Can it still be done?

[fkbs93]

I've had an interest in IT for a long time, worked hard on gaining qualifications (I have a HND in Computing Technical Support, originally would have also gained Microsoft certification too but various setbacks happened) but for some reason even if you have what companies are looking for, nobody's interested because it seems many employers aren't interested in new talent whatsoever, they'd rather stick with hiring people with many years of experience, continuing to prevent people from actually getting work. I've continued and continued to apply for many jobs, with the usual replies of absolutely nothing or the standard unsuccessful and we won't give you feedback rubbish, so why don't I just do things myself, start up and be able to do what I can do on my own.

To get something out the way completely, I have to get premises of my own. I don't have the room to do things in my own home (which is shared with family anyway) and I don't have a driving license or a car too so the home visits thing won't be happening. It would have to be a small shop or an easily accessible unit. A lot of people seem to think that the computer repair shops are dying out, but does it really help if they end up being so close to each other that it's not viable in the end? If I found somewhere that wasn't that case, could it work better?

Then there's the factor of beyond desktops and laptops as many now venture into fixing tablets and smartphones, game consoles and other stuff. Is it generally something that I need to learn if I actually want to make money and provide an effective, all-around service? I can watch plenty of videos showing how to do particular things but when you're actually doing them, the last thing I want to do is end up breaking the delicate parts inside those small things. It's not just unscrewing things with these, it's messing around with heat guns, soldering, etc.

I hope people can understand where I'm coming from. Certainly, I can learn new skills to allow all of this to happen, but obviously some advice would definitely be appreciated. I'm aware of the risks, I realise it's harder than it used to be, but really all I want to do is be employed, in something I actually want to do. If I've been trying for jobs for over eight months and I can't get anything, then surely something needs to be done.

 

[Markverhyden]

Of course it can still be done. But the first thing you have to have is a business plan and a realistic one at that. There's an old saying. People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan. But I think that not having a vehicle/license will be difficult unless you are in a large metropolitan area.

And understand that the traditional break/fix model has been shrinking for some time and will do continue to do so. Also, the retail market will depend less and less on traditional computers and more on smart devices. Not as much for the business market though.

 

[lan101]

Definitely need to get a license and a vehicle and be mobile. I believe that's the most cost effective way to get started. I literally started with a single ad in a local newspaper and nothing else.

 

[joydivision]

I started out as mobile and still am, although use 2/3 of the master bedroom as my workshop and the rest of that room is used for storage and a spare bed. It is properly kitted out as a workshop much to my families annoyance. I did have a workshop in a different part of town but I found it didn't give me any extra work and I got sick of the travelling so I gave it up.

Anyway my point was when I started this business when I was 23 I didn't have a driving licence so I used public transport to get every where (very easy in Manchester) but did have access to a car if I needed it. When I was 26 I finally got sick of all the waiting around for buses and passed my driving test, bought a car and never looked back.

The biggest issue with a computer shop is competition, things were very different when I started out 9 years ago and I don't think it would work if I started from scratch now

 

[fkbs93]

Fair enough, I can see where people are coming from. Seems the license thing is just unavoidable, and I can understand it in a few ways.

 

[joydivision]

A driving licence is just very useful to have regardless . I don't really like driving and use the train and coach for long distance travel (even in Europe) but I would be lost without my car.

 

[JustInspired]

Depends where you are located I suppose and whether you plan on doing a lot of on site work.
I've not driven since I returned to the UK in 2003!
Different reasons for that but the point is, it has not affected my ability to have a steady stream of work from both residential and business clients.

 

[keeperofthecode]

It's a tough road getting started but if you have the skills to to pay the bills you can make it work. I graduated college right after the computer industry was turned upside down from the millennium bust and I couldn't get a job in computers to save my life, even with my 4.0 GPA. Thankfully I took as many advertising classes as I could while in college and landed a small gig in advertising. It was the perfect job for me to continue working with computers while slowly building up repair clients in the evenings and weekends. I hated that job but it opened the door for me to many business clients that I still serve today 15 years later. Good luck and keep your head up.

 

[fkbs93]

Indeed it is a tough road, but it seems even getting an IT job is tough. The industry is just too competitive and that's what's stopping me. I had an interview with a recruitment agency where further details would be passed onto the IT company - they said feedback would be given and nope, nothing came. Gave up on that obviously, genuinely disappointed that I was misled.

With so much frustration and the feeling that nothing was going to change that's why I looked at the business idea. It's true, it would be absolutely supported through funding via various means but again it'd get me doing things. I mentioned the static premises especially as there is no room whatsoever in my house for a workshop. It seems anyway that I may have to change a few things to make stuff work, but right now I have no way of getting the license. It's all about money, not everyone is born into it and unfortunately circumstances have meant that nothing was going to be easy.

People mentioning business clients, I would have no issues with that, as they do need support a lot more than residential customers.