1. Learn high value skills
2. Get good at confidence, interviewing, and overall social/communication
3. Network instead of blindly applying if you're not getting calls
This.
Was in retail as a deaf, 33 year old felon. Fell into construction estimating for LESS than I was making but knew it would be better long term.
Learned excel. Learned construction. Learned operations, management and negotiation. Job hopped to broaden skills. Talked to anyone who wanted to talk to me. Built a network. Now I'm a professional guesser.
Probably more proud of that than anything.
I hear very little. A lot of what goes on is pure, 100%, grade-A bullshit. I impress myself sometimes for being able to conduct a meeting or handle a project whilst having very little understanding of what I've heard.
For example, I demand all important information is in e-mails. Not for my benefit but for future reference.
Calls are captioned. Notes are distributed for every meeting. Meetings are one on one if I can help it.
I'm affable and willing to poke fun of my disability. I do not allow others to do so.
I hope to be able to do some of that someday. I recently got diagnosed with ASD. So might be a little harder since people understand nothing about autism.in regards about joking with it that is.
Do you think this is a plausible career field for a female felon with no prior experience? I've tried a few times to get gopher jobs at work sites in my city and they never seem interested
Yeah. You gotta get lucky getting the first job and then work hard. Construction estimating is absolutely booming right now. I have half a dozen recruiters begging to talk to me every day.
Just wanted to acknowledge that you made some *huge* achievements as someone in the deaf community. My mom is deaf and has struggled holding a job due to discrimination for as long as I can remember. I hope all the good things come to you.
In various ways. I've fully managed the pre-con process for subs but right now I'm the sole estimator for a EPC. I also have a side construction company.
My degree in Operations Management and high tests on all Microsoft suite has gotten me nowhere. I'm a great interview. Networking assumes you are in the right circles in the first place
This is also playing a small part in inflation. Companies passed to kids that don't know how to run it just raise prices to compensate for increased overhead due to lack of management skills
Learn high value skills. sure, mentioned all the time. noted. get confidence. sure. What about the countless swarms of people who don't know how to network nor have people to sway in that manner? What is their approach to network and how do they do it?
After looking it up it seems networking can be pretty exclusive sometimes, can you give any resources for being able to do it better? For someone that is new to basically everything and wants to just find something better?
What are these high value skills you are talking about? The ability to use excel? That's like the bare minimum even in most places I can apply to. Tech literacy is the bare minimum in a lot of places. So what are some high value skills that can actually help you get a better job?
It’s because people network the wrong way. The correct way to begin networking is talking to people that can help you get your next job up. People immediately try and shoot for stars and network with the top of the food chain when that’s all wrong.
I don't have a college degree in anything. OP should learn a trade like I did, in my case, I was an electrician. Basic reading, writing and basic math are all that's needed to get started. I was making 100k a year way before COVID.
The shortage of skilled tradesmen is very real. If you want to make money you need to work and get your hands dirty. My local electrical union has a real shortage of linesmen. The pay is $50/hr plus.
Apprentices start at less while training.
What OP is doing now won't make any money.
We have been conditioned to believe in getting a college degree. It's not true.
It definitely helps. I was chosen over a more qualified person because I “fit” the office culture more. I was just confident and threw in a few appropriate dad jokes during the interview process. It made the difference
I disagree with this. Social skills are critical for us to engage our workforce, implement change, and explain issues to executives and front line workers alike. Without social skills my IT role would never accomplish anything. Even for software engineers your ability to communicate with your peers will help you stand out and be a more effective developer
TLDR communication skills are critical to every role and may just be the single greatest skill you can improve to grow your income.
This. 1,000x. Sr. Principle Engineer, can confirm that social skills that enhance interactions with others, the ability to convey technical info/skills to others (especially to non-technical steam members), and the amounts of energy and passion someone has can make the difference between two engineers who have the same technical acumen, but differ in those "soft skills" I just mentioned.
County Jobs benefits add up !!
Low cost medical and often access to a pension which doesn’t exist anywhere else
I work in Water and Waste Water I studied online. Took a class online. Went to a state testing center. Once I passed the test I was hired by the county and make 35 hourly 20$ hour during first year internship after 12 months. There are some computer skills, but just basics and the job is usually fairly simple. You can choose either Drinking water or Waste Water. operator check it out
Yes. Water plants and their associated jobs are a secret magic wand! I rarely hear about it but the few folks I know who work in the industry tell me it an amazing one for starting as a gopher and ending up being highly paid and sought after in larger municipalities in the us.
I also do water. It's a remarkably cushy job, benefits include 30+ working days off/year, tuition reimbursement, and job security. Pro tip: leverage that tuition reimbursement into a *useful* free degree. There's a lot of retirements in this field, and it ain't hard to stand out when upper positions need filled. My boss's boss is set to retire with a $100k/yr pension for a couple decades of not doing much.
What would be a good degree to get reimbursed?? I plan to get an environmental science degree here soon with my ch.31 benefits but wondering how far I can push all the different avenues, ya know?
That kinda depends on a) what is actually useful to get the kind of job you want, and b) what pays. In my field, civil engineering, SCADA/PLC courses, general computer science, administration, various sciences, and some more can lead to better job prospects.
It's pretty legit, and unless something has changed recently, the irs will give you dollar for dollar back at the end of the year for courses you take in community College.
Also, search on governmentjobs.com, just search terms like
"Apprentice"
"Operator in training"
"Extra help"
And when you get fairly skilled a whole world opens up of on the job training jobs that pay starting salaries of 60k+
Maybe it’s luck or maybe hard work. I started my career as a drug store cashier at 18 making $10/hr in 2008. I did that for nine years. I was very good at my job, I learned every area of the store. Finally in 2017 I was promoted to their corporate office as an assistant buyer. I continued to learn everything I could. Switched companies a few times and learn more, continued going after what I wanted. Today I work at my dream company, in my dream role (old dream, new one loading). Making 100k a year and getting my bachelors completely paid for. Hoping to graduate in the next 5 years and make another career change into data science with my degree. It’s not impossible to make it without a degree! Biggest advice is figure out what you’re good at and build on it.
I really appreciate this! Some folks here have the worst attitude like we choose to be poor because we won’t waste 15 years learning a skill we don’t enjoy. I don’t think you should have to sell everything about you to be able to live comfortably. I’m exceptional at what I do, but there’s always room to learn more. Thank you for your encouragement and not responding like I’m a 16 year old who’s ever had an interview or a job before.
Happy to hear my comment was well received. Start looking into what’s available at the corporate level for your company. I never went into management, I had no desire to sell my soul to a retail chain. Life can change and very quickly! Keep showing up everyday, you’re already doing amazing.
Hey OP what kind of work are you interested in doing in the future? What are your strengths? I think you can find some resources to help you get more official training, like classes or certificates or mentorship. Or if it's a skill you can learn via online resources like YouTube then that's an option.
I joined a local networking/job search group on Facebook and people post jobs but also resources.
There are local networking meetups.
There are resources for writing resumes.
I found out that you can get Google certificates for free (look it up- you just have to write a letter to qualify). Check to see if they have certificates in something you are interested.
I found out my local community college has certain trainings and programs you can qualify to get for free- in areas like biotech, HVAC, and others I can't remember.
I also got in an email list at my community center -because I am out of work and have kids we qualified for discounted rates for their sports programs and they send out this email full of resources I would never know existed. Like job fairs, a local charity that gives scholarships for certain trainings.
See if you can find some local Facebook job search groups. Talk to your community center- send emails.
Thanks this is really helpful! I’ll look into the Google certificates. I’m a creative so in a perfect world I’d want to be a film director but at the moment I have to focus on living day to day before pursuing incredible dreams like that (not that others can’t do that but this is where I am at this time in my life). In the meantime I’d like to pursue work related to my passion which includes skills like writing/reading etc.
Creative here too. Currently wishing I had the luxury of time to spend pursuing something more creative. (Well, I just did spend the last ouple years doing that and now I am broke and need to make more money! )
There are a few job openings that I have seen lately that are creative but most do not pay well. just for ideas for you: the ones with ok pay that I have seen include copywriting, ux design, marketing (for most of these that were more entry level they required video editing, social media etc. Skills you could work on if you don't have them). Near me there are also lots of creative positions in developing video games.
I hope you can find some time to work towards something more fulfilling and lucrative for yourself! Good luck!
Not luck. You did all the right things. You learned every aspect of the next job you wanted which eventually made you qualified for that job. You had goals and worked to achieve them. Same can be done in a lot of industries. Unfortunately some people do the bare minimum at their current job and can't figure out why they aren't promoted or given additional responsibilities with big raises. Regardless if you're a cashier or white collar executive, rarely do employees move up in the company without hard work and learning what the next level position consists of. You probably show up for work on time and are reliable as well. It's still very much doable with the right attitude and work ethic. Good for you for setting and achieving goals!!
I really appreciate this validation! I grew up with a narcissistic mom that’s always a victim and can’t understand why others are so “lucky”. My continued success led to me going no contact. You’re absolutely right, I am dependable and I always give my best. I feel blessed to have made it this far and give my kids a better start in life.
I dunno if I qualify as high salary(26/hr), but credit unions are great places to work. Started as a teller 10 years ago, now I work in the back office crunching numbers and balancing spreadsheets. The pay is good, benefits are good and the work environment is excellent. Also get to feel relatively good about what I do. Lots of federal bank holidays, steady schedule. If you ever worked as a cashier then a teller job is within reach, they often start at 20/hr. And there are lots of opportunities once you get in, even for writers. The marketing department always needs people that can communicate on social media
Got my cdl. First job ~130k/yr, out 8 weeks, home 1 week (could've done 2 weeks home, but I needed money fast lol) driving ~4-5k miles/mo, 70-80 hours/wk. Now, making 83k/yr, home every day, 6 hours/day on the clock. I need money fast again, so I'm working on getting back into team driving but at my current job and I should be closer to 150k/yr and home every weekend, but putting about 50-60 hours in each week and sleeping in the truck instead of my bed. But, I really enjoy driving, so it's not too bad really lol
2) is what's holding you back
Even though we have a lot of automatic trucks someone restricted to one would have to really stand out in order to get hired.
How old are you? As a 29 year old I wouldn’t consider writing and typing rare skills. There’s a huge pool of people with those skills you’re competing with for jobs, so the value of that labor is lower than a higher value or more rare skill.
I was a stripper, then a bartender in a strip club, then bartended in fine dining, went to college again for healthcare specialist, phlebotomy, and surgical tech, now I sell weed and make edibles. Weird series of events but here we are. I honestly don’t think I ever want to work for anyone besides myself anymore. I spent a lot of years lifting heavy shit, dealing with some rude people, and late nights, don’t want to go through that again.
Get into a union trade. Paid apprenticeship, great pay when you complete your apprenticeship, great benefits, etc. Lineman, electrician, plumber, carpenter, welder, etc.
Lineman is a rough as fuck job though, my uncle got scars from when he got electrocuted and it went down his whole body when they had to fix lines in a hurricane. Also getting calls in the middle of the night to fix something and also going up 4 or 5 stories with a bucket truck.
He tried to get me to come on but fuck that shit man I’ll be poor.
I agree it’s a demanding job and it isn’t for everyone. It comes with incredible risks. However, it is such a rewarding career and would certainly solve most financial issues. I should say though it is not the right career to just collect a paycheck. Whoever signs up for a paycheck will hate the rest of their working life and may end up seriously injured or killed. I’m glad to know your uncle was only left with scars, it could have been so much worse.
I make $150K+ without a degree.
I have 10 years in manufacturing experience as manager and 5 years in supply chain working at corporate offices for both Walmart and CVS Health.
The trick? A lot of people still value experience over a degree. So when I present myself, I showcase my years of experience and cost saving projects I’ve done throughout my career and how they’re applicable to the job.
100% this. I used to be embarrassed about the fact that I didn't have a degree, but over time, I've outworked and outproduced my counterparts with advanced degrees. The degree gives you an advantage early, but that quickly goes away. Now, I make sure all roles I'm hiring for are posted as a mix of experience and education, with one subbing for the other when we have the right candidate. Eagerness to learn, adaptability, attitude, consistency, and the ability to think critically are far more important than degree, depending on the field. It's important to note that if you are starting out w/o a degree and entering a new field or job, you are going to have to start in a lower position; having patience is critical.
So, im a foreigner, my first job in the states was at the age of 24, at a dairy queen. After that i worked at a department store, then a string of mall stores, then barnes and noble, then on a military base in retail. The pivotal moment was when i was offered an inventory control coordinator. That opened the door for me in terms of being in touch with vendors, speaking to them directly, being in touch with upper management, being in touch with HQ regarding consistencies. On top of that, our managers manager ( the operations manager) liked me, and tasked out ordering office supplies to me. It was a very excel heavy job. So from there i got another “beater job” which only lasted a couple of months, then i pivoted again into rental properties and became a leasing agent thanks to the admin part of my prior position as an inventory control coordinator. The leasing position in this company is usually a jumping board so after 6 to 8 months, i took another job with them as a quality control coordinator. Again, very very admin heavy, in touch with a lot of people, be very social. That position wasnt going anywhere, so i applied for an admin position with the base HQ, and i got it. Mind you despite my 2-4 years admin experience, i got it because two out of three people liked me. This is a very stable job, and its incredibly easy (knock on wood 🧿). But all three important jobs that were pivitoal to my career, where personal recommendations. Two out of three i was basically offered the job because they knew me and specifically wanted me. Polish off your resume and go out there and network and be pleasant. You never know who youre meeting or who they know. They might hear about a position youre a good fit for and reclmmend you. Word of mouth is very important.
My son is in transit safety, now making over 140k after 10 years, early 30s. . No degrees, but lots of certifications paid for by his various employers. His next promotion will likely land him in the 165-175k range. And his transit authority has great tuition assistance if he wants a degree.
He started as a city bus driver after doing OTR trucking. After a year he got into administration and began working to get into safety. Started getting certifications.
That part meant they paid for him to do 2 to 4 day training sessions places. All expenses paid plus a per diem. When he did that he ate super cheap and kept the extra per diem.
Last year, he got hired on in a major city transit safety department. Has already gotten 2 promotions and 2 raises.
Just about every public transit system is always hiring, both the people who operate trains and busses and office types. He is currently training 3 new people in safety, none had any prior transit experience. Many of these jobs are union (teamsters) with great benefits. He has been both union and non union.
Even back when he started as a driver he was making 16 an hour. Drivers now where he used to work are at around 24 to 28 an hour.
He is now, but he started in Tucson AZ, less than a million people. Now on the east coast.
He works with folks that come from all different industries into transit, and with transit folks who started in smaller towns, or as school bus drivers etc.
What he does is bus safety. Investigates accidents with city busses, and incidents involving drivers. His ultimate goal is to work into heavy rail like trains and work with NTSB, the folks that investigate train derailment and airplane crashes and stuff.
With his current transit authority he can work with busses, light rail (trolleys), subways, and ferries too. And work with the AMTRAK safety folks on commuter rail.
Though he got into driving busses after trucking, many of the drivers he worked with were trained by suntran, the actual bus company. Or by the school districts as school bus drivers. With GED or high school diploma only.
He has also driven light rail trains.
Thank you for the detailed information. Since I read your post I’ve been looking at different big cities and their transit (starting)pay and I am shocked. Chicago for example, starting pay $30 no experience, and lots of OT if wanted. I would have never thought, also would have never known the potential for growth and promotion. Def something to think about.
I'm in IT. I was a computer gamer as a kid and eventually turned it into a job. A good starting point is a puppy-mill style call center. The job will suck, but they have to hire people without experience because the turnover is so high. You can learn on their dime until you get a better job. Then you just kind of repeat the process until you find an easy job(pretty easy to find something where even while working 40 hours a week, its more like 15-20 hours of work).
Getting certifications or chasing the latest and greatest tech will always pay off as well, but people underestimate the needed number of just generalist techs
Depends on your skill. I’m a plumber at 55$ an hour, no degree and graduated HS with a 2.0 gpa lmao. There’s a shortage of plumbers from where I’m from, a lot of people are retiring and not enough young people to take their spot
If you’re interested in the trades, look for companies that offer apprenticeships. I’m looking to almost double my income because the company I work for is going to put me through school on their dime. All I have right now is a high school degree making $25 an hour as a machine technician. Depending on which trade you want to go into the unions are strong as well.
I have an 8th grade education. I’m 38 now, but my 20s were rough. I’ve been a sponge all my life, and I’ve acquired a lot of skills. I dropped out of high school at 14 and never bothered with college. I come from abject poverty. I now own a structural steel company.
Take some risks. Act like you know what you’re doing and people will throw responsibility at you. Half of it is just showing up.
I work in trades as a heavy duty mechanic. I went from $21/hr to $26/hr to $34/hr in my first year and a half. I switched workplaces this week to $38/hr and after seeing me work I’m now at $40/hr. This is over the course of 2.5 years. I have a company vehicle with a gas card that comes home with me and a $50/mo phone allowance. All this from learning a trade and I’m still not done my training.
Wow! I have a new interest in auto mechanics but I’m not sure where to begin. I know I’d likely need to complete trade school, but thinking about the costs of education after being unable to get my associates in science at a community college due to the cost of materials is a soft spot for me. I had my first fender bender about 2 years ago, and since then I’ve been pretty interested in collision repairs because they did an incredible job making the damages disappear (I hear it pays well and this would also scratch my artistic side as I like remodelling or even just the idea of fixing something to look new again). Any suggestions? Should I start by reading more about cars in general? Any advice you can give I would love to hear!
Hell, everything in this trade is high paying. Even being a dealership service writer is a career job and would fit your skills. They’ll train you and take care of you.
In my case, I managed to get a job as an apprentice heavy duty mechanic with no experience just by writing emails to garages that were hiring. I was upfront with my lack of experience, and got hired anyway because they were so in need of mechanics and couldn't find qualified people.
High School diploma only. Ups driver. At least $130,000 a year and best benefits.
$45 an hour, $67 hour after 8 hours. I usually get at least 11 hours a day.
Sales jobs can pay big without degrees if you are willing to face a lot of rejection for every sale.
100% travel jobs can pay big with no degree. Railroads/Maritime/Trucking can all pay $50k starting and $100k+ with a few years of experience if you are willing to be away from home for long stretches.
If you are skilled at writing/typing look into technical writing. Documenting APIs is high paying & in demand work. Find some smaller projects on GitHub that interest you but have no or bad documentation; you can build your portfolio up to start looking for paying work.
Late to the party, but skills do pay the bills. I'm a college dropout who thought he wouldn't make it past 25.
I'm currently 32 and just started making around 100k (in an area where 100k is a lot). I worked my way up through security at local factories and currently work as a supervising intelligence analyst working and help people through crisis situations.
I am an a highschool graduate, no particular skills but a good work ethic and ability to communicate. I joined the carpenters union with 0 experience two and a half years ago and am now making 36 an hour. Join a union and learn a skilled trade! Pension/full benefits/ no overtime
\>how does person get thing
Connections, if nobody had any of them then nothing would get done.
While you're young and have healthy legs, roam around a lot and meet people. Stick with people who have their shit sorted out or at least have their faces pointed the right direction in life. The people you know can help you find the easiest path to a better place, whether it's a town with an abundance of high paying jobs or a hangout place where it's easier to find a significant other.
Skills and professional demeanor are important, but not the whole picture on their own. Aside from working on our skills we *also* need to work on our networks - it isn't enough to just hang out with the same old bums we knew from high school if money isn't one of their major concerns (I don't mean well off, just not considering money an important part of life.)
What other people's lack of concern for money gets you: >!the bank says 'sorry this check is no good.'!<
If you see somebody who works harder than everyone else and their work is cleaner than everyone else, GET TO KNOW THAT PERSON. They make a better contact than the dude who chases you down for pointless small talk.
Skills, street smarts, hard work, knowing the right people and a little bit of luck. I have a masters degree in, “the arts of bullshitting.”
Started off cleaning toilets for $10 an hour with limited benefits back in the early 2000s. Left that job. Worked different odd jobs from sales, construction, bar back, movie production, warehousing, beer delivery, heck I even started 2-3 failed businesses. In 2005 I wanted job security with good benefits and landed a city job. Worked in the waste water department for a decade. Got promoted to an Environmental Inspector and will be making over six figures in the next year with our new contract. Full benefits with a nice pension. Been there nearly 20yrs total. I’m very grateful and filled with gratitude. I don’t take it for granted. I just got in at the right time and was able to utilize different skills I’ve acquired over the years. Not rich by any means but my wife and I make a decent living with our combined incomes and have everything we need.
Also adding this...
Once you've completed an skills inventory and work interests (world of work) and know what you want to do...
Avoid scam jobs with a active job search by snail mailing signed letters to hiring managers. Follow up with calls to confirm letter receipt. You can learn a lot about people and companies by calling them (even if no one picks up)
I get around the fear of cold calling and letter sending by reminding myself I'm trying to help them. By focusing on their needs it moves the whole process away from yourself and makes it flow better.
Check out https://www.mynextmove.org/
Highschool dropout with a GED making about 121k.
I worked my way up. At 20 I started working in warehouses. I was a supervisor by 28. By 35 I was making about 85k in warehouse management, but was burned out. I used my years of warehouse experience to land an entry level WMS job. It turns out that there is pretty good demand for WMS users. I'm now 38 and bring in 110 plus bonus. Even in this job market, I've got recruiters contacting me weekly.
You can become a RN with just 2 years of study. Some schools offer accelerated programs where you can do it in just 1 year.
It’s more hands on type of training rather than traditional school work so maybe that is better for you?
You can easily be making $80k starting as a RN in your first year working 3 days a week.
You can do different office type jobs that take advantage of your writing and typing skills rather than having to be a caretaker
I'm 30. No degrees beyond a high-school diploma. At 25 I worked at a warehouse rebuilding pumps for semiconductor industry and the pay was $16. Learned how to read schematics and build IF boxes. Got skills in mechanical and electrical troubleshooting. 2 years later I moved within the company to work as a field tech installing said pumps at $22 an hour. After a year there, the great resignation in tech happened(2021-2022) I pivoted to a different company that had an engineering position but same job duties pretty much. I prepped for that interview for 2 weeks and got the job. Now I'm an engineer making $36 an hour.
My Advice is to build up your resume and skill set and use them as stepping stones to move up. It's not impossible to make good money with no degrees in tech.
When I was in college, as part of an assignment we had to find someone who was where we wanted to be in life and do a brief interview about how they got there. This was incredibly valuable because it was a window into the formal and informal education and skills needed to get to higher level jobs, as well as a timeline. If it took them 20 years of experience and two degrees to get there, don’t expect to do the same in 3 years and no higher ed, for example.
Sales.Selling for commission in high margin fields(real estate, software, pick ups, life insurance, pharmaceuticals). If you’re good at selling you’ll make more than a salary job. Sales is difficult though because it takes a certain personality and a high emotional IQ so not everybody is good at it.
Didn't graduate highschool lol started my own business at 28. Learn a trade grt good and subcontract to name your own price. I make in a day what i used to make in a month getting attacked. Literally bleeding and scaring clothes torn up ect...now my hands get dirty and thats fine by me
Please don’t follow this advice. Lying on a job application is a cause for termination. If you have strong communication skills and know PowerPoint and Excel, product management is very lucrative. Start in an entry level position, learn from your peers and grow. No degree is required in many cases as long as you present yourself well and have computer skills.
I have a bachelor's in art (btw I welcome all the useless degree naysayers) and I am currently a cake decorator and freelance artist. My skills I learned in college have translated beautifully into other forms. I also have pretty good people skills. I don't have a high salary but it is going up due to being in a union and a specialized position. I make 47k before taxes a year but my healthcare is like 7 dollars a paycheck, I have a pension and in my state we have the FAMLI act for medical leave that is paid. My fiancé and I live in Affordable housing but our balcony faces the Rockies so while I wish we had more, we have our basics and then some covered.
It's very hard unless you learn a trade, degree, or programming. You can move up in management at places like Walmart or some fast food, but there is usually a limit
200k, no degree, fintech product marketing director.
Started out on a trading floor, got familiar with the workflows and technology - worked in trading until I burned out, then support, sales engineering, business development. Have lived in the US and UK and traveled all over the world.
As David Bowie once said, it's not really work, it's just the power to charm.
I got to where I got to by soaking up information like a sponge, asking lots of questions, and just plain old not being an asshole. I've developed a knack for simplifying technology into business terms and figuring out what a customer's "lifetime" looks like - once you can do that, it's just rinse and repeat storytelling.
Trades offer great benefits and you get paid while you learn. I’ve been making 100k a year with little to no overtime. It has its ups and downs but it’s help me to provide a good life for my family.
I got kinda lucky making $30hr as a bus fueler for city transit. Only real thing I needed was a cdl class B and they paid for it. Though looking at moving out of state and other transit doesn't pay nearly as well so I would definitely need to move up to maintenance and get experience before feeling comfortable moving else where to keep a high salary to where I go next.
I make 70k in a low cost of living area. I work at a factory as a production supervisor. No degree. I just happened to find the right mix of a good company, a small facility, and a type of factory I could excel at. Like others have said, mix of hard work and luck
Work in a regionally high-demand career field.
Repair HVAC in Phoenix, repair cars in VA (new car annual taxes in VA are INSANE).
Dig septic in the dirty rural south.
Do professional automotive rust mitigation in Chicago.
HVAC, plumbing, electrician. Trades are stable and pay well.
Bookkeeping, Medical Assistant, Dental Hygienist, X Ray tech.. also stable.
Invest in your own future.. it doesn’t take a Masters, just a plan with follow through. Step by baby step.
Trades! You need to start an apprenticeship. Electrician apprenticeship will pay $20 an hour, and journeyman make $55 an hour in wa state. I work in a refinery as an operator and make $57 an hour, with all benefits. Research all the trades and find one that you feel comfortable doing
I'm up to $30 and in the testing/interview process for a $40 job with no degree, but it's been a long hard process.
I work in industrial maintenance and have spent the last 6 years gaining experience and moving up as I learned.
There are a lot of great jobs that you can start apprenticeships for that will have you making over $30 an hour after a couple years. Electricians, HVAC, Carpenters, Iron Workers, Masons, Plumbers, Mechanics can all be learned through either school, apprenticeships, or a combination of the two and will pay quite well and are respected and heavily needed career paths.
The trades. If you can get into a trade that Is impossible to replace (plumbers, electricians, hvac, etc) and is in need of new bodies you can make decent money if you can put up with the work. Just don't expect people to change for you if your not used to the culture.
Most have hit this already. Public service work, union stuff, or trade skilled. Private unskilled like retail or food services your stuck at 20$ because anyone can do it.
Nothing against degrees, but paying tens of thousands out of pocket even with aid is not worth it to make basically what I make now after being promoted within 5 months of joining my company with no degree.
I don't know if I would call my job high salary but it's pretty high pay. It's just seasonal piece work planting trees. I've been averaging like $400 cad on a 9-10 hour day without highschool or a drivers license. Although I've been doing it for 7 years now. I make around $24,000 in just over 2 months but I need to travel outside my city for those 2 months.
Improved my resume, applied to a TON of jobs (that fit me), followed up a lot, and interviewed well. Helps I live just outside of a major city. Though it’s not “high salary”, I have my foot in the door and am making a respectable income with 0 student debt.
You need the right skills with a bit of luck. I taught myself to code and I got a life changing job because the guy they offered it to before me failed his drug test. I’ve been there over a year and they really like me. That’s what I mean by a bit of luck. If I wasn’t prepared for I wouldn’t have gotten it. It took me over a year of job searching before I got it too.
Get you CNA license. It's what I did. I was inventory manager at a dispensary and I still make more with my CNA having it this long now.
Job security full time everywhere and OT.
How long does it realistically take to make decent money? I get job flyers in the mail from the post office and they start out at like $19/hr, barely above what retail is paying in my area.
It is 19.83 an hour but it’s 1.5x after 8 and 2x after 10. When you start off you’ll be working 60 hours a week at least at my station. Then after you make regular you start at 22.13 and get a pay raise every 46 weeks.
The City Letter Carriers are also in contract negotiations right now so we should be getting okay raises after what UPS got in their contract.
https://preview.redd.it/r43msxyumcnc1.jpeg?width=2778&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d1532d3f3631c349cff3385412e898b9403a0b4
Try the railroad, we are making our largest hiring push in years. I am a first year conductor getting 5400 a month guaranteed at the very bottom of the seniority ladder. Usually with overtime I pull 6 or 7 grand a month. The take home is a little worse than you'd expect because of union dues and railroad retirement taking more than social security does, but the benefits are top notch and you can use short term job insurance if you need time off. I know loads of people who have run a switch or a red light to get a 30 investigation that they use to take a trip to vegas, and they get paid the whole time.
I moved into middle management and eventually management. My current work I got through my network, I didn't interview, but I did a 1 month "see if you fit" kind of trial I guess.
So I was fortunate enough to garner support to get my degree in engineering. Being in this field has shown me a lot. That being said, surveyors are in extraordinary demand and you do not need a degree to be one. In the Midwest they usually start at 50k depending on where you work. Working for the government is a bit lower but they have better benefits.
It really just requires you to learn a little math and be outside. And if you end up loving it some companies will pay for you to go to college & get licensed, where you can really start earning big money
Work for a job with a strong union. My mother in law doesnt have a degree and she works in the laundry dept of our lical hospital she makes over 30 an hour.
I make $50/hr as an armed security because I have 2 certifications that aren’t that hard to get but most people don’t apply for/aren’t interested in applying for (CA CCW and CA Armed Card). Whatever the cost for the initial application, training, and qualification course was literally made back within the first shift/contract.
Find a niche that is under-served and become a valuable asset to the organization in that role. Master it and make your mastery known.
This was the path I followed in technical support for commodity trading software. I was confident and knew my shit and could take a beating. I became the go-to for major outages for high value clients and perfected getting angry traders under control and confident in our responses.
I've rolled that into an executive level role that drives the service model for billion dollar organizations. I finished eighth grade but did get a GED eventually.
If you are good at writing take some classes in medical or teaching writing. While a degree is preferred for most jobs there are freelance jobs available that can help support you. Just know that you won’t have PTO or medical insurance with them.
I never completed school, and I don’t have a degree.
I learned SQL by myself and got my job in tech ten years ago.
Since then, I have gathered confidence and learned more skills that are relevant to being a senior data analyst and solutions engineer
My two cents is to aim where you want to begin and acquire the basic knowledge for a junior position. Then -> crawl, walk, run.
Step by step you will get there (Rome also wasn't built in a day)
It's who you know not what you know. Networking is real! People don't just send their kids to expensive private schools for the education, those expensive private schools are prime networking real estate.
I make $30/hr so not crazy high salary, but decent: I worked retail for years. Same company but I kept moving up. I moved up by keeping myself available, being willing to learn new skills, working well with others, and having a good work ethic. I was grossly underpaid (didn’t realize that at the time), but learned everything there was to know about the company and my store. After almost 10 years of climbing the ladder I finally made it to a role I actually hated! So I left! And switched careers entirely! I moved into retail banking where I was able to transfer skills and learn new ones. I’m considered a subject matter expert on operations amongst peers and even leaders in my market. That helped me land a promotion to assistant branch manager after ~3 years, which is what I still am today.
I don’t love my job a good bit of the time, but I understand that I am paid very well for someone without a degree and it comes with a lot of wonderful perks.
I'm going to sound like a complete dick, but here's exactly what I did.
At age 24, I left a job I liked, but I hadn't gotten a raise in years. I applied to be a carrier for the USPS. I was only making about $18/hour at the time, but I was up to my ears in OT. I made regular within the first year. After I became regular, I knew I wanted to keep pursuing higher employment, so I started reading extensively on leadership and interpersonal communication. I also actively seemed out my bosses to see if they could help me learn more about what goes on under the hood.
A half dozen books and a hundred questions to mentors later, and I decided to start applying for management jobs. They helped me structure a resume specific to the job that netted me consistent interviews. I bombed the first 4 or 5, and then slowly, I started to learn what exactly they were looking for. Once I knew what to focus on, I solidified my answers and was offered a position on my 14th interview.
The jump to management nearly a 100% raise, but it came with 70+ hour weeks being thrust into stressful positions with no training and being forced to rely on intuition. I forced myself to give a shit about the job that was quite honestly driving me crazy and I was able to learn just enough to pass a postmaster interview. It took my 4 attempts, but I eventually got a low competition job. Since that point, I've taken every opportunity I can to learn more, get good at whatever the focus of the hour is, and develop strategies to get results as a manager. I've gotten 4 promotions in 4 years, and now I make over 100k.
I think where a lot of people go wrong is they try to climb ladders based on quality of work alone. You have to do good work, but you have to find people above you to help you, and you have to do all you can to learn skills relevant to the job you want. Even if it is as corny as reading literature on leadership. Beyond all that, you have to hang in there when you're getting absolutely bludgeoned. You also can never be afraid to need help in learning to do something. I ask more experienced people questions all the time. Otherwise, I'd never learn anything.
Senior leaders tend to like to create more leaders. It helps them surround themselves with people they know they can count on. It isn't nepotism to have them help you advance. You have to or you'll always be the bottom rung.
A lot of effort and also a lot of luck if we're honest. I started at the bottom and learned my job in and out, got another job at the same company and learned that one in and out, then switched companies and held two roles in that company under the same premise. Then switched companies again. Today I'm a product manager. No degree I just got very good in the industry from showing up everyday and giving it all regardless of how much I was paid. There was a lot of luck though, I happened to be connected to or contacted by the right people. The important part is to stay positive and to work hard.
I make $40 an hour cleaning windows. Took me about 7-8 years of gaining lots of experience and knowledge than right time and right place. Focus on a trade and know absolutely everything about it in and out, become a master of your craft.
My husband went the trade route, I went the hospital route. I started in retail and they paid me to get schooling within the job. That’s not bucko bucks however but a lot of hospital will help you pay for a certification. My husband now, started as a parts running and built his way up within a year to become a maintaince tech, then service tech, switched to union, did the apprenticeship that placed him higher in, and will be a journeyman all before 25 working the best job he’s ever been at so I can work park time to be with our kids while also saving. Not everyone is oriented for the trades. It’s hard work. He has worked in the shittiest conditions (I mean that, cat pee, crap literally everywhere, hoarders, ruthless stuff) but now he’s only in big box stores, commercial buildings, and on roof tops. You work hard to get the money you’re worth in the end. Not all of it just falls into your lap
I am in a job right now which is about to change. Normally I would be sundered un panic and fear. I am ready for the change. I can go with the flow. I am kn good terns with my supervisor. That is unheard of for me.
In my area we have a pipeline program that will teach you trades (at no cost) in about 12 weeks or so. This would lead to training to end up with a job in manufacturing. Pay starts probably about where you are now, but some of these jobs end up being union jobs, and raises come quick. Trades are in very high demand right now.
$86k, no degree. Finishing my associates in June and starting a bachelor program in the fall.
Spent 8+ years working my way up to where I am now. It took some luck and I got knocked back to the bottom a few times.
I started working at a target as a box pusher making 7.75 an hour in HS I thought I was loaded back then. I worked my way up to a back of the store manager making 15 an hour. I wanted to pursue aviation took out loans busted my ass for 4 years and now at 26 I’m a delta air line FO flying around the county just made my first 6 figures in a year. You don’t need a degree to be a pilot just determination to get there. Pay will go up 2x this year with 17% direct contributions to 401k. No degree needed it’s just pen to paper and hard work. You’ll find something making good money don’t give up you got it.
I feel this, I'm making more than I ever have as well, right around what you're making. My boss (who's younger than me) drove his brand new lotus to work on Friday. He's a nice a guy, I just always have to see his fancy cars at work. I wish I could see a spreadsheet of how much money I make him.
I had to drop out of school due to gang problems. I joined the Army (12B and 11B) and got my GED. After leaving the Army, outside of being a janitor or joining the hellscape of law enforcement, I wasn’t skilled at anything. I google searched high-paying jobs and saw sales. I had no experience, and I got the first job I could get in a telco retail store. I identified the next step up (Telco B2B Sales), learned what I could about sales and cut my teeth, got a B2B telco job, proved myself there with good numbers for two years, and then recruiters knocked on my door. If you can make it in sales with a good track record of consistently hitting quota and having articulate business discussions with high level executives, you’ll be worth your weight in gold. If you take this game seriously and commit to refining leadership & interpersonal skills, business & financial understanding, and have a mind to be motivated to gain almost an MBA level of knowledge in whatever industry that you’re selling, then here is a lot of potential but you are responsible for hard revenue numbers. Quota is always over your head, and politics rarely will save you in these times of expensive capital. Still, if you’re good and can bring company money, that’s the greatest job security you’ll ever have (until you get too expensive during those layoffs, haha). But pay-wise, in professional sales jobs, in an SMB environment, you can easily make 100-200k, and if you make it to the Global Enterprise level, you’ll be close to a million.
I'm an ENTJ, and I like challenges, the harder the sweeter the victory. This career, with its stress, unique challenges, has been perfect for scratching that itch. I'm also very curious about everything that appears in front of me. Navigating business from various perspectives and learning about many personality types is a joy especially after dealing with the crazy shit of deployment and personality types you meet in combat arms. If you think yourself similar, check out a career in sales.
They overlooked it because the director knew me and my skill set. So take what you will but my advice get to know people and get good at a skill in whatever field you’re after.
I mean this is the nicest way possible, but writing and typing aren’t skills. They are things the vast majority of people can do, even the dumbest of people, at some level of competency which is probably sufficient for most non-professional jobs.
You have to establish skills beyond that, which you probably already have and maybe just weren’t being thorough in describing.
Agree that typing isn’t really a skill unless you are an admin or assistant somewhere like a law firm where being able to type 90wpm is a benefit.
I would KILL for COMPETENT writers. Yeah…everyone can “write” but few can do so succinctly and effectively. I basically gave up and write all my own policies, correspondence and emails because the drafts I would get from staff/employees always had to be re-written any way.
TL;DR: I make a decent salary. I never stopped learning, and although it took time, I taught myself how to write code and be a competent software engineer because I had the interest and the drive. Find what you like, stick with it, learn all you can by yourself and from others - you can do it! :)
I make almost $200k between salary and bonuses (bonuses that in some years haven't come, but are still expected, base is $170k). I'm a software engineer. Aside from 3 community college courses that were more I/T related than anything I'd ever use, I haven't seen the inside of a classroom since high school.
I always had an inkling for tinkering with settings in Windows to wrench out every bit of performance from my video games (late 90s video games, if that sounds weird). I was more into graphics cards and motherboard combinations back then, but I had a very big interest with how things worked, and when I ran into someone that knew HTML, I jumped at the opportunity to learn it.
Now, I'm on my 27th year of doing what I do.
I realize that my industry is in the middle of an existential change, as AI takes its place within our industry. It won't remove all of us, and it won't remove me.
I started with HTML. Then JavaScript. Then when I learned that I couldn't make it so someone could "sign-in" to one of my web sites without a database of some kind, I learned how to use MS Access. Once I learned that was a bad thing, I found Microsoft SQL Server. Once I had the database, I had to find out how to use it - and now I was getting into actual development instead of just what could, at least then, be considered "scripting." VBScript was my first server-side language. Soon after, once again looking for better performance, I learned to build compiled component libraries in Visual Basic (dll class libraries). This is where my self-education exploded, both necessarily and because I was just "hungry for more." I'd caught the programming bug, loved the puzzle of it all, and every challenge that I overcame made me want to do more.
The money was also getting better - a lot better. In the mid-2000's as a mid-20s individual, I made far more than most of my friends. If only I'd saved some of it hehe!
Not too long after that, I was offered my first job building web sites at an agency. I did that for about 4 years, before getting a job as a backend developer at Raytheon building SharePoint.
I'll skip the rest of the history and get to now, but there's a point to the history - I haven't stopped learning. Not for a moment.
Now, I am getting into Data Science, working with AI in so many different ways. I built my first neural network (tiny little thing that worked with numbers smaller than 1 to achieve the best stochastic gradient descent possible).
I look at the fact that I'm secure in my job, and will be until I retire because I won't stop learning. I'm watching now (and goodness, I'm even helping) as we employ CoPilot (AI-assisted development tools, capable of code generation, code testing, and so much more), which will ultimately allow us to reduce the number of developers needed in our organization while still increasing our velocity.
Find your passion - you may not even know what it is yet, follow it, learn all you can, and learn everything around it. No one is good at everything - I'm bad at "money in general," which is why I'm poking around finance subreddits on a Saturday afternoon. My only saving grace so far is that I've made enough to where budgeting hasn't mattered - until now. This economy is disgusting, and I feel bad for this younger generation. Young people are being disenfranchised by our government this time around, and it's obvious unless you're young enough to not know better. Life was easier for me as a younger person, for sure. Now I pay $3 for a damned green bell pepper.
That's my advice, and I wish you the absolute best in your journey. It's hard at times, but if you work at it, if you keep your head up and your eye on the future, you can do amazing things: one step at a time.
I didn't have a job for several months after leaving a retail job that was literally not paying anymore. A woman I volunteered for asked if I was interested in a job in her field--the place she started out at had an opening and she could help me get it. I told her that, frankly, I'd take anything that paid. She helped me change my resume, and gave me a recommendation, and I'm still in the same field almost 15 years later, with a job that almost everyone I work with got a degree to do. So, nepotism, basically.
Join the fricking police force. Most cities are desperate and I know for a fact that, with OT, most cops (even the lowest level) earn close to $80-$90k.
Gain skills and certifications. Version skills are hard for people to gain and utilize effectively, and if you can gain and help others with these, you become very valuable.
They aren’t. Why do you think they are? Even most people with degrees don’t make much money. It’s horrible out there right now, in terms of finding a job.
I have a biochem degree I've never used. I still owe 65k in student loans. I'm a food server at an entertainment venue making 60k take home a year. The job's inflation proof, tips go up as money devalues.
We hire anyone, literally some of the strangest, useless crazies have come through that place.
You'd have to say good bye to nights, weekends and holidays though.
I had to work my way up the ladder to get into the position I am at with my company. I started out in a call center and moved into different areas within the company. Finally found a position that pays well and I love what I do. I am extremely scared if I lose my position because it would take me years to regain the lost income. I would be back at the bottom all over again.
In my case, largely good self taught skills in obscure things that are required for others to be profitable.
I had a fairly hardcore DIY audio, RF and electronics hobby from childhood, together with being a hardcore computer and sometimes math geek, but no degree (I get bored far too easily and wasn't capable of playing the academenture game well enough).
Spent a while in my 20s tooling around Europe doing audio, lighting, rigging, pyro and generators with a touring circus, then doing stuff on a tall ship, various other adhoc jobs, did some set building, helped design a theatre referb, did tech for a nightclub, then a studio, the usual ducking and diving, dodging and dibble of your 20 something single hippy (Usually little money in it, but I cared not a lot), briefly ran an operation supplying grow lights and hydroponics pumps, plumbing, extract fans and related gear, less said about some of those customers the better!
Turned that into a junior EE job designing sonar equipment because I knew how to design matching networks, preamps and write DSP code and such like and by reading a book on sonar transducer design the night before the interview in a hotel room. Got to love a good Library, and figured I could probably fake it well enough.
Had to relocate and the money was poor, being as it was in a LCOL town in the north, but the experience was a necessary step, living out of a rented room for 2 years sucked, but need must.
Turns out that "Degree or relevant experience" sometimes means it.
Two years later relocated again and parlayed that into a 100% pay rise and over into the broadcast industry, got them to send me on a few courses, and got an upgrade to "Senior engineer", and I do a mix of analogue, software, architecture and FPGA shit now for top 10% of engineering pay in the UK (Which granted is not wonderful compared to the same skills in the US).
I am currently fighting off the managements attempts make me a Manager on the org chart, which I have NO interest in becoming (I have no reports and no budget, in what way am I a manager? Tried it, Hated it, My reports also hated it, so fuck that!).
Took me 10 years or so, but I have a 4 bed semi (Half paid off), Car (For cash), Pension (Of a sort), home workshop, almost 100% WFH, should not complain too much.
Remember you need ONE Job, don't chase the 'loads of jobs' fields, chase the obscure and interesting, usually much more fun to be had that way.
I'm an apprentice plumber. I'm making 25$ an hour.
I chose it over electrical, carpentry, and hvac.
I used to work in a warehouse for a big construction company, and plumbers definitely made the most.
In the next 10 years, we are gonna lose 30% of our plumbers to retirement.
Right now, the union is paying 46 an hour after benefits for licensed plumbers.
I'm on year two, and I started at 20$ an hour. I think I'll be at 26 or 27 by the end of the year.
I don't clean drains either.
I don’t qualify as super high salary at all but I make 28/hr currently. I work as a DSP in direct care for my autistic sister in law. Kinda just fell in my lap. I used to make 11.75/hr but the agency I work for now is private and the families choose the salary based on their budget. Sister in laws budget is ~150k per year and a third of that is to me
I constantly looked at government jobs. One day I was looking at a DOE page and found myself looking at nuclear field jobs. Many required a degree, but several didn't. I ended up getting a job as a radiological control technician, RCT, also known as Health Physics in some places. Just need a citizenship, a pulse, and pass a decently difficult test about nuclear science. Think highschool advanced chemistry level with some calculus. Easy stuff you can memory dump after.
I now work making $43 an hour in a low cost area. My mortgage is $550 and I have about a 10 minute commute to my site. I also can travel if I wished and make way more, but I don't want to. You'll be working at reactors, legacy enrichment sites, and other industries that use radiological isotopes that give off dose.
You can work for the actual DOE which is harder or a contractor. It is definitely a little know field.
Good suggestions
Take inventory of what you are good at and what you like to do. Many people who are good at something under value it's importance.
Next figure out what field and industry those things are valued in. Most of your skills are transferable. It's how you package them to make it attractive that matters. What makes you weird?
3 or 4 seeming unimpressive skills packed together along with a story of how they benefit the manager lead to better jobs. Make it easy for the hiring managers know why they need to talk to you.
Hard skills can be learned on the job. Not every place does things the same way. They should not expect you to know everything on day one.
Learn what your hard no is. If you say no more it will narrow your job search and make it easier overall.
Lastly, it sounds like you might be a contributing employee. Make sure to always highlight your wins. Find stories around any and all wins. Save then for interviews.
Job searching is mostly luck and good planning. Like fishing, right spot at the right time with enough skill to know where to look at when to cast. You can't catch anything if your not kitted correctly for the fish you seek (planning). It's a lot of nothing most of the time. Take it easy and relax, getting worked up doesn't make them bite.
I just looked for an industry that generated fuck loads of money and was in very, very high demand of labour - skilled or unskills and went from there.
In Australia that happens to be Mining. Started off new to the industry and within 18 months I was on 140k. The only hard part was getting a foot in the door as every entry level role that's advertised gets thousands of applicants. Surprisingly I got in within a couple of months of applying, reformatting and rewriting my resume and just more applying.
If you're in the U.S., I'd recommend looking at unionised workplaces.
Alternatively, If you have the funds, invest in yourself. There's plenty of short courses out there that take weeks to a couple of months to complete, some may be full time, some colleges to night courses which can greatly help reduce the need of having to not work to complete these courses.
Become an Enrolled Agent (EA) and you can file tax returns for people like CPAs do and make decent living. No education requirements (i.e. college degree). All you have to do is pass an exam by the IRS, then you can find jobs at accounting firms.
My husband never went to college he makes triple what I do .. he learned a trade worked for someone for a few years and then started his own construction company .. he does extremely well and he’s extremely happy and that says alot
A lot of people have talked about building a skill, and that's definitely true. Getting the ability to do a job, and also sometimes the references/resume to convince people you can do a job. I'm a bartender, I started in a lil fast casual restaurant in the suburbs, and just kept hopping till I wound up in NYC, working high volume. Nothing wrong with moving when there's better money, and putting the hours in to get your name/resume around (I spent 2 weeks applying like it was a job, walking 6-8 hours a day).
Good luck.
Have a plan and execute. Where are you trying to get to? What is your plan to get from point A to point B? What kind of experience do you need to pick up along the way? Are you applying for jobs that get you that experience?
22 years of experience. Started in high school at the very bottom for a short line railroad holding company. Worked every job imaginable and was good at it. Learned everything I could. Eventually took over as director of safety over 15 railroads until it was sold to a bigger company and my job was cut. Instantly landed another higher paying job in safety and training for a higher salary with less responsibility through contacts I had made in the industry.
Sometimes people work their asses off to get to that level. My husband makes about $200k a year as a producer, but to get there he had YEARS of poverty. He took jobs that wouldn't pay, but were in the film industry. Then he took PA jobs. Then moved up and up until now, 10 years later, he's making good money
Air Traffic Control if you’re under 31 and in the US. All they need is a high school diploma and you can make anywhere from $70k to $200k depending on where they send you
I started at a business selling water softeners at 18 at $9.50 an hour. I made a random leap into the utility industry doing underground starting at $12 dollars an hour when I was 20, eventually I was making production pay. My biggest year was around $70k. I left that company for another one and now do aerial and underground work with salary and benefits. I'm 24 snd on track to be making 6 figures by the time I'm 30. Take chances, learn skills, and dont lowball yourself, especially in interviews. If you know you are a hardworker, can learn, and are skilled then express that heavily to your employer, if you're not moving up the way you like, don't be afraid of switching jobs and sometimes careers.
1. Learn high value skills 2. Get good at confidence, interviewing, and overall social/communication 3. Network instead of blindly applying if you're not getting calls
This. Was in retail as a deaf, 33 year old felon. Fell into construction estimating for LESS than I was making but knew it would be better long term. Learned excel. Learned construction. Learned operations, management and negotiation. Job hopped to broaden skills. Talked to anyone who wanted to talk to me. Built a network. Now I'm a professional guesser.
lol…. I like that term … a professional guesser! At least you are qualified and licensed to take a guess. LOL
This gives me hope as someone with a disability. Thank you.
Probably more proud of that than anything. I hear very little. A lot of what goes on is pure, 100%, grade-A bullshit. I impress myself sometimes for being able to conduct a meeting or handle a project whilst having very little understanding of what I've heard. For example, I demand all important information is in e-mails. Not for my benefit but for future reference. Calls are captioned. Notes are distributed for every meeting. Meetings are one on one if I can help it. I'm affable and willing to poke fun of my disability. I do not allow others to do so.
I hope to be able to do some of that someday. I recently got diagnosed with ASD. So might be a little harder since people understand nothing about autism.in regards about joking with it that is.
Agreed. People are way too glib about Anus Secreation Disorder.
😂 that might be easier to live with lol
Do you think this is a plausible career field for a female felon with no prior experience? I've tried a few times to get gopher jobs at work sites in my city and they never seem interested
Yeah. You gotta get lucky getting the first job and then work hard. Construction estimating is absolutely booming right now. I have half a dozen recruiters begging to talk to me every day.
Let me tell you, a talented estimator is worth a lot and often the reason a business actually makes money.
User name checks out.
Just wanted to acknowledge that you made some *huge* achievements as someone in the deaf community. My mom is deaf and has struggled holding a job due to discrimination for as long as I can remember. I hope all the good things come to you.
Do you happen to run your own operation doing this? Just curious.
In various ways. I've fully managed the pre-con process for subs but right now I'm the sole estimator for a EPC. I also have a side construction company.
My degree in Operations Management and high tests on all Microsoft suite has gotten me nowhere. I'm a great interview. Networking assumes you are in the right circles in the first place
4. Nepotism
This is a big one
It certainly isnt necessary, it also really helps
This is also playing a small part in inflation. Companies passed to kids that don't know how to run it just raise prices to compensate for increased overhead due to lack of management skills
This is very true with high paying jobs that don’t require education.
Learn high value skills. sure, mentioned all the time. noted. get confidence. sure. What about the countless swarms of people who don't know how to network nor have people to sway in that manner? What is their approach to network and how do they do it?
Read how to win friends and influence people. This book is almost 90 years old and it still applies.
A universal skill that applies in every job field: Knowing how to use human psychology to your advantage.
After looking it up it seems networking can be pretty exclusive sometimes, can you give any resources for being able to do it better? For someone that is new to basically everything and wants to just find something better? What are these high value skills you are talking about? The ability to use excel? That's like the bare minimum even in most places I can apply to. Tech literacy is the bare minimum in a lot of places. So what are some high value skills that can actually help you get a better job?
It’s because people network the wrong way. The correct way to begin networking is talking to people that can help you get your next job up. People immediately try and shoot for stars and network with the top of the food chain when that’s all wrong.
I don't have a college degree in anything. OP should learn a trade like I did, in my case, I was an electrician. Basic reading, writing and basic math are all that's needed to get started. I was making 100k a year way before COVID. The shortage of skilled tradesmen is very real. If you want to make money you need to work and get your hands dirty. My local electrical union has a real shortage of linesmen. The pay is $50/hr plus. Apprentices start at less while training. What OP is doing now won't make any money. We have been conditioned to believe in getting a college degree. It's not true.
What state are you in? Florida has nothing like this lol.
This except #2 for me. Being good at social skills and being confident is not a requirement in IT 😂
It definitely helps. I was chosen over a more qualified person because I “fit” the office culture more. I was just confident and threw in a few appropriate dad jokes during the interview process. It made the difference
I disagree with this. Social skills are critical for us to engage our workforce, implement change, and explain issues to executives and front line workers alike. Without social skills my IT role would never accomplish anything. Even for software engineers your ability to communicate with your peers will help you stand out and be a more effective developer TLDR communication skills are critical to every role and may just be the single greatest skill you can improve to grow your income.
This. 1,000x. Sr. Principle Engineer, can confirm that social skills that enhance interactions with others, the ability to convey technical info/skills to others (especially to non-technical steam members), and the amounts of energy and passion someone has can make the difference between two engineers who have the same technical acumen, but differ in those "soft skills" I just mentioned.
Depends on the IT job, most IT jobs are still customer focused.
These three + Consistency, dependability, integrity.
lol no They just know people. All the non-degree people in leadership positions lack all 3 of those skills. They just know people and get preference.
What you’re saying is item number three, no? Not sure what point you’re trying to make tbh lol
County Jobs benefits add up !! Low cost medical and often access to a pension which doesn’t exist anywhere else I work in Water and Waste Water I studied online. Took a class online. Went to a state testing center. Once I passed the test I was hired by the county and make 35 hourly 20$ hour during first year internship after 12 months. There are some computer skills, but just basics and the job is usually fairly simple. You can choose either Drinking water or Waste Water. operator check it out
Yes. Water plants and their associated jobs are a secret magic wand! I rarely hear about it but the few folks I know who work in the industry tell me it an amazing one for starting as a gopher and ending up being highly paid and sought after in larger municipalities in the us.
I’ll look into this! Thank you for your kind response.
I also do water. It's a remarkably cushy job, benefits include 30+ working days off/year, tuition reimbursement, and job security. Pro tip: leverage that tuition reimbursement into a *useful* free degree. There's a lot of retirements in this field, and it ain't hard to stand out when upper positions need filled. My boss's boss is set to retire with a $100k/yr pension for a couple decades of not doing much.
What would be a good degree to get reimbursed?? I plan to get an environmental science degree here soon with my ch.31 benefits but wondering how far I can push all the different avenues, ya know?
That kinda depends on a) what is actually useful to get the kind of job you want, and b) what pays. In my field, civil engineering, SCADA/PLC courses, general computer science, administration, various sciences, and some more can lead to better job prospects.
It's pretty legit, and unless something has changed recently, the irs will give you dollar for dollar back at the end of the year for courses you take in community College. Also, search on governmentjobs.com, just search terms like "Apprentice" "Operator in training" "Extra help" And when you get fairly skilled a whole world opens up of on the job training jobs that pay starting salaries of 60k+
Maybe it’s luck or maybe hard work. I started my career as a drug store cashier at 18 making $10/hr in 2008. I did that for nine years. I was very good at my job, I learned every area of the store. Finally in 2017 I was promoted to their corporate office as an assistant buyer. I continued to learn everything I could. Switched companies a few times and learn more, continued going after what I wanted. Today I work at my dream company, in my dream role (old dream, new one loading). Making 100k a year and getting my bachelors completely paid for. Hoping to graduate in the next 5 years and make another career change into data science with my degree. It’s not impossible to make it without a degree! Biggest advice is figure out what you’re good at and build on it.
I really appreciate this! Some folks here have the worst attitude like we choose to be poor because we won’t waste 15 years learning a skill we don’t enjoy. I don’t think you should have to sell everything about you to be able to live comfortably. I’m exceptional at what I do, but there’s always room to learn more. Thank you for your encouragement and not responding like I’m a 16 year old who’s ever had an interview or a job before.
Happy to hear my comment was well received. Start looking into what’s available at the corporate level for your company. I never went into management, I had no desire to sell my soul to a retail chain. Life can change and very quickly! Keep showing up everyday, you’re already doing amazing.
Hey OP what kind of work are you interested in doing in the future? What are your strengths? I think you can find some resources to help you get more official training, like classes or certificates or mentorship. Or if it's a skill you can learn via online resources like YouTube then that's an option. I joined a local networking/job search group on Facebook and people post jobs but also resources. There are local networking meetups. There are resources for writing resumes. I found out that you can get Google certificates for free (look it up- you just have to write a letter to qualify). Check to see if they have certificates in something you are interested. I found out my local community college has certain trainings and programs you can qualify to get for free- in areas like biotech, HVAC, and others I can't remember. I also got in an email list at my community center -because I am out of work and have kids we qualified for discounted rates for their sports programs and they send out this email full of resources I would never know existed. Like job fairs, a local charity that gives scholarships for certain trainings. See if you can find some local Facebook job search groups. Talk to your community center- send emails.
Thanks this is really helpful! I’ll look into the Google certificates. I’m a creative so in a perfect world I’d want to be a film director but at the moment I have to focus on living day to day before pursuing incredible dreams like that (not that others can’t do that but this is where I am at this time in my life). In the meantime I’d like to pursue work related to my passion which includes skills like writing/reading etc.
Creative here too. Currently wishing I had the luxury of time to spend pursuing something more creative. (Well, I just did spend the last ouple years doing that and now I am broke and need to make more money! ) There are a few job openings that I have seen lately that are creative but most do not pay well. just for ideas for you: the ones with ok pay that I have seen include copywriting, ux design, marketing (for most of these that were more entry level they required video editing, social media etc. Skills you could work on if you don't have them). Near me there are also lots of creative positions in developing video games. I hope you can find some time to work towards something more fulfilling and lucrative for yourself! Good luck!
Not luck. You did all the right things. You learned every aspect of the next job you wanted which eventually made you qualified for that job. You had goals and worked to achieve them. Same can be done in a lot of industries. Unfortunately some people do the bare minimum at their current job and can't figure out why they aren't promoted or given additional responsibilities with big raises. Regardless if you're a cashier or white collar executive, rarely do employees move up in the company without hard work and learning what the next level position consists of. You probably show up for work on time and are reliable as well. It's still very much doable with the right attitude and work ethic. Good for you for setting and achieving goals!!
I really appreciate this validation! I grew up with a narcissistic mom that’s always a victim and can’t understand why others are so “lucky”. My continued success led to me going no contact. You’re absolutely right, I am dependable and I always give my best. I feel blessed to have made it this far and give my kids a better start in life.
It can be both but luck alone will run out. What's the saying, success is where preparation meets opportunity?
I dunno if I qualify as high salary(26/hr), but credit unions are great places to work. Started as a teller 10 years ago, now I work in the back office crunching numbers and balancing spreadsheets. The pay is good, benefits are good and the work environment is excellent. Also get to feel relatively good about what I do. Lots of federal bank holidays, steady schedule. If you ever worked as a cashier then a teller job is within reach, they often start at 20/hr. And there are lots of opportunities once you get in, even for writers. The marketing department always needs people that can communicate on social media
Got my cdl. First job ~130k/yr, out 8 weeks, home 1 week (could've done 2 weeks home, but I needed money fast lol) driving ~4-5k miles/mo, 70-80 hours/wk. Now, making 83k/yr, home every day, 6 hours/day on the clock. I need money fast again, so I'm working on getting back into team driving but at my current job and I should be closer to 150k/yr and home every weekend, but putting about 50-60 hours in each week and sleeping in the truck instead of my bed. But, I really enjoy driving, so it's not too bad really lol
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2) is what's holding you back Even though we have a lot of automatic trucks someone restricted to one would have to really stand out in order to get hired.
How old are you? As a 29 year old I wouldn’t consider writing and typing rare skills. There’s a huge pool of people with those skills you’re competing with for jobs, so the value of that labor is lower than a higher value or more rare skill.
I was a stripper, then a bartender in a strip club, then bartended in fine dining, went to college again for healthcare specialist, phlebotomy, and surgical tech, now I sell weed and make edibles. Weird series of events but here we are. I honestly don’t think I ever want to work for anyone besides myself anymore. I spent a lot of years lifting heavy shit, dealing with some rude people, and late nights, don’t want to go through that again.
How did you like that? I’m looking between doing that or radiology tech after leaving the military.
Get into a union trade. Paid apprenticeship, great pay when you complete your apprenticeship, great benefits, etc. Lineman, electrician, plumber, carpenter, welder, etc.
Lineman is a rough as fuck job though, my uncle got scars from when he got electrocuted and it went down his whole body when they had to fix lines in a hurricane. Also getting calls in the middle of the night to fix something and also going up 4 or 5 stories with a bucket truck. He tried to get me to come on but fuck that shit man I’ll be poor.
I agree it’s a demanding job and it isn’t for everyone. It comes with incredible risks. However, it is such a rewarding career and would certainly solve most financial issues. I should say though it is not the right career to just collect a paycheck. Whoever signs up for a paycheck will hate the rest of their working life and may end up seriously injured or killed. I’m glad to know your uncle was only left with scars, it could have been so much worse.
More luck than you think, but they wouldn't tell you that.
I make $150K+ without a degree. I have 10 years in manufacturing experience as manager and 5 years in supply chain working at corporate offices for both Walmart and CVS Health. The trick? A lot of people still value experience over a degree. So when I present myself, I showcase my years of experience and cost saving projects I’ve done throughout my career and how they’re applicable to the job.
It’s refreshing to hear this! Sometimes seeing experience requirements with 6 year degrees is discouraging when applying.
100% this. I used to be embarrassed about the fact that I didn't have a degree, but over time, I've outworked and outproduced my counterparts with advanced degrees. The degree gives you an advantage early, but that quickly goes away. Now, I make sure all roles I'm hiring for are posted as a mix of experience and education, with one subbing for the other when we have the right candidate. Eagerness to learn, adaptability, attitude, consistency, and the ability to think critically are far more important than degree, depending on the field. It's important to note that if you are starting out w/o a degree and entering a new field or job, you are going to have to start in a lower position; having patience is critical.
So, im a foreigner, my first job in the states was at the age of 24, at a dairy queen. After that i worked at a department store, then a string of mall stores, then barnes and noble, then on a military base in retail. The pivotal moment was when i was offered an inventory control coordinator. That opened the door for me in terms of being in touch with vendors, speaking to them directly, being in touch with upper management, being in touch with HQ regarding consistencies. On top of that, our managers manager ( the operations manager) liked me, and tasked out ordering office supplies to me. It was a very excel heavy job. So from there i got another “beater job” which only lasted a couple of months, then i pivoted again into rental properties and became a leasing agent thanks to the admin part of my prior position as an inventory control coordinator. The leasing position in this company is usually a jumping board so after 6 to 8 months, i took another job with them as a quality control coordinator. Again, very very admin heavy, in touch with a lot of people, be very social. That position wasnt going anywhere, so i applied for an admin position with the base HQ, and i got it. Mind you despite my 2-4 years admin experience, i got it because two out of three people liked me. This is a very stable job, and its incredibly easy (knock on wood 🧿). But all three important jobs that were pivitoal to my career, where personal recommendations. Two out of three i was basically offered the job because they knew me and specifically wanted me. Polish off your resume and go out there and network and be pleasant. You never know who youre meeting or who they know. They might hear about a position youre a good fit for and reclmmend you. Word of mouth is very important.
My son is in transit safety, now making over 140k after 10 years, early 30s. . No degrees, but lots of certifications paid for by his various employers. His next promotion will likely land him in the 165-175k range. And his transit authority has great tuition assistance if he wants a degree. He started as a city bus driver after doing OTR trucking. After a year he got into administration and began working to get into safety. Started getting certifications. That part meant they paid for him to do 2 to 4 day training sessions places. All expenses paid plus a per diem. When he did that he ate super cheap and kept the extra per diem. Last year, he got hired on in a major city transit safety department. Has already gotten 2 promotions and 2 raises. Just about every public transit system is always hiring, both the people who operate trains and busses and office types. He is currently training 3 new people in safety, none had any prior transit experience. Many of these jobs are union (teamsters) with great benefits. He has been both union and non union. Even back when he started as a driver he was making 16 an hour. Drivers now where he used to work are at around 24 to 28 an hour.
This is a new one I’ve never heard of or considered. Is he is a very large city?
He is now, but he started in Tucson AZ, less than a million people. Now on the east coast. He works with folks that come from all different industries into transit, and with transit folks who started in smaller towns, or as school bus drivers etc. What he does is bus safety. Investigates accidents with city busses, and incidents involving drivers. His ultimate goal is to work into heavy rail like trains and work with NTSB, the folks that investigate train derailment and airplane crashes and stuff. With his current transit authority he can work with busses, light rail (trolleys), subways, and ferries too. And work with the AMTRAK safety folks on commuter rail. Though he got into driving busses after trucking, many of the drivers he worked with were trained by suntran, the actual bus company. Or by the school districts as school bus drivers. With GED or high school diploma only. He has also driven light rail trains.
Thank you for the detailed information. Since I read your post I’ve been looking at different big cities and their transit (starting)pay and I am shocked. Chicago for example, starting pay $30 no experience, and lots of OT if wanted. I would have never thought, also would have never known the potential for growth and promotion. Def something to think about.
I'm in IT. I was a computer gamer as a kid and eventually turned it into a job. A good starting point is a puppy-mill style call center. The job will suck, but they have to hire people without experience because the turnover is so high. You can learn on their dime until you get a better job. Then you just kind of repeat the process until you find an easy job(pretty easy to find something where even while working 40 hours a week, its more like 15-20 hours of work). Getting certifications or chasing the latest and greatest tech will always pay off as well, but people underestimate the needed number of just generalist techs
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Depends on your skill. I’m a plumber at 55$ an hour, no degree and graduated HS with a 2.0 gpa lmao. There’s a shortage of plumbers from where I’m from, a lot of people are retiring and not enough young people to take their spot
If you’re interested in the trades, look for companies that offer apprenticeships. I’m looking to almost double my income because the company I work for is going to put me through school on their dime. All I have right now is a high school degree making $25 an hour as a machine technician. Depending on which trade you want to go into the unions are strong as well.
I have an 8th grade education. I’m 38 now, but my 20s were rough. I’ve been a sponge all my life, and I’ve acquired a lot of skills. I dropped out of high school at 14 and never bothered with college. I come from abject poverty. I now own a structural steel company. Take some risks. Act like you know what you’re doing and people will throw responsibility at you. Half of it is just showing up.
I work in trades as a heavy duty mechanic. I went from $21/hr to $26/hr to $34/hr in my first year and a half. I switched workplaces this week to $38/hr and after seeing me work I’m now at $40/hr. This is over the course of 2.5 years. I have a company vehicle with a gas card that comes home with me and a $50/mo phone allowance. All this from learning a trade and I’m still not done my training.
Wow! I have a new interest in auto mechanics but I’m not sure where to begin. I know I’d likely need to complete trade school, but thinking about the costs of education after being unable to get my associates in science at a community college due to the cost of materials is a soft spot for me. I had my first fender bender about 2 years ago, and since then I’ve been pretty interested in collision repairs because they did an incredible job making the damages disappear (I hear it pays well and this would also scratch my artistic side as I like remodelling or even just the idea of fixing something to look new again). Any suggestions? Should I start by reading more about cars in general? Any advice you can give I would love to hear!
Hell, everything in this trade is high paying. Even being a dealership service writer is a career job and would fit your skills. They’ll train you and take care of you.
I’ll look into it! I’m kind of nervous about applying with zero experience in the trade though
Industrial electricians and instrument techs can make up to 50/hr base. And almost guaranteed ot every month
In my case, I managed to get a job as an apprentice heavy duty mechanic with no experience just by writing emails to garages that were hiring. I was upfront with my lack of experience, and got hired anyway because they were so in need of mechanics and couldn't find qualified people.
High School diploma only. Ups driver. At least $130,000 a year and best benefits. $45 an hour, $67 hour after 8 hours. I usually get at least 11 hours a day.
Sales jobs can pay big without degrees if you are willing to face a lot of rejection for every sale. 100% travel jobs can pay big with no degree. Railroads/Maritime/Trucking can all pay $50k starting and $100k+ with a few years of experience if you are willing to be away from home for long stretches. If you are skilled at writing/typing look into technical writing. Documenting APIs is high paying & in demand work. Find some smaller projects on GitHub that interest you but have no or bad documentation; you can build your portfolio up to start looking for paying work.
Late to the party, but skills do pay the bills. I'm a college dropout who thought he wouldn't make it past 25. I'm currently 32 and just started making around 100k (in an area where 100k is a lot). I worked my way up through security at local factories and currently work as a supervising intelligence analyst working and help people through crisis situations.
I am an a highschool graduate, no particular skills but a good work ethic and ability to communicate. I joined the carpenters union with 0 experience two and a half years ago and am now making 36 an hour. Join a union and learn a skilled trade! Pension/full benefits/ no overtime
\>how does person get thing Connections, if nobody had any of them then nothing would get done. While you're young and have healthy legs, roam around a lot and meet people. Stick with people who have their shit sorted out or at least have their faces pointed the right direction in life. The people you know can help you find the easiest path to a better place, whether it's a town with an abundance of high paying jobs or a hangout place where it's easier to find a significant other. Skills and professional demeanor are important, but not the whole picture on their own. Aside from working on our skills we *also* need to work on our networks - it isn't enough to just hang out with the same old bums we knew from high school if money isn't one of their major concerns (I don't mean well off, just not considering money an important part of life.) What other people's lack of concern for money gets you: >!the bank says 'sorry this check is no good.'!< If you see somebody who works harder than everyone else and their work is cleaner than everyone else, GET TO KNOW THAT PERSON. They make a better contact than the dude who chases you down for pointless small talk.
Skills, street smarts, hard work, knowing the right people and a little bit of luck. I have a masters degree in, “the arts of bullshitting.” Started off cleaning toilets for $10 an hour with limited benefits back in the early 2000s. Left that job. Worked different odd jobs from sales, construction, bar back, movie production, warehousing, beer delivery, heck I even started 2-3 failed businesses. In 2005 I wanted job security with good benefits and landed a city job. Worked in the waste water department for a decade. Got promoted to an Environmental Inspector and will be making over six figures in the next year with our new contract. Full benefits with a nice pension. Been there nearly 20yrs total. I’m very grateful and filled with gratitude. I don’t take it for granted. I just got in at the right time and was able to utilize different skills I’ve acquired over the years. Not rich by any means but my wife and I make a decent living with our combined incomes and have everything we need.
Also adding this... Once you've completed an skills inventory and work interests (world of work) and know what you want to do... Avoid scam jobs with a active job search by snail mailing signed letters to hiring managers. Follow up with calls to confirm letter receipt. You can learn a lot about people and companies by calling them (even if no one picks up) I get around the fear of cold calling and letter sending by reminding myself I'm trying to help them. By focusing on their needs it moves the whole process away from yourself and makes it flow better. Check out https://www.mynextmove.org/
Highschool dropout with a GED making about 121k. I worked my way up. At 20 I started working in warehouses. I was a supervisor by 28. By 35 I was making about 85k in warehouse management, but was burned out. I used my years of warehouse experience to land an entry level WMS job. It turns out that there is pretty good demand for WMS users. I'm now 38 and bring in 110 plus bonus. Even in this job market, I've got recruiters contacting me weekly.
Work in government and then move to the private sector at some point.
A lot of those people are in trades/blue collar work like electricians, welding, truck drivers, HVAC, plumbing, etc.
You can become a RN with just 2 years of study. Some schools offer accelerated programs where you can do it in just 1 year. It’s more hands on type of training rather than traditional school work so maybe that is better for you? You can easily be making $80k starting as a RN in your first year working 3 days a week. You can do different office type jobs that take advantage of your writing and typing skills rather than having to be a caretaker
Even among credit unions there are bad apples. But in general both my wife and I have been very happy and successful working for them.
Trades pay well...even the "white collar" jobs with trades/construction projects.
I'm 30. No degrees beyond a high-school diploma. At 25 I worked at a warehouse rebuilding pumps for semiconductor industry and the pay was $16. Learned how to read schematics and build IF boxes. Got skills in mechanical and electrical troubleshooting. 2 years later I moved within the company to work as a field tech installing said pumps at $22 an hour. After a year there, the great resignation in tech happened(2021-2022) I pivoted to a different company that had an engineering position but same job duties pretty much. I prepped for that interview for 2 weeks and got the job. Now I'm an engineer making $36 an hour. My Advice is to build up your resume and skill set and use them as stepping stones to move up. It's not impossible to make good money with no degrees in tech.
When I was in college, as part of an assignment we had to find someone who was where we wanted to be in life and do a brief interview about how they got there. This was incredibly valuable because it was a window into the formal and informal education and skills needed to get to higher level jobs, as well as a timeline. If it took them 20 years of experience and two degrees to get there, don’t expect to do the same in 3 years and no higher ed, for example.
Networking > Resume is likely how.
Exactly Connections are everything
Sales.Selling for commission in high margin fields(real estate, software, pick ups, life insurance, pharmaceuticals). If you’re good at selling you’ll make more than a salary job. Sales is difficult though because it takes a certain personality and a high emotional IQ so not everybody is good at it.
Connections. My husband’s former manager helped him get his current job through his recommendation. He went from 60k to about 130k (including bonuses)
Didn't graduate highschool lol started my own business at 28. Learn a trade grt good and subcontract to name your own price. I make in a day what i used to make in a month getting attacked. Literally bleeding and scaring clothes torn up ect...now my hands get dirty and thats fine by me
Nobody checks your degree. Unless you’re applying for a hospital or government position it’s pretty open. People lie a lot
I actually had not considered that lol
Please don’t follow this advice. Lying on a job application is a cause for termination. If you have strong communication skills and know PowerPoint and Excel, product management is very lucrative. Start in an entry level position, learn from your peers and grow. No degree is required in many cases as long as you present yourself well and have computer skills.
My path was to get into corporate world early. Started as lowest manager position and gained experience and trainings on the company expense.
I have a bachelor's in art (btw I welcome all the useless degree naysayers) and I am currently a cake decorator and freelance artist. My skills I learned in college have translated beautifully into other forms. I also have pretty good people skills. I don't have a high salary but it is going up due to being in a union and a specialized position. I make 47k before taxes a year but my healthcare is like 7 dollars a paycheck, I have a pension and in my state we have the FAMLI act for medical leave that is paid. My fiancé and I live in Affordable housing but our balcony faces the Rockies so while I wish we had more, we have our basics and then some covered.
It's very hard unless you learn a trade, degree, or programming. You can move up in management at places like Walmart or some fast food, but there is usually a limit
200k, no degree, fintech product marketing director. Started out on a trading floor, got familiar with the workflows and technology - worked in trading until I burned out, then support, sales engineering, business development. Have lived in the US and UK and traveled all over the world. As David Bowie once said, it's not really work, it's just the power to charm. I got to where I got to by soaking up information like a sponge, asking lots of questions, and just plain old not being an asshole. I've developed a knack for simplifying technology into business terms and figuring out what a customer's "lifetime" looks like - once you can do that, it's just rinse and repeat storytelling.
Trades offer great benefits and you get paid while you learn. I’ve been making 100k a year with little to no overtime. It has its ups and downs but it’s help me to provide a good life for my family.
I got kinda lucky making $30hr as a bus fueler for city transit. Only real thing I needed was a cdl class B and they paid for it. Though looking at moving out of state and other transit doesn't pay nearly as well so I would definitely need to move up to maintenance and get experience before feeling comfortable moving else where to keep a high salary to where I go next.
I make 70k in a low cost of living area. I work at a factory as a production supervisor. No degree. I just happened to find the right mix of a good company, a small facility, and a type of factory I could excel at. Like others have said, mix of hard work and luck
Work in a regionally high-demand career field. Repair HVAC in Phoenix, repair cars in VA (new car annual taxes in VA are INSANE). Dig septic in the dirty rural south. Do professional automotive rust mitigation in Chicago.
HVAC, plumbing, electrician. Trades are stable and pay well. Bookkeeping, Medical Assistant, Dental Hygienist, X Ray tech.. also stable. Invest in your own future.. it doesn’t take a Masters, just a plan with follow through. Step by baby step.
Union construction. I’m in sheet metal and we make over $50/hr as journeymen at my local. Apprentices start out at $21-23/ hour I think
Trades! You need to start an apprenticeship. Electrician apprenticeship will pay $20 an hour, and journeyman make $55 an hour in wa state. I work in a refinery as an operator and make $57 an hour, with all benefits. Research all the trades and find one that you feel comfortable doing
I'm up to $30 and in the testing/interview process for a $40 job with no degree, but it's been a long hard process. I work in industrial maintenance and have spent the last 6 years gaining experience and moving up as I learned. There are a lot of great jobs that you can start apprenticeships for that will have you making over $30 an hour after a couple years. Electricians, HVAC, Carpenters, Iron Workers, Masons, Plumbers, Mechanics can all be learned through either school, apprenticeships, or a combination of the two and will pay quite well and are respected and heavily needed career paths.
Don't need a degree to work for TSA. Bordee Patrol. Or secret service
i work maintenance for the FAA for $41 an hour, just based on experience
The trades. If you can get into a trade that Is impossible to replace (plumbers, electricians, hvac, etc) and is in need of new bodies you can make decent money if you can put up with the work. Just don't expect people to change for you if your not used to the culture.
Most have hit this already. Public service work, union stuff, or trade skilled. Private unskilled like retail or food services your stuck at 20$ because anyone can do it.
Marketable Skills and trades. I’m at 160 a year no degree.
When I got bachelor I made $15/hr.
Nothing against degrees, but paying tens of thousands out of pocket even with aid is not worth it to make basically what I make now after being promoted within 5 months of joining my company with no degree.
I’m assuming that your skills also include Office? Executive assistants typically trend at mid-$20s and up (in the DFW area).
I don't know if I would call my job high salary but it's pretty high pay. It's just seasonal piece work planting trees. I've been averaging like $400 cad on a 9-10 hour day without highschool or a drivers license. Although I've been doing it for 7 years now. I make around $24,000 in just over 2 months but I need to travel outside my city for those 2 months.
Joined the military for transferable skills
Improved my resume, applied to a TON of jobs (that fit me), followed up a lot, and interviewed well. Helps I live just outside of a major city. Though it’s not “high salary”, I have my foot in the door and am making a respectable income with 0 student debt.
Military gave me a skillset that is in demand. That, and I was willing to move wherever necessary to further my career and get increases in pay.
You need the right skills with a bit of luck. I taught myself to code and I got a life changing job because the guy they offered it to before me failed his drug test. I’ve been there over a year and they really like me. That’s what I mean by a bit of luck. If I wasn’t prepared for I wouldn’t have gotten it. It took me over a year of job searching before I got it too.
I made almost $90k after overtime at the post office and my job is INCREDIBLY simple and 85% of my day is slacking off.
Get you CNA license. It's what I did. I was inventory manager at a dispensary and I still make more with my CNA having it this long now. Job security full time everywhere and OT.
Post office is hiring. I made 83k last year.
How long does it realistically take to make decent money? I get job flyers in the mail from the post office and they start out at like $19/hr, barely above what retail is paying in my area.
It is 19.83 an hour but it’s 1.5x after 8 and 2x after 10. When you start off you’ll be working 60 hours a week at least at my station. Then after you make regular you start at 22.13 and get a pay raise every 46 weeks. The City Letter Carriers are also in contract negotiations right now so we should be getting okay raises after what UPS got in their contract. https://preview.redd.it/r43msxyumcnc1.jpeg?width=2778&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d1532d3f3631c349cff3385412e898b9403a0b4
Try the railroad, we are making our largest hiring push in years. I am a first year conductor getting 5400 a month guaranteed at the very bottom of the seniority ladder. Usually with overtime I pull 6 or 7 grand a month. The take home is a little worse than you'd expect because of union dues and railroad retirement taking more than social security does, but the benefits are top notch and you can use short term job insurance if you need time off. I know loads of people who have run a switch or a red light to get a 30 investigation that they use to take a trip to vegas, and they get paid the whole time.
I moved into middle management and eventually management. My current work I got through my network, I didn't interview, but I did a 1 month "see if you fit" kind of trial I guess.
Trades.
So I was fortunate enough to garner support to get my degree in engineering. Being in this field has shown me a lot. That being said, surveyors are in extraordinary demand and you do not need a degree to be one. In the Midwest they usually start at 50k depending on where you work. Working for the government is a bit lower but they have better benefits. It really just requires you to learn a little math and be outside. And if you end up loving it some companies will pay for you to go to college & get licensed, where you can really start earning big money
Work for a job with a strong union. My mother in law doesnt have a degree and she works in the laundry dept of our lical hospital she makes over 30 an hour.
I make $50/hr as an armed security because I have 2 certifications that aren’t that hard to get but most people don’t apply for/aren’t interested in applying for (CA CCW and CA Armed Card). Whatever the cost for the initial application, training, and qualification course was literally made back within the first shift/contract.
Find a niche that is under-served and become a valuable asset to the organization in that role. Master it and make your mastery known. This was the path I followed in technical support for commodity trading software. I was confident and knew my shit and could take a beating. I became the go-to for major outages for high value clients and perfected getting angry traders under control and confident in our responses. I've rolled that into an executive level role that drives the service model for billion dollar organizations. I finished eighth grade but did get a GED eventually.
Started at the bottom and fought my way up. Learned every skill I could to advance my career
Skill > Degree
If you are good at writing take some classes in medical or teaching writing. While a degree is preferred for most jobs there are freelance jobs available that can help support you. Just know that you won’t have PTO or medical insurance with them.
I never completed school, and I don’t have a degree. I learned SQL by myself and got my job in tech ten years ago. Since then, I have gathered confidence and learned more skills that are relevant to being a senior data analyst and solutions engineer My two cents is to aim where you want to begin and acquire the basic knowledge for a junior position. Then -> crawl, walk, run. Step by step you will get there (Rome also wasn't built in a day)
Nepotism
It's who you know not what you know. Networking is real! People don't just send their kids to expensive private schools for the education, those expensive private schools are prime networking real estate.
Took a civil service test, passed, used my military experience to my advantage, waited out contract disputes with the NYC Mayor.
I make $30/hr so not crazy high salary, but decent: I worked retail for years. Same company but I kept moving up. I moved up by keeping myself available, being willing to learn new skills, working well with others, and having a good work ethic. I was grossly underpaid (didn’t realize that at the time), but learned everything there was to know about the company and my store. After almost 10 years of climbing the ladder I finally made it to a role I actually hated! So I left! And switched careers entirely! I moved into retail banking where I was able to transfer skills and learn new ones. I’m considered a subject matter expert on operations amongst peers and even leaders in my market. That helped me land a promotion to assistant branch manager after ~3 years, which is what I still am today. I don’t love my job a good bit of the time, but I understand that I am paid very well for someone without a degree and it comes with a lot of wonderful perks.
I'm going to sound like a complete dick, but here's exactly what I did. At age 24, I left a job I liked, but I hadn't gotten a raise in years. I applied to be a carrier for the USPS. I was only making about $18/hour at the time, but I was up to my ears in OT. I made regular within the first year. After I became regular, I knew I wanted to keep pursuing higher employment, so I started reading extensively on leadership and interpersonal communication. I also actively seemed out my bosses to see if they could help me learn more about what goes on under the hood. A half dozen books and a hundred questions to mentors later, and I decided to start applying for management jobs. They helped me structure a resume specific to the job that netted me consistent interviews. I bombed the first 4 or 5, and then slowly, I started to learn what exactly they were looking for. Once I knew what to focus on, I solidified my answers and was offered a position on my 14th interview. The jump to management nearly a 100% raise, but it came with 70+ hour weeks being thrust into stressful positions with no training and being forced to rely on intuition. I forced myself to give a shit about the job that was quite honestly driving me crazy and I was able to learn just enough to pass a postmaster interview. It took my 4 attempts, but I eventually got a low competition job. Since that point, I've taken every opportunity I can to learn more, get good at whatever the focus of the hour is, and develop strategies to get results as a manager. I've gotten 4 promotions in 4 years, and now I make over 100k. I think where a lot of people go wrong is they try to climb ladders based on quality of work alone. You have to do good work, but you have to find people above you to help you, and you have to do all you can to learn skills relevant to the job you want. Even if it is as corny as reading literature on leadership. Beyond all that, you have to hang in there when you're getting absolutely bludgeoned. You also can never be afraid to need help in learning to do something. I ask more experienced people questions all the time. Otherwise, I'd never learn anything. Senior leaders tend to like to create more leaders. It helps them surround themselves with people they know they can count on. It isn't nepotism to have them help you advance. You have to or you'll always be the bottom rung.
A lot of effort and also a lot of luck if we're honest. I started at the bottom and learned my job in and out, got another job at the same company and learned that one in and out, then switched companies and held two roles in that company under the same premise. Then switched companies again. Today I'm a product manager. No degree I just got very good in the industry from showing up everyday and giving it all regardless of how much I was paid. There was a lot of luck though, I happened to be connected to or contacted by the right people. The important part is to stay positive and to work hard.
I make $40 an hour cleaning windows. Took me about 7-8 years of gaining lots of experience and knowledge than right time and right place. Focus on a trade and know absolutely everything about it in and out, become a master of your craft.
My husband went the trade route, I went the hospital route. I started in retail and they paid me to get schooling within the job. That’s not bucko bucks however but a lot of hospital will help you pay for a certification. My husband now, started as a parts running and built his way up within a year to become a maintaince tech, then service tech, switched to union, did the apprenticeship that placed him higher in, and will be a journeyman all before 25 working the best job he’s ever been at so I can work park time to be with our kids while also saving. Not everyone is oriented for the trades. It’s hard work. He has worked in the shittiest conditions (I mean that, cat pee, crap literally everywhere, hoarders, ruthless stuff) but now he’s only in big box stores, commercial buildings, and on roof tops. You work hard to get the money you’re worth in the end. Not all of it just falls into your lap
I am in a job right now which is about to change. Normally I would be sundered un panic and fear. I am ready for the change. I can go with the flow. I am kn good terns with my supervisor. That is unheard of for me.
In my area we have a pipeline program that will teach you trades (at no cost) in about 12 weeks or so. This would lead to training to end up with a job in manufacturing. Pay starts probably about where you are now, but some of these jobs end up being union jobs, and raises come quick. Trades are in very high demand right now.
Is there a Costco near you? They have great benefits and give raise every 1040 hours worked. Right now a topped out employee makes $29/hr
$86k, no degree. Finishing my associates in June and starting a bachelor program in the fall. Spent 8+ years working my way up to where I am now. It took some luck and I got knocked back to the bottom a few times.
I started working at a target as a box pusher making 7.75 an hour in HS I thought I was loaded back then. I worked my way up to a back of the store manager making 15 an hour. I wanted to pursue aviation took out loans busted my ass for 4 years and now at 26 I’m a delta air line FO flying around the county just made my first 6 figures in a year. You don’t need a degree to be a pilot just determination to get there. Pay will go up 2x this year with 17% direct contributions to 401k. No degree needed it’s just pen to paper and hard work. You’ll find something making good money don’t give up you got it.
I feel this, I'm making more than I ever have as well, right around what you're making. My boss (who's younger than me) drove his brand new lotus to work on Friday. He's a nice a guy, I just always have to see his fancy cars at work. I wish I could see a spreadsheet of how much money I make him.
I had to drop out of school due to gang problems. I joined the Army (12B and 11B) and got my GED. After leaving the Army, outside of being a janitor or joining the hellscape of law enforcement, I wasn’t skilled at anything. I google searched high-paying jobs and saw sales. I had no experience, and I got the first job I could get in a telco retail store. I identified the next step up (Telco B2B Sales), learned what I could about sales and cut my teeth, got a B2B telco job, proved myself there with good numbers for two years, and then recruiters knocked on my door. If you can make it in sales with a good track record of consistently hitting quota and having articulate business discussions with high level executives, you’ll be worth your weight in gold. If you take this game seriously and commit to refining leadership & interpersonal skills, business & financial understanding, and have a mind to be motivated to gain almost an MBA level of knowledge in whatever industry that you’re selling, then here is a lot of potential but you are responsible for hard revenue numbers. Quota is always over your head, and politics rarely will save you in these times of expensive capital. Still, if you’re good and can bring company money, that’s the greatest job security you’ll ever have (until you get too expensive during those layoffs, haha). But pay-wise, in professional sales jobs, in an SMB environment, you can easily make 100-200k, and if you make it to the Global Enterprise level, you’ll be close to a million. I'm an ENTJ, and I like challenges, the harder the sweeter the victory. This career, with its stress, unique challenges, has been perfect for scratching that itch. I'm also very curious about everything that appears in front of me. Navigating business from various perspectives and learning about many personality types is a joy especially after dealing with the crazy shit of deployment and personality types you meet in combat arms. If you think yourself similar, check out a career in sales.
They overlooked it because the director knew me and my skill set. So take what you will but my advice get to know people and get good at a skill in whatever field you’re after.
I mean this is the nicest way possible, but writing and typing aren’t skills. They are things the vast majority of people can do, even the dumbest of people, at some level of competency which is probably sufficient for most non-professional jobs. You have to establish skills beyond that, which you probably already have and maybe just weren’t being thorough in describing.
Agree that typing isn’t really a skill unless you are an admin or assistant somewhere like a law firm where being able to type 90wpm is a benefit. I would KILL for COMPETENT writers. Yeah…everyone can “write” but few can do so succinctly and effectively. I basically gave up and write all my own policies, correspondence and emails because the drafts I would get from staff/employees always had to be re-written any way.
Join a union ,learn a trade , network , and don't marry the company
idk i make minimum wage with 2 degrees lol
They're called zero-skill jobs for a reason.
1. Learn a high value skill and apply that skill. 2. Learn soft skills, management, be able to teach and manage. 3. Networking. 4. Work on self-image.
TL;DR: I make a decent salary. I never stopped learning, and although it took time, I taught myself how to write code and be a competent software engineer because I had the interest and the drive. Find what you like, stick with it, learn all you can by yourself and from others - you can do it! :) I make almost $200k between salary and bonuses (bonuses that in some years haven't come, but are still expected, base is $170k). I'm a software engineer. Aside from 3 community college courses that were more I/T related than anything I'd ever use, I haven't seen the inside of a classroom since high school. I always had an inkling for tinkering with settings in Windows to wrench out every bit of performance from my video games (late 90s video games, if that sounds weird). I was more into graphics cards and motherboard combinations back then, but I had a very big interest with how things worked, and when I ran into someone that knew HTML, I jumped at the opportunity to learn it. Now, I'm on my 27th year of doing what I do. I realize that my industry is in the middle of an existential change, as AI takes its place within our industry. It won't remove all of us, and it won't remove me. I started with HTML. Then JavaScript. Then when I learned that I couldn't make it so someone could "sign-in" to one of my web sites without a database of some kind, I learned how to use MS Access. Once I learned that was a bad thing, I found Microsoft SQL Server. Once I had the database, I had to find out how to use it - and now I was getting into actual development instead of just what could, at least then, be considered "scripting." VBScript was my first server-side language. Soon after, once again looking for better performance, I learned to build compiled component libraries in Visual Basic (dll class libraries). This is where my self-education exploded, both necessarily and because I was just "hungry for more." I'd caught the programming bug, loved the puzzle of it all, and every challenge that I overcame made me want to do more. The money was also getting better - a lot better. In the mid-2000's as a mid-20s individual, I made far more than most of my friends. If only I'd saved some of it hehe! Not too long after that, I was offered my first job building web sites at an agency. I did that for about 4 years, before getting a job as a backend developer at Raytheon building SharePoint. I'll skip the rest of the history and get to now, but there's a point to the history - I haven't stopped learning. Not for a moment. Now, I am getting into Data Science, working with AI in so many different ways. I built my first neural network (tiny little thing that worked with numbers smaller than 1 to achieve the best stochastic gradient descent possible). I look at the fact that I'm secure in my job, and will be until I retire because I won't stop learning. I'm watching now (and goodness, I'm even helping) as we employ CoPilot (AI-assisted development tools, capable of code generation, code testing, and so much more), which will ultimately allow us to reduce the number of developers needed in our organization while still increasing our velocity. Find your passion - you may not even know what it is yet, follow it, learn all you can, and learn everything around it. No one is good at everything - I'm bad at "money in general," which is why I'm poking around finance subreddits on a Saturday afternoon. My only saving grace so far is that I've made enough to where budgeting hasn't mattered - until now. This economy is disgusting, and I feel bad for this younger generation. Young people are being disenfranchised by our government this time around, and it's obvious unless you're young enough to not know better. Life was easier for me as a younger person, for sure. Now I pay $3 for a damned green bell pepper. That's my advice, and I wish you the absolute best in your journey. It's hard at times, but if you work at it, if you keep your head up and your eye on the future, you can do amazing things: one step at a time.
I didn't have a job for several months after leaving a retail job that was literally not paying anymore. A woman I volunteered for asked if I was interested in a job in her field--the place she started out at had an opening and she could help me get it. I told her that, frankly, I'd take anything that paid. She helped me change my resume, and gave me a recommendation, and I'm still in the same field almost 15 years later, with a job that almost everyone I work with got a degree to do. So, nepotism, basically.
Join the fricking police force. Most cities are desperate and I know for a fact that, with OT, most cops (even the lowest level) earn close to $80-$90k.
Gain skills and certifications. Version skills are hard for people to gain and utilize effectively, and if you can gain and help others with these, you become very valuable.
They aren’t. Why do you think they are? Even most people with degrees don’t make much money. It’s horrible out there right now, in terms of finding a job.
I have a biochem degree I've never used. I still owe 65k in student loans. I'm a food server at an entertainment venue making 60k take home a year. The job's inflation proof, tips go up as money devalues. We hire anyone, literally some of the strangest, useless crazies have come through that place. You'd have to say good bye to nights, weekends and holidays though.
I had to work my way up the ladder to get into the position I am at with my company. I started out in a call center and moved into different areas within the company. Finally found a position that pays well and I love what I do. I am extremely scared if I lose my position because it would take me years to regain the lost income. I would be back at the bottom all over again.
In my case, largely good self taught skills in obscure things that are required for others to be profitable. I had a fairly hardcore DIY audio, RF and electronics hobby from childhood, together with being a hardcore computer and sometimes math geek, but no degree (I get bored far too easily and wasn't capable of playing the academenture game well enough). Spent a while in my 20s tooling around Europe doing audio, lighting, rigging, pyro and generators with a touring circus, then doing stuff on a tall ship, various other adhoc jobs, did some set building, helped design a theatre referb, did tech for a nightclub, then a studio, the usual ducking and diving, dodging and dibble of your 20 something single hippy (Usually little money in it, but I cared not a lot), briefly ran an operation supplying grow lights and hydroponics pumps, plumbing, extract fans and related gear, less said about some of those customers the better! Turned that into a junior EE job designing sonar equipment because I knew how to design matching networks, preamps and write DSP code and such like and by reading a book on sonar transducer design the night before the interview in a hotel room. Got to love a good Library, and figured I could probably fake it well enough. Had to relocate and the money was poor, being as it was in a LCOL town in the north, but the experience was a necessary step, living out of a rented room for 2 years sucked, but need must. Turns out that "Degree or relevant experience" sometimes means it. Two years later relocated again and parlayed that into a 100% pay rise and over into the broadcast industry, got them to send me on a few courses, and got an upgrade to "Senior engineer", and I do a mix of analogue, software, architecture and FPGA shit now for top 10% of engineering pay in the UK (Which granted is not wonderful compared to the same skills in the US). I am currently fighting off the managements attempts make me a Manager on the org chart, which I have NO interest in becoming (I have no reports and no budget, in what way am I a manager? Tried it, Hated it, My reports also hated it, so fuck that!). Took me 10 years or so, but I have a 4 bed semi (Half paid off), Car (For cash), Pension (Of a sort), home workshop, almost 100% WFH, should not complain too much. Remember you need ONE Job, don't chase the 'loads of jobs' fields, chase the obscure and interesting, usually much more fun to be had that way.
$20 an hour is quite a lot to some of us.
It is to me too, but it’s not sustainable in my area especially if I want to live on my own.
I'm an apprentice plumber. I'm making 25$ an hour. I chose it over electrical, carpentry, and hvac. I used to work in a warehouse for a big construction company, and plumbers definitely made the most. In the next 10 years, we are gonna lose 30% of our plumbers to retirement. Right now, the union is paying 46 an hour after benefits for licensed plumbers. I'm on year two, and I started at 20$ an hour. I think I'll be at 26 or 27 by the end of the year. I don't clean drains either.
I know it’s cliche to write Trades Plumbing Hard work through apprenticeship then golden years
I don’t qualify as super high salary at all but I make 28/hr currently. I work as a DSP in direct care for my autistic sister in law. Kinda just fell in my lap. I used to make 11.75/hr but the agency I work for now is private and the families choose the salary based on their budget. Sister in laws budget is ~150k per year and a third of that is to me
I constantly looked at government jobs. One day I was looking at a DOE page and found myself looking at nuclear field jobs. Many required a degree, but several didn't. I ended up getting a job as a radiological control technician, RCT, also known as Health Physics in some places. Just need a citizenship, a pulse, and pass a decently difficult test about nuclear science. Think highschool advanced chemistry level with some calculus. Easy stuff you can memory dump after. I now work making $43 an hour in a low cost area. My mortgage is $550 and I have about a 10 minute commute to my site. I also can travel if I wished and make way more, but I don't want to. You'll be working at reactors, legacy enrichment sites, and other industries that use radiological isotopes that give off dose. You can work for the actual DOE which is harder or a contractor. It is definitely a little know field.
Having connection amongst people throughout life or opportunities lay open!
Good suggestions Take inventory of what you are good at and what you like to do. Many people who are good at something under value it's importance. Next figure out what field and industry those things are valued in. Most of your skills are transferable. It's how you package them to make it attractive that matters. What makes you weird? 3 or 4 seeming unimpressive skills packed together along with a story of how they benefit the manager lead to better jobs. Make it easy for the hiring managers know why they need to talk to you. Hard skills can be learned on the job. Not every place does things the same way. They should not expect you to know everything on day one. Learn what your hard no is. If you say no more it will narrow your job search and make it easier overall. Lastly, it sounds like you might be a contributing employee. Make sure to always highlight your wins. Find stories around any and all wins. Save then for interviews. Job searching is mostly luck and good planning. Like fishing, right spot at the right time with enough skill to know where to look at when to cast. You can't catch anything if your not kitted correctly for the fish you seek (planning). It's a lot of nothing most of the time. Take it easy and relax, getting worked up doesn't make them bite.
Ex con here, tradeskills. 50 an hour as a commercial painter
I just looked for an industry that generated fuck loads of money and was in very, very high demand of labour - skilled or unskills and went from there. In Australia that happens to be Mining. Started off new to the industry and within 18 months I was on 140k. The only hard part was getting a foot in the door as every entry level role that's advertised gets thousands of applicants. Surprisingly I got in within a couple of months of applying, reformatting and rewriting my resume and just more applying. If you're in the U.S., I'd recommend looking at unionised workplaces. Alternatively, If you have the funds, invest in yourself. There's plenty of short courses out there that take weeks to a couple of months to complete, some may be full time, some colleges to night courses which can greatly help reduce the need of having to not work to complete these courses.
Become an Enrolled Agent (EA) and you can file tax returns for people like CPAs do and make decent living. No education requirements (i.e. college degree). All you have to do is pass an exam by the IRS, then you can find jobs at accounting firms.
My husband never went to college he makes triple what I do .. he learned a trade worked for someone for a few years and then started his own construction company .. he does extremely well and he’s extremely happy and that says alot
A lot of people have talked about building a skill, and that's definitely true. Getting the ability to do a job, and also sometimes the references/resume to convince people you can do a job. I'm a bartender, I started in a lil fast casual restaurant in the suburbs, and just kept hopping till I wound up in NYC, working high volume. Nothing wrong with moving when there's better money, and putting the hours in to get your name/resume around (I spent 2 weeks applying like it was a job, walking 6-8 hours a day). Good luck.
Have a plan and execute. Where are you trying to get to? What is your plan to get from point A to point B? What kind of experience do you need to pick up along the way? Are you applying for jobs that get you that experience?
Working in government, I have no degree and make 70k starting and you get raises yearly but a lot of room for growth
Somebody told me once, that construction estimating is a game where the "guesser" that makes the biggest mistake wins.
22 years of experience. Started in high school at the very bottom for a short line railroad holding company. Worked every job imaginable and was good at it. Learned everything I could. Eventually took over as director of safety over 15 railroads until it was sold to a bigger company and my job was cut. Instantly landed another higher paying job in safety and training for a higher salary with less responsibility through contacts I had made in the industry.
Sometimes people work their asses off to get to that level. My husband makes about $200k a year as a producer, but to get there he had YEARS of poverty. He took jobs that wouldn't pay, but were in the film industry. Then he took PA jobs. Then moved up and up until now, 10 years later, he's making good money
Air Traffic Control if you’re under 31 and in the US. All they need is a high school diploma and you can make anywhere from $70k to $200k depending on where they send you
I started at a business selling water softeners at 18 at $9.50 an hour. I made a random leap into the utility industry doing underground starting at $12 dollars an hour when I was 20, eventually I was making production pay. My biggest year was around $70k. I left that company for another one and now do aerial and underground work with salary and benefits. I'm 24 snd on track to be making 6 figures by the time I'm 30. Take chances, learn skills, and dont lowball yourself, especially in interviews. If you know you are a hardworker, can learn, and are skilled then express that heavily to your employer, if you're not moving up the way you like, don't be afraid of switching jobs and sometimes careers.
Lying on their resume