Tag: entry-level job

Top 5 Industries for Workforce Diversity

Regardless of your major, if you’re embarking on your first job search you might be wondering which hiring trends are likely to affect your career. One of the biggest professional trends in recent years has been an increased focus on diversity. This is partly the result of new diversity guidelines set out by the Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and partly the result of studies showing that companies who hire with diversity in mind tend to be more successful and have happier employees.

To get the inside scoop on which industries are making diversity a major priority, we recently sat down with the team at NetSuite, one of the leading software companies in the world and a recognized diversity leader, having been named a 2020 Women on Boards Winning “W” company for the fourth year in a row. We analyzed several factors including gender, ethnicity, age and geography, and highlighted both traditionally diverse industries and those that having been taking big steps towards improving their diversity rankings in recent years.

Here are the top five industries focusing on workforce diversity right now.

1. Healthcare

As one of the oldest and most established industries, healthcare has a long history of serving diverse populations and hiring employees who reflect that diversity. This is especially true when it comes to ethnic and gender diversity with one-third of healthcare workers being non-white and two-thirds of nurses being female. In addition to racial and gender diversity, healthcare is also geographically diverse meaning that it is evenly spread out across the country. Although the industry has already made great strides in developing an inclusive workforce, in recent years it has placed an even greater emphasis on hiring candidates from multicultural backgrounds in order to better serve expanding sectors of the population.

2. Education

Like healthcare, education is one of the most diverse industries, particularly when it comes to gender and geography. This is partly due to the fact that two-thirds of teachers are female and partly the result of the industry itself being one of the largest workforces in every state. In an effort to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population, schools and universities are looking to further improve their diversity initiatives and have started hiring employees from an even broader range of social identities and economic backgrounds.

3. Retail & Distribution

Next on the list is the retail industry which ranks highly for gender, geography, age and ethnic diversity. This is largely due to its size (it serves a wide range of customers and requires a lot of employees) and also due to the fact that retail companies are themselves diverse, covering everything from fashion to technology. In order to ensure that the industry is as inclusive as possible, recruiters in the field have been increasingly looking to hire candidates from every racial, ethnic and economic background as well as ensuring that gender is taken into account at all levels of the industry.

4. Professional Services

One of the fastest growing industries at the moment is the professional services industry, covering services like accounting, consulting and law. Although fields like accounting and law have traditionally lacked diversity in terms of gender, education and ethnicity, with the expansion of these fields (and of service-oriented professions in general) this trend has changed significantly in recent years. For example, professional services companies now employ a much higher number of women than they previously did and are located in geographically diverse areas of the country. Hiring managers in these fields are also working to hire and retain talented individuals from a variety of educational and socio-economic backgrounds and expanding their recruiting efforts accordingly.

5. Financial Services

Like accounting and law, the financial services industry has traditionally been one of the least diverse industries in the country. However, this has been rapidly changing in recent years as companies have realized the value of expanding their candidate pool and hiring from a broader range of schools, majors and backgrounds. With the success of these initiatives now being evident, financial services companies are making an even bigger push to increase diversity. The result is that recruiters are looking to hire candidates with diverse skills while also aiming to effectively close the gender gap.

The increased focus on workforce diversity in recent years is an important trend that signals a desire to expand job opportunities for job seekers all over the country. By knowing which industries are leading the pack when it comes to diversity, you’ll be able to find a broad range opportunities that match your skills and get one step closer to finding your dream job.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For in a Company and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

How to Grow Your Professional Network

Growing your professional network as a student or recent grad is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re setting yourself up for long-term professional success. What’s the best way to do this? By reaching out to people in your personal network and connecting with alumni of your college or university who are working in a field you’d like to work in.

Here are some things to keep in mind when growing your professional network.

1. Reach out to people within your social and alumni networks

Although you may not have much (or any) professional experience, you likely already know plenty of people who can be part of your professional network. The key is to identify them. The best way to do this is by taking some time to make a list of everyone in your social and academic circles. When compiling your list, include everyone from family friends to professors and peers, and don’t limit yourself to a specific industry. Instead, focus on making your list as broad and inclusive as possible to ensure that you’re building a strong network. Once you have your list, identify 2-3 people who can help you develop your career goals. Then, reach out to them and ask to set up a time to chat (either in person or over the phone), and use your time to talk to them about your career goals and to get their advice on steps you can take to achieve them.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to reach out to people within your school’s alumni network. Many alumni are actively involved with mentoring students and recent grads from their alma maters and even those who aren’t are likely to be flattered that you reached out to ask for their advice.

2. Stay in touch with co-workers and managers from previous jobs and internships

Once you have some professional experience under your belt (such as an internship or part-time job), make it a priority to stay in touch with former managers and co-workers. This will ensure that you’re building long-lasting relationships and leaving the door open for new opportunities that may arise in the future. The best way to do this is by reaching out a couple of months after the internship has ended to let your former manager know how you’re doing and to ask them about any updates on their end.

Pro Tip: Be specific. Instead of sending a vague email asking how they’re doing, ask about the outcome of a project you worked on together or about a trip they were planning to take. This will show them that you’re interested in establishing a genuine relationship and that you care about the work you produced while you were with the organization.

3. Make use of your social media accounts

Although social media is more often seen as a personal space rather than a professional one, using it as a networking tool is a great way to connect with people in an organic way while showing off a bit of your personality. This can be as simple as “liking” the Facebook page of a particular brand you admire or tweeting at an influencer about something they’re working on. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to be respectful in your interactions and to put your best foot forward.

4. Be genuine and helpful in your interactions

When done right, networking can be a powerful tool for advancing your career and creating the kinds of relationships that will stick with you throughout your professional life. And if you want to ensure that those relationships are authentic and long lasting, it’s important to approach networking opportunities with a genuine interest in getting to know the other person and being as helpful to them as possible. By demonstrating your desire to create a strong professional bond, you’re likely to develop the kinds of relationships that will be mutually beneficial to everyone involved.

Although growing your professional network might seem a bit intimidating at first, by approaching it in a thoughtful and strategic way, you’ll be able to set yourself up for long-term success.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Be a Team Player and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

Entry-Level Graphic Design Job Guide

Junior graphic designers are problem solvers that communicate through visual mediums. In other words, they create and employ type, images, animations, and other design elements to help communicate ideas, advertisements, products, interfaces, and more. Another related, potentially confusing term is “visual design”. While graphic and visual design have subtle differences, they are very similar design disciplines in the current employment market.

What is an Entry-Level Graphic Designer?

It’s common for entry-level graphic designers to go 1 of 2 routes: join an agency, or work for a company that produces a product (in-house).

  1. Agency designers typically work on a multitude of projects for a diverse group of clients. The beginning roles are often production related, requiring a designer to spend their days in Photoshop or Illustrator churning tweaking mockups, photos, and minute illustrations.
  2. In-house designers typically work on a single company’s product, marketing or advertising teams. They are often responsible for the visual communication of the company’s product or service on their website, in written publications, on social media, and most other channels.

It’s easy to get confused by all of the different types of design jobs available to recent grads. Here is a good guide
to help you differentiate between the available careers.

Common Responsibilities of Entry-Level Graphic Designers

Some primary tasks include things like:

  1. Creating or editing illustrations in Illustrator.
  2. Building compositions with type and imagery for advertising.
  3. Developing brand language and guidelines for companies to use to communicate their brand.
  4. Creating a visual system to convey emotion and feeling through an interface (UI).
  5. Implementing visual designs in CSS on the internet for clients / companies.

Types of Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs

As long as you stick strictly to the terms “Entry-Level Graphic Designer”, you’re not going to find too many different types of jobs. The primary differences you’ll notice are agency versus in-house (as mentioned above), and the medium on which you’ll produce your work. Some companies are purely digital (e.g. tech startups) and will have you working fully digitally. Other companies will still work at least partially in print (e.g. publications) and you’ll be spending time in InDesign or similar programs as well.

If you step outside of the strict search terms, you’ll find there are several ways to search for relevant roles, for example:

Salary Expectations

The median salary for entry-level graphic designers is $39,645.

The range is $29,674 – $54,421.

Location is one the largest factors in calculating salary, so it’s particularly helpful to consider the entire salary range.

The Bureau of Labor expects the number of graphic design jobs to grow by only 1% over the next 10 years.

Who Typically Gets These Jobs

Every year, we survey over 20,000 students and recent grads in an effort to understand the internship and entry-level job market. Based on the results of our State of Hiring report, the students or recent graduates that apply to these entry-level jobs have several things in common:

  • While many students are willing to look at jobs unrelated to their major, graphic design majors are not. 80% of them only want to consider design jobs. However, getting a full-time design job is hard. 43% of recent graduates currently employed are not working in a design role.
  • New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle are the most popular destination for graphic design grads.
  • Graphic design majors often work side jobs during school. Over 80% have had a paid side job. Employers see this as a major benefit when looking to hire a new employee.
  • Only 26% of graduating seniors majoring in graphic design have no internship experience.
  • 54% have taken a computer science course.
  • Most graphic design students expect to have between $25,000 and $75,000 in debt when they graduate.
  • Almost 40% of seniors majoring in graphic design have taken an online course related to their major.

Related Entry-Level Fields

Despite it being somewhat rare that graphic design majors seek jobs outside of their immediate major, it does happen. When they do go outside, here are the areas they’re most likely to look at:

  1. UI Design
  2. UX Design
  3. Product Design
  4. Industrial Design
  5. Motion Design

Additional Resources

  1. It never hurts to brush up on a few graphic design topics. You can take a few online courses to get back in the swing of things.
  2. For more salary information, head over to Payscale.
  3. For more advice on starting your entry-level job search, check out our guide!
  4. And finally, to prepare for an entry-level job interview, prepare for the top 20 entry-level job interview questions.

Search for Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs Now

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

What to Do After You Get a Job Offer

Nice work! You got a job offer. However, before you celebrate too much, it’s important to note that your interactions with the company now are just as important as your interactions with the company during the interview process. After all, if you do decide to work for this company, you want to make a great impression every step of the way.

Typically, job offers will come via phone call (or voicemail, if you don’t answer). Here are some steps to take if you get a job offer on the phone:

If the person leaves you a voicemail:

1. Listen to the voicemail from start to finish, and write down any important notes. Listen one more time to make sure you have all details written correctly. Assuming they ask you to call them back at a specific time, call them back at that time, and follow the steps directly below.

2. If they do not tell you to call them back, then email them within 24 hours to thank them, and say that you are excited to learn more details about the offer over email.

If you are on a live phone call with them:

1. Thank the employer graciously and tell them how excited you are to have received an offer of employment. (They probably spent a lot of time choosing you over other candidates, so it’s nice if you let them know that you appreciate their time!)

2. While on the phone, ask the employer about any deadlines you should know about. For example, when do you need to let them know if you formally accept the job offer?

3. If they have not mentioned information about salary (or benefits) on the call, ask them when they plan to follow up by email with more details. Tell them you’re excited to learn more about the offer.

Pro Tip: Unless the offer is in writing, it’s not official. Make sure you get everything in writing!

4. If they DO mention salary information on the call, and you are surprised or confused, ask them if they can email you the information, and tell them you may follow up with questions for clarification.

Pro Tip: The offer phone call is not the time to negotiate. You should make sure you have everything in writing first.

5. For ways to negotiate or ask questions about your offer, see How to Negotiate a Job Offer.

Some employers prefer to extend a job offer in writing.

If you get a job offer by email:

1. Send them an email within 24 hours (the sooner, the better!) to thank them.

2. If the offer’s details (such as the start date, salary, deadline to accept, etc) are included in the offer email, then read through all information thoroughly. Reply with any questions you may have.

3. If the offer details are not included in the initial email, mention that you are excited to learn more about the offer when you email them to thank them. You can also ask about when you should expect to receive more details, such as the official offer letter and start date.

Here is one example of a “thank you” note:

Dear Ms. Blocs,

I just received your voicemail; thank you so much for extending me an offer to the Boogity Bank internship program for this summer. It means the world to me that your team believes I’m a good fit for Boogity Bank.

One quick question: When can I expect to receive more details about the offer? I’d love to review the offer letter and understand the timeline by which I must inform Boogity Bank of my final decision.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you so much again,
Katie

Final Pro Tip: If you have a question about something in the offer letter, don’t be afraid to ask your main point of contact (usually someone in HR). It’s vital that you understand all that details of your offer ahead of signing so that you don’t find yourself quitting after one week!

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Check in With a Recruiter When You Haven’t Heard Back and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Weaknesses?

Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Global Studies Majors

A global studies major puts you in the running for a wide range of entry-level opportunities in exciting fields like civil service, politics and education. Best of all, many of these opportunities can offer you exposure to international relations and help you put your global studies skills to use.

Some of the most common entry-level jobs for global studies majors include:

Civil service worker

A career as a civil service worker, which requires a solid understanding of national and global issues, is a great way to explore work pertaining to human rights issues, U.S. trade opportunities, business processes and the promotion of U.S. diplomatic efforts.

Congressional aide

As a congressional aide, you’ll support a congressperson in everything from researching legislative bills to organizing administrative logistics. You may also get to attend meetings with the congressperson and communicate with the public and government officials on their behalf.

Consular/embassy assistant

As a global studies major, you can also succeed as a consular assistant where your responsibilities will include immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing, conducting outreach and answering questions related to immigration policy.

Management consultant

Another exciting option that will allow you to explore your interests in business and economics is the field of management consulting. As a consultant, you’ll share your expertise and knowledge with your clients, adding a fresh perspective to each project while also coming up with results-oriented solutions.

HR for a global company

As a human resource representative for a global company, you’ll assist with day-to-day human resource functions such as employee onboarding and training, updating organizational records and employee-employer relations. Your global studies major will come in handy in preparing you to handle the needs of a diverse and multicultural staff.

Humanitarian relief worker

A job as a humanitarian aid worker (whether for a nonprofit organization or a private foundation) will take you to the frontline of areas in need of emergency aid. In this role, you’ll work with a team to coordinate emergency action programs for areas that have been affected by natural disasters or those that are located within a war zone. As an aid worker, you’ll make sure that people who are in need of aid receive it in an efficient manner.

International development consultant

An international development consultant works closely with international client-based project teams, providing direction and managing relationships while tracking the progress of specific projects and ensuring that those projects meet their goals.

International relations specialist

As an international relations specialist, you’ll focus on expanding a particular company’s international reach by analyzing business strategies and foreign policies from a global perspective. You might also be responsible for organizing public relations campaigns and communicating with international clients.

Journalist

A global studies major can also give you a great start in the world of journalism. Whether you want to work as an international reporter, a foreign correspondent or on any other type of journalism that requires a global perspective, your global studies major will put you in a great position to research and write stories of global importance.

Legal assistant

If you’re interested in branching out into law, a job as a legal assistant is a great first step. As a legal assistant, you’ll assist lawyers in preparing for trials, meetings, hearings and closings. From examining evidence to drawing up contracts or other types of agreements, you’ll get a lot of exposure to the legal field and get the chance to make a real impact through your work.

Whether you’re interested in going into management consulting, journalism or civil service, a global studies major gives you an abundance of skills to land a job that’s tailored to your interests.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Global Studies Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Health and Medicine Majors

A health and medicine major is a great opportunity to learn about the many different aspects of the healthcare industry while also developing the skills that will make you marketable in the field. And because knowledge of health and medicine is in demand even beyond the healthcare industry, you’ll have your pick of entry-level jobs.

Some of the most popular types of entry-level jobs for health and medicine majors include:

Health educator

As a health educator, you’ll brief people on behaviors that prevent diseases and promote wellbeing. From assisting with the development of health education programs to analyzing data, identifying the needs of a particular community and designing and implementing programs to increase awareness of existing healthcare policies, this role will give you the opportunity to educate people on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Registered nurse

As a registered nurse, you’ll work directly with physicians to assist with patient care and treatment. In this hands-on role, you’ll be responsible for everything from drawing blood for lab tests to administering medications and ensuring that patient records are accurate and up to date.

Assistant researcher

Healthcare research is always relevant and because of changing research methods, it’s a constantly-evolving field. If you decide to become a research assistant, you could work at a university, a healthcare organization, for a pharmaceutical company or even a nonprofit.

Physician assistant

A job as a physician assistant gives you training and insight into medicine-based professions. In this role, you’ll record patient histories, assist physicians in various capacities, prepare blood samples and enter patient information.

Medical transcriptionist

As a medical transcriptionist, you’ll transcribe medical records that are reported by physicians or other healthcare professionals. You’ll also develop relevant knowledge of medicine and medical terms. It’s an entry-level job that can prepare you for medical school or other healthcare-related opportunities.

Massage therapist

A certified massage therapist treats clients using massage modalities designed to relieve pain due to injury or stress. In this role, you’ll be responsible for helping clients achieve an overall sense of wellbeing and you’ll be able to work in a variety of settings including spas, clinics, at a physician’s office or a fitness center.

Occupational therapy assistant

For health and medicine majors looking to become occupational therapists, a good place to start out is as an occupational therapy assistant. In this position, you’ll provide therapy to patients and support therapists as they help those patients develop the skills required for daily functioning.

Dental assistant

As a dental assistant, you’ll assist dentists with dental procedures such as cleanings, X-rays and oral surgery. You’ll also contribute to the efficiency of the clinic and its procedures, and help patients feel at ease throughout the duration of their appointment.

School counselor

As a school counselor, you’ll help students navigate various challenges while also guiding them through their personal and social development. As a middle school counselor, you may offer academic guidance on which subjects to study while as a high school counselor you’ll be responsible for helping students apply to college.

Social worker

Social workers specializing in psychiatric treatment and mental health are often employed by nonprofits and hospitals. In this role, you’ll be responsible for assisting patients and their families with rehabilitation, helping them refine their interpersonal dynamics and work on achieving personal goals.

A health and medicine major is a wonderful way to build your skills and it can open the doors to a variety of entry-level opportunities. For those who are interested in going to medical school, these opportunities can also give you a sense of what a career in medicine truly entails.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Health and Medicine Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Things You Should Look For In An Internship.

How to Become a Journalist

An exciting and fast-paced career, journalism is a great fit for recent grads who are interested in current events and passionate about storytelling. If you’re considering a career as a journalist, then you’re probably wondering how to get started. For example, is there anything you can do to hone your writing skills and get employers to notice you? Absolutely!

Here are the steps to take if you want to become a journalist.

Earn your bachelor’s degree

One of the keys to starting a career in journalism is earning your bachelor’s degree. Depending on the type of journalism you want to pursue (for example, investigative journalism or broadcast journalism), you should pick a major that will help you learn about that specific type of journalism while also giving you a sense of the broader journalistic landscape. Majors to consider include journalism, communications and English.

Pro Tip: If you’re interested in reporting on a particular subject, such as politics or technology, consider taking on a double major or a minor. This will help you develop specialist knowledge of your subject while also giving your the reporting skills you need to succeed in the field.

Develop your writing skills

In addition to getting your bachelor’s degree, it’s important to hone your writing skills by writing extensively across a broad range of subjects. There are two great ways to do this: 1) By starting a blog where you can develop your voice as a writer and 2) By pitching and writing articles on a freelance basis. This will help you build up your portfolio while also helping you grow your professional network.

Pro Tip: Creating a personal website is another good way to showcase your work and establish an online presence. This is quick and easy to set up with templates like those found in WordPress and Squarespace and will make you stand out from the crowd when it’s time to find a job.

Establish connections with reporters and editors

Networking is important in any field and it’s especially important in communications-focused fields like journalism that rely on strong professional networks. The best way to approach networking is by reaching out to reporters and editors you admire and asking them to set up a time to chat (either on the phone or in person). Once you connect with them, tell them a bit about your experience and professional goals and ask them for any advice that can help you get started.

Pro Tip: Always follow up after a meeting or phone call to let the person know that you appreciate their time and that you found value in the meeting. This is a great way to keep the relationship going and to develop a long-term connection.

Intern with a newspaper, magazine or media company

An important step in any journalism career, an internship will help you gain exposure to the field while also giving you a feel for what a the day-to-day life of a journalist looks like. As an intern, you’ll be fact-checking stories, collaborating on story ideas and and maybe even helping with the final editing before the piece gets published.

With new publications continuing to pop up on an almost daily basis, the field of journalism has many opportunities for recent grads. By following these steps, you’ll be sure to set yourself up for success as you begin your career as a journalist.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Use Social Media to Network Online and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

Type of Entry-Level Jobs for Literature Majors

From writing a thoughtful essay to researching a particular type of literary theory, majoring in literature gives you the chance to develop your research and communication skills, while also learning how to think critically. But if you’re an English major, you may be wondering about the best way to apply your skills in the real world. Should you become a teacher or go into the world of publishing?

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for literature majors:

English teacher

Teaching is one of the most popular entry-level jobs for humanities majors and being an English teacher is an especially great fit for those who are majoring in literature. As an English teacher, you’ll help your students gain an appreciation for literature of all kinds while also teaching them how to interpret texts and improve their writing skills.

Publishing assistant

An entry-level job as a publishing assistant is a great way to get your foot in the door of the publishing industry. In this role, you’ll assist in the book production process and will take on tasks such as emailing authors and book distributors, managing social and media accounts and keeping track of budgets.

Editorial assistant

The most common type of editorial job for recent grads is an editorial assistant position. Based either at a specific publication, a publishing house or a literary agency, this position will give you great exposure to the many aspects of the publishing industry. From reading article pitches and manuscripts to communicating with writers and editing their work, you’ll gain a lot of experience very quickly while also learning what kind of content works best with your chosen audience.

Copywriter

A copywriter crafts engaging copy for websites, social media platforms and marketing materials. As an entry-level copywriter, you’ll put your writing skills to use by creating various types of content designed to resonate with an audience. Depending on whether you work for a marketing agency or as part of an in-house marketing team, you’ll be asked to create a specific voice for each of the brands you work with, and to maintain that voice in all of the writing you do.

Social media manager

As a social media manager, you increase the visibility of a brand, campaign or event on social media by creating engaging posts, answering customer questions and measuring the results of each campaign. You’ll also use analytics tools to determine what approaches work best and optimize your campaigns accordingly.

Copy editor

As a copy editor, you’ll be tasked with ensuring that the articles you’re editing are free of spelling and grammar mistakes and that they adhere to a specific writing style (such as AP style if you’re editing journalistic articles). Whether you work for a publishing house, a digital media company or marketing firm, you’ll play a crucial role in the day-to-day operation of the editorial department.

Whether you’re interested in journalism, publishing or teaching, a literature major gives you an abundance of skills to land a job that’s right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Literature Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Skills Employers Want in an Intern.

5 Careers That Require Less Than 2 Years of Training

Having a successful career starts with knowing what you want to do and working hard to pursue your goals. Although for many students this means getting a bachelor’s degree, a four-year course is not the only way to be successful. In fact, there are many in-demand jobs that require less than two years of college or technical coursework, which is great news for students opting for an associate’s degree or certification. With this training under their belt, they can graduate more quickly and begin to establish a career in an economically stable industry.

Here are five career paths that require less than two years of training.

1. Civil Engineering

Civil engineers are trained to work in the electro-mechanical industry and assist with planning, budgeting and overseeing the development of public projects. Bridges, waste treatment systems, highways, interstates, dams and city landscaping ventures are just a few jobs in which civil engineers are qualified to work.

Why you should consider it: Some technical schools offer civil engineering certification and degree programs that take less than a year to complete. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that civil engineering job opportunities are expected to grow at a faster than average rate over the next decade.

2. Licensed Practical Nurse / Licensed Vocational Nurse

Licensed practical and vocational nurses perform all the same duties as registered nurses with the exception of more specialized tasks like prescribing medication. Earning an LPN certification can take less than two years and students who complete an LPN or LVN program become certified to measure vital signs, take blood pressure, give injections and monitor medical equipment.

Why you should consider it: According to the BLS, this career is expected to grow 16 percent before 2024, meaning the need for LPN/LVNs is very high right now and the median pay is over $42,000 a year.

3. Radiology Technician

Radiology technicians help doctors conduct CT scans, mammograms and X-rays. Radiology techs also work closely with patients to explain the technical aspects of radiology procedures, prepare patients for scans or X-rays and make sure that physicians receive radiology scan results in a timely manner.

Why you should consider it: It’s a fairly lucrative field and you can train quickly. According to the BLS, radiology techs can make $57,000 a year after completing a two-year associate’s degree.

4. Massage Therapist

Alternative healing therapies have become really popular over the past 20 years, including therapeutic massage. Massage therapists use their knowledge of human anatomy and physiology to help clients identify pain points and then treat them using a variety of massage techniques.

Why you should consider it: The demand for massage therapists is expected to increase by 22 percent between now and 2024 and you can get trained fairly quickly. With 500-1,000 hours of training, massage therapists can earn a median salary of around $37,000.

5. Paramedic / EMT

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics hold an extremely important position in society by being the first responders to accidents and medical emergencies. And although it requires a high level of skill, training to be a paramedic can take as little as a few weeks, with more specialized training lasting up to two years.

Why you should consider it: It’s a rapidly growing field that’s expected to experience a 24 percent increase in openings by 2024, with an average salary of around $31,000 per year.

Having a great career is all about identifying your interests and finding out what steps you need to take to get started. By knowing what to expect from these careers, you can make a decision that’s right for you.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Resume: The Basics and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?