Guest author: Julia Merrill, owner of Befriend Your Doc
What will your next career be?
If your work doesn’t feed your passion or fuel your soul, you’re in the wrong career. But you can make a change now that will have a profound impact on both your personal and professional lives. Here are a few new career options to consider that can help you do what you love while keeping food on the table.
Next Career: Nurse
Nursing is more than a job. And although it is traditionally thought of as a female-oriented position, Career Resumes asserts that men often make great nurses. If you have a passion for taking care of people, are not squeamish, don’t mind long hours, and want to truly impact your community, nursing may be for you.
Of course, you’ll need to go back to school and earn, at minimum, a license in practical nursing. You may also pursue a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate degree. If you are unsure if nursing is for you, a less expensive path toward a career in the medical field is becoming a CNA, or certified nursing assistant, which does not require a degree.
Next Career: Entrepreneur
Being your own boss is almost everyone’s dream. There are many reasons that entrepreneurship makes sense. Aside from personal freedom, it gives you the chance to pursue your own passions without anyone else’s input.
Regardless of the type of business you choose to start, make sure that you form an LLC, which will help protect your personal assets. Although you can take this step without legal assistance, a formation service will understand the subtle nuances of the process according to your state, and they can help you hammer out the details. An LLC affects the way that you pay taxes, and going this route may help you save money, which you can channel into your business.
Next Career: Schoolteacher
Schoolteachers have such a profound impact on students. Unfortunately, as American RadioWorks attests, not all students have access to effective educators. As a teacher, you are in a unique position to touch the lives of students and their families. You not only teach, but also mentor, protect, and provide love and safety when it’s needed most.
If you already have a degree, you may only need to earn your teaching certificate. However, you may have to go back to school and earn an Associate’s or Bachelor’s in education. Your local school board may accept substitute teacher applications with a high school diploma. An added perk of being a teacher is that you will likely be on the same schedule as your own children, allowing you the work/life balance you desire.
Next Career: Youth counselor
Like a teacher, a youth counselor is involved in the lives of young people within your community. A youth counselor might mentor students struggling in school, educate parents on issues unique to children of today, or work with abused children to help them learn healthy coping mechanisms.
Youth counselors are required to have a degree and may work in a number of settings from a local high school to a trauma unit in a hospital. Florida Tech notes that the need for youth counselors is expected to explode by 2024—experiencing a 20% growth rate, which is more than three times the national average.
Youth counselor is just one job in the child welfare field. You might also consider becoming a social worker or case manager for your state’s Child Protective Services.
This is just a small sampling of potential careers that will have an impact on your personal and professional life. They may not be the highest-paying jobs, but they are those that will pay you back in so much more than cash. When it’s time for a new career, make it count. Remember, what you do today is your legacy, and it will be how you are remembered tomorrow.
Contact Career Resumes today and let your resume speak for itself.
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