Rewarding careers not on the radar for most.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by atcjorg

what does he love to do, interests? start there.

you HAVE to start there - if he doesn't know then he can figure it out in college (tho taking undergraduate courses in a field is not like working in that field)

he should pick something that CANNOT be outsourced to lower paid workers in another country and cannot be done by robots

that means engineering and radiology are not good choices for example...

But I suggest exploring options in the medical field (broadly defined) - if he is smart and can do a trick that is not related to the practice of medicine (needed to get an A in organic chemistry) then maybe an MD should be considered

at the other end, with only 2 years of education, he could become an RN or a Respiratory Therapist

in the middle, Nurse Mgr. (BS in Nursing), OT (a Masters), PR (now making them get a doctorate), etc.

out on the wings of this growth field, something in medical technology, healthcare informatics, etc.

the field is growing b/c of demographics - a large bolus of humans are getting old (Boomers) and will need lots of medical care

many jons in the field are hands-on and hard to outsource

[RWebb]

The 10 Highest-Paid Jobs in America - US News and World Report


The 10 Most Underpaid Jobs - Rick Newman (usnews.com)

[pavulon]

I have concerns about the pay listed in that US News article.

I realize the original question was generic and much is dependent upon the capabilities of the young person at issue. None-the-less, there have been some good suggestions! Thank you.

[LWJ]

Zeke mentioned Agriculture. My Cousin hit an absolute gold mine with some free-range chickens. They went from being middle class minus to buying a farm in a year or two. My understanding is that it is a reasonable sized farm. Haven't seen it. Upstate New York. I figure they get some obscene margins on these free-range / organic meats.

People gotta eat.

Larry

[ZLP]

Community Organizer...

[URY914]

Here's another link with some ideas....

Why Your Kid Can't Get a Job - Forbes


"Freelancing is likely to be their future anyhow, so why not start and learn the skills (from DIY bookkeeping to marketing) of being an entrepreneur now?Young job hunters need to rethink their social media presence. Social proof is critical to employers. Ditch the frat party photos, avoid the drunken tweets. Turn your public social media presence into a showcase of your personal brand and portal of interests and skills. Connect the dots for the prospective hiring manager. The best way to combat a thin resume is with photos, video, endorsements. Be unusual and memorable: if, for example, you reached Level 60 on World of Warcraft, tell your future boss why that means you have monster leadership skills. And, show you have a big and growing network that comes with you when you get hired."

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I really haven't seen an answer that involved a job 'off the radar' yet.

Drug-running pilot.

[LWJ]

I strongly disagree with Mr. Webb. I always say to do what you are GOOD at and you will be financially and emotionally rewarded. Save the off times for your passions.

Example: you love Porsches so you become a mechanic. Do you really want to play mechanic on your off time? I think the buzz would greatly diminish.

Larry

[Rick Lee]

I wonder if anyone goes into sales right out of school. I never even thought about it until I had a few years in the workforce and got a taste of layoffs and company politics. That's when I decided I wanted to be somewhat immune from that stuff by going into sales. I was sold on it when the boss said, "Your review is your W2." Unfortunately, I'm now in a sales job that combines lots of company politics and an adult version of Simon Says. But I work from home in my sweatpants, ride my motorcycle on business trips and see my boss once or twice a year. So it could be worse. The phone and email abuse is pretty tolerable. I wonder what the next step is going to be though. I know something is going to happen soon.

[McLovin]

No brainer, for sure.

Get in on the biggest growth industry, GOVERNMENT.

Government is the only business that can print its own money, or take as much money as it wants from others. In many ways, it's a legal Mafia.

The total compensation packages for even mid level government bureaucrats is quite high, esp. if you have any seniority. If you start to reach upper level administration even in small counties/jurisdictions, you can easily exceed those Dr.s on the "Top 10 Highest Paid Jobs."

And, it's almost impossible to get fired.

[lowyder993s]

Originally Posted by diverdan

Construction management! Big bucks even to begin. Probably long hours. Friend just graduated from Mich. State U. and got a job for $70 k. He had great internships and loves constucting buildings. Howwever, follow your heart and then you will excell at what you do.

Diverdan

This!!! If you're good enough and kill it for a few years; tkae the plunge and start your own business. 2 of my customers (both no college degrees) did just this. Low-mid to mid 6 figures for both.

[Schrup]

I've never had a job I could say I loved, but I've had enough tough jobs to have a deep appreciation for the one I have.

[daepp]

My daughter is studying Chinese at the Navy's expense. Our research says this is a winner, but YMMV.

[Joe Bob]

Lot more Chinese out there than Spanish speakers....but most Chinese are still over there....still a valuable asset. The CL ads over here are constantly looking for Farsi and Arabic to English speakers....

Looking at the local schools you would think that Indian dialects would be sought after....but they learn English early.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by 941MXVET

Instrumentation, often techs make as much as engineers and only have a two year degree to obtain.

And they probably have more fun.

[on2wheels52]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Anyone who knows exactly what they want to do with their life when they are 18 has my respect.

As opposed to know what you're going to do when you're 30
Life's funny sometimes.
Jim

[aigel]

You should do a poll on PPOT to see what everyone's job is. Then tell the kid to stay away from these professions. Apparently they are so boring that the workforce in those occupations can chat on PPOT all day. Depending on the kid's mindset however, he may WANT to have such a job and just surf the web all day?

G

[GWN7]

Owning a personal care home. With the ageing population, big money to be made in warehousing old people.

[Bill Douglas]

If I had a better body I think I'd like to be a nude model.

[porsche4life]

Male gigilo?