The ideal career path for a post-grad is a highly debated topic and often controversial. The point of contention emanates from the fact that the job market constantly changes. The valuable skills of today may become obsolete in less than a decade.
Additionally, students often feel pressured to pursue the conventional ‘high-paying’ careers deemed successful. Yes, some do get these jobs, but not everyone. If you have recently graduated, you must consider other unique opportunities that align with your interests. Here are some potential avenues to consider as you embark on your post-grad journey.
Become a Bail Bondsman
Becoming a bail bondsman could be a great career choice if you’ve recently graduated with a criminal justice degree. You don’t have to fight for a space in the overcrowded criminal defense sector where there are over 252159 practicing individuals, according to Job recruiter Zippia. Instead, you can work for yourself and earn up to $118,780 or more a year, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As a bail bondsman, you’ll work with clients arrested and need assistance posting bail to secure their release from jail. Here, you act as a surety by providing a bail bond to the court, promising that the defendant will appear in court. You may ask, how do you make a living out of this?
As a bail bondsman, you charge your clients, in this case the defendants, a non-refundable fee of 10% of the bond amount. If someone gets a bail set at $50,000, you make $5,000 as your fee. It’s a promising career; however, it comes with some risks, especially if the defendant doesn’t honor their court dates and you can’t locate them.
Furthermore, some states, such as Illinois and Oregon, have banned commercial bail bonds entirely. Others have regulations governing the industry. So, ensure you check out the laws in your region before embarking on this career.
Work in Event Rental
Another career path you should consider if you have recently graduated, is working in the event rental industry. Similar to the food industry, event rental is a recession-proof sector. Naturally, people do everything they can to keep a culture going, even during hard times. You might have seen weddings and birthday parties in war-torn areas. That’s the beauty of working in this industry.
According to Yahoo Finance, the party supply rental had an estimated market size of $14.20 billion in 2023. It has grown within a few months to $16.30 billion as of 2024. Yahoo reports that the industry will likely grow by 14.90% yearly to hit 37.54 billion by 2030. Just by those figures, you can predict the immense employment opportunities.
A complete event rental involves renting party supplies, tents, tables, chairs, and sound equipment. You can work at various events such as weddings, corporate parties, birthday parties, roadshows, and concerts. Concert events alone are a multi-billion dollar industry; regardless of your career background, you can tap into it. One U.S. events company, Live Nation, organized over 50,000 concerts in 2023, according to Statista, earning more than $22.75 billion. As a recent graduate, you might not have the means to start a business in this sector, but you can find employment.
Work in Law
The field is broad and provides vast opportunities. Law touches every aspect of life, and you can find employment as a legal practitioner in many sectors. You don’t necessarily have to be a criminal law attorney, but you need knowledge of various aspects of the law.
According to the American Bar Association, the U.S. had 1,331,290 active lawyers as of 2023. All these legal practitioners work in various law firms, businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. You, too, can join them as a researcher, legal assistant, paralegal, court reporter, contract administrator, or even a consultant.
If you recently graduated, you do not need much experience to work in this field or even a college degree. For instance, according to CNBC, a court reporter can earn upward of $200 for a half-day or $100,000 annually in California. For a job that pays far more than the median salary in the U.S., it’s a career worth considering.
Consider Printing
Another fantastic career path you can take if you have recently graduated is working in the printing industry. There exists a notion that this is a dying field, but that is far from the truth. Printing still has a vital role despite the rise of digital media and technology. Yes, it has shrunk, but it’s not dead.
Printing for packaging, in fact, is a billion-dollar industry that’s growing by the day. In the U.S. alone, printing had a market size valued at $365 billion in 2022 with a 5% CAGR growth, according to Global Market Insights Inc. It’s not the only field you can work in. The print media industry remains steady, mainly in books and magazines. However, newspaper consumption has significantly dropped, with advertisement revenue remaining under $15 billion since 2015, according to Statista.
Additionally, you can find your footing in local printing services, where you create designs and print T-shirts, caps, and other merchandise. You can also work in advertising, where you print promotional materials such as brochures, banners, and flyers. The good news is that you don’t have to own a printing press or have a degree to work in this industry. All you need is exceptional design and computer skills, and you are good to go.
Work with Animals
Animals present an exciting career opportunity, particularly if you are passionate about them. Pets alone account for over 66% of households, according to Forbes. According to the American Pet Production Association (APPA), pet owners spent $147 billion on pet-related expenses in 2023.
Working with animals means finding a career as an animal trainer, groomer, and pet walking/sitting. However, the most lucrative industry is veterinary medicine. If you recently graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, this is a field you can easily hack.
As a veterinarian, you can either work for private animal emergency clinics or go into research. The good thing about this field is that Americans’ compassion for pets keeps rising. And given the number of pets against the number of veterinarians, there is a shortage of skilled vets. With a mean annual wage of $136,300, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, vet medicine is a career worth considering.
Become a Cosmetologist
The beauty industry has been and continues to be one of the world’s most lucrative sectors. People will always have a desire to look good and feel confident. If you recently graduated and are still looking for opportunities, cosmetology is a career worth dipping your toes into.
But what does a cosmetologist do, you may ask? They are the professionals you meet, providing beauty services such as skin treatment, hairstyling, make-up, and manicure/pedicure, among others. While most of these skills require a certificate from a beauty school, it’s usually a short course.
Cosmetology is a vast industry that allows one to branch into various fields, such as being a make-up artist or styling hair. Combine this with other skills like photography, and you can quickly become a sought-after wedding stylist or fashionista.
According to Yahoo Finance, the U.S. cosmetic market size had an estimated value of about USD 87.70 billion in 2022. Its projected growth is at a CAGR of 5.60% from 2023 to 2032. That means you will have space to try out your creative skills.
Remodel Homes
Americans continue to buy homes year after year, with the U.S. Census reporting 693,000 already sold and another 477,000 up for the same this year alone. The old homes are also constantly changing hands. In a few years, most, if not all, of the homes you see around will need a remodel.
That’s evident by the amount of money Americans spend on renovations and repairs yearly. The Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Centers Study estimates $500 billion annually. That figure screams opportunity from whatever angle you look at it.
Home remodels range from minor ones like kitchen and bath remodels to complete renovations. While most of your clients will be homeowners, it’s common to work for real estate agents. Usually, they buy old houses at low prices and make improvements before putting them up for sale for higher value (flipping houses).
That’s where you come in as an interior designer or home renovation expert. You don’t require a particular degree from college to take up this job, but some training will help. For instance, if you recently graduated, you can join a trade school, community college, or vocational school and learn a skill as you earn. For instance, you can pursue programs like a certificate in remodeling and repair, an associate of science in carpentry technology, and a technical diploma in construction and remodeling to learn how to properly use tools utilized in house renovations.
Get into Sports Medicine
Sports generally rack up billions of dollars yearly, and that’s just in the U.S. It’s an industry with jobs ranging from professional athletes to ticket vendors. One sector worth mentioning is sports medicine.
Professionals in this field treat athletes with injuries acquired during training or playing games. They also help athletes maintain fitness levels. Most experts here have a bachelor’s degree in medicine, physical therapy, or exercise science.
If you have recently graduated and are passionate about sports and medicine, you can merge the two in this job. Sports medicine is a career that allows you to work for any professional team or set up your facility. According to Salary.com, a job recruitment site, a sports physician makes an average of $259,869 annually. Even if you won’t get that much as a starter, it’s a field worth pursuing.
Design Landscaping
Another opportunity that you can pursue after graduation is landscaping. The law does not mandate landscaping, apart from states like New York, where homeowners associations do. That means homeowners have to maintain their homes’ landscape.
For the most part, homeowners want to relax and have someone else take care of their yard. It mainly involves mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and planting flowers. Sometimes, you may have to completely change an ugly backyard into a serene outdoor living space. Additionally, you are not limited to homes. Golf clubs, resorts, and hotels are also potential clients.
According to verified reports by IBIS World, the landscaping industry is worth billions of dollars, with a market size of $153.4 billion in 2024. It keeps growing as more and more Americans buy homes. That means there is room for you if you recently graduated and have a passion for art and nature.
The best part is you don’t need to find employment. A landscaper can start this as a solo gig. As you develop a client base, you can go into contracting, where you get big projects.
Work with Children
Most working Americans with children need someone to watch over their little ones during working hours. Others want you to help teach them one or two specialized skills. This need creates a demand for childcare facilities and childcare providers.
While some jobs require a degree in early childhood education, others do not. For instance, a nanny can quickly start even without training. Alternatively, you can be a teacher assistant helping children requiring special attention.
Dealing with children should be something you enjoy doing, and if you have recently graduated with no job, this is an ideal career path. You can work in an already-established childcare facility or start your infant day care center. The demand for childcare services is always higher than the supply, meaning you can easily find employment or start your facility.
The skills required here are primarily innate and not necessarily learned. For instance, a good childcare provider should be patient, loving, and understanding. However, that does not mean you don’t need any education. You can take up some courses to improve your nutrition skills or children’s overall well-being.
The job market changes constantly, and opportunities always arise. Identifying and turning these opportunities into a career only takes a keen interest. Whether you have recently graduated or are looking for a job change, there are plenty of options to explore and possibly find your passion.
The ideal career path for a post-grad is a highly debated topic and often controversial. The point of contention emanates from the fact that the job market constantly changes. The valuable skills of today may become obsolete in less than a decade.
Additionally, students often feel pressured to pursue the conventional ‘high-paying’ careers deemed successful. Yes, some do get these jobs, but not everyone. If you have recently graduated, you must consider other unique opportunities that align with your interests. Here are some potential avenues to consider as you embark on your post-grad journey.