College isn't for everyone, and it's about time we come to terms with this fact.
Related:3 Reasons No Experience Will Land You That Dream Job
Despite having made the Dean's List, I dropped out of college after my freshmen year. I didn't feel comfortable with the debt I was incurring, and I didn't feel confident that college was adequately preparing me for my future.
After dropping out of college, I made a series of unconventional choices that allowed me to flourish in my career with job opportunities at top firms, including a Fortune 10 telecom.
My story goes against conventional wisdom that states that you must have a college degree in order to earn a reasonable wage.
The ability to obtain a high paying job without a college degree is more possible now than ever before. The reason for this is simple.
Being 'smart' has been de-valued in exchange for being skilled.
Back in the day skilled laborers were paid very well. One man's income could support an entire family of five. This was Employment 1.0.
Then, the Baby Boomers came along and they flooded college classrooms. White collar careers began booming. This was Employment 2.0.
Today, we have a generation of Gen Xer's and Millennials who are caught in a unique moment in history in which knowledge obtained in college has become less valuable. Employers today need employees with technical skills. Enter Employment 3.0.
A college education provides students with knowledge, but it rarely provides students with skills. This has led to the largest skills gap in human history, which provides a great segway into how to get a high paying job without a college degree:
1. Develop A Marketable Skill
The lifespan of skills erode faster now than ever before. You used to be able to learn a skill or a trade and be set in your career for 10 - 20 years. Not anymore. The first key in learning marketable skills for a high paying job is to learn not one skill, but several. The present and future workforce will reward those who are a Jack of All Trades.
As an example, if you want to pursue a career in business, it's necessary to gain skills in traditional marketing, Internet marketing, Microsoft Office, graphic design, web design, programming, and public relations. Before your head explodes, take a deep breath. You can easily learn these skills from top professionals online, in the comfort of your own home and on your schedule. Sites like Lynda.com, Udemy.com, and Code Academy teach these skills through online courses. Depending on the platform you choose, you can begin learning these skills for as little as $30/month. It's also worth noting that you do not need to be an expert in each of these skills. You just need to know enough to 'speak the language.'
2. Gain Experience
Once you've developed a set of marketable skills, you then need to begin working on gaining experience. At this point, it's unlikely that you will be qualified enough to earn a high paying job. That being said, you will need to put your Hustle Hat on and work pro bono (for free). Contact friends, family, and businesses and offer your services for free with the end goal being to build a portfolio of work and receive reference letters.
If you're not willing to work for free, you can also seek out entry-level positions. If you're able to demonstrate desire and work ethic, someone will give you a chance. If job posting sites aren't providing adequate job leads, don't stop there. Become your own lead generation tool. Create a spreadsheet with a list of businesses in your area that could utilize your skill set. Contact them directly and ask if they have any positions available. It's vital to look for jobs offline, because 70% of jobs are not advertised online.
3. Develop A Portfolio
A portfolio is a business card on steroids. As you acquire new skills and work on one project after the next, be sure you chronicle your work through a portfolio. You should have a portfolio that resides online as well as one you can present in-person for an interview. A portfolio instantly lets a prospective employer know what they can expect to receive from you should they decide to hire you. Most people are unaware of the power of a portfolio. They walk into interviews with just a one-page resume' in hand. When you walk into an interview with a resume' and a portfolio, you will instantly rise above the others who came unprepared.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
Michael Price is the author of What Next? The Millennial's Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Real World, endorsed by Barbara Corcoran of ABC's Shark Tank. He is also the founder of Conquer Career Course, where he teaches students how to increase their salary, build a career with longevity and become unemployment-proof. View the trailer below:
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.