5 Best Ways To Start a Career Without a College Degree
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Angela Corry
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When you work a job that feels like a dead-end street, it’s hard to see all the other options on the horizon. Fortunately, you don’t need a college degree for many high-paying and fulfilling careers in today’s economy. However, you do need to develop a network and skills in those fields and you’ll need to put in plenty of work.
Consider the following on-ramps to get on a career track — without a four-year college degree.
Explore Sales Training
Personal development legend Brian Tracy never got a college degree. He went on to become a multimillionaire and he did so by learning how to sell.
“Being an effective salesperson is something you can easily learn without having to attend business school,” notes Tracy in one of his videos, in a message he’s reiterated time and again throughout his books, trainings and speeches.
Salespeople have no cap on their earnings. The more they sell, the more they earn, and they can keep scaling their sales by hiring assistants and other employees to take on the grunt work.
You can go into sales in nearly any industry, from cars to boats, real estate to mortgage loans, investment securities to business services. As you approach prospective employers, emphasize that you’re coachable and eager for as much sales training as they’re willing to give you. Convey your hunger to earn commissions and willingness to hustle, and many employers will take a chance on you.
Network with People in Your Target Field
You’ve heard the cynical line before: “It’s not what you know but who you know.” That remains half true — knowing people will help you get your foot in the door with an interview.
Hiring website HiringThing notes that referrals remain the number one way of finding a job, and that up to 85% of jobs get filled through the employer’s network. But you still need to prove you’re a good fit for the job. That’s where some sales training can help, for instance.
Start looking into where people in your ideal field gather, such as professional organizations, conventions, job fairs, and online platforms. Then start meeting as many people as you possibly can and express your eagerness to start working in an entry-level position in the industry.
Find an Apprenticeship
Some skilled positions require lots of hands-on education and experience, rather than a formal degree. For example, many people learn trades through apprenticeship to become an expert electrician, or plumber, or HVAC contractor.
Likewise, some craftspeople also apprentice to learn both the art and the business of handmaking furniture or other high-skill crafts.
Find the most successful people in your field of choice locally, and relentlessly pursue apprenticing with them. Emphasize your willingness to work hard, learn, and show up every day with a positive attitude.
Get Certifications for Entry-Level Skilled Work
Other fields, such as information technology, rely on certifications for entry-level positions. A certification or two can help you land your first job in the industry, which then positions you to keep leveling up your skill set.
Beyond IT, medical technicians also typically require a certification for entry-level jobs. For example, you don’t need a degree to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), but you do need to pass a state-administered training and certification exam.
That entry-level position gets you in the arena, and from there you can explore higher-skill, higher-paying career tracks such as a Physician’s Assistant (PA), Registered Nurse (RN), and medical device sales.
Research Two-Year Degree Career Options
Some careers require a two-year degree, rather than a full four-year bachelor’s degree.
Continuing the medical career example, you can get your RN degree and certification with a two-year program to become a nurse. Other examples include radiation therapists, dental hygienists, sonographers, air traffic controllers, physical therapist assistants and many more.
Again, these jobs don’t have to represent the end of the road. Once you start working full-time in a field, you can explore the many career tracks it offers — and raise your skill set as required to move up the ladder.
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