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How do people land high-paying jobs without a degree?
Believe it or not, it’s actually fairly easy to do. You just need to know how to go about it.
By the time I was 25, I was clearing $70K/year thanks to the exact process outlined in this post. And that was without any college degree!
If you’re looking to land a high-paying job without a degree, you’re in the right place!
How to Land High-Paying Jobs Without a Degree
Here’s a fool-proof 5-step process for landing high-paying jobs without a degree.
Step 1: Pick a Specialty
Are you hesitant to pick a specialty because you don’t want to pigeon-hole yourself?
That’s a mistake I’ve made. I’ve gone generic because I wanted to keep as many doors open as possible. But keeping doors open is very different from moving forward. You want to move forward? You gotta pick a door.
Here’s the thing: when you are a generalist, you might be an ok fit for thousands of companies. But you won’t be the perfect fit for any of them. Their perfect fit will be someone who specializes in exactly what they need.
My Successes (and Mistakes!) in Specializing
After high school, I had zero direction. Office jobs sounded good, so I applied to literally every open admin position I could find. That’s about as generic as you can get. And that’s why I made $12/hour.
Then, at 23, I got into luxury apartment leasing – no degree required. It’s a relatively small industry, so it doesn’t take much to stand out. You make a decent base salary, and you earn leasing bonuses, which add up quickly. Plus, most residential property management companies offer a rental discount for leasing consultants who live on-site. By 24, I was the Operations Manager for a luxury apartment community in fancy-pants Marina del Rey, CA. And I spent a good decade enjoying life without crazy financial stress.
But I didn’t recognize that it was the specialty aspect that was responsible for that financial success. So I made the mistake of going generic again when I started a new career a few years ago…
The Importance of Specializing as a Freelancer
When I first moved abroad and started freelance writing for a living, I pitched myself to anyone who’d have me. Travel? I can write about that! Finance? Of course. Home decorating? Sure. The fact is, most people can write about those topics. Especially when you’re doing 400-word fluff pieces. There were thousands of other writers who could do exactly what I was doing.
And since I was totally replaceable, I was paid like someone who’s totally replaceable. I made about $10 per article. Granted, they were short articles. The rate came out to about 2 cents per word.
Then I niched down. I chose to specialize in ghostwriting real estate agent blogs. With my experience in luxury residential leasing, plus real estate investing, managing my own small residential portfolio, I know more about real estate than perhaps any other blogger! So yeah, I have a smaller pool of opportunity, but I land a much higher percentage of the gigs I apply for, and now I’m paid like someone who’s not easily replaced.
I’ve made as much as $412.50 for a single article (albeit a 3,000-word monster).
Instead of 2 cents per word, I won’t take less than 10 cents per word (but in some cases, I make as much as 25 cents per word).
So, by specializing, I’m able to make a whole lot more money without working more hours.
PS: want a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a real estate blogger? I chronicled it on RealEstateSideHustles.com.
How You Can Specialize for High-Paying Jobs Without a Degree
If you’re a freelancer, all you need to do to land higher paying jobs is niche down.
Don’t just be a photographer. Be a photographer who specializes in new home photos. Don’t just be a graphic designer. Be a graphic designer who specializes in social media graphics for dentists.
You get the idea. Become the go-to person for your uber-specific niche. Here are a few freelancing gigs that pay at least $20 per hour.
The same basic idea holds true for traditional careers as well. Become a Marine Electrician instead of a plain ol’ electrician. Or a corporate pilot instead of a general commercial pilot.
The point is to pick something super specific and go full-speed toward that decision. Any decision is better than no decision. If it ends up being a wrong fit, you can always pivot later.
Btw, this is the hardest step for most of us in the process of landing high-paying jobs without a degree. After you make this decision, the rest is cake…
Step 2: Go Where the Jobs Are
Once you know what specialty you want to work toward, go where the jobs are.
That could mean a physical move. Or it might just mean hanging out online in the areas where you’re likely to meet industry contacts.
If you’re going to need a formal certificate, or to meet some kind of structured training requirement for your chosen specialty, I recommend moving to the area where you eventually want to work before you even start your training if at all possible. The contacts you make while working toward your specialty might just be your path to your first real job. Instructors are always helping to place students. Or you might get access to a job fair or networking event you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
In my case, I’m currently living in Europe, while all my clients are US-based. But I’m still able to be where they are thanks to Facebook Groups, Pinterest Group Boards, Industry News Sites that publish my work, and industry forums.
Step 3: Get Some Training
Then it’s time to get some training.
Just because your chosen career doesn’t require a degree doesn’t mean you don’t need to learn.
Many no-degree-required jobs still require some kind of certificate confirming that you know what you’re doing. And even if your career has no such requirement, you owe it to yourself and your future client/employer to educate yourself. Get your tush on YouTube or Udemy. Sign up for a local workshop. Or join a mastermind group where you can pick up some tried and true best practices.
Step 4: Tailor Your Resume
We already discussed-to-death the importance of specializing. Remember: the goal isn’t to be an ok fit for tons of companies; the goal is to be the perfect fit for your chosen company.
Same for freelancers: you need to be the perfect fit for your chosen niche.
Your resume is the place to show your chosen company/niche that you’re the perfect fit. So tailor your resume to meet their exact needs.
First, cut everything from your resume that isn’t relevant to the specific job you want. I once received a resume that listed “experienced in animal husbandry” as a qualification…for a property management job. I’m sure that’s a useful qualification in some industries, but as a hiring manager, lemme tell you, it was just distracting.
If you want to list accomplishments that only vaguely relate to the job, spell it out for the recruiter. Running a marathon doesn’t do much for an office-job recruiter. But if the job requires long-term follow through, your resume should show that you demonstrated long-term commitment and perseverance by completing the 2019 LA Marathon.
Every single line of your resume should relate to one of the skills, responsibilities, or qualification requirements in the specific job listing you’re applying for.
So, yeah, you’re going to tweak your resume for every job application. That’s exactly how it should be if you want to be the perfect fit for any of the high-paying jobs without a degree.
PS: If you’re emailing someone in response to a job posting, your cover letter should be the body of your email (not an attachment!). And yes, your cover letter needs to be tailored to each position as well.
Step 5: Sell Yourself
After all that prep work, it’s time for your interview. Time to sell yourself!
Here are some quick tips for making a professional impression at that first meeting:
- Do your homework. You need to check out their website before your interview so you can learn more about their expectations.
- Dress appropriately. If you’re applying for an office job, err on the conservative side by wearing a suit to the interview. For non-office jobs, a knee-length skirt, blouse, and blazer will always make a professional impression.
- Make eye contact. It shows confidence.
- Stay on message. Relate everything back to how you can meet their needs.
That’s all there is to it! Focus on your chosen specialty, then show your future employer/client why you’re the one perfect fit for them. That’s how you land high-paying jobs without a degree.
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