Overview
How often do people change their careers?
Why do people consider changing careers?
What makes these jobs suitable for a career change?
Learn more about the top 10 jobs with a reasonable pay range in 2023
Article index
Introduction
In 2023, more people are changing careers than ever, especially as inflation reaches record highs. More than half of all American workers who quit last year made a career change, while a whopping 96% are currently looking for a new job, largely in search of better pay, per a poll by Monster. Sometimes, that requires a change of professional scenery for greener pastures. Don't worry; a career change might sound momentous, but it's actually very common.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), individuals aged 18 to 54 have held an average of 12 jobs, and nearly half were held before age 25. You’ve likely undergone a career change or will attempt one at some point in your working years. There are many reasons to consider a career change. At the top of these reasons is a change in value and passion, the need for a better salary, a flexible schedule, and a better work-life balance.
In this article, we’ll look at the 10 most in-demand jobs in 2023 while briefly describing each job and how they can be an easy fit for you.
If you’re looking forward to changing your career sometime in the near future — tighten your belt, and let’s go for a ride!
What Makes These Jobs Prime for a Career Change?
A career change is a big decision. The availability of different career options might make it challenging to choose. To help you navigate such a life-changing decision, let’s look at the metrics we considered when compiling this list.
They are in demand. When considering a job, one key factor is how frequently recruiters are looking to fill a position in this field. In-demand jobs are “hot jobs” in the labor market, which is another way of saying that big-time companies are always looking to fill such a position. All the jobs on our lists are in demand, indicating a greater probability of you gaining employment.
They don’t require a new degree. In the past, an academic degree of one form or another was a prerequisite for employment. Changing a career wasn’t, therefore, very easy. In the past, academic qualifications necessary for one profession may not have qualified you for a position in another career. However, times have changed. With most of the jobs on our list, you don’t have to worry about a college degree (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or associate degree).
They use transferable skills. After spending years in your current job, there is a greater chance that you have gained transferable skills — soft tools such as critical thinking and strong communication. You can easily carry them to your new position in a different career. The jobs in our list leverage transferable skills, making the transition process less stressful.
They are not background-biased. Meaning: they are not limited to people with only one specific background. Any of these jobs could be a perfect fit for you, regardless of your experience. For instance, someone from a medical background can become a successful software developer after gaining the requisite coding skills.
You can land the job without going back to square one. The primary fear of career changers is starting all over. However, with the jobs on our list, you won’t need to worry about that. Most require little to no training to begin.
10 Easy Career Changes That Pay Well
One of the biggest reasons people consider a career change is a better income. Therefore, it’s imperative that these jobs pay well. Don’t worry — we crunched the numbers and made sure of it.
1. Financial Planner
Financial planners are trusted wealth advisors. They assist their clients in investments, savings, debt management, managing and minimizing expenses, and wealth accumulation. The top responsibility of a financial planner is to ensure monetary stability.
Financial planning is one of the most accessible low-stress jobs you can transition to. While a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a similar field could be valuable, transferable skills such as outstanding presentation, great communication skills, and paying attention to details make you stand out.
According to the BLS, the annual average salary for a financial planner is $94,170. Financial planners have a bright future with a projected 21,500 annual job openings.
2. Social Media Manager
A social media manager handles the social media presence of a brand. The social media manager must create engaging social content that drives traffic and converts ordinary followers into loyal customers.
According to Glassdoor, social media managers in the U.S. earn an average salary of $49,112 per year.
Unlike most high-paying jobs that require a formal degree, you don’t need a degree or any form of certification to become a social media manager. You only require skills like writing, research, visual intelligence, social media expertise, and the ability to relate to customers.
3. Data Scientist
Data scientists are analytical data experts. They’re very knowledgeable in computer science, statistics, and mathematics. They analyze and manipulate data, generate insights, and solve problems using this wealth of knowledge.
Data is an invaluable tool most large corporations and small companies use, especially for planning a marketing campaign. Therefore, they constantly require a data scientist to help crunch the numbers into an interpretable format, which is vital for decision-making.
Annual salary may range from $85,000 to $170,000. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for a data scientist is $100,560. The field of data science generates some of the highest-paying, in-demand jobs. Data science offers a great career change option, especially if you have a statistics, mathematics, computer science, or economics background or a current role in a similar field with transferable skills.
4. Market Research Manager
A market research manager is in charge of the marketing research efforts of organizations by adopting the appropriate research strategies, methods, or techniques. A marketing research manager can be a great position if you have previous managerial and research experience, regardless of the field.
A bachelor’s degree in business or mathematics and good communication skills can help fast-track your transition. Market research managers in the U.S. earn, on average, $89,445, with the majority of salaries ranging from $70,00 to $106,00.
5. HR Manager
Human resource managers are crucial in any organization. They help in planning, directing, and coordinating administrative activities.
Human resources (HR) management is essential in healthcare, insurance companies, schools, nonprofit organizations, and virtually all industries. You can easily transition to an HR manager role regardless of your educational path and professional background.
A bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or any other related field can smoothen your transition, but it’s not a necessity. Suppose you’re efficient in problem-solving, and you're impartial, analytical, and objective with excellent communication skills. In that case, you might consider a career in HR for a change. HR managers, on average, earn an annual salary of $136,590, making it one of the most lucrative options for a career change.
6. Project Manager
Project managers are responsible for the planning, procurement, and execution of projects. They manage a piece of work from beginning to end. It is one of the core career options you can easily switch to without a degree, certification, or another form of education. Instead, you only need a fueling passion and transferable skills you’ve already acquired from your previous work experience.
Project management is essential in every sector, ranging from construction to engineering, finance and insurance companies, and healthcare administration to nonprofit organizations. The career path has a promising outlook, with an estimated 2.2 million project-oriented roles predicted annually through 2027.
Aside from the fantastic work prospects, a career in project management is also financially rewarding. In the U.S., the average annual salary for project managers is $133,64, and the range falls between $119,139 and $149,020.
7. Brand Strategist
A brand strategist is a marketing professional who develops strategies for brand expansion using available market research. An efficient brand strategist can unify an organization, influence the market, and engineer and implement innovative branding to positively impact the organization’s success.
Brand strategists are, therefore, the most vital role in marketing. Becoming a brand strategist doesn’t necessitate any formal training or specialized education. Although a degree in business, marketing, psychology, writing, design, or the arts can significantly speed up your transition, they’re not imperative. Suppose you’ve got an appropriate mix of analytical skills, learning enthusiasm, creative thinking, and an understanding of human psychology. In that case, you should consider becoming a brand strategist. Having experience in a related marketing role can also help.
The average annual take-home pay for a brand strategist in the U.S. is $64,284. It is one of the best choices for a career change, especially considering that you don’t need specialized training. Usually, the salary ranges between $56,29 and $73,506.
8. Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent is a licensed professional who connects buyers and sellers for real estate transactions and acts as their representative in legal negotiations.
Every year, billions of dollars are invested in real estate, making the industry very promising.
Most real estate agents receive income in commission or sales transactions; therefore, they are considered self-employed under tax guidelines. Your self-employed status also means you can choose to be a full-time or part-time agent with other side jobs.
You have the flexibility to choose from any of the numerous real estate job titles for your career change. Transition requires no special education qualification, although a career in architecture or related fields can be a boost.
However, there are general requirements you must meet to kick-start your career in real estate.
For instance, you must:
Have legal U.S. residency
Be above 18 years old
Have completed your pre-license education
Have passed your state real estate examination
9. Marketing Manager
A marketing manager is the head of a marketing team — responsible for all of a company's promotional and market research activity. A career as a marketing manager offers excellent financial rewards, fast career progression, flexibility, and transferable skillsets. With an estimated median annual salary of $153,440, this is one of the best-paying jobs on this list.
To become a marketing manager, it helps to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, business management, or other business-related fields. Additionally, you will have a leg up with work experience in marketing, marketing automation, and other CRM tools. Transferable skills — good communication, decision-making, and problem-solving — are a boost.
10. Software Developer
Software developers are also known as computer developers. They design and build computer programs, create models for new applications, test new programs, and analyze user research.
Often, people confuse web developers for software developers. A web developer specializes in building web-based applications. In contrast, software developers focus on creating software for the underlying platform or system. Software development has become one of the hottest in-demand jobs as the internet expands and technological advancement continues. In addition, it is a very flexible and lucrative career option with an average annual salary of $110,140.
Although a mathematics and computer science degree can fast-track your transition, it isn’t necessary. You can leverage the vast reservoir of online resources to learn coding and programming at your leisure. Once you feel like you’ve gained mastery of programming, you can make the switch.
Find the Right Career With Joblist
A career change can offer a fresh start to a financially rewarding and professional life. However, due to uncertainties, lack of skills, and indecisiveness regarding career options, most people settle for a low-income job that undermines their capacity and happiness. Furthermore, most people with the requisite skills don’t know how or where to apply for a job in their potential new career path. That’s where Joblist comes in.
Our system matches you to your chosen job based on your selected criteria. We believe applying for and getting a job in your new career should be easy and hassle-free. All you need to do is take our job quiz and let us do the rest.
