Change of Career

[phatmike10]

Hi, I’ve been SEOing in my spare time for about 5 years now on my site, by the end of the second first year my site was top of Google for terms such as ‘Modern Art’, ‘Artwork’, ‘Abstract Art’, ‘buy art’ and many longer tail phrases. I stopped doing any SEO on my site about 2 years ago as I needed to spend all my spare time developing a new version of the site on Drupal. To my amazement I’m still high up on the first page of Google for most of those terms even though I haven’t done any SEO. I’ve been keeping up to date with changes in the industry over the last two years. My day job is in research (nothing to do with SEO) but I’m currently at risk of redundancy and want to enter into the SEO industry. I know the processes to successfully SEO a website but haven’t any experience actually working in an SEO agency. I’m based in the UK, I was wondering if you guys could suggest what job role would be a good position to enter into for someone like me? cheers

[CaptainHappyMeal]

Get updated with the latest trends, keep a keen eye on everything for a few months and then Boom into any SEO agency and you ll get some good place... or may be you can start your own agency, and take other people's site... or may be you can create multiple sites of your own, work on them, watch them grow and then earn from that... Options are always open!

[EGOL]

Consider this.... You are having great success at ranking your own websites. Are you making any money from them? If not, try adsense. It is very easy to make money that way.

You could start building sites for yourself on weekends, evenings and days off. If you work diligently your sites will become better and better and your income will rise. Soon you could be making more money from websites than your job. Once your websites make twice as much as your job and you have some nice money in the bank and your house paid off - then quit the job.

Good luck!

[phatmike10]

Thanks Guys, I'm certainly keen on the idea of starting an agency and I'm working on as many of my own sites as I can in my spare time. But the issue i'm currently facing is I'm at risk of losing my job and think its probably a good idea to join an SEO agency so I can get an understanding of how thinks like billing works, timescales, standard practice, etc. What kind of positions do you think someone in my boat should apply for? cheers

[subzero27]

I will give you an honest opinion....SEO is not for the faint hearted one....you should be able to take risks and have a cushion system if anything goes wrong.

Algorithms change everyday and so do the results. I know there may be many people who have quit their job and are living off their online earnings BUT BUT they are all seasoned pros. They know how to take risks and most importantly weigh the risks.

I would suggest that you first start working for a seo firm and get the basics. Once you master everything then try and build up your own sites.


DONT QUIT YOUR JOB OUT OF FANCY......The economy is bad and its not a good idea to quit your job.

Hope this helps.

[SEO_AM]

Use caution. I teach periodic university level classes on entrepreneurship and business strategy. The two statistics every entreprneur should imprint in the center of their mind's eye before jumping into an entreprenurial venture:

1. Entrepreneurs, on average, make considerably less money that those that work for others.

2. Approximately 80% of all business startups fail within the first 3 years.

The above being true... is that a risk you are willing to take? A more prudent path is the one EGOL suggested, i.e. don't quit your day job until you can support yourself as an independent SEO.

[EGOL]

I'm working on as many of my own sites as I can in my spare time.
Sell or abandon all of them but the two for which you have the greatest passion. Put all of your effort into them.

But the issue i'm currently facing is I'm at risk of losing my job and think its probably a good idea to join an SEO agency so I can get an understanding of how thinks like billing works, timescales, standard practice, etc.
OK... then get a job there and start working on your own sites. If you can't make money working on your own sites then you better not be selling your services to other people.

What kind of positions do you think someone in my boat should apply for?
Anything that you can get if you are losing your job. The best job would be one that exposes you to lots of different tasks. If you get stuck doing tool work you will not learn anything.

Get busy on your own sites.

[phatmike10]

Great, thanks for the help guys. Fingers crossed I won’t be made redundant but I’ve had a passion for SEO for a long time now and I can’t help but think if I get a job in the SEO industry then this will increase my learning and progress even further. Thanks