How can I earn extra money with my knowledge of computers?

[Deleted User 298457]

Start by looking at jobs for first or second line IT support on Reed or Insight. See how your current skills compare and look salaries too for expectations.

IT security is quite a skill as you need to think like a hacker and learn to use the vast toolkits out there to test and penetrate physical premises and software defenses.

I'm not judging you, but a friend wanted to get into 'IT'. I set them a small and basic test. There was no depth to their answers and no drive to use online learning or YouTube to further their knowledge.

The money will be in the YK3 bug or cloud reversal computing.

Not a bad shout.

I landed my first "first line+ gig" by emailing local IT firms that supported small businesses. I know we took on a chap who worked at Jessops and wanted to retrain after being made redundant, he really wanted it so came and worked for us for free. He is now set up for life in terms of career progression and quite happy for it.

 

[Lopéz]

Isn't first line tech support about 15-17k?

That would be a significant pay drop for him.

 

[wesimmo]

As others have said here, building and fixing computers as a sideline has had its time. It was big business back in the 1990s because computers were more difficult to build. E.g. each drive required a jumper setting, then you had to figure out which IDE cable to use. You had to set up a boot order in the BIOS and sometimes a boot floppy was required. You also had to know how to get into the BIOS in the first place. There was also a time where you had to tell the BIOS how many sectors the hard drive had. Then you had soundcards, ethernet cards and modems which used to be separate cards that were attached to the motherboard. Once Windows was installed, you then had to install all of the drivers and pray that you had the floppies for them, because without internet help, you were stuffed! Also, getting online was more difficult because you had to input your ISP settings and POP3 accounts etc. Finally, you would also come across IRQ conflicts, in particular with your expansion cards (ISA and PCI), until Windows NT/2000 came along and then that problem went away.

Building and configuring a PC has become more accessible in the last 10-15 years.

I still do the occasional no-for-profit upgrading and troubleshooting of PCs, and they give me alcohol as a thank you

Yeah, this is true.

Plus the people who dont understand how to build a pc these days but need a 'device' can just pick up a cheap tablet / console these days.

Being connected isn't reliant on little beige boxes of magic these days.

 

[Zefan]

Thanks guys

@Zefan don’t worry, you aren’t being brutal, just honest. And whilst I agree with you, I’m not in the same position I was in when I was 20. I have my own house now and many more bills than just rent, I don’t think I could afford to pay everything if I went back to education. If any anyone else who studied at a later age is here, tell me how you did it please.

You need to be able to at least Google your way out of a cardboard box in IT, so your first challenge is to do just that and find this out yourself. There's absolutely no need to "go back to education" in that way. Self study along certification skills/objectives is the way to look.

 

[sanaxe1]

OP if your happy to wear a suit ( Gimp) I have the perfect side hustle for you. It's good pay and you don't need any qualifications the only downside is the clients do tend to walk all over you and it can be a bit of a pain in the arse sometimes. If your interested email in trust.

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

That would be a significant pay drop for him.

How quickly can someone move upwards though? This is all about the long game.

 

[FloppyPoppy]

programming.

 

[Eurofighter]

1st line technical support.

 

[Angilion]

I can second the welding thing. We employ a few welders and I've got good knowledge of welding car panels etc, but the real professionals doing structural steel and aluminium earn an absolute fortune, and their work really showcases their skill. Sometimes keeping your hobbies and work separate is the best course of action.

Is welding a purely trainable skill, though? No doubt most people could train to be a fairly competent welder. I've done some welding myself, many years ago. Learning the basics isn't particularly hard. But the reliable big money is at a skill level far above the basics.

 

[randomshenans]

I don’t think I could afford to pay everything if I went back to education.

Get educated in your spare time; your evenings, weekends, look at what you need for jobs advertised near you and train yourself.

 

[Rik1254]

A way to make money in a saturated market is to offer a niche.
A few years back, I made a couple of grand offering hard-line loops while I was working through an apprenticeship. I averaged about 2 loops a week, which wasn't easy in a full time job, university and looking after a child, was made worse when a loop leaked.

I would, 110% recommend an apprenticeship into a demand career. I came from the exact position you are (counter manager in Morrisons), and while the first year pay was lower, large bonuses and overtime immediately made up for it.

 

[pc-guy]

I can second the welding thing. We employ a few welders and I've got good knowledge of welding car panels etc, but the real professionals doing structural steel and aluminium earn an absolute fortune, and their work really showcases their skill. Sometimes keeping your hobbies and work separate is the best course of action.

They are paid by mm of welds they do per day. A person is know to earn a weeks wage in a day.

 

[dowie]

You could advertise yourself on local facebook groups as the local IT guy (there is one where I live that has built up a rep to the point where anyone posting about an IT problem gets a recommendation in the comments to contact him) but:

The best way to make more money using your knowledge and passion for computers would be to use it to move away from minimum wage jobs. Id focus on that instead of trying to squeeze extra money from working in your spare time.

^^^ this

Your side hustle could just end up being a second (self-employed) low-paid job tbh... might be better to invest that time in improving your own skillset and getting better career prospects in general.

 

[dowie]

@Zefan don’t worry, you aren’t being brutal, just honest. And whilst I agree with you, I’m not in the same position I was in when I was 20. I have my own house now and many more bills than just rent, I don’t think I could afford to pay everything if I went back to education. If any anyone else who studied at a later age is here, tell me how you did it please.

Sorry just saw you'd replied to the above quote from Zefan already, you don't have to do it full time. You don't seem to have A-levels or equivalent? Might be worth getting that sorted at some local college in the evenings etc.. Or you could look at an OU degree (they seem to have varying entry points, including for people without a-Levels).

You could also look at degree apprenticeships, the starting salary paid by the sponsoring companies for these is more than you earn now + you'll get a degree out of it without having to pay for tuition:

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/apprenticeships/degree-apprenticeships

Presumably might need you to get some A-levels or equivalent or some sort of adult access course etc.. from your local college first. They seem to be aimed at school/college leavers as a uni alternative but I can't see that a mature student would be prohibited - seem to be available in a range of areas - maybe worth googling or doing some phoning around.

 

[mid_gen]

What others have said....why do it as a side job and spent most of your time on minimum wage?

Get into 1st line tech support. Won't pay much initially but the earnings ceiling if you stick with it is essentially unlimited.

 

[fobose]

@ZefanIf any anyone else who studied at a later age is here, tell me how you did it please.

When I was 30 (almost 6 years ago) I managed to secure a 'day release' with my employer to let me go to college a day a week for 2 years. I found a local college to me and applied and was accepted etc. My employer paid my wage whilst I was at college which was nice but would not support the course which cost me a fair bit (BTEC in mechanical engineering). I wish I didn't do the course though and did something else - not sure what, which is my main trouble!

it was weird being back at 'school' with 17-23 year old's but I made a lot of friends!

On another note. I used to build and sell PC's as a side hobby but mainly to people at work. I would buy second hand parts to keep the costs down (obviously a gamble if anything breaks!). It was not worth it at all, as other have said you just get hassled as soon as they need IT help.

 

[Haze]

Advertise you skills on local Facebook groups, and see if you can can pick some business

 

[lookitsjonno]

Pick a niche, do some informal learning, tart up your CV and let your passion shine through. Apply for some jobs in the salary bracket you're after, the worse they can do is say no and you stay where you are. Don't be disheartened if they turn you down, put it down as a good learning exercise.

I left school with just GCSE's, went into first line support, which turned into software engineering, and 15 years later i'm in senior management. It's genuine passion and ability to learn/adapt that people are looking for, not just qualifications. I've given lots of young people a punt based on their hunger and desire to learn and some of them are now amongst the best staff I know.

Edit: Oh and don't rule out coding. My maths is awful and i've managed to get by just fine, if I can do it, anyone can. You get a real buzz from solving a business problem, which you don't quite get during education.

 

[kai]

It comes with the post. You don't pay yourself

But at the moment you can pretty much only get it by working for the government as the backlog is so huge. Demand is high.

Or Government suppliers

 

[alchal]

Noticed that and edited .

Personally I would look into work that he economy actually needs. There is a constant shortage of HGV drivers or welders . Whilst you would need to train, the pay will be much better, plus finding work if you fancy a change or want more money is much easier.
There really is no money to be made in building/fixing computers on the side anymore.

Stay clear of welding!
Unless you get coded up to hell an back and are willing to live a life on the road there is bugger all money it, plus the H&S issues of the trade.