4 Terrific Careers You Can Pursue Without Any Qualifications

Choosing your career path is a very big life decision. Many guys are led to believe that the only way to get a good job is by studying for relevant qualifications like a degree. This is simply not the case as there are many careers out there that don’t require any qualifications.

Bearing that in mind, this article will give you a little bit of life advice and show you four careers you can pursue without a degree:

Journalist

When it comes to journalism, some people are very confused if you tell them you don’t need a degree to make it in this career. Why are there loads of universities with various journalism degrees then? Well, they’re in place because studying for a degree can teach you about journalism and the certain practices you must follow. A degree can also pave the way for a successful career in the mainstream media industry. Some courses have years where you go on work experience which can help gain contacts in a very competitive industry. However, all of this paints a very traditional view of journalism. In this day and age, anyone can be a successful journalist, regardless of how many qualifications you have. There are platforms out there where you can voice opinions and create reports on current events. With things like YouTube, people can now film their own news shows and broadcast them to millions of viewers online. We even have stuff like Periscope where you can live stream something directly to the public. All of these things, combined with the rise of social media, means that modern day journalist comes in all shapes and sizes. If you want to start a news blog, then no one will stop you. There’s every chance you can get big and popular and receive more traffic than mainstream media sites. Also, the more popular you get, the more likely it is that someone within the mainstream media will notice you and want you to work for them. A great career choice for anyone that loves writing and voicing their opinions. Plus, there’s no limit to the money you can make when you’re a freelance journalist.

Healthcare Assistant

Finding a well-paid job in the healthcare industry, that doesn’t require any formal qualifications can be tough. However, a healthcare assistant job is exactly that. It’s a job that often gets confused with that of a nurse – largely because HCA’s and nurses have similar tasks and their days pan out in similar ways. The main difference is that an HCA doesn’t need to study a relevant degree and anyone can apply for these jobs regardless of experience. Plus, you aren’t stuck working in a hospital all day every day. You could work in a doctor’s surgery, community settings, and even in some homes.

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Photo via Pixabay

Generally speaking, a Healthcare assistant salary is fairly decent. It’s nothing to get excited about, but it’s a generous wage for someone looking to get their first or second proper job. Plus, factor in that you don’t need qualifications, and it becomes a very well-paid job. It’s the type of career that’s perfect for someone who wants to get their foot in the door of the healthcare industry. There’s definitely scope for you to work your way up the ladder and take on more important roles. Also, it’s a fulfilling job and a way to work while feeling like you’re doing some good in your life.

Graphic Designer

A graphic design career is perfect for anyone with a creative and artistic side. What’s more, it’s one of those careers where talent trumps any sort of degree. There are plenty of places that offer graphic design courses for people to pay for and get a degree after a few years. However, what’s the point? It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever come across someone that wants to hire a graphics designer and turns you down because you have no degree. In this industry, if you’re good enough, then that’s all that matters. So, why waste three years of your life studying for a qualification you don’t technically need to have. It’s a bit like a journalism degree, sure, you can learn some things about graphics design and develop your skills. However, the amount of money you pay for a university degree is astounding.

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Photo by Vanmarciano

I bet you can hone your skills just by practicing and watching tutorial videos on YouTube without needing to spend loads on your education. With this career, there are two paths you usually go down; companies will hire you full-time, or you can start your own freelance business and take the industry by storm. This is a great career idea if you want to make a lot of money and run your own business. Graphics design companies are by far and away the easiest to set up as they require limited funding. It’s also a brilliant career path to go down in this modern age as more and more people need graphic designers for various tasks. So, you’ll never be short of work if you do set up your own business.

Entrepreneur

On the topic of starting a business, that brings us nicely to the next career you can follow without needing a degree. That’s right, you can become an entrepreneur and own a business without having to go through years of higher educational studies. Once again, there are degrees out there in entrepreneurship. However, this is arguably one of the most pointless degrees out there. Let me break this down for you, anyone can start a business if they have the right idea and the right support team around them. If you start with your brilliant idea, and then take it to people with the knowledge to make it happen, then you can create something special. You’ll find that an entrepreneur tends to learn on the job. It’s common for new entrepreneurs to make mistakes, but the good ones will learn from them. The thing most people think is that you have to do everything on your own and build a company from the ground up all by yourself. This is not the case, you can enlist the help of marketers, accountants, financial advisors, IT support, and so many other people that can assist you along the way. Will these people have qualifications? Sure, and you could even get a business analyst to help you out too. The bottom line is, you don’t need qualifications to be an entrepreneur, start a business, and earn loads of money.

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Photo by David McEchan

The purpose of this blog was to show you that there are some great careers out there where you don’t need specific qualifications. Too many young guys are making massive life decisions when they’re as young as 16. They’re often pressured into applying for universities and trying to get a degree because it’s the ‘right’ thing to do. Schools will often only talk about the positive side of degrees and higher education because they want their students to try hard, get good grades, and make their school look good.

However, the reality is that you don’t need to commit yourself to a degree if you don’t want to. Explore other careers rather than wasting your time on qualifications you don’t need. Of course, there are so many jobs out there where you do need proper qualifications. When you think about the career path you want to go down, do a bit of research beforehand. Figure out if a degree is essential or not. If it isn’t, don’t bother spending loads of money on your education. Instead, spend that money on ways to help you get better at your chosen job.

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Chad

Chad is the co-founder of Unfinished Man, a leading men's lifestyle site. He provides straightforward advice on fashion, tech, and relationships based on his own experiences and product tests. Chad's relaxed flair makes him the site's accessible expert for savvy young professionals seeking trustworthy recommendations on living well.

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