Career Choices You Haven’t Considered (But Maybe Should!)

Choices, choices, choices. Life is full of them, right? One of the most difficult you will ever face is choosing your career. If you’re heading to college, it’s the primary thought on your mind at this point. Right?

I wish I could say that a light will shine down from Heaven and tell you what you need to do. Unfortunately, that’s hardly likely.

But here’s what I can do. Let’s have a discussion about some jobs that pay well, yet are not your norm. These are fields that will likely continue to grow as you work your way through college. And by the time you get out, well, you shouldn’t have much trouble at all finding a job. Meanwhile, all your Marketing Major buddies will be busting their butts trying to land that internship or whatever, making peanuts as they struggle miserably up the corporate ladder.

Maybe, just maybe, your future career is on this list.

1. Be a Hacker—the Legal Kind

Are you good or interested in software? Thinking about going into computer science or programming? True there are plenty of jobs related to software out there, but are there any as cool as this? Imagine…you get paid…to be a hacker. Okay maybe it’s not exactly like being a REAL hacker, but you’re dealing with network security. Maybe for a big corporation, or even for the US government. Who knows, maybe you could even be a foreign investigator. Doesn’t that sound sexy? Well, it’s about as sexy as it gets for a software specialist, right? Oh yeah—the pay is solid. According to schools.com, the need is only growing.

2. Funeral Directors Are in High Demand…No, Really!

Okay, so this one definitely isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a bit on the morbid side and death doesn’t faze you, then you stand to do pretty well for yourself. Let’s face it; it’s a recession proof career choice. People are always going to die. Our population is booming, and the Baby Boomers are aging. Sounds like a solid career plan to me. Bonuses are you get to help people (if you’re a good one) and the median pay is pretty good.

3. Become a Golf Professional

Now keep in mind, a golf professional is much different than a professional golfer. You could be anything from a pro shop manager to a staff professional to a course superintendent. There are more careers than you can possibly imagine! All you need is an Associate’s Degree and a love for the game. Think this sounds like your thing? Then you need to attend a professional golfers career college.

4. Choose Clothes, Make Money as a Fashion Consultant or Personal Shopper

Everyone loves to shop, right? Well, not everyone. But it’s definitely a favorite pastime for many. Now imagine if you got paid to buy people’s clothes. Or maybe you became a consultant who would go in and clear out people’s wardrobes and give them advice on what they should wear, or what colors were good for them. Believe it or not, this is a legit career and it could be yours.

5. Teach

Okay, there’s nothing odd about being a teacher. However, many people overlook the job because they feel it doesn’t pay well. However, the truth is that most teaching jobs start out with pretty decent pay. Sure you aren’t going to get huge raises every year, but let’s not forget another important perk. You get time off. Lots of it. The average teacher gets about 3 total months of paid vacation every year. Wow, how could you beat that?

Jobs You Might Want to Stay Away From

On the other hand, there are also some careers out there that you might be considering that seem like good choices. However, when you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that they don’t pay very well or just aren’t very good all around. Here are a few of those jobs that you might think twice about.

1. News Reporter

Crazy hours and very little pay take an exciting career and make it nearly unbearable for many. Yes, there are some people that do well in the field, but the average small time reporter is struggling under tight deadlines with very little income.

2. Therapists

The psychology major is a popular one, but if you’re looking to do talk therapy then you may be in trouble. The field is overrun, jobs are scarce, and pay isn’t what you had hoped for.

3. Postman

You wonder why people say “going postal?” Rain, sleet, or snow you’re working. And the pay and pension keep getting cut, as the Postal Service continues to try and keep up with the times. It’s a sinking ship that you probably shouldn’t be on.

Can you think of any other odd jobs that do well? How about jobs that should be avoided? Tell us about them!

Tom Ruley is a high school guidance counselor. Every day he helps kids make choices that will affect their career paths throughout their adult years. He thinks you should follow your passions, but also realizes you need to be smart when choosing a job path.