According to a recent survey, 55 percent of Americans are unhappy with their jobs.
[i] If you’re among them, don’t wait for retirement to actually enjoy what you do. Here are three ways that
online courses may help you start a new path – and start liking your job again.
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Make Your Resume More Relevant
If you already have experience or training in one field, but you’re
looking to break into something completely different, you don’t
necessarily need a college degree. In some industries, you could land a
job just by adding a few relevant courses to your resume. Even a single,
online course could show future employers that you are serious about
your new direction.
Break into Teaching
Take teaching, for example. Some states and school districts will
hire K-12 teacher aides, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers who
have a certain number of college credits. A full degree isn’t always
necessary for these support roles. If this is true in your state or
county, you may wish to sample an
online course in teaching and learning. Trying one course is also a great way to decide if full-time teaching and an education degree are right for you.
Break Into Human Resources
If you have basic office skills but no college degree, you may be
qualified to land an administrative role in human resources or
accounting. Unlike general administrative roles, HR jobs and accounting
jobs may offer room for advancement – especially if you’re willing to
take a few courses in
human resource management or
basic accounting.
More importantly, if you decide to pursue your associate degree or
bachelor degree in business, your corporate employer may offer
tuition assistance to qualifying employees.
Break Into Pharmacy Work
In the healthcare arena, career changers may find working
opportunities as pharmacy technicians (PTs). PTs are often hired with
just a high school diploma and possibly a career certificate in pharmacy
tech studies. Before taking the plunge, you may want to apply for some
pharmacy jobs or sample
this fascinating course – an online overview of how pharmacy drugs are developed, tested, and prescribed.
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Become a Bigger Player in Your Workplace
If you enjoy your current industry, but you feel overshadowed by your
colleagues with MBAs and recent college grads, you might need to update
and broaden your professional knowledge. It’s amazing how far a little
dose of college goes when it comes to self-confidence. With a few key
terms and concepts under your belt, you may find yourself offering more
opinions, volunteering for bigger projects, and doing more than the bare
minimum.
The following online courses cover popular topics, and are useful in almost any profession:
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Get Ready for a College Degree
When you think about your long-term career goals, you may discover
that a bachelor’s or master’s degree is, in fact, necessary. Before you
give up and assume it’s too hard, why not try one or two courses at an
online college? Test Drive College lets students sample an online
course for free (sample options include
English Composition and
Psychology). If you pass, you may be eligible to apply your free credits toward a full degree at a participating college.