP
3. ASP.NET
4. PHP
 
I’m sure my staff of engineers could battle all day about which language above is the best for the web, but they would all agree they each have their pros and cons. We feel these all to be the best possible languages on the web today. For the backend database we use primarily SQL and MySQL.
 
One of the biggest mistakes I see on a lot of resumes are the distinctions between having “Knowledge of” or being “Proficient in” a particular programming language or technology. I see too many resumes that state dozens of various languages and all other kinds of technical fluff. Let me tell you, no one is proficient in more than 3-4 web development languages. So break your resume credentials into the 2 categories mentioned above and be “Honest” with your stated experience. You can’t be proficient in 20 web languages. If that person exists he/she is not looking for a job. People who work and manage in this industry see right through all the fluff so be sure to put what you really know and understand on your resume. Make it obvious that you are looking to be an Engineer not a combination of a designer, project manager and production developer. Be focused and direct on certain languages and technologies. Continue to read up on the latest enhancements on web languages and technologies.
 
Next: Part 4 – Project Management
Summary: You’re not an artist or a programmer so to say? Maybe you like more client interaction and love to organize project deliverables, schedules and team resources. If so, you may be a Project Manager.

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