PrinceVlad
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 223
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- 225
Hi Guys,
I need some advice.
But first - some background info. I'm a practising advocate who started practicing in 2005. I did take a break from 2018 to 2023. I started learning software development in 2018 and got my first freelance contract in September of that year. It was for relatively simple work, so I got paid peanuts. I was, however, fine with that and knew that, at that stage, the most important part was to gain experience for a few years. Well, COVID had other ideas. In March/April 2020 all the freelance contracts I had were stopped. After a month or two of applying for other jobs with no luck, and given my background, I started freelance writing to generate some sort of income (SO's job also stopped salaries in March). Fortunately that took off and I did exceptionally well from the end of 2020 until January 2023. AI decimated that industry and I basically lost all of my writing contracts between January and April 2023. I tried a few other things related to writing, but couldn't get much traction. Ultimately, that led to me returning to legal practice in September 2023. The problem is that the work one had years ago does not carry over a few years later - clients move on. Also, marketing is frowned upon in an advocate's practice, which makes generating work more challenging.
Against that background, I'm still looking to pivot into IT as I was during 2018. This might be wrong, but I've heard, that the market for junior devs is slow. So, I was considering some other options like:
1. Cybersecurity. I particularly like this option due to the fact that, in some way, I can combine it with law;
2. Devops/Cloud;
3. Data Science and/or Machine Learning
I've looked into the courses one can do on MOOC's and some of the certifications available.
This is where the advice comes in:
1. Are these viable options?
2. Is there demand for these options?
3. Am I too old (45 now)?
4. What certifications should one look to get?
5. How can one build experience or a portfolio in the meantime.
6. Any other suggestions?
I'll appreciate any advice.
Thanks
I need some advice.
But first - some background info. I'm a practising advocate who started practicing in 2005. I did take a break from 2018 to 2023. I started learning software development in 2018 and got my first freelance contract in September of that year. It was for relatively simple work, so I got paid peanuts. I was, however, fine with that and knew that, at that stage, the most important part was to gain experience for a few years. Well, COVID had other ideas. In March/April 2020 all the freelance contracts I had were stopped. After a month or two of applying for other jobs with no luck, and given my background, I started freelance writing to generate some sort of income (SO's job also stopped salaries in March). Fortunately that took off and I did exceptionally well from the end of 2020 until January 2023. AI decimated that industry and I basically lost all of my writing contracts between January and April 2023. I tried a few other things related to writing, but couldn't get much traction. Ultimately, that led to me returning to legal practice in September 2023. The problem is that the work one had years ago does not carry over a few years later - clients move on. Also, marketing is frowned upon in an advocate's practice, which makes generating work more challenging.
Against that background, I'm still looking to pivot into IT as I was during 2018. This might be wrong, but I've heard, that the market for junior devs is slow. So, I was considering some other options like:
1. Cybersecurity. I particularly like this option due to the fact that, in some way, I can combine it with law;
2. Devops/Cloud;
3. Data Science and/or Machine Learning
I've looked into the courses one can do on MOOC's and some of the certifications available.
This is where the advice comes in:
1. Are these viable options?
2. Is there demand for these options?
3. Am I too old (45 now)?
4. What certifications should one look to get?
5. How can one build experience or a portfolio in the meantime.
6. Any other suggestions?
I'll appreciate any advice.
Thanks