If you are almost ready to graduate from college and haven’t chosen a job, you may wonder how to select the right job. Do a self-assessment and ask yourself what you have enjoyed learning about and which subjects have gained you the highest praise from teachers. You may also have gained other skills, like public speaking, peer leadership, or creative design. Here are some jobs you might consider for a post-college career:
Teach a Language
People who can speak and read a foreign language enjoy a job teaching a language in a middle or high school. According to Indeed, you must get a degree in the language you intend to teach. A language degree would help you to speak that language fluently. A degree in that language would also give you a background in the history and culture of those who speak that language.
To submit a corporate application to teach a foreign language at a public school, you would also need a teaching certification from your state. At some schools, it would benefit you to have a master’s degree in the language or in education. According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the ideal student grade to begin teaching a foreign language is during middle school or high school. According to Zip Recruiter, the national average salary for a middle school foreign language teacher is almost $54,000 per year.
One exciting prospect for foreign language instruction might be to find the area’s best international middle school. An international school is taught primarily in English, but its curriculum is based on the curriculum of the country where the school is located. International schools are charged with helping their students become ‘global citizens.’ A foreign language teacher at such a school might, therefore, be asked to help their students become well-versed in the local language as well as English.
Go to Culinary School
You may decide to become a chef if you love cooking and preparing food for others. Although you may not need a culinary degree or to become a chef, it can help your resume stand out. If you’re going to work at the best restaurant, the corporate application you submit for that job may be more favorably considered if you have a culinary degree.
While attending a culinary school, according to Escoffier, you will likely participate in two classes per semester. For example, you may be studying Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry while studying Menu Planning and Design. A culinary school curriculum would have students focus on making food while studying the academic principles related to business and management. According to Zip Recruiter, the national average salary for a chef is $25 per hour, or over $4200 per month.
Those who love cooking but don’t aspire to work in a high-quality restaurant may find a management career at a family restaurant or a fast-food establishment. According to Culinary Lab, it may come down to wanting to be a chef or a cook. The same website defines a chef as a person who studies classical cooking methods to create new dishes and use new flavors. In comparison, a cook will typically prepare meals on the recipes of others, such as a corporate or standard recipe.
Work on Classic Cars
Some people love auto engines and enjoy working with cars. You might feel at home when working on an engine. If you work at an auto body shop, your days will include fixing the exteriors of cars or replacing and fixing brakes. Other tasks might include oil changes or changing tires.
Although some who submit a corporate application to work at an auto repair will attend training at a trade school, others learn to fix cars at a course in high school or learn from family members who work in the industry. Some auto repair establishments specialize in one body part or service (such as brake or transmission repair or oil change.) Other garages would do general maintenance and services as needed by visiting drivers. According to Indeed, the national average wage for an auto body worker is just over $23 per hour.
Some garages specialize in work on classic cars. According to American Collectors, a vehicle is considered classic if it is over 20 years old. People who own classic vehicles often use them only for events rather than driving them daily. Auto body workers specializing in classic cars will fix the cars, so they will function, and so their exteriors will present a classic appearance. Workers on these cars must be familiar with repairing older engines and exteriors.
Become a Tattoo Artist
Some people see the human skin as a canvas. Those with that viewpoint may want to work at a tattoo shop. A tattoo artist uses permanent ink to place designs on people’s skin. Tattoo workers must have artistic talent and the ability to place designs on someone’s skin while inflicting the least amount of pain possible.
To work as a tattoo artist, you must have two to four years of training with an experienced tattoo worker. You can submit a corporate application to work at a tattoo shop, or you can work as a solo artist. If you are opening a new tattoo shop, it’s best to locate it in an area where enough local people would be interested in getting a tattoo.
According to Learn, a tattoo artist must be at least 18 and complete state-required courses by OSHA in bloodborne pathogens. The same website estimates the national average salary for a tattoo artist as over $43,700. Someone working at a tattoo parlor must have a state license, and most states require artists to attend ongoing education classes to retain their license. There are many different styles of tattoos, and profitable artists will become proficient in as many styles as possible.
Get Into Dermatology
There are many types of medical doctors. Those who find they are interested in the diseases and care of the skin will become dermatologists. To become a dermatologist, you must get a bachelor’s degree (typically in pre-med) and then graduate from medical school. Those two schools will generally take seven years to complete.
After medical school, you would have to work as an intern and to sample all medical specialties. Once you decide to specialize in dermatology, you will become a dermatology resident, beginning with a two-year internship as an internal or general resident. The last two years as a dermatology resident would be spent working with an experienced dermatology doctor.
Once you get your license as an M.D., you can submit a corporate application to work in a doctor’s office as a dermatologist. Some dermatologists will treat all skin conditions, while others specialize in specific situations. For example, if you have empathy with teenage clients, you could become an acne dermatologist. Those doctors would not only prescribe medications to decrease the effects of acne but also work with teens to prevent future outbreaks.
Build Homes
Construction workers repair and construct wooden homes. However, today’s home-building teams will also have workers who are skilled in other trades, such as masonry and siding installation. To give complete service to someone who wants a new home, some contractors learn skills in plumbing, roofing, HVAC, electric, and window installation.
People who want to work as a home builder would first need to be a high school graduate and then work as an apprentice with a licensed construction company. After completing your apprenticeship, you would apply for a certification in the skill you want to practice. According to Indeed, it’s a good idea to photograph each job you work on to serve as part of your portfolio. According to Zip Recruiter, the national average wage for a home builder is just under $23 per hour.
It will help you to submit your portfolio for each company where you submit your corporate application. Some people with an affinity for excellent construction work may decide to limit their skills to becoming luxury home builders. According to 4Gen Homes, a luxury home builder would specialize in building quality customized homes with upscale finishes and intricate features. Luxury construction projects often employ only experienced and skilled workers.
Get Into Wood Working
People who enjoy working with wood may prefer working on smaller-sized wooden projects. Those workers may want a job making a custom cabinet, shelf, dresser, or other custom furniture. Although many homeowners are satisfied with standard designs for their cabinets, some prefer custom cabinets to serve their individual needs. Custom cabinets may be part of a new home construction project, a home remodel, or as a gift for someone who appreciates craftsmanship.
If you believe you have the aptitude to build cabinets, you can go to a trade or vocational school to study how to use wood to create cabinets and other furniture. After training, you would work as an apprentice with an experienced cabinetmaker for three years. If you want to specialize in cabinetmaking, you can further advance with a certificate as a master cabinetmaker. A cabinetmaking certificate would be helpful when you submit a corporate application to work in a cabinetmaking shop.
According to Indeed, the national average salary for a cabinet maker ranges from $17 per hour to $28 per hour. The skills needed to become a cabinet maker can also be used to work as a general construction worker, a furniture craftsperson, or a maker of wooden toys. A custom woodworker can make beautifully crafted homes, furniture, toys, or wooden pieces of art.
Make Music
If you enjoy music and parties and find it easy to get along with people at parties, you may enjoy a job as a local wedding DJ. Being a DJ is best learned by watching those who do it. If you decide what to do, you should attend parties and weddings and watch people doing it. Ask them what kind of equipment you need to rent or buy. You don’t get these jobs with a corporate application, so ask the person observing how they get their bookings.
According to the Penny Hoarder, a typical DJ fee would start at $500, although experienced DJs could ask for fees up to $1400. The website reports that a typical wedding DJ would need a laptop with at least six GB of internal memory and enough USB ports to plug in a microphone and speakers. You’ll need headphones and a microphone. You should also accumulate tapes from many music genres, including the most popular types of wedding dances, such as the Electric Slide, the Horah, and the Chicken Dance.
Design Jewelry
You may enjoy working with metal or designing jewelry and wonder if you can make a career from jewelry making. You may have found you have talent as an amateur designer and want to go on to make a living doing what you love. According to Indeed, a job in jewelry design begins in the same way as many others: with a high school diploma. You may be able to find jewelry design courses at a local vocational or trade school; most of those courses will encourage you to work as an apprentice with a local jewelry maker to gain experience.
You can design many types of jewelry, from stud earrings to a custom engagement ring. All those pieces will require skills in shaping metal, placing gems, and planning designs for each item you make. You will most likely have to submit a corporate application for an entry-level position, such as a bench repair worker – repairing small pieces like watches, necklaces, or pins that customers bring in. According to Salary.com, the national average earnings for a jewelry designer is estimated at over $43,000 per year.
Some people take a few months off before getting their first job after college, and you may decide that’s what you want to do. However, it’s a good idea to begin exploring possible future careers while you are still in school. You may find that your school advisor can advise you on how to submit your corporate application for the job you want or even to secure you an internship at the company of your choice. Whatever you decide to do, best wishes as you get ready to go from college to a career.
