To get the career you want in today's competitive job market you must go to college and obtain the relevant degrees. To employers, having degrees in your career field of choice signify that you have obtained the knowledge and skills needed to be successful. Even if you have years of hands on experience, if someone has the same amount of experience and a college degree, you can believe that you will be passed over for the position.
There are several types of degrees you can obtain which will help get the career that you want. The kind of degrees you need will depend on the career you are trying to get. Some jobs, like dental hygienists, only require an associate's degree. For other positions, like clinical psychologist, you must have a master's degree before they will even look at your resume. Here are some of the degree programs that are available at schools.
Associate's Degree - This is a two-year degree that most commonly ends with the awarding of an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree. These career degrees can be obtained from a local community or online college and puts you halfway to a bachelor's degree. The type of career you can obtain with these degrees include dental hygienist, computer specialist, and nuclear technician.
Bachelor's Degree - This is a four-year degree that is obtained from the majority of college and university institutions both online and offline. Although there are many types of four-year degrees, the most common that are awarded are a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS). Most entry level career positions require these degrees, including environmental engineer, personal financial advisor, and athletic trainer.
Master's Degree - After graduating with a bachelor's degree, some students continue on to do graduate work. Part of the reason is that some careers require you to have master's level degrees before they will take you seriously. Examples of this include clinical psychology, college professor, and systems analyst.
Doctorate - This is the highest level degree you can obtain in the US for any educational program. Not many careers require degrees at this level of education. However, people who have this degree make more money in their careers. Some jobs where having degrees at the doctoral level is advantageous in the career field include research scientist, computer scientist, and forensic psychologist.
To determine which of the degrees you should complete for the career you want to enter, it is best to start by researching the job. The Department of Labor website is a good place to find information about careers and the education required to enter the field. You should also talk to people who are already working in the career you are interested in to get recommendations about the degree you need.
Evaluate the course schedule for each of the degrees you are considering to make sure that the coursework you will be doing will serve you in your career. For example, a degree in English or Journalism will prepare you for a career as an editor. You should also verify that a degree from an online school will be recognized by the employers in your industry. Even though many degrees can be earned from internet schools, not every career field considers them valid.
