Should I Re-train for a new Career?

Question

I am a qualified Computer Engineer (MCSE) with 20 years experience in the field. I moved to Perth, Australia 2 years ago with a permanent residency visa, granted because of my experience and qualifications and due to a supposed lack of people in my industry.
I have since tried to setup a computer business for software and a general computer services company with very little success despite spending considerable sums of cash on marketing via flyers etc.
My small customer base always have me back so quality of work is not an issue, I am just struggling to get enough customers to make ends meet.
So, is it time to just give up and go work for a corporation again? I did this for a few years and know that I wont get any job satisfaction from it but at least I will be earning some cash.
I also considered re-training for a new career but at 37 I may be too late to do that.
Has anyone here had similar experience with setting up in business? Or has anyone retrained this late in life?

Ran out of characters to say that I am not moaning about my position, just feeling a little uninspired so any advice will be gratefuly received....thanks

Answer 1

First of all I don't think you are giving yourself a fair shake so to say. Marketing yourself via flyers is not much of a marketing scheme. Plus a business is not going to blossom over night. First before you give up on your career and retrain for something else please realize that you after having done this for 20 years are an expert in your field. The world needs more experts. You just need a better way to market yourself. I would try getting your company in a phone book and I don't mean just your name with an address and a phone number. I mean you need an ad that states you are an expert and you have been doing what you do for 20 years and your clients will vouch for your quality of work. Second, give your customers some incentive to get you more customers. The best advertising is word of mouth. If you give your current customers discounts for referals they might do some of the marketing work for you. Say give them $50 for every referal they give you. Also, get on your feet or get on your phone and start soliciting people cold calling is a way to let people know who you are. Get a brochure together something you can do on your own computer with Microsoft Office or something similiar and go around to other business who you think might need your services. You can't just put together any type of flyer or brochure it has to look professional because the quality of your brochure will say a lot about you. But, don't spend money on it if you don't have too. You will be amazed how easy it is to make your own on your home computer. Take a few digital pictures of yourself, your staff, your office, your equipment etc. Write in the brochure how many years you have done this and how many of your customers are happy with your work etc. But, you have to get out there. Another thing is contact your government, here in the U.S.A. you can often get grants from the government to start your own business or they will give you money to advertise etc. Look into that. I am sure Australia has similar programs. A lot of that government money goes unused every year. As for retraining why?? If you have been doing this for years why not go down to your local community college or technical school and teach a few night classes. Students are dying to learn what you can teach them. You might have to take a class or two to get certified to teach college classes but, you can do it. Teaching a few night classes or a weekend classed is something you might be able to swing. But, my advice to you is to ramp up your marketing a little with a nicer brochure and some cold calling either going to door to door or on the phone etc. Just hang in there. No need to retrain for anything yet. OK, I hope this helps and I wish you all the luck in the World. Take care.

Answer 2

A degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering is a good place to start. What a lot of people don't seem to realise is that most programming languages are generic in what they offer the programmer. In a nutshell, you will be taught the importance of software engineering, with engineering being the keyword. You are taught the basics of one or mabye two languages. In my case it was JAVA and C. JAVA being object orientated and C procedural as opposed to object. Once you learn the basics of a language, i.e. debugging, arrays and input/output procedures etc. when you look at a new language you can pick it up knowing exactly what you want to do and how to go about it, all you need to learn at that point is the coding standards that particular language uses as you will already have a grasp of algorithms and the importance of unambiguous coding approaches. Employers will look at Soft Eng/Comp Sci graduates in many circumstances for a programming job. Mainly because they know you will have an understanding of programming as a subject and the principles it involves and not just a single language that you learnt from a book. You have a choice, be a one trick pony and master a single language, one thats in demand or learn how to program in an overall sense, so you can apply what you learn to both present and future languages. Good Luck!

Answer 3

dave, i may not have an experience that quantitative, but i've got a little advice for you.Look around, in your community and find out if the software business stuff you are talking about can realy do well. If yes, then your business is probably at the infancy state and needs a lot more time and work. if no, then QUIT.you see, its actually all about your society and you are the judge in that sense, may be you realy have to go another mile to find out what your community needs, what contacts you have in your diary(that can conect you to deploy your service more conveniently).
At your age, think more of using "what you've got to get what you dont have" rather than going to get what you dont have. there are people that have got not as much as you have and they are doing just fine.
Like i said your community demand is the fulcrum on which your decision rule is resting and this you must trust God to help you analyse very well.
i wish you the best from God.

Answer 4

I can't speak to the job market in Australia, but your MCSE certification definitely has value. If you enjoy the work in your discipline, maybe you simply haven't found the right company to provide the working environment and challenge you need. You are certainly marketable, so why not look for "the right" company and support your current customer base on the side. Perhaps, over time, it will mature to the point it can support you fulltime. In the meantime you have the benefit of salary and benefits to augment that of your own business.

Answer 5

I am over 40 and just started a new career from a previous one of 15 years. Its not too late to start over; just get over your fears. And yes, I started a parttime business that put me back into the job market but keep your chin up. Make your business parttime and keep a fulltime job until the parttime business takes off and allows you an income.

Answer 6

Maybe there is too much competition in your Industry in your field of expertise.
This is not advise , just a suggestion, maybe another option would be to work in the Training area. Maybe you can start a small training center to train new people entering the market

Answer 7

Listen;

you must train for any new initiative you take.