Choosing the career that’s right for you is vital to your overall happiness and health. Our jobs are where we spend a big chunk of our days. Sometimes, on the weekdays, we see our co-workers more than our family. So, when deciding what career path to follow, many factors must be considered.
First, it should be something we enjoy and are passionate about. You know the saying – if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day? It’s true. People who love what they do are less stressed and more productive in the workplace.
Then you, of course, need to think about money. Are you looking for a career that pays good money, or are other things more important? You’ll also need to consider if you want a job with an excellent work-life balance that allows you autonomy to meet new people, travel, and work from home. Think about your non-negotiables; maybe you can’t stand the sight of blood or can’t do heights – those things will cross off doctor, nurse, and construction worker from your list.
But if you like children or animals, you could research into becoming a teacher or veterinarian. There’s an endless number of careers to be had, and it can be overwhelming to think about, especially if you’re a young person who doesn’t have time to ponder what to do with your life. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Below, we’ll cover ten great careers to consider when you’re in the market for a job.
1. Open a Clinic
If you’re a medical professional, counselor, or osteopath, opening your clinic is a great way to share your skills to help heal others. It also gives you a chance to have flexibility in your schedule, can offer job opportunities to others, and provides you autonomy over your work. Depending on your degree or training. For instance, if you’re a medical doctor, you could open an urgent care facility in an area that needs doctors.
An urgent care or family clinic typically takes walk-in patients and offers x-rays, sutures, lab testing, and treatment for minor injuries and illnesses. Perhaps you have a social work license or a degree in addiction counseling; you could open a clinic for people dealing with substance-use disorder. Many physical therapists start working for others and strike out on their own to open clinics. Other types of clinics to consider include those that cater to childbirth, reproductive health, mental health, weight loss, and alternative medicine.
2. Start Massage Therapy
Are you good with your hands and enjoying a calm work environment? If so, being a massage therapist could be just what the doctor ordered. Becoming a massage therapist requires attending a state-approved training program and completing about 500 hours of coursework. Some states require a license exam, while others require successful course completion.
However, you must register with the state before you can work as a massage therapist. Massage therapists work with people, giving various services, including hot stone, therapeutic, reflexology, and deep tissue massages. People often see massage therapists to help with headaches, depression, insomnia, arthritis, and circulation, as well as the more common neck and back pain.
It’s an excellent career for people who need flexible hours, enjoy being physically active, and have a calming presence. In most states, massage therapists are in high demand. The national average salary is $53,200 a year.
3. Revamp Old Cars
If you’re a natural-born mechanic and have a knack for problem-solving, consider a career revamping old cars. Most of us have seen the ads about junking your old clunker of a car. These companies will pay you to take a troublesome vehicle off your hands. They, in turn, will either fix it up and sell it or, if it’s too far gone, they’ll sell junk cars for parts.
Fixing up old cars can, over time, become a lucrative business. It’s a career that doesn’t require much overhead, provided you have the tools and space for a car or two. As the business grows, you can find a larger space and hire more mechanics. Before you know it, you could advertise your business just like those large companies.
4. Teach a Language
If you are skilled in a foreign language (this includes English), you may want to consider helping people learn it. Aside from languages being taught in school, which is an option, people also learn a new language for various reasons. Language schools are pretty famous for children and are quite popular as a way for kids to connect with their culture.
Other people may wish to learn a new language because they’re going to another country or want to communicate with new family members or friends. Sometimes, it’s just for personal enrichment. Regardless of the reasons, foreign language teachers are always in demand. If you want to make a full-time career in it, consider going to college and majoring in language education. Upon graduation, take the state exam to become certified, and you can teach in a public or private school.
This is great for people who love working with young people. Teaching English as a second language to adults can be personally fulfilling if you’re looking for extra income. One of the perks of teaching a language is that it can be done practically anywhere.
For example, the local community center can be used as a setting for French classes. Spanish can be taught online; private Italian lessons can be taught at someone’s home. Teaching a language is an exciting position that’s flexible and pays well.
5. Restore Homes
Home restoration can be quite lucrative and personally fulfilling. You can specialize in one area, such as water damage restoration or exterior repair, and work with homeowners who have had their homes damaged. You can also go complete Bob Villa, buy old, dilapidated homes, and fully restore them from bottom to top, inside and out.
Most professionals who restore homes have training and must be licensed by the state. You can choose many professions related to home restoration, including general contractor, carpenter, interior designer, architect, electrician, and plumber. You’ll get to work with other professionals and clients to bring a home back to its former glory. Some people even specialize in restoring historic homes, which is rewarding and exciting if you’re a history buff.
6. Sell Homes
Do you have stellar communication skills? Do you love people? Are you charming and able to see the best in things? If you answered yes to these questions, a real estate career may interest you. When most of us see houses for sale, we don’t realize how much work goes into selling them.
Real estate agents are those professionals who list homes for sale, accentuate the positive aspects of the home, and work with sellers to fix any issues that might sway potential buyers. Then, they give tours of the home, hold open houses, and use their skills to strike a deal between the two parties to close the deal. It’s not easy, but if a sale is successful, the real estate agent is rewarded with a hefty commission, so all that work is worth it.
To become a real estate agent, you must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma. You must complete a real estate licensing course at an approved school and pass the exam. Once you’re licensed, you can start selling! Most agents start out working for larger real estate companies. After gaining some experience, you can strike out on your own and start your own business.
7. Help Those Injured
If you’re not sure precisely what you want to do but know that you like to help people who have been injured somehow, many careers could be the right fit for you. If you’re interested in frontline and first responder work, consider becoming an emergency medical technician. These professionals are the first to offer medical care when emergency services are called. They will evaluate a person, provide care, and stabilize them for transport to a hospital if necessary.
It’s an exciting career where each day is different, and you’re helping people needing immediate medical care and life support. To become an EMT, you must complete a training program, pass an exam, and become certified. The average salary for an EMT is $35,000 a year.
If being on the front lines is not your thing, you can still help injured people by becoming a personal injury attorney. These lawyers help people recoup money for medical services (past and future) when an individual or business has hurt them. This type of attorney may also sue the injured party for pain and suffering, lost wages, and other costs rendered due to the injury.
In addition to completing a bachelor’s degree, attorneys must complete three years of law school and pass the bar exam. The average salary for a personal injury attorney is $93,000 per year. Though this can vary significantly based on the number of cases, types of cases, and experience.
8. Open a Fun Event Center
Most of us have been to arcades, trampoline parks, indoor fun parks, or sportsplexes. We may go with friends or family or be there for a toddler trampoline party. Regardless of the reason, everyone usually has a good time. Imagine being able to go to the fun center every day.
If you opened a fun event center, you could. This type of business does take some careful research and planning. For example, you must find the perfect location, invest in quality equipment, and have the appropriate insurance. While business experience is undoubtedly a plus, it’s not necessarily needed. However, you should be familiar with your product, meaning don’t open a trampoline park if you’ve never bounced on one, and don’t open a laser tag center if you’ve never played. Customers and employees rely on you to be knowledgeable about your business.
9. Start a Printing Shop
Contrary to what you may think, the print shop, a long-needed staple of civilization, is still alive and well. While they have taken a hit with the advancement of self-publication tools, inkjet printers, and all that tech many of us have at home or work, the fact remains, there’s nothing like good old-fashioned professional printing. Not only that, but many people also use them for bulk orders and direct marketing.
Local print shops can be utilized to create brochures, flier circulars, coupons, and other promotional material. They also print invitations, announcements, and business cards. Let’s not forget that as popular as online media has become, many people still enjoy perusing a physical newspaper or magazine.
For many, nothing beats a good book in your hands. Print shops can also produce graphics on shirts, posters, mugs, and other paraphernalia. To become a printer, you’d typically start as an apprentice in an established shop. The average salary for a print shop employee is $17 per hour.
10. Teach a Unique Sport
There are many great sports out there: baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and tennis, to name just a few. Teaching or coaching them can bring just as much joy as they do when playing. But if you’ve ever played a unique sport, the satisfaction of teaching it to others can be even more rewarding.
First, it’s hard to find coaches; two, it can be even more lucrative than teaching a more common sport. Good coaches for unique sports are always needed. After all, the famous diver Greg Louganis didn’t earn a gold medal by reading a diving book. The more distinctive and specific the sport, the easier it is to find work teaching it.
Take, for example, the game Quidditch. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, you’re probably familiar with the aggressive sport that uses broomsticks. What began as a thing of fantasy has been a real thing (broomstick and all) since 2005. Renamed quadball a few years ago, players do everything but fly. Other unique sports always looking for instructors include cheese rolling, ear pulling, and canal jumping. You can stick to lacrosse, surfing, or hockey if those are too unique.
Choosing a career that suits you can be stressful, but don’t let it get the best of you. Consider your skill set, interests, and research careers that match up. Volunteer or intern at various offices or facilities to see if you genuinely like a particular profession. Consider all your options and research carefully before jumping into a career head first.
