This is a beautiful post about the state of the industry and Noah Stokes really hits the nail on the head:

Let’s face it, we are a low hanging fruit.  Anyone can design a site.  And everyone’s neighbor’s step-cousin’s twin can code it.  You don’t need to be certified, you don’t need to be licensed by the state, or submitted to the cruelty known as the Bar Exam.  Nope, you just need a computer, and a hacked iPhone to tether to.  How is that for an entry barrier?  The problem is that until someone loses their Xbox (read: million dollar home), or God forbid gets killed, there is no reason for us as web designers and developers to be a licensed profession.  (Hat tip, Greg)

Now, just because we’re not a licensed profession, doesn’t mean we can’t act like one.  I wonder if the clients that think our services are worth pennies on the dollar to what we bill would reconsider if we could just step it up a little bit.  Here are some things I think might help.

First, stop thinking your client is stupid.  Your client is not stupid.  I don’t care if they want an all Flash site sized at 800x600 with a dancing unicorn for the navigation.  You may laugh at them behind their back, just remember, they laugh at you when OMG, your precious Tweeter is down.  We are in the services industry.  Get used to it.  Your client is your lifeline.  Show them the respect they deserve, even if they don’t deserve it.

Stop your effing whining about IE6.  Yes, it sucks.  Yes, a large percentage of your clients customers use it.  Code for it.  Make it work.  Side note, they don’t go to your IE6 Sucks, or DownWithIE6, or letsgettogetherandmoanaboutIE6anditslackofstandards.com sites.  Let’s be honest, that’s just a circle jerk for us now, isn’t it.  Over time, you’ll learn it’s quirks and you’ll get faster at coding for it.  Maybe then you’ll stop your whining.

Educate your clients.  Sure, you can educate them about their antiquated browsers, but do it in a respectful way, remember, your client is not stupid.  Sit down with your client, explain your processes, walk them through the steps you take to build their site.  Help them to realize that there is more that goes into building a site than a Frontpage template and some Ajax.  Tell them about Information Architecture, A/B Testing, Accessibility, UX, Project Management, SEO, Web Standards.  Educate them.  The more you do that, the more your client realizes the difference between you and cousin Jim.

If you’re not doing those things I just mentioned, then start.  Yes, there is more to web design that just those pretty gradients and shiny buttons you learned in the latest Smashing Magazine post.  If you don’t know how to do them, then buy some books, or look them up online.  Don’t stop learning, teach yourself new methods, new practices, new technologies.  Stay current with trends, even if you don’t use them be aware of them, and be prepared to give solid reasons as to why your clients should or should not utilize them on their site.  If you’re a designer, learn some HTML, CSS and Javascript.  If you’re a developer, try to read about UX.  Just keep learning.

The more you know, the better you will be able to advise your clients.  They may not take your advice, but it’s your job to give it when asked.  Don’t be caught not knowing about what they’re asking.

Be confident in your pricing.  Increase your rate each year as your skill set grows.  Yes, experience is worth more.  If you have to take a job because you need money, then do it.  Just know your worth, and don’t sell yourself short.

Find a mentor.  Don’t go run over to Dan Cederholm at SXSW and declare your apprenticeship.  You don’t even need to talk to Dan.  Read his blog, study his work, look at his code.  See how a true professional works, and start to model a professional career accordingly.

Be a mentor.  You don’t need to be Dan to help someone along.  Blog what you’re learning about, offer to help others in need, respond to every email, every DM that you can.  Be cool, we’re a community.  Everything I learned, I learned online by others who were willing to share.  Help others learn, so we can collectively grow together.

Be passionate about what you do.  If you’re not passionate about design, or development, do us all a favor and start doing something else.  Passion can lead to greatness.

The possibilities are limitless, the frontier is only at version 2.0, right?  One day we may be licensed and held to a strict standard and code of ethics, but until then, let’s act like we are now.