Cascading Style Sheets, commonly known as CSS, is a widely-employed style sheet language that defines how the layout and look of HTML elements should be on a webpage. As a key constituent of the core technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and JavaScript, CSS is valuable for controlling a website's visual appearance.
Employers seeking candidates with CSS in their skill set are typically interested in those who can create and edit styles for a website, modify its layout, add colors and fonts, animate page elements, and more. Mastery of CSS, therefore, is essential for roles such as front-end developer, web designer, and UI/UX designer, among others.
Candidates proficient in CSS should demonstrate strong familiarity with CSS syntax, selectors, inheritance, and the box model. An understanding of CSS frameworks, like Bootstrap or Materialize—while not necessary—is often highly recommended. In addition, proficiency in writing responsive design using media queries is sought after by employers, given the importance of mobile-first design in today's digital climate.
CSS is a lot about problem-solving, so being able to devise creative solutions is a must in this context. Strong debugging and testing skills, particularly cross-browser compatibility issues, are also required as they are part and parcel of working with CSS.
Companies appreciate candidates who stay updated with the latest CSS modules like Flexbox and Grid and have the initiative to experiment and adopt these new tools.
As a foundational stepping stone to learning CSS, a good understanding of HTML is essential, as CSS is used to style HTML elements. Moreover, as CSS is frequently used in conjunction with JavaScript, basic knowledge of JavaScript would also be hugely beneficial. A general understanding of web and internet concepts can also supplement a candidate's skill portfolio.
In a nutshell, CSS is about taking the raw structure of a website, given in HTML, and adding styles to create a visually appealing, user-friendly interface. A professional who has mastered CSS, consequently, is an invaluable asset to any company looking to enhance its online presence.