I feel trapped and have very few options

robinwales

Your original post made me feel quite depressed. You were born in 1978. A few years before that I walked into a very good job in IT working for BT and spent 26 years there. It was easy back then, and to be honest as I retired early in 2000 I have lost touch with the changing world of work. I read plenty of articles and pieces like yours about how things have changed, especially in the Guardian. I can see that things have changed and become worse since 2000, but obviously I don't have a decent appreciation of it now I am removed from it.

There seems to be multiple problems listed here. You age is a factor (sorry!). Even when I left in 2000 at the tender age of 48 I felt really old working in IT at the sharp end. There were young people in their 20's, some of them from India, who were taken on and they seemed to find things so easy. But that could have just been bravado of youth.

Your decision to do a degree as a mature student is laudable, and I salute your effort, but in reality I think the whole thing has gotten out of hand in the UK. Blair promised that 50% could go to college and he did start to deliver on that. And colleges were more than happy to upscale their course programs as it meant more earnings for them. But doing a degree does not equal a job. I have met quite a few young people who have degrees and are manning the tills at TESCO, not that there is anything wrong with that but if you are paying for a degree you want some return.

But I think your main problem (as it is for many) is the personal one - divorce. Unless one is wealthy, or have private income then divorce will always be a very costly and disruptive force in your life. Forgive me, but that seems to be the main problem here.

Not sure what to advise really. IT jobs can pay very well. You might eventually get a good IT job, but the chances are less than those for a younger person. Your business might improve if you put the effort in, but it might be a big struggle. You seem to be pretty intelligent, can you not get some other form of paid work? You also need to seriously think about pensions.

Sorry I couldn't help more. But good luck to you and your family.

robinwales

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Computing is really a great market to be in right now...

I am sure it still is, it certainly was back in the 80s/90s when I worked in that field. But robotics and AI might change all of that well within the working range of the OP who might need to work another 25 years. Just a thought.

Kayalana99

robinwales wrote: »

I am sure it still is, it certainly was back in the 80s/90s when I worked in that field. But robotics and AI might change all of that well within the working range of the OP who might need to work another 25 years. Just a thought.

I'm not sure what you mean here as I've always seen advancement in technology to create more jobs in technology. Obviously a self scan checkout gets rid of a supermarket job but then it also creates jobs for IT repair men and it creates more jobs in software development to create better and better machines.

If anything, long term, IT could be the one main career that actually does roll into 100+ years. Even with self-transportation cars that drive themselves someone still needs to program them and keep developing new technology.

robinwales

Kayalana99 wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean here as I've always seen advancement in technology to create more jobs in technology. Obviously a self scan checkout gets rid of a supermarket job but then it also creates jobs for IT repair men and it creates more jobs in software development to create better and better machines.

If anything, long term, IT could be the one main career that actually does roll into 100+ years. Even with self-transportation cars that drive themselves someone still needs to program them and keep developing new technology.

All of what you say is quite true. But the population of the world is set to rise to 9bn people by 2035, an increase of 2bn. Many of those people will be in developing countries and they will be well educated (such as the Indian workers I mentioned in my post a couple above). Globalization is shaking everything up, which is why there are so many people protesting about it. And IT is a very fluid and mobile area, the jobs can often be done anywhere.

Some of the big tech companies don't employ all that many people. I think Google has about 55k, which given all the amazing stuff they do is not a lot of people.

AngelPie78

robinwales wrote: »

Your original post made me feel quite depressed. You were born in 1978. A few years before that I walked into a very good job in IT working for BT and spent 26 years there. It was easy back then, and to be honest as I retired early in 2000 I have lost touch with the changing world of work. I read plenty of articles and pieces like yours about how things have changed, especially in the Guardian. I can see that things have changed and become worse since 2000, but obviously I don't have a decent appreciation of it now I am removed from it.

There seems to be multiple problems listed here. You age is a factor (sorry!). Even when I left in 2000 at the tender age of 48 I felt really old working in IT at the sharp end. There were young people in their 20's, some of them from India, who were taken on and they seemed to find things so easy. But that could have just been bravado of youth.

Your decision to do a degree as a mature student is laudable, and I salute your effort, but in reality I think the whole thing has gotten out of hand in the UK. Blair promised that 50% could go to college and he did start to deliver on that. And colleges were more than happy to upscale their course programs as it meant more earnings for them. But doing a degree does not equal a job. I have met quite a few young people who have degrees and are manning the tills at TESCO, not that there is anything wrong with that but if you are paying for a degree you want some return.

But I think your main problem (as it is for many) is the personal one - divorce. Unless one is wealthy, or have private income then divorce will always be a very costly and disruptive force in your life. Forgive me, but that seems to be the main problem here.

Not sure what to advise really. IT jobs can pay very well. You might eventually get a good IT job, but the chances are less than those for a younger person. Your business might improve if you put the effort in, but it might be a big struggle. You seem to be pretty intelligent, can you not get some other form of paid work? You also need to seriously think about pensions.

Sorry I couldn't help more. But good luck to you and your family.

Bless you and thanks for taking the time to post - I really do appreciate all of the comments I've received on this thread today.

I know exactly what you're saying and you are right with my age and the divorce being huge factors. Starting salaries in any field and pretty rubbish but no good when you're a mature person who needs to support a family I looked into starting salaries when I chose my degree and computing is one of the highest starting salaries for graduates behind medicine and law - I wasn't a complete idiot when choosing my degree lol.

I also chose a degree which was supposed to be vocational and give me practical skills. It didn't but there wasn't much I could do about that as it was apparent well too late to change my course.

I think I'm going to keep working at the business - for various reasons. Some of which I've not gone into on this thread BUT I am going to look at creating some extra money through passive income to make up the shortfall in the meantime. This is going to give me the best option for long term income and is the best for my mental health and my family.

Thanks again for your comments.

AngelPie78

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Hi Ap.

Hope you manage to find a solution. It sounds like you are doing loads already, personally if it was me I'd be looking to find myself a job and do the web design in the evening once the kids were in bed (depending on age) or on the other days when they are at school and you're not working. This way you have a soild income and you can work on your business in your spare time.

I guess this isn't taking into account mental health though...

I suppose another option is just to carry on with what you are doing and keep building the business and perhaps learn new skills as you go, computer programmers can earn around 20k to start and up to 40k and beyond and it *is* something you can self teach from home. Also, quite a common job that pops up is looking after a website in-house - these don't really normally require much web design skills as normally it's uploading products etc so may not need the same sort of experience as a web designer but would pay the extra for someone who knows what they are doing so you might get by without a degree.

Computing is really a great market to be in right now, and it sounds like you've done really well to get where you are today so keep plodding on and try and find time to teach yourself some new tricks so you can charge more in the long run.

Also perhaps a silly suggestion as you have enough on right now but comptuing is a STEM subject and you could do a computing degree from home again with funding from a 2nd degree.....it's never too late.

Thanks for your post. Am not sure I'm up for studying another degree BUT I have looked into doing a Masters and perhaps my PhD at some point

Am gonna keep plodding and see what happens...!

AngelPie78

stoozie1 wrote: »

Would billing clients monthly in advance via direct debit work at all? In my sector this has almost completely eradicated bad debts and chasing people, but I appreciate sectors vary!

I always get at least 50% up front and don't release a project before receiving full payment - doesn't often get payment any quicker though! My monthly retainers are supposed to pay monthly in advance but it's not going very well. I've a friend who works in credit control who's going to help with this next week. Small businesses just chase money around each other all the time lol.

stoozie1

We have been using Gocardless:

https://gocardless.com/

For 10 months now, and I would recommend them for monthly direct debits.

AngelPie78

stoozie1 wrote: »

We have been using Gocardless:

https://gocardless.com/

For 10 months now, and I would recommend them for monthly direct debits.

Yep I have this too but it hasn't worked for the clients I've put it into place so far! Hiccups and issues every time. They're a nightmare but we will persevere!

fiisch

AngelPie78 wrote: »

Ok great! Thanks for putting it like that - makes much more sense and I definitely feel like it's all getting on top of me.

So then the next questions are:

Q. what kind of jobs do I apply for?

Q. when do I make the time to apply for them? (do I prioritise these over working on projects which do bring in some money at the moment)

Without seeing your CV, it's difficult to say, but cast the net wide - have a few CV's, one aimed at web development jobs, another aimed more at the recruiting side, and see what sticks. Badger recruiters - phone them weekly/fortnightly and ask for updates. What do they offer you? What jobs are they trying to place you in? Don't be overly pushy, but by being the one who chases them, your name will stick and it'll be you they come to when they're struggling to place candidates for an interview.

When to find the time for job-hunting? Make time. It sounds contrite, but if you want it badly enough you'll find the time. You obviously need your current income, but weekends, early mornings, evenings, night times...

I work in IT and I detest it - very well paid, but indescribably dull. I didn't choose it, it found me, which is the sad reality for most people. We end up doing the jobs that pay the best/the career we end up in...