Even in the wake of society’s high-educational standards, bachelor degrees are a dime a dozen. Most undergraduate degrees aren’t much more than a piece of paper sufficient enough to (maybe) win you an interview. If you have your sights set on success and six-figures, look beyond the undergraduate studies and go to graduate school. However, even then, you run the risk of not being able to get a job right away and you end up being stuck with a ton of student loan debt. Have the rules of success changed that much?
The truth is that the basic rules of success haven’t changed at all. In fact, there are eight degree-not-required jobs that come with enormous earning potential and prove that you can be a success with a little hard work and without a four-year education, assuming that you can be the best in your field, of course. Don’t get me wrong, I highly appreciate people who have an opportunity to go to a university. But if you can’t afford to study, it’s doesn’t mean that you are an uneducated person who doesn’t deserve a well-paid job. Here are 8 wonderful yet lucrative jobs you don’t need a degree for.
1. Nanny
2. Dog Walker
One of my best friends proved that a seemingly second-rate job such as a dog walker can be an excellent and well-paid job. Jensen has been working as a dog walker for a few years. Although he enjoys studying, he just can’t afford to go to a college. Since he is a huge dog lover, he decided to become a professional dog walker. He walks his client’s dogs 5 days a week and he earns much more than me. But the main thing is that he loves his job and is really proud of it. Once he told me that he didn’t understand how I could sit the whole day in the office.
3. Bartender
One of the best things about bartending is that you can hang out at the bar all day and you don’t have to pay for expensive drinks. But my cousin, who’s been working as a bartender for 6 years, tells that if you are going to pick bartending as a career path, you should be ready to be on your feet all day long, be nice to people and deal with a great number of rude people as well. I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard for me to be nice to drunk people, especially when they behave outrageously. So think twice before you start bartending. If it’s not your cup of tea, maybe you will want to become a real estate agent? Keep reading…
4. Real Estate Agent
Last year I tried to work as a real estate agent, and from personal experience I can say that it’s incredibly interesting job. You have a flexible schedule, you communicate with different people, you see different houses, you learn new things, you make new friends and acquaintances. There are actually many more wonderful benefits of working as a real estate agent. But this job might not be perfect for introverts. This was the reason I quit my job.
5. Concierge
The best thing about this job is that it’s never the same. Each day you have many people with absolutely different requests and interests. Working as a concierge isn’t boring and it’s a job that you don’t need a degree for. This job is for those who love to meet and talk to new people and who don’t have a bossy nature. My friend has been a concierge for 5 years and solved many challenging tasks. She says it’s the best job ever! She always knows about the latest exhibits, best restaurants and best places to visit. She spends a lot of her personal time learning new things and improving her communicating skills.
6. Personal Trainer
If you’re keen on health and fitness and you want to work out in the gym but can’t afford it, becoming a personal trainer is a great way out. This job has many amazing benefits as well as some drawbacks. You will have a flexible schedule, meet many interesting people, improve your communication skills. But I think one of the best benefits of this job is that you will help people reach their fitness goals. It’s much better that sitting behind a desk surrounded by computers and copy machines and damaging your health. The drawback is that you might need to earn a personal training certification.
7. Call Center Director
As a call center director, you will have to use a number of measurements to monitor and analyze the call-center performance and plan some improvements to it. You will have to be a motivator, expert service provider, trainer, coach, manager and mentor at the same time. If you decide to become a call center director, you should be ready to have many responsibilities and you should also learn how to deal with hot-tempered people.
8. Casino Manager
You don’t have to have a degree to be successful and pull down the big bucks, but you do have to knuckle down and work hard. If you can do it, it does pay off, and you won’t have a dime in student loan debt. However, if you can afford to study, don’t neglect this opportunity. Education can be a good investment and money spent on it will definitely pay off. What’s your favorite job?