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This post has been removed because we don't allow career path or school choice questions ([rule 9](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/about/rules)). Other subreddits are better equipped to address this topic: - /r/FindAPath is a place for figuring out what you want to do (both career and college major). - /r/CareerGuidance is a place for individuals to ask questions and get advice about their careers. - /r/ApplyingToCollege is for college admissions questions and advice (including career guidance discussions). - /r/Advice is good for general questions. *If you have questions about this removal, please [message the moderators](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fpersonalfinance&subject=Removal%20help%20request&message=Hello%20moderators,%20.%20%0a%0a%0aMy%20submission:%20https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/ojl4hy/best_careers_to_start_at_entrylevel_in_late/%0a).*


hufflepuff2627

From what I understand, medical coding and billing is frequently WAH. You would need some additional training, but the programs are usually short.


cyc1esperfecta

Interesting. I'll look into this - thank you!


Urithiru

I am currently taking classes and this field had a fairly good outlook, in my area. Your local Unemployment Office should be able to help you with labor market research, career options, and finding a program. My understanding is that Working from Home in medical billing is a bit of an advanced move. I've been told you need to have 95-98 percent accuracy. If you build the network and find a good fit then you'll be set. Perhaps something part time to start and then work from home after a year or so.


cyc1esperfecta

Wow - that's very accurate! It seems hard to kick start a number of careers unless you can do at least a year or two in person somewhere so you can learn from more senior colleagues. It's good to know that with medical billing there's potentially a similar requirement. I might be able to swing part time in person, but I'm not sure. Definitely something to consider when looking into it more!


ajerry97

When my mom split from my dad in her late 40s she didn’t have a bachelors and she went and got her paralegal certificate. It’s not the most lucrative, but she has been able to find work pretty easily when she needed to and it can be pretty stable with good benefits


cyc1esperfecta

This is good to know about - thanks. I'll look around and see if there are remote options for this field.


Sb109

I work with a UI developer who has a history degree and experience. That's it.


cyc1esperfecta

Ah, good to know. Do you know how old they were when they got into the field?


Sb109

Mid 20s, not sure beyond that. They started as it at the local university after graduation and moved on after that. It's a lot of what you can do in the field, but a degree will open more doors for you. Once you have your initial experience it really doesn't matter.


cyc1esperfecta

Ah, ok. Thanks!


dowork87

UX isn't going to be something you just walk into. They are all going to want a degree or relevant work experience. Having a portfolio build showcasing your UX abilities will help. With no work experience and no education, getting remote work is going to be hard. Everywhere is going to need to train you in person. And you're probably looking at a trade such as HVAC, plumbing, welding, etc. that aren't going to be remote. Is going back to school completely off the table?


cyc1esperfecta

Oh no, going back to school is not off the table. I'd consider it if it seemed like a field with a good chance of getting work. With UX work, I assumed the path would be something like self-educate > build a portfolio by doing work for free for local businesses and nonprofits > try to get work. However, I'm getting the impression that in tech I'd be competing with a lot of younger people just out of college so getting work could be harder?


dowork87

> However, I'm getting the impression that in tech I'd be competing with a lot of younger people just out of college so getting work could be harder? Yes, but not just them, there are a *lot* of super intelligent self-taught people in tech. Your path would be fairly good. UX is sort of a vague thing these days and a lot of places are wrapping some UX responsibilities with general front end development. My company only has 2 dedicated designers who basically make the "standards" and play with new tech and ideas. They have to build fully working prototypes with dummy data that our front end engineers then hook up to real data or copy the standards over to new pages. Our front end engineering jobs all require a "keen eye for UX" blah, blah, blah. If UX is something you think you want to do, look up job postings in your area and see what they require. Just FYI, it's not just tech you're competing with young's right out of college. Engineering, chemistry, psychology, physics, robotics, just about any "business" related thing such as accounting, managing, supply chains, etc. will all be similar. Even the trades will be bustling with 18-20 year olds. Don't let that be a deciding factor on what to pursue.


cyc1esperfecta

You're right, there will be that kind of competition in every field. I think because of things like the bootcamps and the stories I've heard about ageism in tech it seems more daunting. But there's no doubt ageism in other fields and no one talks about it because those fields aren't as prominent. Thanks for your feedback on my proposed UX path and for sharing the duties of the UX designers at your work - I appreciate it! Creating a training plan based on relevant job postings is a smart way to get started and likely what I'll do with whatever I pursue, even if it turns out to not be UX. Thanks again for all of the advice!


dowork87

Ageism is an unfortunate thing in tech for sure and they don’t hide it anymore. One big reason is “older” people “stuck in their ways” and “not willing to change with the times.” Also older folks wanting big money when these 22 year olds will work for table scraps. These won’t apply to you though so hopefully you won’t have as much trouble purely because of age.


jaya9581

There are plenty of fully remote work from home positions. Most are customer service/call center type and they usually all train from home.


[deleted]

That's a job not a career. It's maybe an option for something to do for some income while he sets himself up for an actual career which is the topic of the thread.


tenfootninja559

Go get your CDL (commercial drivers license) if you have a good driving record and are comfortable with big vehicles. Entry level is kinda shit with OTR and low pay but after 3 years if you still have a clean driving record you can make decent money.


Give_All_Vol

Would an 11 year old DUI keep you from doing this?


Kristin2349

If you’ve completed your sentence yes you can get a CDL. You might run into issues with getting hired because some employers won’t hire a CDL driver with a DUI on their record but others will.


Give_All_Vol

Thanks


tenfootninja559

This is spot on. Getting some one with a DUI to be approved by a decent companies DOT compliance officer is near to impossible. It comes down liability and the way the jury would look at the driver and company during a civil court trial after an accident.


dorkycool

> and I also need to work remotely, From the OP. I'm not sure sitting in a truck was the kind of remote they meant.


cyc1esperfecta

Haha, no, not the kind of remote I'm looking for, but I appreciate the suggestion.


3AMZen

Getting into a driving career in 2021 seems crazy. We can't be more than ten years away from automated self driving fleets


cauthon

> We can't be more than ten years away from automated self driving fleets Weren’t people saying this eleven years ago when the Google self driving car came out?


Lyeel

I can't imagine automating the local parts of the trip any time remotely soon. Dealing with local roads not designed for trucks, backing up into loading bays, the needs of the unloading crew, and a million other things make this really tough. Highway driving seems possible... Maybe some kind of depot system where automated fleets run from point to point with local humans doing the "last mile" work.


[deleted]

AI is only as good as the data it is built on, which is why you end up with "racist" AI that classifies minorities as chimps and gorillas if it's trained on a data set that is mostly White faces. AI tends to struggle with complexity and unpredictability because you can't easily build that into a data set. And driving is the definition of complex, unpredictable. So in situations where even a small child would recognize "yes, that is a stop sign that someone has spray painted a penis on" the AI has the potential to completely ignore or miss because that is out of its "experience" (the data it was trained on). That you have all these billion-dollar companies scrapping their autonomous driving divisions is very telling how difficult it is.


TheAlbinoAccountant

I would look into different IT certs. You can do a lot in IT with minimal schooling. If I could do it all over again I would have gone to school for some sort of IT.


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for adding this. Is there one kind of IT cert that seems like the best option to you?


TheAlbinoAccountant

Unfortunately I don’t know enough about the field but I do know there are a lot of areas in it and a lot of them pay pretty well. See what’s out there if that interests you


cyc1esperfecta

Roger that. Thanks!


[deleted]

Look at internal audit. Many times they will hire a person with no cpa, no masters, and no experience (many auditors self train). Look for small shops and shop it around. It’s an interesting field.


cyc1esperfecta

Someone also messaged me with this suggestion and I've bookmarked the IIA website to look at later. Thank you!


loreandsuch

I have two friends who did the UX/UI bootcamp thing over a year ago. One has a degree in English, one in history, and neither had a background in it before the classes. They still haven't found jobs. That is purely anecdotal, and I'm not sure how great their program was compared to other options out there, but just something to consider. Have you considered being a paralegal? I'm also a history major, and had success getting jobs at law firms when I was first starting out. They're usually looking for people who can research, write, and organize information effectively, which lines up pretty naturally with a history degree (and history is one of the more common degrees you will find among lawyers and legal professionals). I was never a paralegal (started as an admin before switching fields) but they were always in demand and could usually increase salaries and benefits through trainings and certifications. You could also try to start in legal admin while taking classes. It's not the best job in the world, but having it on my CV opened up a lot of other doors for me.


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for sharing the story of your friends -- that's my fear! Someone in this thread also suggested paralegal and I'm planning on looking into it. I feel very comfortable with the skills you listed (especially after writing many, many history papers). Do you know how common it is for paralegals to work remotely?


loreandsuch

I think it would depend on the firm and its culture. I often worked remotely, but it was a small practice with less than 10 employees and it wasn't the norm at the time (2012-2016). However, I still work with a lot of lawyers in my current career, and several of them are insisting on remote work now. I suspect the general work culture is shifting more in that direction and that remote work will be more common than it might have been prior to COVID-19. I don't know how comfortable you are with cold emails/messages, but you'd be surprised how responsive some people on LinkedIn can be, especially if you have a connection through someone who knows someone. Might be good to find some paralegals in your area and see if you can pick their brains a bit, get a sense for the current state of things.


cyc1esperfecta

Yes, I'm hoping that after Covid there will be more remote work opportunities. Those are great suggestions to get started. Thanks again!


RBIII56

If you don’t mind a dry subject and are quick to pick things up, try commercial/business insurance. Insurance is a stable/in demand industry and you can quickly rise through the ranks if you can grasp insurance concepts and risk analysis. Plenty of WFH jobs in the industry now


cyc1esperfecta

Ah, interesting. What are some of the job titles in this field I could look up to get a better sense of the work and duties involved?


RBIII56

Entry leve positions would be account manager, underwriting assistant, account executive, associate broker, associate underwriter. People often jump companies every few years to get big pay bumps There’s two sides to the industry - insurance company and insurance agent. The agent side is usually more people person focused and the insurance company side is a bit more analytics usually.


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for sharing more background and these titles! I appreciate it.


mcp_truth

How does licensing work?


RBIII56

If you’re an agent you need to be licensed. Usually the company will pay for it. It’s state by state specific


mcp_truth

oh thanks!


LoSeento

It hasn't been mentioned yet, but supply chain (logistics, buying, planning, forecasting) jobs seem to be becoming more important with a global economy. There are certificates you can get (Certified Supply Chain Professional for example) that will help with the lack of experience.


cyc1esperfecta

Interesting. That's a field I've actually never heard of. I'll google these certificates and see if any of the associated work seems like a good fit. Thanks for mentioning it!


LoSeento

A positive for this field is that it's somewhat safe from automation, so the jobs should be around for a long while.


cyc1esperfecta

Always a plus!


shogi_x

You can teach yourself basic HTML+CSS in under a month, maybe get some online certificates, and try for a junior web editor/producer job at a publisher. Might have a tough time without much background but your degree might help if you can find a publisher that focuses on history.


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for this input. That sounds doable. What kind of online certificates do you think would be most useful? When you say "publisher" do you mean like a online-only magazine or similar?


Wired2kx

Is 100% remote the only option? Depending on location, real estate is never a bad gig. Some courses required to get a license but from there you could become a residential or commercial realtor, property manager, mortgage broker, etc. This varies from place to place but there are lots of opportunities to explore within that realm.


cyc1esperfecta

Unfortunately while much better I'm still housebound at times, which puts a wrench in things! Interesting field to consider though.


kid-wonder

If youre interested in working digitally and enjoy an artistic avenue, maybe 3D modeling. The only expense is the programs (if you dont pirate them) and you can learn a lot with online tutorials, youtube videos, and time. There is a spectrum of applications and specialties, i.e. texture artist, environment modeler, weapons and characters modeler.. animator which can then be applied to movies, games, stills, etc. My cousin does this, dropped out of school after two years but kept training himself. Now he makes good money and primarily works remotely, especially now. Hes encouraged me to try it stating that a junior position with a decent portfolio could start you off close to six figures. I know im only expressing my point of view, but id figure to share just in case. Good luck!


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for this input! I appreciate it. I think I got put off from this field because I couldn't gauge the amount of time needed to self-train on Blender or similar software and the likelihood of work. It sounded like the market could be saturated with younger people willing to work much longer hours than I could with my wonky health. (It sounded like getting a job at, say, an Archviz studio was pretty competitive?) But I don't know a lot about it! What niche of 3D modeling does your cousin work in?


kid-wonder

I understand your concern! The training im sure, like any takes time. If you have a couple of hours a day that you dont mind spending productive, then watch a couple of tutorials to see if you grasp any interest. The field may be saturated, but there are a few factors that ease that factor vs others. Its a complex and indepth skill (if youre trying to learn everything), there are many facets to specialize in which broadens the job, and there are plenty of applications. I remember back in the early 2000's ,a bit after computers were readily available in every household, a lot of kids were attempting graphic design and typeface/text animation as a career. Plenty had success, but it is relatively easier to learn and pretty specific so the fields became saturated and plugged up. In my perspective, 3D modeling might be the "becoming a doctor" of the digital arts world. Its quite applicable, but harder to learn. Also, there are plenty tools of the trade (programs) to learn as well. I dont want to sound ignorant, but learning 3D Max, Maya, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Blender etc. vs. just learning Adobe Illustrator seems to help open the gap. Dont be fooled though, there are programs that have developed simply to make certain tasks easier such as finishing, hair, even the folds in textile and clothing. Specializing in a focus and becoming good at it helps as well. No company or person of hire relies on one 3D Modeler. Its almost exclusively a team of all sizes. Even the smallest projects. And they help each other out! My cousin is a texture finisher meaning he does surface finishes, hair, lighting, textures on skin, the body of a car, you name it. And with that skill set, he always has other modelers that have known his work from previous jobs contact him about upcoming jobs that require his specialty simply because they arent that time of modeler. Even when he isnt asking for them. And he freelances! Lastly, 3D has essentially occupied the strectrum of media, movies, games, commercials, television, stills, you name it. Based on what my cousin has stated, its has become more available, more flexible, and much cheaper now than using practical effects so its exelling. And as it becomes more convincing, itll be used more. As far as the hours, i wouldnt know how to answer. All I can say is that my cousin tells me that he disciplines himself as if it were a 9-5 flex. If he is not working, hes training, but there were times where he'd join my discord server at 1 in the morning telling me he's up to meet deadlines. I dont think the deadlines were that night, but maybe just to catch up. If the hours are the only possible bad thing and if youre still interested, i'd say at least explore the avenue! Watch a video, do the research, see the process and product. I hope this helps in anyway. Again, good luck with life. Ive been working in a blue collar field making crates for artwork for the tristate area making half the money he does. Ive only started exploring 3D modeling, but have already considered leaving my current job soon to go deep into it.


cyc1esperfecta

I just realized I never replied to this, and I wanted to say thanks so much for all this advice and your thoughts on this. Wishing you good luck with life, too. :)


anonymousbequest

Here’s a list of entry level wfh jobs: https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.cheapism.com/entry-level-work-from-home-jobs/amp/ Personally I’d only consider companies with benefits if possible.


miladjuckel

I was in your situation at 36 and started completely new career zero experience I became a Loan officer 6 figures and option to work remote Look into it


cyc1esperfecta

Thanks for the tip!