Forum Moderators: martinibuster
So I'm trying to decide if I should get a job like everyone else or dedicate myself full time to my current website and a few other projects I have in mind that I haven't had time for. I can't see myself being happy doing programming for a big company or anything like that. In fact, I did it over the summer for 12 weeks and absolutely hated it. Creating my own websites is what I really love to do. The downside of course is the volatility of not only adsense but the industry as a whole which was ok for spending money but is a whole different story if I want to make a living.
Then again I see this as the perfect opportunity as I'll only be 22 with no family or other obligations and I can probably live with my parents for a little or move somewhere with cheap rent. If I do get a real job I may never have enough free time again to know if I could make it or not and I'll always be wondering.
Just wanted to see what others thought and what they would do in my situation. Also, I've been on here for over a year so I didn't just signup and post this. Just changed my name cause it was too closely related to my site.
Do what you love. Always do what you love.
I'm somewhat in the same situation as you, although I'm a bit younger. Last year all my income came from AdSense and currently it's only about 30-40 percent anymore. I'm trying to spread the risk over multiple contextual advertising services, affiliate programs, countries, ... I'm also trying to be less dependent on SERPs as currently most of my traffic still comes from Google.
I would also focus on growing your income, because $1,500 a month may not be enough.
ccb9856
Welcome to WebmasterWorld:-)
I'd love to give it a go, but I have children, which keeps the pressure up. You may never have this chance again. Do it.
It might be worthwhile to try to get at least a part-time job just for the benefits as individual policies, if you even qualify, are very expensive (in the U.S. anyway). Or at least look into the cost of individual policies and see if you qualify for them before you make your final decision on what to do.
I would also second the advice on having multiple sites and multiple revenues sources if you decide to work on your own.
I don't think there's any common job that will give you as much as AM/AS will for your time, assuming, of course, you've found your niche/strategy. A site built a year ago might still be pulling in money now. In a job, you trade time for money. With a succesful website, you're paid in an ever increasing exponential curve. The site you built 6 years ago might have cost you 50 hours to build, but each one of those hours are worth now thousands of dollars. 50 hours working anywhere else will have been at best, $5k. Your sites are still pulling in, so it's not even over.
And you're absolutely right about trying/enjoying it now that you're young and have no real commitments. If you're crazy and do decide to join a company, and start getting good money, going up the corporate ladder, it will be so much harder to leave. And then after you've spent a year working full time, and finding that this is what awaits you for the next 40 years of your life, you'll be wondering how else you could be making money and enjoying life. And you'll think about your websites. You don't have to experience that in your own skin (like me), just take the experience of others and skip the painful learning process. :)
Go full time doing websites, and bring those numbers higher up! Really think about what else you would like to do, if money is not an issue and you cannot fail, and do it!
(After working for a year right out of college, I got fed up (I was a web programmer) and went full time AM/AS. Been enjoying life travelling/working on my sites through europe for close to 9 months now, and even as I am living in Berlin for 2 months now, the checks are still in good ole American dollars, and I'm actually "saving" money because cost of living is much cheaper here...)
So, sorry, I can't possibly fathom what your dilemma is... :)
I wish I had more time to develope my sites although I don't make near what you do with my 1 site I have started up a 2nd site to help a bit.
My plan is to spend the next two years getting a masters AND developing the site in order to (1) earn a living (2) make a name for myself in my field.
It is truely amazing how many opportunities have openned up because of my first site (too bad they are in a topic I hate), I want to have similar doors open because of my new site.
Here at WW we vent alot and stress out over little things but most of us know that this is not as volatile as we seem to let on. Just remember to diversify. Also remember that "If you build it, they will come... and click." and if they stop coming, thats ok because they are still coming to your 200 other websites.
Good Luck!
You can afford to be more selective since you don't have heavy expenses.
Set goals and build a timetable. Determine your alternatives and when to switch gears as necessary. I think your parents would be overwhelmingly supportive if they saw that you sat down and planned.
If you are more diversified in your providers, you will have multiple streams of income coming in. If something happens to your Google Adsense account, you'll still have other revenue streams from other networks and affiliate programs.
Just something to think about.
I do have advertisers other than adsense which pay a decent amount just not close to as much as adsense. I'd say my income is split 85-15 in favor of adsense but adsense also takes up much more of my inventory. And I do plan on making more websites. I already have one in progress thats showing promising traffic even though its not even close to finished.
I guess my decision is pretty much made up that I'm going to do it. I also plan on doing more complex things with my websites so I can learn in the process and be able to put those skills on a resume if it doesn't work out or maybe start a business designing sites for small businesses which seems to be in high demand these days also. I'm still going to continue the job search also to see if i do hit the jackpot.
As much as I would love to join the chorus of "be self-employed now", I still would like to warn you to do this. Having a job will give you steady, predictable income and will train you to understand the corporate world and to survive in it. Something you're missing if you become self-employed right now.
Just my $0.02
In terms of steady income.. Have you ever heard of downsizing? How about job cuts? There is no safe job in the US except getting becoming a teacher and getting tenure (which is getting harder and harder to do). Heck, even the gov't had job cuts a few months back. I did the corporate thing for twenty plus years. Believe me, it was not all that great or steady. After the crash, have my dept. was let go. The other ones were lucky to stay, but with a 1/3 pay cut. Anyway, if you can make it on your own, then it is much better that way. Employers do NOT look out for their employees.. It is that simple.
I left university 20 years ago and was told that the 'right' thing to do was get a good steady safe job with a large organisation, which I did and was a programmer for the same company for the next 10 years.
After that I dabbled with contracting for a while, to give the impression I was working for myself, but I still had a boss and still worked 9 to 5.
Now I'm looking at ways to get out of the rat-race, the way we work is changing, working from home, working for yourself, passive incomes - all possibilities now.
Dude give it a go - you don't want to be looking back in twenty years time thinking 'What if ...'
Best of luck to ya in what ever you choice you make.
The sister of my wife has a boy friend working in a factory. He earns good, but shows also all the time the disadvantages of having a fixed job with fixed times to be there.
Also caclulate the expenses to have a job and to drive every day there.
Continue expanding your advertising business.
After another 4 years you may have a PhD and $150,000 in income/year.
Then consider teaching - summers off, sebaticals, health insurance, paid retirement.
Or be a consultant in your own business.
I don't recommend a regular 9-5 job. I did it for 26 years and got nothing much for it.
PS. save as much as you can now!
Work isn't just about 8-10 hours a day of graft, it's about meeting people, sharing common goals, and finding a place in the community. A huge number of people meet their future spouses through work. Working for yourself (e.g. not even working for clients) could be a very isolated existence.
Another consideration is that if you ned a job in 5 years time then in a potential employers eyes you may as well have been unemployed for all that time. At anytime, Adsense may just close perhaps because of too much click fraud. Your income may drop to 20% of what it was, and suddenly you need a job.
I don't mean to put you off the idea - but be sure that it's right for you as a person and that you don't REDUCE options for your future.
I would say go for it but be sure to diversify your income sources.
The same advice I gave my son when he was deliberating on quitting a well paying management position. He did and never looked back. Taking vacations whenever or wherever he wishes, nice home, cars, truck, etc.
It can be done and is being done everyday of the year.
Good luck and choose wisely.
Went to college (never graduated), came back to my hometown and stayed with my family for about 3 years (this is my third year) to save on expenses and insurance. Saved up all the money I could save from Adsense....bought a huge 50+ acreage ranch in the Texas hill country and invested in it. I've already made my money back, btw. Texas real estate is crazy. All those damn californians coming down and gobbling up the land:) Got a landing strip ready and I'm looking at getting a small airplane to fly into and out of it on various occassions.
Now I'll be going back to school to finish my degree and to start getting some ideas on perhaps some part time jobs to take aside from affiliate marketing. It's fun, but damn, you get lonely and feel like you are missing the world sometimes by always being glued to your computer. Also, you want that employment experience for your resume in case something does happen to the dot.com world again.
Enjoy! You can really take control of your life. God bless America (and why we hope to spread democracy to other countries so they can do the same).
It's fun, but damn, you get lonely and feel like you are missing the world sometimes by always being glued to your computer.
Working for yourself (e.g. not even working for clients) could be a very isolated existence.
To prevent this I'd suggest getting a cheap apartment with broadband in a big city. Although there's no denying that a big city could be lonely too there's much more scope for socialising and meeting people through societies, clubs, classes etc. It's easier to do this when you're 22. Even just move into an apartment with roommates rather than a studio, although of course this could present hassle in maintaining a quiet work environment.
How about staying in school - getting an MS or PhD.
So, sorry, I can't possibly fathom what your dilemma is... :)
Another consideration is that if you ned a job in 5 years time then in a potential employers eyes you may as well have been unemployed for all that time.
This displays lots of desirable qualities to a prospective employer, the main one being that you're a self-starter.
You're completeing your degree not dropping out or anything so you will have a safety net. Live the dream man. Go for it.
Try to stay in school until you're 28 :) It is a cold cruel world out here.
Then go on 'The Apprentice'
Do NOW what you can do to open the most doors for you and then you can do what your heart says. Your heart is too stupid at this point.
"No problem. Interview answer: "Well actually after I left college I worked independently on a number of internet projects to finance the time I spent travelling around the world. Having seen the world and all the various perspectives and approaches to work and problem-solving that different cultures had to offer I feel I'm ready to make good use of this experience and settle into a team-based role with <<insert company name here>>."
Ha! Best answer yet! Thanks man, I'll use that. How much is the royalty rights?
Sailor you're one cold son of a ...:-p
