Newbie advice on becoming self-employed

Irlam10 · Aug 8, 2010

Hi everyone, I've been reading through the general posts over the last couple of hours and I'm almost 100% certain that training to be a sparkie is the right career change for me.

Perhaps the last piece of advice that I'm seeking is what are my prospects like when it comes to setting up on your own. I've previously run my own business (newsagents) and if I'm to become an electrician I'd definitely want to work for myself

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How does this option differ to working for companies in terms of work available, pay etc. I really need to make sure I'm taking the right decision as I don't want to end up regretting it all in years to come, sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. I'm now 35, so can't afford to 'waste' the next few years

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When it comes to business, I'm extremely customer focuses, very reliable and I have enough put away should the time come for effective adverts/marketing etc.

Any advice and comments, good and bad, greatly welcomed

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jeremy · Aug 8, 2010

I'd recommend working for someone else fulltime for probably rubbish pay but gaining valuable on job experience, topping it up with charity jobs for friends family. What you learn in a classroom is a basis for practical experience. My practical for sinking a KO box at college was in soft breezeblock, wee buns I thought. Try doing it in engineering brick!!
Learn at someone elses risk as it's in their interest to teach you. Once you're experienced, long after you're qualified self employed is the way to go. I contract to a company 6 months at a time, and where there isn't work all the time, when there is the hourly rate is v. good and the tax benefits are as well. Best of luck however you choose to go, and remember every day's a school day!!l

Irlam10 · Aug 9, 2010

Thanks Jeremy. Good advice and I agree with you 100%

ian · Aug 9, 2010

Quite agree with Jeremy
. Times are really difficult at the moment, not a good time to be starting a business.

SirKit Breaker · Aug 9, 2010

Good luck Irlam. I can only agree with the other posts, but working for someone else is a must if only to gain experience and speed, this will also help you to accumulate all the tools etc you will need.

No matter how customer focused you may be, you dont want to look a berk by taking 2 days to fit a new socket when it should have taken a hour and a half, because you didnt have the tools, materials and know how.

Cheers.........Howard

Liberator · Aug 10, 2010

Follow Jeremy's advice...

when your ready contact business link for advice..

Irlam10 · Aug 10, 2010

Very true SirKit Breaker!

Hindle Pie · Aug 10, 2010

I made the decision to switch from a career in software development about 4 years ago when I was 30 years old to become an electrician. It's only now that i'm beginning to think that i may be ready to go self-employed after working for a small local company for rubbish pay.

The experience has been fantastic but I feel i'm probably coming to the end of useful learning, and now it's time to take on the extra responsibility. The company apprentice was made redundant last year after a lull in business and one too many instances of poor common sense.

I'd take the advice of getting practical experience, take on board as much advice, and learn from your inevitable mistakes.

Liberator · Aug 11, 2010

Hindle Pie said:
I made the decision to switch from a career in software development about 4 years ago when I was 30 years old to become an electrician. It's only now that i'm beginning to think that i may be ready to go self-employed after working for a small local company for rubbish pay.

The experience has been fantastic but I feel i'm probably coming to the end of useful learning, and now it's time to take on the extra responsibility. The company apprentice was made redundant last year after a lull in business and one too many instances of poor common sense.

I'd take the advice of getting practical experience, take on board as much advice, and learn from your inevitable mistakes.

Lol, same here...... used to be Oracle DBA Manager for the NHS, Programming, Development, the works....

I left for 3 reasons, 1 to care for my dying father, 2-fed up of re-training every 6 months (was when #NET came out), and 3...... I hated sitting the corner of an office at a computer for 8 hours a day...

Now I get to travel around a lot, see different people, jobs and sites..... its quite nice... Although in my business I think I need to get a nice secretary cus Im doing all the paperwork in the office....

Saying that, I think If I had a nice secretary in my office, I'd spend even more time in their and she'd never get the work done!!