Computer Careers Book
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Be a Computer Consultant
Be an Instant Computer Consultant
One traditional way for techies to branch and become "more than techies" is by working as a consultant. Many techies have found through the decades that once they have some wanted and useful skill, they can make more money by taking on short term projects and then moving on to new companies in need of their services than by sticking with one employer.
When you are working, you normally do make more money -- sometimes much more money -- than as a mere employee. Of course, you must also pay your own taxes, your own health insurance, save some money for down times because you can't collect unemployment checks, save money for times you are injured because you can't collect worker's compensation etc. You are responsible for your own training and re-training in the latest technological advances.
Plus, you don't attend company picnics or have spirited breaks exchanging gossip with your fellow wage-slaves.
On the upside, you get to travel, you get to take long vacations and you often work with cutting edge technologies.
In the recent recession, it's been tough to find work as a consultant as well as tough to find work as an employee. Some companies have been reluctant to hire new and unknown consultants. On the other hand, they often even more reluctant to hire new and unknown employees -- who are much harder to dump if they prove incapable -- so some consultants find work on projects where they're temporarily needed.
Some consultants are creative -- the author of the above book began working as a consultant because he was too old (25) to find employment as a programmer!
Other consultants work the consumer market. I once spoke with a man who made a decent living charging new computer buyers $40 an hour to teach them how to send email and surf the Internet. Sounds crazy, but true. He lived then in Florida. He told me that when he lived in New York City he could charge $100 per hour.
Although computer usuage is now extremely widespread, how many of us use our computers optimally? I've owned a PC since 1993 and been online since 1995, but I don't use or even know about all the things this machine is capable of.
People in many small businesses are just as ignorant. They know just enough to perform their jobs, but would be much more productive if only taught a few tips.
If you're a power PC user already, up to speed on XP tips and tricks, you could possibly make some good money just teaching small business employees what you take for granted.
Security is a major concern -- show small businesses or PC users how to protect their data and their networks from hackers and viruses, how to use firewalls etc.
There are many more possibilities. Even if you still want to be a wage slave for a large company, if your resume seems lost in cyberspace, putting down some paid experience as a consultant onto your resume will make you stand out from the many wannabes.
