Hi Joe,
I keep finding myself in situations where I wish I were proficient in CSS and HTML.
Instead of waiting for one of our developers to change something on a form or a landing page, I wish I could do it myself.
As a MOPs professional, do you think it’s worth learning these basic programming skills?
Thanks,
Technically-Inclined Thomas
What a great question, Thomas!
The short answer is: yes, it’s absolutely worth learning basic programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Now let me tell you why.
With the rise in popularity of AI programs, it may seem pointless to learn — there are even tutorials for building a website using ChatGPT.
But today’s MOPs professionals wear all sorts of hats — which means there’s value in having a robust toolkit at your disposal.
When it comes to building a MOPs skillset, I’m a big proponent of learning as much as one can about the things that happen in MOPs.
The reason? It’s a great way to comprehensively understand what’s happening at each stage of a process and why it happens. This way, if something breaks, you’ll also know ways to fix it.
3 reasons to learn CSS & HTML
Learning CSS and HTML can greatly improve your standing as a MOPs professional and make you more efficient. Here are three reasons to support that.
1. Reduces your reliance on IT
In most companies, since CSS documents are used to make changes to website colors, fonts, and other design elements, it’s usually owned by the IT or website maintenance team.
So if you’re looking to implement a fancy form in a landing page, you’d likely depend on this team to make those changes.
For big companies with many competing priorities for the website, this could mean a long wait time for a simple form.
With enough CSS knowledge, you can make the changes yourself without requiring the help of another team.
2. Increases your technical knowledge
Most people know that an engine powers a car, so if the car’s not working, there’s likely something wrong with the engine.
But a deeper understanding of the engine’s workings and various components can help uncover the problem.
The same is true with CSS and HTML.
The more you know about these programming languages, the better positioned you are to take a look under the hood and find the issue that needs to be solved.
As a bonus, you get satisfaction from adjusting the website and having it work the way you want.
3. Sets you apart
Having CSS knowledge — or even a certification — will be a big differentiator when you’re looking for your next role.
MOPs recruiters understand the value of this skill set, and they’ll be interested in bringing someone in that can reduce the time spent bringing something to life on the company website.
Teach yourself to code
These three benefits are just some ways that increasing your technical understanding can help advance your career.
The best part? You can get started right now.
There’s a wealth of materials you can take advantage of and guide your learning.
For example, W3schools has free online tutorials with great examples and practical exercises to help you consolidate your knowledge.
Other resources include:
- Codeacademy
- Udemy, and
- web.dev.
You can leverage these options to learn in the way that makes the most sense to you.
You’ve got this,
Joe Pulse
