Online College Courses: The Cure for a Boring Job

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.

1. 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.

2. 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:

• Marketing or Advertising
• Psychology
• Social Networking
• Web Design & Development
• Bookkeeping
• Discrimination & Harassment Awareness

3. 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.