Top 19 Best Jobs for Career Changers

Step 1: Pick up a mirror

Ask yourself this question: "What do I want?" To answer this question well, consider the following variables.

Values

To narrow down your core values, ask yourself some questions.

1. What issues are important to you?
2. How would you like to spend 40+ hours per week?
3. In what areas would you like to contribute?
4. What do you want your legacy to look like (what you'd like people to remember you for)?

Interests

Interests are the best predictors of job satisfaction. Ask yourself the following questions to determine your interests (and maybe even identify your passion!).

1. What do you want to know more about or become more involved with?
2. Are there specific types of books, magazines, websites, etc...you like to read?
3. If you could spend a day doing learning anything you want, what would you choose?
4. What would you do for free?

Personality

Your personality type will play a large role in how much you enjoy your job. Therefore, in looking for the best jobs for career changers, think about these questions to identify what type of personality you have and how well you work with others.

1. Are in introverted or extroverted?
2. If you could choose, would you prefer to work with others or independently?
3. Do you like doing hands-on work or would you prefer to hand the minutia over to an assistant?

Take the MBTI test to determine where you are on the personality spectrum. It costs to take the official version of the assessment, but you can find decent free assessments on the web.

Also, one thing that would be helpful is to find your "Holland Code." Holland codes are a system of codes that classify jobs into industry clusters, job categories, and work personality environments.

Want to know your Holland Code? Fortunately, you can find out your code by taking a short quiz. Furthermore, there's another great quiz here.

Skills

Your skill set will play a huge role in determining the types of jobs you're actually qualified to do. Specifically, what are your skills? The answers to these questions will help you pull them all together.

1. What are you good at naturally?
2. Do you have any specific talents?
3. What do you learn easily?
4. Do you have any skill limitations?
5. Can you take classes online or at a community college/trade school to learn more skills?

Lifestyle requirements

Do you have any lifestyle requirements that you need to consider before exploring the best jobs for career changers?

For example, these include the amount of money you need to make, geographical limitations, hours you need to work to coordinate with family obligations, and whether or not you'll be moving in the next couple of years.

Likewise, consider the obligations of your partner, if you have one. Will their job require you to move in the near future?

Create your criteria checklist

After you've thoroughly assessed yourself, make a criteria checklist. This is an outline of what the best jobs for career changers might look like for you and will help you in steps two and three, where you begin to explore opportunities and look for a job.

Step 2: Go exploring

The next step in finding the best jobs for career changers is to start exploring the many career options that are available to you.

You can find lots of information about potential careers on the internet. A simple Google search will net you more resources than you can read in a lifetime.

For example, you might search for "best careers for a people person" or "careers for people who love technology."

Another thing you can do is information interviews. See if local business leaders will sit down with you to give you information about their field and their company.

Also, you can get your feet wet in a field by taking a part-time job in that industry. Want to become a professional photographer? Consider going to work at a photo lab at a drugstore or Walmart.

Step 3: Hit the streets (or Google)

Once you have assessed your interests, skills, and options, it's time to start a job search.

Fire, scour the web for job openings in the field you want to work in. Then, check websites like Monster and Indeed to see exactly what's out there.

One more thing, be sure to check newspapers. Although it almost seems archaic, keep in mind that some larger companies do still post jobs in newspapers.

This is also important, connect with your local workforce or employment center. Many larger companies go through them to do their hiring.

Finally, don't be afraid to cold call employers. Even if they don't have a "job opening" sign hanging in their window (physically or virtually), companies are always looking for talented people to join their teams.

Note that you may not be ready right-now-today to make a career change or find the best jobs for career changers. However, you should definitely start tuning in to the industry in which you want to work. As you'd expect, knowing what opportunities are out there will help you solidify your plan.

1. Open wide

The field of dental assisting is lucrative, and jobs are plentiful. However, becoming a dental assistant usually requires a diploma or associate degree. That said, some smaller offices are willing to train a dental assistant.

Dental assistants are responsible for the task of assisting dentists during dental procedures, preparing patients for procedures, and in some cases, doing front office work.

2. Man's best friend needs you

Would working with animals every day be your dream job? If so, becoming a veterinary technician may be the perfect career change for you.

As a vet tech, your primary duty is to comfort and care for ill or injured animals. Common tasks of vet techs include collecting blood samples and assisting the veterinarian.

An associate degree is usually required to get into this field, although you may find some smaller veterinary clinics who will train you.

3. Help people with this career

If you're a patient care technician, you can work from anywhere and don't have to go into an office very often. Patient care technicians are responsible for nursing duties that can include collecting blood samples and tending to patient needs.

In most cases, you'll need some sort of medical certification to be a patient care tech.

4. 123s and ABCs

In most states, the need for educators is so dire that you can become a teacher even if you didn't go to college to teach. First, you'll need to check the laws in your state and find out how to become certified to teach.

If you have strong STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and math), you'll be particularly in demand.

However, don't be mistaken: being a teacher isn't just referring to teaching children and teenagers. If you have a Bachelor's degree, you may be able to work at some community colleges and trade schools.

5. Put that analytical brain to work

The field of medical coding and billing is flexible. You can usually do it at your own pace and in whatever hours you choose. Moreover, you have the freedom to choose who you work for.

As a medical insurance coding and billing specialist, you're responsible for analyzing and organizing health insurance claim forms. Then, you assign them the correct codes according to the type of disease, procedure, or surgery for which the patient has been charged.

In some areas, an associate degree may be required to be a coding and billing specialist, but not always. Furthermore, you can take online courses to learn how to do this work.

6. Be bossy and make money

A career in business management is ideal for any professional who wants to transition into a business career. In this field, you can get entry-level management experience and often, hands-on training in business law. Also, you'll have opportunities to work in a variety of careers, including computer systems, human resources, and even entrepreneurship.

Relevant work experience is what's required to break into this field. If you have a degree of any kind, that's helpful. However, what employers will mainly look for is your work experience and management experience.

7. CTRL ALT DELETE your way to a new career

Are you good at fixing computer problems? If working for yourself and making your own hours sounds appealing to you, freelancing is a great career opportunity.

Most homes have a computer in them. Heck, even our smartphones are tiny little computers! But few people are savvy enough to fix their own computers. If you have tech skills, there will be no shortage of customers who need your help, especially if you're willing to work flexible hours.

8. Put those organizational skills to use

Often positions are listed as project management positions when in actuality the company is looking for a project or program coordinator.

A project coordinator focuses more on the administrative tasks that are involved. This is a great career choice for someone who is highly organized, adaptable, good at communication, and responsive.

9. Could you sell sand in the desert?

Everyone can learn to sell. If you've spent several years in one industry, you're probably an expert in that industry. Transitioning to sales may be a natural step.

People who do well in sales are good listeners and communicators.

10. Make a career using social media

If you've successfully built up a strong social media presence, you could probably be a social media manager.

Sales and business are increasingly driven by social sharing. Although this may be true, it's getting more and more challenging to be heard over the roar. Therefore, knowing how to successfully navigate the social media landscape is a valuable skill.

Of course, you'll need to be savvy on more than just Facebook to do this job. Study up on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

11. Help organizations raise money

Hospitals, nonprofits, and educational institutions need money to keep the doors open and survive. If you can successfully part people from their money (for a good cause...), fundraising can be a lucrative career.

Convincing businesses and individuals to give generously isn't easy. If you have a background in marketing or sales, you'll be especially proficient at this job.

Fundraising involves building relationships, recruiting donors and volunteers, managing donor accounts, making financial projections, and more.

12. Your type A personality will love this career

Every industry is data-driven. Therefore, if you are an expert at data analysis, your skills are in demand.

For a career as a data analyst, you'll need to be able to work with logic, facts, and numbers. Also, Microsoft Excel skills are a must, and they're easy to learn online.

Data science consists of data research, data engineering, data visualization, and more.

13. Marketing that allows you to use multiple skills

Do you love storytelling, business, and communication? If you do, a career in digital marketing may be something you'd enjoy.

Many seasoned professionals and people with marketing degrees aren't up on the latest trends. If you are, you're in.

14. More analytical fun times

As the world of selling to consumers becomes increasingly competitive, there's an even greater need to analyze and understand a buyer's motivation.

A market research analyst analyzes data, writes data reports, and collects data to help business leaders understand how to better sell to a targeted audience.

If you have a background in sales and/or client relations, you'll thrive in this field.

15. Plan for their future

People need help managing their money, and they're willing to pay big bucks to someone who really knows what they're doing.

Interestingly, a Forbes article noted that a 2009 poll taken by the Financial Planning Association shows that 88 percent of financial advisors and planners reported working in a different industry prior to becoming a financial planner.

Most financial planners pursue a certificate as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

16. Work-out nd get paid for it

Would you rather be at the gym than anywhere else? If this is you, a career as a personal trainer may be something you'd love.

First of all, as a personal trainer, you'd design exercise regimens for clients. However, you'll also assess their individual needs, measure their performance, and help to keep them motivated.

You can become a personal trainer via online certification courses and programs.

17. Help those sore muscles

The field of massage therapy is booming. People are becoming more aware of how tough a toll stress takes on their lives. However, while it's a great field, you do need to have a diploma or certificate to be a massage therapist.

Your role would involve helping patients recover from painful injuries, illness, and stress.

18. Wellness for cash

According to a study by Mayo Clinic, less than three percent of Americans follow basic healthy lifestyles. If you're a person who DOES follow a healthy lifestyle, there may be opportunities for you in helping others to do the same.

You don't need a degree or certification to be a wellness coach. Although if you have one, you're ahead of the game.

This job involves going into clients' homes and helping them identify problem foods in their cabinets, helping them find a workout routine, and even evaluating their daily routines to help them target triggers and stressors.

19. Professional geek

Want to be a professional geek? Then, look no further than a career in information technology.

To work in this field, a degree or certification is great. But above all, you'll need to know how to do the job. A degree in computer engineering isn't very useful if you don't know how to perform the required tasks.

Did you know that in 2018, big tech companies like Google, IBM, and Apple announced that they would no longer require employees to have a college degree? They apparently now know what many of us already know: just because you have a piece of paper doesn't necessarily mean you can do the job.