Work from home

flor74

Hello all,
which would be the best options for someone who would like to start a career in IT and find freelance/work from home employment.
I know of many web designers (and I don't like it) who work this way but just a few other professionals in software development, database, etc.
Any advices?
Thanks

Mishra

Interesting approach to starting a career in IT. My suggestion is that you do some soul searching and figure out -what- you want to do. For example, you mention you don't like web design; what do you like?

Once you figure out what you want to do, you can map out a career path that leads to work from home employment.

shodown

if you are just starting off working from home is kinda hard. Most people will want you to come in for a while to get an understanding of the systems and processes.

Web developers and other software type scan usually work from home much earlier in their careers because they have portfolio's of work they have completed so its much easier to get that flexibility.

philz1982

Well, how much money do you need to make in order to be able to support your lifestyle and what are your current skills? Those will determine your path.

joelsfood

Have a baby (or rather, get your wife too). That's how I moved into full time WFH, and never looked back

flor74

Thanks for your replies.
To be honest I'm a wannabe-career changer, I'm a graduate engineer and have worked in the mechanical sector in the past.
I still don't have specific IT skills but I learn very quickly.
I wouldn't like an office-based job also because I'm 40 and it wouldn't be so easy to get one; I hope it could be different with self-employment.
I also don't have a particularly expensive lifestyle so......I'd like try but, as I have said, the only successful stories of this kind I've heard are about web designers while I would prefer coding or something else.

UnixGuy

Just like mechanical engineering, in IT you need to start building some experience before you can have the freedom to arrange your own schedule. Thinking that being 40 will stop you from getting an office job is a limiting belief, you can do it.

blargoe

It will be much easier for you to get an office-based IT job than a WFH job, if that is your rationale behind looking for WFH

seth479

I've worked from home for the last 4 years and it has its pros and cons. I'd recommend showing your serious and start looking at certifications once you figure out where in IT you want to be. You might start with simple stuff like the A+, Network+, Security+ or if you know you want to go in to networking then look at the CCNA or Juniper stuff.

It also depends on how much you're needing to make. I started with my current WFH company 3 years ago doing Level 1 support at $18 an hour which isn't a lot but it's experience and they provide some training and equipment. As other have said, a office job is likely to be easier to get and will also allow you to learn more since you'd be surrounded by people to bounce things off of and be able to hear other problems from a cubicle more than you would doing it at home.

Lamini

Im not saying its not impossible if you have done your research and have patience to find a job thats looking for degreed engineers that supports working from home, it sure is. Over the years I've watched those close by now working at home. As someone in similar shoes, seeking positions from home is also something I'm looking for, but with my skillset (server/web application support), i'm usually a skillset that is required to be on site to interact w customers and provide real time support (as none of that "put in a ticket" or "I'll get back with you" business is tolerated. THus, I'm also looking to do another career change that supports working from home /crossesfingers, and aware that it will take time.