Hey all, I’ve been working in web agencies for years now. Not using site builders (obviously I’ve had to use them at times but I don’t love it), building custom themes from scratch with PHP/HTML/JS etc., custom plugins, interesting client needs, some Shopify development, design work, all the standard digital agency drudgery.
I’m starting to get pretty disillusioned and would like a new challenge (and a salary increase). I’m currently in a pretty well-paid agency, earning around $70,000 a year.
I’ve worked briefly with React, Angular, GraphQL, Vue, but not in a full-time capacity. Is React/Node the path I should be looking towards if I want to make more cash and have a bit more security? I’m safe in my current role, but I’m bored and frustrated.
Also… is there any way to be in this industry and not be constantly pestered about AI? I’m honestly sick to death of hearing about ChatGPT or Claude, lol
Thanks!
A mix of support and project work. At the moment, I’m building a custom Shopify theme for a client using Liquid, but I’m also helping to manage the scoping and planning for an upcoming WordPress rebuild for one of our other clients, which have some quite niche requirements that will necessitate some custom plugin development on top of custom theme development. That will land soon, and my time will be split between Shopify/WordPress development.
I’m only specifying “custom” here to differentiate the coding “from scratch” style work I’m doing from WYSIWYG/Site builder style work that I know comes with the WP/Shopify territory.