Ask HN: How do you start a new career with minimal qualifications?
As a real world data point:<p>I used to do data entry as well (read from another comment) and I also did factory work and dish washing. I am single though so easier than having a family. If you&#x27;re interested in writing code (solving problems, making things) you can get into it. My path was: self-learning, freelancing, web agency job, SWE job at a corporation. That&#x27;s about 7 years (3 years to learn, get in somewhere). Doesn&#x27;t have to take this long, I had personal problems like not having a car or not wanting to learn a framework.<p>It is hard to get into it, particularly if you don&#x27;t have the education or experience to substitute (I don&#x27;t, had incomplete college).<p>I feel it though, if you don&#x27;t double&#x2F;triple&#x2F;quad your income it&#x27;s hard to get out if you&#x27;re just staying even.<p>What I see are the hot languages to learn are: JavaScript&#x2F;Python&#x2F;C++ (depends where you are but every Who&#x27;s Hiring post on HN has this breakdown). IMO the first two being easier to get into (more opportunity&#x2F;lower qualifications).<p>I would say the easiest&#x2F;fastest thing to get into is some kind of web development eg. PHP&#x2F;WP or if you&#x27;re interested going a little further pick up a framework like React that&#x27;s high in demand. Course need knowledge before that eg. html&#x2F;css&#x2F;js. Anyway it can be done... Easier if you can free up time.<p>At this time I&#x27;m still just under $100K&#x2F;yr though so I&#x27;m not at FAANG or anything like that, take my opinion with a grain of salt.<p>Random thought: if you&#x27;re trying to come up with alternative ways to make money, you could try some kind of side hustle&#x2F;gig... there are sites like Indie Hackers where people share their random thing that makes some money. I haven not figured out anything myself but it can give some alternate insight. But a new higher-paying job is more guaranteed to change your life than some idea that may or may not work.<p>My personal goal is to exit&#x2F;pursue my own interests after FIRE but I&#x27;m far from it atm.