In today’s world, many people are discovering that rather than spend four years in college and graduate with thousands of dollars in debt hanging over them, they can instead find high-paying careers in which they can quickly gain certification. In many cases, certification takes no more than one year. If you’re ready to get into a high-paying career as fast as possible, here are five careers that offer quick certifications.
Certified Nursing Assistant
If you want a healthcare career that lets you help others each and every day, become a certified nursing assistant. In a typical certification program, you can expect to complete your training within four months, and you will get a combination of classroom and hands-on training along the way. Once you’re employed, the average annual salary exceeds $32,000.
Pros of Being a Nursing Assistant
The most obvious benefit of being a nursing assistant is that it allows you to be involved in helping people on a daily basis. As a nursing assistant, you will be able to assist patients with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. This can be especially rewarding when working in long-term care facilities or home healthcare settings where you can form meaningful relationships with your patients. Additionally, many nursing assistants report feeling an immense sense of pride in knowing that they are making a difference in someone’s life every day.
Another big pro is that the job offers flexibility and room for growth within the field. Many nursing assistants start out in entry-level positions but have the opportunity to move up within their organization or pursue additional training to become certified nurses or even doctors over time. The flexible hours also offer plenty of freedom for those who are interested in pursuing other interests outside of their careers as well.
Cons of Being a Nursing Assistant
Although there are many advantages to being a nursing assistant, there are also some potential drawbacks worth considering before deciding if this career path is right for you. One major downside is that the job can sometimes involve long hours with little rest or respite during shifts due to high patient demand or limited staff availability at certain times of the day or night. Additionally, working with sick patients can be physically demanding as well as emotionally draining–and it’s not uncommon to experience burnout during your career as a result.
Flight Attendant
If you have a high school diploma, prior customer service experience, and a desire to see the world, you can gain certification as a flight attendant in as little as six weeks. Learning emergency procedures and other important tasks, the average annual salary is almost $60,000.
Pros of being a flight attendant
The best part about being a flight attendant is getting to travel the world. You have the chance to visit new cities, explore different cultures, and meet interesting people from around the globe. Plus, depending on your airline, you’ll have access to discounts on flights for yourself or your friends and family. It’s also a great way to create a flexible schedule that works for you since most airlines offer shift work.
Cons of being a flight attendant
Being away from home can be hard on your personal relationships, as well as your physical health due to jet lag and other factors related to long-haul flights. Also, while most airlines provide lodging during layovers in other cities, there are no guarantees that you will get time off between shifts or have enough free time during layovers to explore your destination city thoroughly. Additionally, because of the nature of the job—flying through different time zones—it can be difficult to stick to any kind of routine or sleep schedule when working multiple international flights in one week.
Pest Control Technician
A career that will let you work for others or even start your own business, becoming a pest control technician requires about three months of study and involves learning about different types of pests, pesticides, environmental regulations, and much more. A career that will be great for you if you like new challenges each day and don’t want to sit behind a desk, you can make an average of $40,000 per year in this job. If you choose this career, keep in mind that you will need to take pest control recertification classes periodically to stay licensed.
Pros of being a pest control technician
One of the biggest advantages to being a pest control technician is that it can be quite lucrative. Pest control technicians are in high demand, so they usually make more than other service workers. And since many employers offer flexible hours, it’s relatively easy for technicians to work around their existing commitments and still make decent money. Additionally, most employers provide their technicians with specialized tools and safety gear that can help them stay safe while on the job. Finally, working as a pest control technician can be personally satisfying because you get to help people who are dealing with annoying and potentially dangerous pests.
Cons of being a pest control technician
As with any profession, there are some downsides to being a pest control technician. For starters, the job requires you to work in conditions that may not always be pleasant—think dead animals, animal droppings, and hazardous chemicals. Additionally, because technicians often have to work in tight spaces or outdoors in extreme weather conditions, the job can be physically demanding at times. Also worth noting is that if you are exposed to certain types of pests or chemicals while on the job, you may experience health risks such as skin irritation or respiratory problems from inhalation of fumes or dust particles from pesticide applications. And finally, depending on your employer’s policies regarding overtime pay and vacation time, your schedule may become quite hectic during peak periods when pests are active (typically spring through fall).
Pharmacy Technician
One of the fastest-growing careers today, becoming a pharmacy technician will take you about one year to complete your training. Requiring a high school diploma, you will learn about different medications, how to dispense medications, recordkeeping, and the various laws and ethics associated with pharmaceutical work. Paying nearly $40,000 per year on average, you can gain additional certifications once employed to help you earn even more money.
Pros of being a pharmacy technician
One of the main advantages of becoming a pharmacy technician is the salary potential—the median salary for pharmacy technicians in 2019 was over $32,000 per year. Additionally, many employers offer comprehensive benefits packages to their employees, providing additional financial security. Becoming a pharmacy technician also provides plenty of opportunities for advancement; with additional training and experience, you can become a lead pharmacy technician or even move into management roles in the future.
Another great benefit of being a pharmacy technician is that it offers flexibility—many pharmacies are open 24/7 and need people working around the clock. This means that you have plenty of opportunities to find shifts that fit your schedule; if you need to take classes or care for family members during certain times of day, you can easily adjust your work hours accordingly. Finally, pharmacy technicians get the satisfaction that comes with helping people; since they are often interacting directly with patients and customers, they get to see first-hand how their work affects people’s lives every day.
Cons of being a pharmacy technician
Like any job, there are some downsides to consider when deciding whether or not to become a pharmacy technician. First off, it can be difficult to find entry-level positions without prior experience; most employers expect applicants to have at least one year’s worth of experience in retail or another related field before they will hire them as full-time technicians. Additionally, since pharmacies are open 24/7, you may be required to work odd hours such as nights or weekends—this could make it difficult for those who have other commitments during these times (like childcare). Finally, due to the nature of their job responsibilities and working environment (such as exposure to hazardous materials), pharmacy technicians must adhere strictly to safety protocols; failure to do so could result in disciplinary action from employers or regulatory bodies.
Medical Coding
Finally, medical coding and billing certification takes about six months to complete and is always in high demand at hospitals and doctor’s offices. You’ll learn about medical terminology, human anatomy, and of course how to properly code diagnostics to make sure everything is correct in a patient’s medical records and for insurance purposes. A great office job, you can make nearly $50,000 per year in this career.
Pros of being a medical coder
One of the biggest advantages of being a medical coder is that it can offer stability. As long as people need healthcare, there will always be a need for skilled coders to organize patient information. It’s also an in-demand job, so job security is pretty good. Plus, it pays well; the average salary for medical coders is around $50,000 per year.
Medical coding also offers flexibility since many positions allow you to work from home on your own schedule. You don’t have to worry about commuting or dealing with an employer breathing down your neck all day long. And depending on where you live, you may even be able to find remote coding jobs with hospitals and clinics located in other states or countries!
Cons of being a medical coder
Of course, no job is perfect—and neither is being a medical coder. One potential downside is that there’s usually quite a bit of paperwork involved in this job. You have to stay organized and keep track of patient information accurately in order to ensure that all bills are paid correctly and on time. That means extra hours spent filling out forms and double-checking codes instead of doing something else with your time.
Another potential problem with being a medical coder is that some employers may not take kindly to mistakes made while coding patient information or billing data incorrectly. Mistakes can lead to serious repercussions if they aren’t caught quickly enough—so if you’re looking for something stress-free, this might not be the right job for you!
No matter which of these quick certifications you choose, you’ll soon have a great-paying job you’ll love for many years to come.
