Ask HN: Where can I find stable employment without a degree?

2 points by davenull 9 years ago | 7 comments

I do not have a degree, but I do have a sizable amount of skills when it comes to Node, Networking, and Linux system administration. I have absolutely no idea where I should even begin to look for better employment than I have now.

I live in a medium-sized city in Illinois, and our job market is dead outside of retail/food.

Is there even one place that allows remote work, and will give an ambitious man, with decades of effort and learning under his belt, so that he can take proper care of his family? I can't go on at $11 an hour any longer.

itamarst 9 years ago |

In general most programming and sysadmin jobs can be had without a degree (https://codewithoutrules.com/2017/04/06/you-dont-need-a-cs-d...). But if you want to work remotely there's another problem: you need to credibly demonstrate you can work independently. So make sure you emphasize that when applying, based on specific examples in your work history.

There are sites like https://weworkremotely.com/ that list remote jobs.

davenull 9 years ago | |

I tried to go to college, wound up homeless, living in a van trying to pay for it. Now that I have a family, it just crushes me that I couldn't complete it.

itamarst 9 years ago | | |

That sounds awful. But the US is set up to fail people without money on pretty much every level, and that isn't your fault. Even if perhaps you happened to make some mistakes along the way, we all make mistakes... but some of us are lucky enough to have resources to help us get through the mistakes.

happy-go-lucky 9 years ago | | |

You're feeling responsible. That's good. Looks like all you need is moral support. For now, forget about college. Try to support yourself and your family. Hopefully things will fall into place. Good luck!

JSeymourATL 9 years ago |

> I do not have a degree, but I do have a sizable amount of skills...

The simple/hard thing to do is look for a person that you can help. To find people, do a key word sort on Linkedin in your town, see who is using Linux, etc... Try to target the likely boss for that company/group (look for Senior Manager/Director/VP/CTO). Reach out those individuals direct and have a live converation. That's how you will find hidden opportunities.

Generally, small-medium sized companies are more flexible on degree requirements. Incidentally, holding a degree does not inoculate individuals for employment. You must hustle. Start talking to people you can help.