Insights on Web Development, Tech Trends, and Careers Growth
Welcome to Talent-R Tech Talks, our new series exploring insights from top tech voices. For our first article, we feature Jorge Baumann, a software developer and content creator with over a decade in web development. Baumann shares his career journey, essential tools, and views on the future of tech. Dive in to hear from Baumann and stay tuned for more tech leader interviews!
Hi! Happy to have you here with us, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you start in the world of web development?
“Certainly, I’m Jorge Baumann, a software developer with over 10 years of experience. I started my web development journey in the early days of modern tech, working with PHP 4 for server-side scripting. I witnessed frameworks like Bootstrap evolve and used Grid960 for layouts. It’s interesting to see how far we’ve come; back then, Notepad++ was the go-to coding tool, long before the sophisticated IDEs we have today like Visual Studio Code.”
“The pace of change is insane. Back in the day, everything was more basic, websites were more static”
With over a decade of experience, what significant changes have you seen in the tech industry?
“Oh, I’ve seen a bit of everyhting over the years! The pace of change is insane. Back in the day, everyhting was more basic, websites were more statics (hi php+jQuery) and the tech was pretty limited. But now, web development feels almost like magic. The rise of frameworks like React and Vue has completely changed how we work, making apps faster and more dynamic. Oh, and yeah, salaries have gone up too, which I’m definitely not complaining about.”
Is there any emerging technology that particulary excites you?
“I’ve always been fascinated by native browsers APIs. I love how you can do things like capture photos, videos or even detect faces directly from the browser without needing additional software. I’m also really excited about Astro, which remains one of my favourite frameworks for its simplicity and performance.”
For those starting in web development, what advice would you give them to advance their careers?
“My main advice would be not limit yourself to learning just one framework. It’s easy to get caught up in focusing only on what’s trending, but it’s important to have a solid foundation in the basics: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I’d also recommend working on personal projects. There’s no better way to learn than by building real things. Also community is super important. Participating in forums, social media, or contributing to open-source projects will open many doors and connections”.
How do you see the future of web development and what skills do you think will be essential in the coming years?
“I see the future of web development focusing heavily on speed and user experience. Web applications will become even faster and more complex, almost at the level of native applications. I also believe that artificial intelligence will play a key role, not only in how we develop but also in tools we used to do. Tools like Github Copilot or Cursor are already changing the way we code, and this will only improve”
What advice would you give to companies looking to hire top tech talent?
“The first thing I’d say is that companies should publish salaries in their job posting. Second, they need to adapt to the every-changing world, which is currently remote. Also don’t just look for people with specific experience certain technologies (like React), but instead focus on those with solid knowledge in JavaScript (the fundamentals) It’s also key to offer a work environment that encourages curiosity, continuous growth, and collaboration. And of course, company culture is crucial: if people don’t feel value or see opportunities to growth, it’s hard to retain top talent.”
How can someone best prepare for a career in web development or content creation?
“To properly prepare for a career in web development or content creation, the most important thing is consistent practice. In web development, it’s not just about learning a language or framework, but about building real projects, even if they’re small. Starting with a solid foundation in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is key. From there, keep experimenting with frameworks and tools that help you improve.
As for content creation, I’d say the most important thing is to find your voice and be consistent. You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but sharing what you’re learning or the solutions you find to common problems can be really valuable for your audience. I wish I had started when I didn’t know anything, but back then, creating tech content barely existed.”