Create Your Own Technical Support Job

If you’ve got the technical skills to get a computer up and running, and the ability to troubleshoot problems, there’s no reason for you to be unemployed. Did you know that you can earn a fat paycheck from freelance technical support jobs? Maybe you’ve already been doing technical support for family and friends, despite explaining to them that just because you work with computers, doesn’t mean you can go around installing DSL connections or troubleshooting printers. But now that you’re out of a job, maybe you should start installing DSL connections and troubleshooting printers – and make a killing from it.

Qualifications

Do you have the qualifications to create your own freelance technical support job? If you’re a web developer or programmer, maybe not right away. But you don’t need to attend classes or get certified to become a freelance computer technician. Unlike corporate jobs, freelance technical support is something you can learn as you go along. In fact, most computer specialists who go freelance learn what they know from the job, from reading books and Internet articles, and from other technicians. So don’t worry about the certification and the experience for now. Just having more technical aptitude than the average user makes you qualified to take hardware apart and troubleshoot software.

Start with Home Users

If you have skills from your previous technically-oriented job, you can easily start with home users even if you have no substantial experience in technical support. They have simple needs and very few deadlines, which means you can take your time troubleshooting their machine.

As your business improves and your knowledge base grows, you should leave home users behind and move up the ladder. Home users have little repeat business to offer; chances are they’ll only have two computers at the most, and they’ll rarely require your assistance. If they do, it will only be for short periods of time. Secondly, they can be very annoying. If you charge home users by the hour, they will keep their eyes on the clock or hover behind you while you work. They’ll also refuse to take up your suggestion to update your two-year old antivirus program because they don’t want to pay for it. This is why charging flat fees is better for home service calls; you can take your time while you work, learn while you do, and your clients won’t feel cheated.

Move on to Small Businesses

Once you’ve gained confidence after working with home users, small businesses – or companies with five to 25 employees – should be your next step. You’ll be getting more repeat work, the money is better, and your clients won’t hover while you work. The only difficulty with working with small businesses is that they assume that you’ll come at their beck and call, making it difficult for you to plan your schedule. However, not all small businesses work this way. The market is large, with over 4 million small businesses in the United States. Chances are, small businesses are only looking for a part-time computer technician because they do not have the interests or the resources to have a full-time guy on staff.

There is a demand for freelance technical support in the United States, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be filling that demand. As long as you know more than the average user, you should be able to earn a sizable sum from creating your own technical support job.