Take me to Silicon Valley: 19 year old designer seeking opportunity

Is the entire thing just a Photoshop Save for Web document with some jQuery attached?<p>Also the "LET MY DREAM COME TRUE" image's hover state not being preloaded made me sad.<p>Okay to actually be constructive:<p>It's a good time to be trying this because it's the beginning of a new year so H-1B visas are available.<p>As another self taught young developer who's extremely eager to leave his full-time job and go to school next semester, I can't say I agree with his goals. But if that's what you want to do, it's a good attempt at getting out there.<p>Most companies I would know that would be willing to set up a visa for a person who wants to drop out of college in Europe would be start-ups, however I don't know if a pure Graphic Designer is in demand with start-ups. I would expect them to rather have someone who's very good at graphic design and can code the basics of the designs themselves rather than have someone who's fantastic at graphic design but is just a one-trick pony.<p>When I worked in a start-up one of the biggest deciding factors we had when interviewing designers (right after their taste) was how much of the design they could implement themselves. It made little sense to pay someone to design a Photoshop document and send to a developer to turn into HTML or a layout file where we could pay someone else to design it AND make the HTML file themselves. Most of the time that person didn't ask for 200% of the pay of someone just doing Photoshop work either.

Looks great, just a few little things:<p>* "I am Filip Santa, 19 years old designer from Slovakia" sounds a little strange. Maybe something like "I am Filip Santa, a 19 year old designer from Slovakia"<p>* In your timeline, instead of "Learning what is layer", maybe "Learning about layers"<p>* Also in the timeline: "Trying first webs &#38; posters", maybe "Designing first web sites &#38; posters"<p>And, here's my OCD peeking through, the images seem to have a colour profile associated with them, which clashes with mine producing: <a href="http://i.imgur.com/6BV6o.png" rel="nofollow">http://i.imgur.com/6BV6o.png</a> (try making the background transparent)<p>Best of luck!

"I would love to join to your team in Palo Alto, California"<p>You may want to broaden that statement - Palo Alto is a very small piece of the Silicon Valley pie

For what it's worth, and there's a lot of feedback here relating to technical issues/lifestyle choices etc, but considering you're applying to be a designer I thought the site looked and felt <i>awesome</i>. Totally engaging, easy to read and follow, and I read right to the end.<p>Great pitch.

He lost me at "hello guys" and a picture of cleavage. Great design otherwise though.

As someone who's dropped out of college (three months ago) to start a company in Silicon Valley, I would urge you to think a lot about this decision. I know I have. It's a very serious decision and one that a lot of people take hastily, not knowing what it will really entail until much later.<p>College is important. I plan on going back before I die. You can get involved with startups, work with them and learn from them, without leaving college. Our world is all about networking, and just like I had an amazing network in SV from my dorm room in Ohio, so can you in Eastern Europe.<p>I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I've made my decision and I feel convinced it was the right one. I just think some people make it too hastily. Feel free to ping me if you have any questions.

I recommend this guy spend some time learning to code asap.<p>He is 19 - almost half my age. You have YEARS ahead of you, and if there is one thing I regret - it was not learning to code when I was a munchkin.

you seem like kind of a nice guy, and I'm sure you're a great designer. that said, try to not start your resume off with a picture of some boobs.

Great design, however having your text as images makes me want to cry.<p>In terms of design, very attractive (minus the cleavage. that's considered trashy over here) and engaging. I read from top to bottom. Copy is nice despite being broken english.<p>Only gripe really is you should use some kind of @font-face (check fontsquirrel.com to make your own) so that 1. your text is well, actually text 2. highlight-able, click-able &#38; copyable 3. your load time will increase dramatically 4. SEO!<p>Great idea. Great execution as a designer. Wishing you the best of luck.<p>ALSO: Even if you don't get recruited, you still have a bright future ahead of you. Don't get discouraged and keep trying. =)

Why make the text at the bottom of the page a non-clickable image?

He will require a H1-B visa to move and work in US. But unfortunately, you require a 4 year degree to be eligible for H1-B or 12 years work experience. So, H1-B is out of question.<p>The only viable option is to join a University in Silicon Valley and work part time in a start up.

There's a lot of sentiment in the HN comments that he should not leave university. For a community that is fairly bent on restructuring the education system, I have to ask: what gives? Is going to college worth it or not?

Great marketing for yourself. Unless you are 100% sold on Cali (I've lived here for 5 years and I'm 50/50), I'd use this to get a contracting job and live with family and friends. Then come out here and start something when you feel comfortable/saved up. Preferably this company involves bubbles (you seem to like them in various forms and are good with them).

More than anything this shows how people all across the world look up to Silicon Valley. Well ok, nerds and designers (web), tech entrepreneurs and the type. But still, for this group of people Silicon Valley is like a dream.<p>I am myself planning to stay, work and learn from the valley sometime soon. And I am sure there are hundreds like me.

I love this! I'm a 16-year-old entrepreneur of <a href="http://viatask.com" rel="nofollow">http://viatask.com</a>. Hope you get accepted, feel free to ping me I can possibly hook you up with an opportunity in Silicon Valley. I have plenty of friends out there!

Doesn't one need a 4 year college degree (or equivalent work experience) for H1-B visa?

Stay classy HN. What the hell were you all doing during christmas and new years when he was doing this? Give the kid some credit - he has more drive than most people I know...and by the way, what does your resume look like?

Very cool, but please don't drop out of university. For the vast majority of students, this is a decision that will come back and bite you in the ass when whatever you quit Uni for comes to an end.

No matter which choice you make, best of luck! If US doesn't work out, take a look to the north (Canada - Toronto and Vancouver)!

I am in a very similar situation. Its tough being 19.

Not to be too harsh, but why would xyz cool startup hire you when they can hire someone from the usa with a degree?