Part Time Job help

[MJCRO]

I've been thinking for a while now..

 

Maybe I should do some part time computer repairs/IT help? Back when I was younger, it was nice to have a few extra bucks fixing computers for people part time. Since school is whining down, I have more spare time.. would it be a good idea you guys think?

 

Also what would be a good way to get my name around locally? Craigslist? Online yellow pages?

 

Any advice is appreciated in advance.

[Black64]

Apply at local places, and other places easy to get to, the job market is tough right now, took me 1 1/2 years to get my first job. (47 applications, 5 interviews)

[paulktreg]

Maybe you could put up some sort of card/advert in your local stores?

 

You may get more work if you offer it on a no fix, no fee basis but that all depends on how confident you feel fixing most computer problems.

 

... and beware because in my experience when you repair a PC any consequent problems are always your fault so you'll need to be able to get on well with customers.

[El_Capitan]

I mostly do part-time builds for co-workers and friends and friends of friends. Basically word of mouth gets around, and it's from people I know, rather than strangers. I don't charge a lot, It's almost like a consultation. I ask how much they're willing to spend, what they're looking for and what they want to do with it, and what they currently have. I give them a couple choices, most notably, are they wanting to spend the full amount and get better performance than what they're looking for, or do they want to save money and just get the performance they need. If they need something fixed, I do the RMA service and don't charge them, but I also have enough components that I can just replace it and do the RMA on my own time. Usually when something doesn't work, they're wanting an upgrade, anyway.

 

Pricing is also up to you. I usually say 15% of the total build cost or half the difference of a product they could buy on their own (so they're saving money no matter what), with a minimum of $50 per build. It's not much, but I also use rewards credit cards for all the purchases, so that adds 1% to 5% rewards points since I do all the purchasing. Some people just pay more anyways, since they feel like I did a lot more work than I needed to... but it's a hobby so I don't mind even if they don't. I also calibrate their monitors for them, which many companies (and people) don't do.

[Prunes]

I mostly do part-time builds for co-workers and friends and friends of friends. Basically word of mouth gets around, and it's from people I know, rather than strangers. I don't charge a lot.

Some people just pay more anyways, since they feel like I did a lot more work than I needed to... but it's a hobby so I don't mind even if they don't. I also calibrate their monitors for them, which many companies (and people) don't do.

 

That's how I'm doing it. For me it's also a learning process. I love messing with computers, and since I can't afford a new one every month it's a nice way to in touch with the market and such. For basic jobs I usually charge like $20, but it all depends on the job. And word of mouth is one of the best ways to do it. And it takes time. It always take time. So have patience