Which IT discipline should I learn? (that could also help my ecommerce business)

[Pish_Pash]

I was in IT for 20yrs...most of the stuff I did was pretty specific to my employer....long & short of it was that when they made me redundant 3 years ago...I couldn't get another job (skill weren't transportable). Because I was worn out with IT (& because I couldn't get another job!), I started up an online retail business. It's gone alright, I'm spinning a profit, but I spend a fair bit of time on the IT aspect (ironic!).

Now here's the thing...our household need more dosh coming in (doesn't everyone's?) but my missus has no skillsets to make her employable (15 years as a housewife)...she could however run my business. therefore I'm now thinking ...why don't I just leave her to run the business & I'll return back to IT (we need extra income) ...so now I'm faced with choosing the 'discipline' to get certified on. My thinking here is if I choose an IT discipline that can be of benefit to my business, then so much the better. So for example if I was to get SQL certified, if I don't get a job, then I'm sure the knowledge I gain could be useful to me in my business.

My background in IT was mainly hardware/networks (building servers, loading OC, applications, connecting to the network UAT etc) ...but that's only to set the stage (I needn't go back into that specific line)

Top tips warmly received as to which IT avenue to take?! (if it helps, certainly from my business perspective, I'd dearly love to have the skillset to be able to pull sales orders from Ebay/Amazon etc into a database & then get the database to do stuff depending on the sales order)

 

[JasonMoe]

I'd dearly love to have the skillset to be able to pull sales orders from Ebay/Amazon etc into a database & then get the database to do stuff depending on the sales order)

well, SQL will most certainly won't be enough for this. You will also have to learn a server side programming language, like PHP or ASP. And that requires time and experience. My humble opinion is to try learning something more appropriate to your previous experience. You could make an excellent network administrator.

 

[ryedale]

The basics of PHP/MySql can be picked up quite quickly though if you get your head down and study

I took on a 16 year old apprentice a few months ago with no development skills at all and he's already coding some quite advanced solutions just from his studies

 

[Pish_Pash]

Thanks guys - to clarify, I wouldn't be starting SQL from scratch (I already use Access quite extensively ...writing queries etc...which so ok, I know isn't SQL, but there's still the option to write queries in SQL-esque language ...I've also coded some basic SQL scripts for extracting data from my sales database)....re server side language, wWell I use opencart (which iI believe is php based), therefore perhaps a PHP/MySql approach would be appropriate...but there's a mile of difference between what I'd need to learn to be employable vs what I'd need to learn to knock up some 'smarts' for my business.

Jason...point taken about bolting on to what I already did, but really, the skills used in my old job was fairly bespoke (they were a multi conglomerate & had the breadth & reach to have their own bespoke software - it was a real wake up call when I lost my job & realised just how out of touch I was with the industry at large!). I was mainly datacentre focused...but just about every datacentre job advertised nowadays requires VMWare/virtualization experience (which I have none)...so I doubt I'd be able to fall back on what I was good at in my old job - times have moved on apace.

 

[bowcot84]

Javascript. Without doubt. It's everywhere.

 

[busybob]

why not focus and grow your business instead? look up vertical and horizontal marketing.

 

[JasonMoe]

Jason...point taken about bolting on to what I already did, but really, the skills used in my old job was fairly bespoke (they were a multi conglomerate & had the breadth & reach to have their own bespoke software - it was a real wake up call when I lost my job & realised just how out of touch I was with the industry at large!).

Well, then try leaning ASP. Everybody needs that. I'm planning to learn some objective C for IOS programming. I think there is still room for millions of apps.

 

[busybob]

asp generally only runs on windows servers which are less popular than linux servers. go with obj c

 

[ukbf0001]

If you need more money - then the old adage of just follow the money would be worthwhile thinking about.

Computer Forensics seems to be hot at the moment as does security.
In the same vein Project Management (using Agile) will always be in demand.

I guess there are so many fields in IT - it's hard to know whether to be a genalist who can turn his hand to anything or a specialist and only focus on one thing.

look on the various jobs boards and try and do a search over the last 6 months to see what areas jobs come up the most.

If are turning in a profit with your own business and feel you must go and get a another job in IT somewhere- then maybe let the Mrs handle any orders / queries in the day time and then you can do the marketing / PR / techy stuff in the night time.

Personally - I wouldnt bother trying to write a new app, or develop a system etc - far easier and in the long term cheaper to either hire a programmer or buy the app. If you benefit and make monney from it - it pays for itself

 

[JasonMoe]

asp generally only runs on windows servers which are less popular than linux servers. go with obj c

Exactly! That is why you should go against the flow. If a lot of people need things that only a few professionals know, they get paid better.

 

[JackDavis]

I started learning PHP and eventually got tinkering with OpenCart and found it helped learn. It's a handy introduction to MVC frameworks and I found myself offering development services within a few months so perhaps that is the way to go

 

[Pish_Pash]

why not focus and grow your business instead?.

Frankly, for all my business is profitable, I'm a bit alienated at the lack of stability/dependability (think getting a mortgage, etc) & the complete lack of a plan 'B'.

Basically if my business takes a nosedive...I have no other plan (I have no marketable skills)...not a good position to be in.

If are turning in a profit with your own business and feel you must go and get a another job in IT somewhere- then maybe let the Mrs handle any orders / queries in the day time and then you can do the marketing / PR / techy stuff in the night time.

Exactly. Bearing in mind I'm only about 18 months into this, turnover is quite decent ...my pre tax profit is likely to be somewhere north of £40k (not bad, but it certainly doesn't support a 'one earner' family with 3 kids in London that well!). Hence handing over the keys to the wife, while I go all 'hunter/gatherer' & try to slay a dinosaur in the square mile.

Personally - I wouldnt bother trying to write a new app, or develop a system etc - far easier and in the long term cheaper to either hire a programmer or buy the app. If you benefit and make monney from it - it pays for itself

That's a reasonable thing to say, but I'm amazed at the seemingly lack of joined up thinking when it comes to all the ecommerce stuff I've trialed (I'd rather not write my own stuff, but there's little out there that does what I need)..my needs are quite modest, but nobody seems to plug them (or at least, without me having to sell a kidney)

 

[Raw Rob]

..my needs are quite modest, but nobody seems to plug them (or at least, without me having to sell a kidney)

You seem to have answered your own question there! I agree with the poster above who suggested you learn php/mySQL, it's what OpenCart is built with and will help you to improve your own website. Maybe learn to be an OpenCart developer, creating ecommerce websites for clients, so you have the full skillset to work on your own website(s) too. Depends really if you have the aptitude to work as a programmer.

 

[Sriramanaenterprises]

PHP with Mysql
[Q

I was in IT for 20yrs...most of the stuff I did was pretty specific to my employer....long & short of it was that when they made me redundant 3 years ago...I couldn't get another job (skill weren't transportable). Because I was worn out with IT (& because I couldn't get another job!), I started up an online retail business. It's gone alright, I'm spinning a profit, but I spend a fair bit of time on the IT aspect (ironic!).

Now here's the thing...our household need more dosh coming in (doesn't everyone's?) but my missus has no skillsets to make her employable (15 years as a housewife)...she could however run my business. therefore I'm now thinking ...why don't I just leave her to run the business & I'll return back to IT (we need extra income) ...so now I'm faced with choosing the 'discipline' to get certified on. My thinking here is if I choose an IT discipline that can be of benefit to my business, then so much the better. So for example if I was to get SQL certified, if I don't get a job, then I'm sure the knowledge I gain could be useful to me in my business.

My background in IT was mainly hardware/networks (building servers, loading OC, applications, connecting to the network UAT etc) ...but that's only to set the stage (I needn't go back into that specific line)

Top tips warmly received as to which IT avenue to take?! (if it helps, certainly from my business perspective, I'd dearly love to have the skillset to be able to pull sales orders from Ebay/Amazon etc into a database & then get the database to do stuff depending on the sales order)

UOTE="Pish_Pash, post: 2471677, member: 163218"]I was in IT for 20yrs...most of the stuff I did was pretty specific to my employer....long & short of it was that when they made me redundant 3 years ago...I couldn't get another job (skill weren't transportable). Because I was worn out with IT (& because I couldn't get another job!), I started up an online retail business. It's gone alright, I'm spinning a profit, but I spend a fair bit of time on the IT aspect (ironic!).

Now here's the thing...our household need more dosh coming in (doesn't everyone's?) but my missus has no skillsets to make her employable (15 years as a housewife)...she could however run my business. therefore I'm now thinking ...why don't I just leave her to run the business & I'll return back to IT (we need extra income) ...so now I'm faced with choosing the 'discipline' to get certified on. My thinking here is if I choose an IT discipline that can be of benefit to my business, then so much the better. So for example if I was to get SQL certified, if I don't get a job, then I'm sure the knowledge I gain could be useful to me in my business.

My background in IT was mainly hardware/networks (building servers, loading OC, applications, connecting to the network UAT etc) ...but that's only to set the stage (I needn't go back into that specific line)

Top tips warmly received as to which IT avenue to take?! (if it helps, certainly from my business perspective, I'd dearly love to have the skillset to be able to pull sales orders from Ebay/Amazon etc into a database & then get the database to do stuff depending on the sales order)[/QUOTE]

I was in IT for 20yrs...most of the stuff I did was pretty specific to my employer....long & short of it was that when they made me redundant 3 years ago...I couldn't get another job (skill weren't transportable). Because I was worn out with IT (& because I couldn't get another job!), I started up an online retail business. It's gone alright, I'm spinning a profit, but I spend a fair bit of time on the IT aspect (ironic!).

Now here's the thing...our household need more dosh coming in (doesn't everyone's?) but my missus has no skillsets to make her employable (15 years as a housewife)...she could however run my business. therefore I'm now thinking ...why don't I just leave her to run the business & I'll return back to IT (we need extra income) ...so now I'm faced with choosing the 'discipline' to get certified on. My thinking here is if I choose an IT discipline that can be of benefit to my business, then so much the better. So for example if I was to get SQL certified, if I don't get a job, then I'm sure the knowledge I gain could be useful to me in my business.

My background in IT was mainly hardware/networks (building servers, loading OC, applications, connecting to the network UAT etc) ...but that's only to set the stage (I needn't go back into that specific line)

Top tips warmly received as to which IT avenue to take?! (if it helps, certainly from my business perspective, I'd dearly love to have the skillset to be able to pull sales orders from Ebay/Amazon etc into a database & then get the database to do stuff depending on the sales order)

 

[jackb144]

SQL, sysadmin stuff. If you are running an ecommerce site then deff learn sql, learn at least some basics of whatever language your ecommerce platform is coded in (assuming you self host), and how to diagnose problems on your server (especially if you don't have managed hosting, where your hosting company will fix and help with server issues).

 

[The Byre]

Crikey! SQL - that's taken me back a few years! If bigger than list etc., etc. Good old dBase-III, those were the days! I can still do that stuff on my head - trouble is, it's not much of a skill and is easily learnt.

"My thinking here is if I choose an IT discipline that can be of benefit to my business, then so much the better."

Bingo!

Though TBH, I would concentrate on developing my business and developing it sideways to become more stable and profitable. 40k profit after 18 months ain't shabby.

You have not told us what type of business this is, however, but that is where my instincts tell me you should be concentrating your efforts.

IT today is all about which field you are in. Nobody here can give you a sensible answer, as which language you learn depends on which field you are in. Most of the successful writers, do so because they had a specific problem and wrote an app to solve that one problem. Then others come along and say "Hey, I've got that problem as well! Can I use your app?"

And before you know it, you are writing programmes.

I could imagine that one could write some interesting plug-ins in SQL for Access etc. specific to certain types of industry and activities.

 

[WestTownWeb]

If you're thinking of getting into development, PHP is a great place to start. If you can combine PHP with JQuery, you can create some very nice websites. (btw, the new development language for Apple iOS is called 'Swift').

Do you know the website lynda dot com ? (sorry I can't add links yet). It's a great learning resource and costs $25 per month.

Not knowing you, but I wonder if learning to develop is such a great idea. It is fun and can be satisfying (and frustrating), and I'm fairly hands-on in my job, but in terms of making money you're in competition with a vast army of young, highly-trained and very committed minds.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

What about Apps that must be the fastest growing market

 

[WestTownWeb]

What about Apps that must be the fastest growing market

There is a neat solution for building phone apps, sort of a bridge between hard-to-learn stuff like Obj C etc and people with fewer skills but more ideas - it's called phonegap and I've used it to build simple phone apps for myself.

 

[JasonMoe]

Obj C, that's where the money goes at the moment. Did you heard about that guy that made that silly game, slappy fish or something, and he makes $50k/day with it?

 

[amac]

I think you look at software - e.g from an integration perspective or perhaps if you are really keen, programming/design. The largest area of business spend after people is IT itself, and off course most of that spend is moving away from the data centre and into software. Specifically, the subset of software growing fastest is marketing related - so getting to know marketing applications and processes is a good option.