In spite of what many people will tell you, the truth is that you don't always need to go to university to land a good job. Whilst there are many great jobs that, of course, can be accessed by going to university, there are also a great number of well-paid and rewarding jobs that don't require a degree.
Also, they won't require you to rack up debt in excess of £40,000 (the average debt a university student now leaves with) to get there. On that note, we will now discuss how to get into a professional field without actually going to university.
If you want to know some quick tips on how to get a great job without a degree, here are the most important points to consider:
- Identify In-Demand Skills: You can research industries and roles that value skills and experience over formal education. Look for job postings and trends that emphasize skills such as digital marketing, coding, data analysis, graphic design, project management, or specialized technical skills. If you acquire these skills, they can surely make you a competitive candidate.
- Focus on Skill Development: You should invest time in learning and mastering the skills relevant to your desired field. You can take advantage of online courses, workshops, tutorials, and self-study resources. Also, you can start building a strong skill set that will demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers.
- Build a Strong Portfolio: For creative fields or roles that require practical skills, you must develop a portfolio of your work. This could include examples of projects, designs, writing samples, or any other relevant work that showcases your abilities.
- Gain Practical Experience: Internships, part-time jobs, freelance work, and volunteer opportunities can provide valuable hands-on experience and help you develop a track record of success. I said that because practical experience is often highly preferred by employers.
- Networking and Personal Branding: Networking is essential for job seekers without a degree. You should attend industry events, connect with professionals on social media platforms like LinkedIn, and join relevant online communities. If you successfully build relationships, it can lead to job referrals and insights about hidden job opportunities.
- Craft a Strong Resume: You must highlight your skills, experience, and achievements on your resume. I suggest you use a skills-based or functional format that draws attention to what you can bring to the role. Also, you must tailor your resume to each job application to showcase how your abilities match the job requirements.
- Showcase Soft Skills: Soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork are highly valued by employers. You can use your resume, cover letter, and interviews to demonstrate these qualities.
- Emphasize Results: During interviews or on your resume, focus on your accomplishments. You can highlight specific projects you've worked on, problems you've solved, and measurable outcomes you've achieved. This demonstrates your impact and value.
Identify In-Demand Skills: You can research industries and roles that value skills and experience over formal education. Look for job postings and trends that emphasize skills such as digital marketing, coding, data analysis, graphic design, project management, or specialized technical skills. If you acquire these skills, they can surely make you a competitive candidate.
Focus on Skill Development: You should invest time in learning and mastering the skills relevant to your desired field. You can take advantage of online courses, workshops, tutorials, and self-study resources. Also, you can start building a strong skill set that will demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers.
Build a Strong Portfolio: For creative fields or roles that require practical skills, you must develop a portfolio of your work. This could include examples of projects, designs, writing samples, or any other relevant work that showcases your abilities.
Gain Practical Experience: Internships, part-time jobs, freelance work, and volunteer opportunities can provide valuable hands-on experience and help you develop a track record of success. I said that because practical experience is often highly preferred by employers.
Networking and Personal Branding: Networking is essential for job seekers without a degree. You should attend industry events, connect with professionals on social media platforms like LinkedIn, and join relevant online communities. If you successfully build relationships, it can lead to job referrals and insights about hidden job opportunities.
Craft a Strong Resume: You must highlight your skills, experience, and achievements on your resume. I suggest you use a skills-based or functional format that draws attention to what you can bring to the role. Also, you must tailor your resume to each job application to showcase how your abilities match the job requirements.
Showcase Soft Skills: Soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork are highly valued by employers. You can use your resume, cover letter, and interviews to demonstrate these qualities.
Emphasize Results: During interviews or on your resume, focus on your accomplishments. You can highlight specific projects you've worked on, problems you've solved, and measurable outcomes you've achieved. This demonstrates your impact and value.
We aren't just talking about waiting tables or flipping burgers (not that there's anything wrong with working in the catering industry, which has some great careers that begin at the bottom washing the pots and can end with being a head chef or a restaurant manager).
The job of an air traffic controller, for example, starts at £46,000 per year and goes up to more than £100,000 once you have gained the necessary experience. Although you won't need to go to university to land this job, you will need specialist on-the-job training to become an expert in spatial reasoning, numerical reasoning and verbal skills. Add fitness experts, executive assistants, construction managers and even airline pilots to that list, and suddenly, going to university may not feel like a requirement to get a great job.
When an employer scans through the list of candidates for a job, he/she is likely looking for someone with experience in the role. In fact, apprentices are so highly sought after that corporations, both big and small, often look for help finding an apprentice from selected programmes.
You will still need good grades and a high aptitude to get selected for good programmes, but if you have the ability, this is a really great way to enter the world of work, and in fact, you can even get degree-level apprenticeships where you gain a degree (usually on day release) whilst you work. Not to mention, apprentices are paid even when they are learning the necessary skills to make themselves indispensable in the future.
