With the American economy in a serious slump and thousands of people being laid off, the job market is looking slimmer than usual. However, our current economic woes will eventually be solved and people will find their way back into a good-paying job. If you’re one of those people out of work, maybe this is a good time for you to be doing some research and looking into career training, so that when hiring freezes relax, you’ll be more marketable than ever.
Most careers in which you can make more than $100,000 aren’t going to be entry-level jobs. Six-figure incomes usually require at least several years of experience, and some require advanced degrees. But no matter what career you choose, if you’re willing to make a commitment to that job and prove your commitment by seeking out and completing career training, your salary will increase as you gain experience. Careers in medicine, IT, and law regularly involve six-figure salaries for dedicated, hard-working people. But there are several surprising careers out there that can also lead to a fat paycheck for people who commit to excelling in those careers. Here are three of them.
Hotel Management:
Customer service jobs will always be around as long as there are customers and they need service. The height of customer service careers is the management of hotels and high-end lodging, where management is tasked with ensuring flawless vacations for millionaires. This type of management means overseeing concierge services, managing transportation and all types of accommodations, and carefully supervising every tiny detail and every employee who is remotely involved in making those clients happy. Managers of larger hotels may also be in charge of orchestrating weddings, conferences, and corporate holiday events. Such events make for more responsibility, but they also increase your paycheck if you are successful and clients are happy. The minimum requirement for a job in hotel management is usually a degree in business or management, but an advanced degree will make your application stronger. But no matter what your educational background is, nothing can compete with experience. So if you don’t have the academic achievements to get a management job right off the bat, get in on the ground floor and work your way up. Some of the most successful hotel managers are people who have worked their way "through the trenches" and therefore know the hotel inside and out.
Commercial Makeup Artist:
If you have cosmetology experience, then you can either keep working at a local salon, or take that experience and parlay it into a commercial job. Expert hair and makeup artists who enter into a career working in advertising or entertainment can work with actors and models who work in print and/or television marketing campaigns. Experienced commercial makeup artists can make up to $2,000 a day. Typically, the only training you need to get started as a professional hair or makeup artist is a cosmetology certificate. But you need to pair that with experience before you can move on to work as a freelancer. And years of experience will help you not only to hone your skills, but also to gather a list of credible references and a portfolio of examples of your work.
Court Reporter:
For anyone who is a fast, accurate typist, a career as a court reporter might be just the ticket. Many people may think of court reporting as being a boring, ordinary job, but the variety of cases and documents keeps the job interesting. Court reporters are responsible for recording speeches and testimonies in depositions and court trials, and then converting their transcriptions into readable documents for review. For a career that doesn’t require a college degree, this career can be particularly lucrative. Court reporters who work for the New York State Supreme Court, for example, earn more than $88,000 a year. Typical court reporters also take on freelance work for lawyers from time to time, which can easily push those earnings up to a six-figure salary. Court reporters must be certified by completing a curriculum at a technical or vocational school. Some states require licensure of court reporters, which may necessitate additional career training.
These are just examples of careers that can be surprisingly lucrative in terms of salary and satisfaction. Here are plenty of others out there, if you have a strong desire to earn a better salary and are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. The main things that can guarantee success in any career are commitment, dedication, hard work, and experience. With those qualities in hand, a six-figure salary is attainable by anyone.
