First post, so I welcome all feedback. I’m looking for feedback on whether pursuing an alternative career in a coding related role is a realistic goal. I am looking for an alternative or secondary source of income away from my current commercial real estate work.
A little about me. I’m 45 in about six weeks. I’ve worked in finance for 20yrs, largely in investment analysis and asset management. I took a role three years ago that lead me to commercial real estate finance and brokering commercial real estate loans. It is a 100% sales commission role which I enjoy, but am concerned that when rates rise my sales volume will take a hard dip. I’m considering developing coding skills as a plan B. I don’t know how demand for development work will react in a economic down turn, but I imagine it would not be as soft as demand for financing when/if rates materially rise.
My current work allows me to manage my own day and work from home. I could conceivably find 1-2hrs a day to work on coding 4-5 business days a week. If I can find 10hrs a week to code, am fairly logical and above average intelligence (nowhere near a mensa candidate), what is a reasonable expectation of skill set growth over a 6-12 month period?
So my second question is this, how many folks are looking to programming as an alternative career, a plan B skill set, or as a way to augment current income with freelance/contract work? Is there work to pick up at a 15-20hrs a week? Or would that type of work and relatively lite of billable hours be outsourced overseas?
Thanks for any and all feedback. - John