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You already have the skills. What you don’t have is the degree and the recognition. This is the difference in you being a hobbyist and being a professional making a better living than the one you are making right now. What’s worse is the fact that your ability to make the most of the job you currently have is being hampered by a pandemic that is taking no prisoners.
Your lack of a degree makes you vulnerable at times like these. When it is time for layoffs, the most qualified have the most job security. HR might lay off half the workforce. But you know who doesn’t get cut so easily? HR. The CEO isn’t going to be laid off. The CEO is going to get a raise for laying you off.
It might be different if you had a degree to validate your experience. You would be able to walk away from the dead-end job to which you are barely hanging on, and go for something with a lot more security behind it. You will also benefit from a career in something you love as opposed to settling for the job you could get at the time. If you do decide to make that move, be sure to consider these degree options:
Master of Construction Management
Perhaps you have some experience in the construction industry. That is a great place to start. You possibly didn’t know there was a graduate program called masters in construction management. NewSchool offers this overview:
The fully online Master of Construction Management degree is designed for working professionals looking to advance their careers in the building industry, giving people the flexibility to be full-time or part-time students. Green buildings/sustainability, strategic risk mitigation, and creative project delivery are just a few topics we explore in this construction management program to prepare our graduate students for success in one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries.
You are already familiar with the back-breaking side of construction. Why not give the other side a try where you make $75,000 and up? You can pursue this graduate degree online so you don’t have to risk covid to put yourself in a better life.
Interior Design
You might not be required to get an interior design degree to get started. It depends on your state’s regulations. You might be able to take courses at your local community college. Many schools offer programs online. Getting a certification will get you some much-needed recognition. But getting your degree can land you in a career with many facets and better job security.
It is important to understand the difference between a decorator and an interior designer. A decorator rearranges furniture and makes existing spaces look nice. An interior designer can make architectural changes to the structure to create the space most desirable to the client. There is a big difference in the jobs and what they pay. Why not go for the one that offers more possibilities and greater job security?
Translation and Interpretation Degree
Are you bilingual? You already have mastered the hardest part of this exciting and important career. It can take you across town to do sign language for your city council meetings. Or it can take you around the world to the hallowed halls of power doing live translation for the UN. It’s up to you. The sky’s the limit. Who knows? If the international space station ever needs an interpreter, the sky will no longer be the limit.
A translator usually deals with written language that needs to be translated from one language to another. When doing international business, one does not just run contracts through Google Translate. Interpreting is generally a live affair where a person speaks in one language and you repeat it in the receiving language. Wars can be started or averted depending on the translation. You are going to need a degree. That is only reasonable for one of the most exciting careers in the world.
Any degree you get will make your current skills more marketable, and make you a little harder for a company to let go. Why not get that degree in something you already love and are good at such as construction, design, and interpretation?