Good career with no college degree?

[CowboyMcCoy]

Sell cars. I did that long enough to make a good living, but it's tiresome. If you have a community college, get a paralegal degree. But those are declining in demand nowadays. Still, it's good to be marketable even if you have only a speciality associates degree of some sort and a good attitude. And I've never thought about the fact that air traffic controllers don't need an education. That wows me.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Life Insurance Sales Agent (with a reputable company)

That's a hard sell sometimes. I'd suggest selling something else before doing that. I consider myself to be a good salesman, but I'm the listening sort... I don't talk my way through a sale. With life insurance, it's just a tough product to sell. I've sold with guys who did that and got out of it because they said the people who could afford it would often rather have a boat instead.

The auto market is tough right now because of economic uncertainty. I'd think the same would be true with the increasing number of uninsured people now. A lot of people who lost their homes in fires where I live didn't have fire insurance, which isn't expensive.

 

[JonJon]

That's a hard sell sometimes. I'd suggest selling something else before doing that. I consider myself to be a good salesman, but I'm the listening sort... I don't talk my way through a sale. With life insurance, it's just a tough product to sell. I've sold with guys who did that and got out of it because they said the people who could afford it would often rather have a boat instead.

The auto market is tough right now because of economic uncertainty. I'd think the same would be true with the increasing number of uninsured people now. A lot of people who lost their homes in fires where I live didn't have fire insurance, which isn't expensive.

It isn't for everyone, that's for sure. It takes determination and a daily drive in order to be successful. I did it for a few years and made good money doing it. Making six figures a year is very attainable. I only got out because still there where limitations and I eventually started my own business, plus I never intended for sales to be my permanent career. But there is plenty money to be made.

To key is to find those that "want" to buy. If you are on an appointment with someone and you are doing all the talking, trying to overload your sales pitch on them, you are just wasting your time. The key to successful selling is to listen to what they are saying and build an interest to buy around the information they give you.

 

[Ranzo]

I say sales. If you can develop a track record of increasing a company's profitability by growing their revenues, there will always be a nice living available to you. Some organizations' career tracks may block your advancement into management absent a degree, but those guys are often the first jobs cuts when BODs have to make adjustments by slashing labor costs to hit their numbers. I've always thought of the best sales people as company assets and their skills are highly transferable across industries(things can happen to depress certain business sectors and migration to another is sometimes required). Start anywhere and begin to establish successful and documentable achievements.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

It isn't for everyone, that's for sure. It takes determination and a daily drive in order to be successful. I did it for a few years and made good money doing it. Making six figures a year is very attainable. I only got out because still there where limitations and I eventually started my own business, plus I never intended for sales to be my permanent career. But there is plenty money to be made.

To key is to find those that "want" to buy. If you are on an appointment with someone and you are doing all the talking, trying to overload your sales pitch on them, you are just wasting your time. The key to successful selling is to listen to what they are saying and build an interest to buy around the information they give you.

I agree about the sales approach. I liked doing it for a while. Generally, people are cool. Maybe the right environment would be key, but I can't speak to it because I've never sold insurance other than referring people to car insurance places for little spiffs and stuff.

 

[Ranzo]

All the union electricians I knew made good money. It's a 4 year apprenticeship though so you will have classes.

I'd say just about any trade is a good bet. Always has been. The thing to do then is try to match up skill sets/aptitudes with one if OP wanted to go in that direction.

 

[JonJon]

I agree about the sales approach. I liked doing it for a while. Generally, people are cool. Maybe the right environment would be key, but I can't speak to it because I've never sold insurance other than referring people to car insurance places for little spiffs and stuff.

That's true. I guess the easiest way to get into the business would be with an all-around company like State Farm, where you have life, auto, home insurance, etc. all tied into one company, so no matter who you talk to, there will be something that you can discuss that they might need.

 

[dreghorn2]

Power plant operator.

 

[bbgun]

I've heard good things about prostitution.

 

[JonJon]

I've heard good things about prostitution.

Or pimping, but pimping ain't easy.

 

[Alumni2k11]

I've heard good things about prostitution.

:laugh1: Nice.

 

[lane]

industrial electrician

 

[lane]

Baloney. You're squeege guy.

the look on that woman's face is priceless.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Military

depends, if as officer fine, but who wants to be a grunt your entire life?

 

[Duane]

Power plant operator.

Our Op Techs & ICE Techs make good money, plenty of overtime, but most of them are hired after two years of tech school.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Musician. Even if you don't make a lot of money, you still get the babes.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

I never finished (never really went to class when I was there in the first place) college and I make pretty good money as Database Admin. Took me a while to work my way up from phone support to desktop support to IT admin to programmer to DBA, but I worked my butt off at each stop, never stopped asking for new more difficult assignments and learning the tech on my own at home. Anyone can do it. It won't happen overnight though.

 

[ajk23az]

Military

+1 , sometimes I wish I went this route!

 

[bbgun]

+1 , sometimes I wish I went this route!

Well, if you've been following the news, they're now letting people like you in. :

 

[Staggerlee]

Well, if you've been following the news, they're now letting people like you in. :

BB have I ever told you how great of a poster you are? You have been on your game in this thread and you are just full of win.

In fact you, Bob Sacamano, and Superpunk we're always the best part of CZ in my opinion. It's a shame that only one of you are left.