Highly Paying Jobs - Without a Bachelors’ Degree

Forewords

This article is based on the premise that it is realizable to savor job opportunities without having bachelors’ degrees.  Associate degrees, postsecondary non-degree awards and high school diplomas may also lead candidates towards upward mobility of earnings.

N.B: the basic premise of this article does not stultify the efficacy of Bachelors’ Degrees.

Bachelors’ Degree – A Big ticket item

Students may not reckon it momentous or imperative to undertake Bachelors’ Degree programs owing to number of reasons. Nevertheless, the fact that Higher Education is entailed with higher price tags is likely to top the list. Financial destitute of students may not allow them to undertake Bachelors’ degrees.

Inflation and financial downturns have also affected education sector adversely with an impact that study expenses have upheaved to unaffordable heights. College degrees at their execution may leave students at the verge of educational loans plethora with complementing inabilities of loans payback.

Highly Paying Occupations that do not Demand Bachelors’ Degrees

Students who do not aspire to pursue Bachelors’ Degrees may also relish reasonable job-placements in these competitive and somehow stagnant markets.

Following are some of the occupations that only require Associate Degrees, Postsecondary non-degree awards and High school diplomas.

1 - Occupations Requiring Associate Degrees

An Associate Degree can be elucidated as the undergraduate learning program that plausibly lasts for two years. Associate Degree programs are unlikely to be ultra-expensive as compared to Bachelors’ Degree programs. Given below are some of the areas of expertise where Associate Degree holders may relish prevalent job-opportunities.

Occupation	Estimated Median Wage (per annum)	Projected job openings, 2010-2020	Work experience	On-the-job training
Air traffic controllers	$108,040	10,200	None	Long-term on the-job training
General and operations managers	$94,400	410,100	1 to 5 years	None
Construction managers	$83,860	120,400	More than 5 years	None
Radiation therapists	$74,980	6,700	None	None
Nuclear medicine technologists	$68,560	7,500	None	None
Dental hygienists	$68,250	104,900	None	None
Nuclear technicians	$68,090	3,300	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Registered nurses	$64,690	1,207,400	None	None
Diagnostic medical sonographers	$64,380	31,700	None	None
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians	$58,080	1,700	None	None
Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other	$58,020	16,800	None	None
Electrical and electronics engineering technicians	$56,040	31,800	None	None
Radiologic technologists and technicians	$54,340	95,100	None	None
Funeral service managers, directors, morticians, and undertakers	$54,330	10,700	None	Apprenticeship
Respiratory therapists	$54,280	52,700	None	None
Geological and petroleum technicians	$54,020	7,000	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Electrical and electronics drafters	$53,020	7,200	None	None
Occupational therapy assistants	$51,010	16,800	None	None
Precision instrument and equipment repairers & PC Repair	$50,910	5,500	None	Long-term on-the-job training
Mechanical engineering technicians	$50,110	10,400	None	None

2 - Occupations Requiring Post-Secondary Non-Degree Awards

Post-Secondary non-degree awards are the learning programs that are presumable to lead learners to certificates or other awards, but not the college degrees. Post-Secondary non-degree awards may also complement the job-seekers to enjoy career placements without hounding expensive Bachelors’ degrees. Following fields may be reckoned as interest-instigating for non-degree awards holders.

Occupation	Estimated Median Wage (per annum)	Projected job openings, 2010-2020	Work experience	On-the-job training
First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers	$68,240	33,100	1 to 5 years	None
Commercial pilots	$67,500	19,300	None	None
Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay	$65,230	6,900	None	Long-term on-the-job training
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers	$54,710	59,300	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians	$53,420	45,200	None	None
Signal and track switch repairers	$53,230	1,300	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers	$53,090	87,900	1 to 5 years	None
Avionics technicians	$52,320	5,800	None	None
Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment	$51,820	17,700	None	Long-term on-the-job training
Commercial drivers	$51,360	1,300	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training

3 - Occupations Requiring High School Diplomas

A High School Diploma is usually accoladed on the completion of High School education. These diplomas may also uphold job-seekers in getting access to exuberant job opportunities. Following are some of the job fields, where High School Diploma holders are presumable to have a spot for career upheavals.

Occupation	Estimated Median annual Wage (per annum)	Projected job Openings, 2010-2020	Work experience	On-the-job training
Managers, all other	$96,450	249,400	1 to 5 years	None
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers	$80,210	33,700	More than 5 years	None
First-line supervisors of police and detectives	$78,260	38,700	1 to 5 years	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Administrative services managers	$77,890	99,800	1 to 5 years	None
Nuclear power reactor operators	$75,650	2,000	None	Long-term on-the-job training
Elevator installers and repairers	$70,910	8,200	None	Apprenticeship
Power distributors and dispatchers	$68,900	3,600	None	Long-term on-the-job training
First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers	$68,880	123,500	More than 5 years	None
Detectives and criminal investigators	$68,820	30,100	1 to 5 years	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Fashion designers	$64,530	6,700	None	Long-term on-the-job training
Power plant operators	$63,080	14,400	None	Long-term on the-job training
Business operations specialists, all other	$62,450	327,200	Less than 1 year	Long-term on-the-job training
Media and communication equipment workers, all other	$61,680	3,300	None	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers	$60,750	234,500	More than 5 years	None
Postmasters and mail superintendents	$60,300	4,800	1 to 5 years	Moderate-term on-the-job training
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers	$60,040	14,400	None	Long-term on-the-job training
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers	$59,150	164,900	1 to 5 years	None
Artists and related workers, all other	$58,840	4,800	None	Long-term on-the-job training
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	$58,680	259,700	More than 5 years	None
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators	$58,620	79,900	None	Long-term on-the-job training

*Wage data is for wage and salary workers only
Source: BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Employment Projections program

Affirmative Context of Pursuing High School Diplomas, Non-Degree Awards and Associate Degrees
Diplomas, Non-degree awards and Associate degrees are unlikely to put the students under gruesome financial encumbrances of education. Obverse is the case of Bachelors’ degree programs that are arduous to afford.

These diplomas, non-degree awards and associate degrees can be executed within a shorter period of time—allowing the students to surf their time in developing job skills. It is beneficial to undertake training sessions as it gives practical exposures of education to the students. In this context diplomas, non-degree awards and associate are benignant, as students may spend more time in securing practical efficacies.

Book Recommendation: So good they can't ignore you

I watched this video clip (lengthy) by the author of "So good they can't ignore you".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwOdU02SE0w

It is pretty much a synopsis of his book (see below which is a very good secular book but the thoughts resonate with biblical principles).   

I commend the clip  to you. ...at least to watch some of it.  If you don't have the 40 minutes, go to about 32 minutes when he is immersed in his topic of building career capital to leverage for the future...working hard in an area of interest with deliberate practice and building toward a job you love...not endlessly search for something you are passionate about from the outset.

Art 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. I think he is "spot on" about in career development the key is not "follow your passion" but rather why skills developed in an area of interest trumps passion in the quest for work you love as you build what he calls career capital to tap on down the road where skilled involvement turns to passion. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice.  Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.

After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers.

Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before.
In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it.

With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to "be so good they can't ignore you," Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love.

SO GOOD THEY CAN'T IGNORE YOU will change the way we think about our careers, happiness, and the crafting of a remarkable life.

How to Find Your Calling (And Why Most People Get This Wrong)

Exc

BY JEFF GOINS
AUGUST 27, 2013

Jeff Goins is a full-time writer, speaker and blogger. His new book, The In-Between, explores the idea of waiting and learning to live in the lesser moments. He lives just outside of Nashville with his wife, son and dog. You can find Jeff online at www.goinswriter.com or follow him on Twitter@jeffgoins.

Excellent post found at:

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/how-find-your-calling-and-why-most-people-get-wrong

Practical tips for finding your purpose.

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It never fails. Every week someone asks me what the "secret" is to doing work you love, to finding your purpose. They think because I work for myself that somehow I've got it all figured out, that I set a goal and made it happen—no problems or bumps along the way.

But the truth is, finding your calling is a process full of tensions to be managed. And it's just as much about responding to the signs God is trying to reveal to you as it is about taking action.

As Christians, we're told constantly that we were created with a purpose. And it's true, you were made to do good works, born to leave a legacy. The events of your life are directly related to your understanding of this. And whether you believe it or not, you're living a story. Whether it's worth telling is up to you.

So how do you find that purpose? If you're like many people who are striving to live meaningful and intentional lives, it will come in the form of what many refer to as "a calling."

WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE LIVING A STORY. WHETHER IT'S WORTH TELLING OR NOT IS UP TO YOU.

Two camps

There are two camps when it comes to this idea of calling:

1. "The need is the call." 

Look around and you'll see a world in need. Can you help those needs? Great. This camp claims that if you can see a way to help, that's your calling. If there is some good you can do, then you have a responsibility to do it.

As my dad says to cars that remain parked in an intersection after the light has turned green, "What're you looking for—an engraved invitation?!"

2. "Pursue your passion." 

Your heart knows what you were made to do, claims the second camp. You can trust your heart. Once you submit to your passion, you will begin to find your purpose.

Howard Thurman once said, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

But unfortunately, both of these common camps are tragically flawed.

The first leads to a passionless existence, in which you only pursue things out of obligation. The second is equally dangerous, as you can aimlessly wander from one thrill-seeking adventure to the next without ever committing to anything.

The reality is we have to learn to live in the tension between what makes us come alive and what resonates with others.

A practical solution

One of the trickiest parts of finding your calling is understanding the importance of what my former boss calls your "voice." 

You might think of this as your unique contribution to the world, the things that you are especially gifted at. What can you do that nobody else can do? 

This is your voice. Finding it involves a thoughtful combination of your own skills, the world's need for those skills, and your own desire.

So how do you do this, practically? 

First, identify your core competencies. What is it that people are constantly complimenting you about? Make a list, if you need to organize your thoughts.

Second, look at the needs around you. If you're an entrepreneur, this might mean finding a market before you create your product. Or if you're called to be a missionary, maybe it means first finding the people you want to reach before spending years in training. The point is, instead of planning for the sake of having a plan, find people you can help right now and then plan around that more immediate, practical need.

Third, think about what you love doing. What really gets you excited about life? What gets your blood boiling? Make a list of the things that you do in your free time, when nobody is watching, and consider whether or not there may be something deeper to that desire.

Now, put all three of these together. Draw a Venn diagram if it helps. The intersection of your own skills, needs of the world, and what you love is a good place to start exploring your calling.

I'm not saying this is a flawless method, but it's better than most places to begin. Find a few ways to do something that meets those three fields. Try a few things out and see what happens. Is there fruit? Do you enjoy the work? Is it sustainable (i.e. can you get paid to do it?)

LIKE MANY THINGS IN LIFE, FINDING YOUR CALLING IS A PARADOX.

If the answer to all of the above questions is "yes" and you feel peace in your heart, then you're in a good place. Keep trying things and trusting the results. 

Learning to live in the tension

This isn't hocus pocus (but it sure ain't science, either). So many people wait for their calling. They complain about their lives, lamenting that God hasn't shown them the path yet. Others live agnostically, as if everything depends on them. Neither of these is particularly fulfilling.

What does seem true is that we have a choice. Not to make our lives awesome or dull, but to choose to courageously follow the path ahead of us or not. At times, it will feel like everything is riding on you, but it's not. At others, it will feel as if you don't have to do any work and can just submit to the process; that is also not true.

Like many things in life, finding your calling is a paradox. It's a mixture of need, passion, and skill—you can embrace this or ignore it. Good luck.

Verses for Job Seekers - Part 2

Verses for Job Seekers - Part 1

Why you can't get a job

Insightful post found at http://www.ere.net/2013/05/20/why-you-cant-get-a-job-recruiting-explained-by-the-numbers/general

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Why You Can’t Get A Job … Recruiting Explained By the Numbers

by 

Dr. John Sullivan

 May 20, 2013, 5:03 am ET

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Is your “six seconds of fame” enough to land you a job?

As a professor and a corporate recruiting strategist, I can tell you that very few applicants truly understand the corporate recruiting process. Most people looking for a job approach it with little factual knowledge. That is a huge mistake. A superior approach is to instead analyze it carefully, because data can help you understand why so many applicants simply can’t land a job. If you can bear with me for a few quick minutes, I can show you using numbers where the job-search “roadblocks” are and how that data-supported insight can help you easily double your chances of landing an interview and a job.

Your Resume Will Face a Lot of Competition

Although it varies with the company and the job, on average 250 resumes are received for each corporate job opening. Finding a position opening late can’t help your chances because the first resume is received within 200 seconds after a position is posted. If you post your resume online on a major job site like Monster so that a recruiter can find it, you are facing stiff competition because 427,000other resumes are posted on Monster alone each and every week (BeHiring).

Understanding the Hiring “Funnel” can Help You Gauge Your Chances

In recruiting, we have what is known as a “hiring funnel” or yield model for every job which helps recruiting leaders understand how many total applications they need to generate in order to get a single hire. As an applicant, this funnel reveals your chances of success at each step of the hiring process. For the specific case of an online job posting, on average, 1,000 individuals will see a job post, 200 will begin the application process, 100 will complete the application, 75 of those 100 resumes will be screened out by either the ATS or a recruiter, 25 resumes will be seen by the hiring manager, 4 to 6 will be invited for an interview, 1 to 3 of them will be invited back for final interview, 1 will be offered that job and 80 percent of those receiving an offer will accept it (Talent Function Group LLC).

Six Seconds of Resume Review Means Recruiters Will See Very Little

When you ask individual recruiters directly, they report that they spend up to 5minutes reviewing each individual resume. However, a recent research study from TheLadders that included the direct observation of the actions of corporate recruiters demonstrated that the boast of this extended review time is a huge exaggeration. You may be shocked to know that the average recruiter spends a mere 6 seconds reviewing a resume.

A similar study found the review time to be 5 - 7 seconds (BeHiring). Obviously six seconds only allows a recruiter to quickly scan (but not to read) a resume. We also know from observation that nearly 4 seconds of that 6-second scan is spent looking exclusively at four job areas, which are: 1) job titles, 2) companies you worked at, 3) start/end dates and 4) education. Like it or not, that narrow focus means that unless you make these four areas extremely easy for them to find within approximately four seconds, the odds are high that you will be instantly passed over. And finally be aware that whatever else that you have on your resume, the recruiter will have only the remaining approximately 2 seconds to find and be impressed with it. And finally, if you think the information in your cover letter will provide added support for your qualifications, you might be interested to know that a mere 17 percent of recruiters bother to read cover letters (BeHiring).

A Single Resume Error Can Instantly Disqualify You

A single resume error may prevent your resume from moving on. That is because61 percent of recruiters will automatically dismiss a resume because it contains typos (Careerbuilder). In a similar light, 43 percent of hiring managers will disqualify a candidate from consideration because of spelling errors (Adecco). The use of an unprofessional email address will get a resume rejected 76 percent of the time (BeHiring). You should also be aware that prominently displaying dates that show that you are not currently employed may also get you prematurely rejected at many firms.

A Format That Is Not Scannable Can Cut Your Odds by 60 Percent

TheLadders’ research also showed that the format of the resume matters a great deal. Having a clear or professionally organized resume format that presents relevant information where recruiters expect it will improve the rating of a resume by recruiter by a whopping 60 percent, without any change to the content (a 6.2versus a 3.9 usability rating for the less-professionally organized resume). And if you make that common mistake of putting your resume in a PDF format, you should realize that many ATS systems will simply not be able to scan and read any part of its content (meaning instant rejection).

Weak LinkedIn Profiles Can Also Hurt You

Because many recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn profiles either to verify or to supplement resume information, those profiles also impact your chances. Ey- tracking technology used by TheLadders revealed that recruiters spend an average of 19 percent of their time on your LinkedIn profile simply viewing your picture (so a professional picture may be worthwhile). The research also revealed that just like resumes, weak organization, and scannability within a LinkedIn profile negatively impacted the recruiter’s ability to “process the profile” (TheLadders).

50 Seconds Spent Means Many Apply for a Job They Are Not Qualified for

Recruiters report that over 50 percent of applicants for a typical job fail to meet the basic qualifications for that job (Wall Street Journal). Part of the reason for that high “not-qualified” rate is because when an individual is looking at a job opening, even though they report that they spend 10 minutes reviewing in detail each job which they thought was a “fit” for them, we now know that they spend an average of just 76 seconds (and as little as 50 seconds) reading and assessing a position description that they apply for (TheLadders). Most of that roughly 60-second job selection time reviewing the position description is actually spent reviewing the narrow introductory section of the description that only covers the job title, compensation, and location.

As a result of not actually spending the necessary time reviewing and side-by-side comparing the requirements to their own qualifications, job applicants end up applying for many jobs where they have no chance of being selected.

Be Aware That Even if Your Resume Fits the Job Posting, You May Still Be Rejected

To make matters worse, many of the corporate position descriptions that applicants are reading are poorly written or out of date when they are posted. So even if an applicant did spend the required time to fully read the job posting, they may still end up applying for a job that exists only on paper. So even though an applicant actually meets the written qualifications, they may be later rejected (without their knowledge) because after they applied, the hiring manager finally decided that they actually wanted a significantly different set of qualifications.

Making it Through a Keyword Search Requires a Customized Resume

The first preliminary resume screening step at most corporations is a computerized ATS system that scans submitted resumes for keywords that indicate that an applicant fits a particular job. I estimate more that 90 percent of candidates apply using their standard resume (without any customization). Unfortunately, this practice dramatically increases the odds that a resume will be instantly rejected because a resume that is not customized to the job will seldom include enough of the required “keywords” to qualify for the next step, a review by a human.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a live recruiter review your resume, because recruiters spend on average less than 2 seconds (of the total six-second review) looking for a keyword match, unless the words are strategically placed so that they can be easily spotted, a recruiter will also likely reject it for not meeting the keyword target.

No One Reads Resumes Housed in the Black hole Database

If you make the mistake of applying for a job that is not currently open, you are probably guaranteeing failure. This is because during most times, but especially during times of lean recruiting budgets, overburdened recruiters and hiring managers simply don’t have the time to visit the corporate resume database (for that reason, many call it the black hole). So realize that recruiters generally only have time to look at applicants who apply for a specific open job and who are then ranked highly by the ATS system.

Some Applicants Have Additional Disadvantages

Because four out of the five job-related factors that recruiters initially look for in a resume involve work experience, recent grads are at a decided disadvantage when applying for most jobs. Their lack of experience will also mean that their resume will likely rank low on the keyword count. To make matters worse, the average hiring manager begins with a negative view of college grads because a full 66 percent of hiring managers report that they view new college grads “as unprepared for the work place” (Adecco).

Race can also play a role in your success rate because research has shown that if you submit a resume with a “white sounding name,” you have a 50 percent higher chance of getting called for an initial interview than if you submit a resume with comparable credentials from an individual with a “black-sounding name” (M. Bertrand, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business).

Remember a Resume Only Gets You an Interview

Even with a perfect resume and a little luck, getting through the initial resume screen by the recruiter only guarantees that your resume will qualify for a more thorough review during what I call the “knockout round.” During this next stage of review, the recruiter will have more time to assess your resume for your accomplishments, your quantified results, your skills, and the tools you can use.

Unfortunately, the recruiter is usually looking for reasons to reject you, in order to avoid the criticism that will invariably come from the hiring manager if they find knockout factors in your resume. If no obvious knockout factors are found you can expect a telephone interview, and if you pass that, numerous in-person interviews (note: applicants can find the most common interview questions for a particular firm on glassdoor.com).

Even if You Do Everything Right, the Odds Can Be Less Than 1 Percent

Because of the many roadblocks, bottlenecks, and “knockout factors” that I have highlighted in this article, the overall odds of getting a job at a “best-place-to-work” firm can often be measured in single digits. For example, Deloitte, a top firm in the accounting field, actually brags that it only hires 3.5 percent of its applicants. Google, the firm with a No. 1 employer brand, gets well over 1 million applicants per year, which means that even during its robust hiring periods when it hires 4,000 people a year, your odds of getting hired are an amazingly low 4/10 of 1 percent. Those unfortunately are painfully low “lotto type odds.”

Up to 50 Percent of Recruiting Efforts Result in Failure

In case you’re curious, even with all the time, resources, and dollars invested in corporate recruiting processes, still between 30 percent and 50 percent of all recruiting efforts are classified by corporations as a failure. Failure is defined as when an offer was rejected or when the new hire quit or had to be terminated within the first year (staffing.org). Applicants should also note that 50 percent of all new hires later regret their decision to accept the job (Recruiting Roundtable).

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, much of what is written about “the perfect resume” and the ideal job search approach is based on “old wives’ tales” and is simply wrong. However, when I review the numbers that are available to me from internal company recruiting data and publicly through research done by industry-leading firms like TheLadders, Adecco, BeHiring, staffing.org, and Careerbuilder, it doesn’t take long to realize that the real job search process differs significantly from the ideal one.

Rather than leaving things to chance, my advice both to the applicant and to the corporate recruiting leader is to approach the job search process in a much more scientific way. For the applicant that means start by thoroughly reading the position description and making a list of the required keywords that both the ATS and the recruiter will need to see.

Next submit a customized resume that is in a scannable format that ensures that the key factors that recruiters need to see initially (job titles, company names, education, dates, keywords, etc.) are both powerful and easy to find during a quick six-second scan. But next comes the most important step: to literally “pretest” both your resume and your LinkedIn profile several times with a recruiter or HR professional. Pretesting makes sure that anyone who scans them for six seconds will be able to actually find each of the key points that recruiters need to find.

My final bit of advice is something that only insiders know. And that is to become an employee referral (the highest volume way to get hired). Because one of the firm’s own employees recommended you and also because the recruiter knows that they will likely have to provide feedback to that employee when they later inquire as to “why their referral was rejected,” résumés from referrals are reviewed much more closely.

I hope that by presenting these 35+ powerful recruiting-related numbers I have improved your understanding of the recruiting process and the roadblocks that you need to steer around in order to dramatically improve your odds of getting a great job.

tags: careers, recruiters, resumes

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This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to offer specific legal advice. You should consult your legal counsel regarding any threatened or pending litigation.