If you want to make a career change but think doing so would be too difficult, you may not be been considering the right careers. These quick-change careers can be ideal for people who need a new career path but don’t have years to spend earning new degrees. Some require only volunteer work and self-teaching; others can be planned for in your spare time before make the leap.
• Wellness coach. Wellness coaches support clients in their efforts to quit smoking, reduce stress, eat better and avoid lifestyle diseases. Wellness coaches can find work with larger companies, clinics and health insurers, although most are hired directly by a client. Those with two years’ experience in the field can earn from $25 to $50 and up per hour, according to Margaret Moore, founder of Wellcoaches.com.
What You’ll Need: Right now, no formal degrees or credentials are required, says Moore. “People who enter the field have a passion for wellness, often starting with their own personal struggles, and they immerse themselves in learning on their own,” she says.
More Information: Institute of Coaching and Wellcoaches.com
• Personal chef. If you’re a great cook but can’t stand restaurants, you might consider working as a personal chef and earn between $200 and $400 per day (pay rate depends on what you negotiate with clients).
What You’ll Need: You have to know how to cook well. It’s also wise to get training in sanitation, food handling and storage, economical use of ingredients, and basic accounting. Network with wealthy people to find jobs.
More Information: American Personal & Private Chef Assoc.
• Patient advocate. The patient advocate, a liaison between the patient and the health care system, is most often self-employed, but some work for hospitals, clinics and insurers. Salaries range from about $25,000 to $70,000.
What You’ll Need: A thorough understanding of hospitals, insurers and patients is necessary. Advocates come from the business side (insurance/billing) or the medical side (nursing is common); others are social workers.
More Information: National Patient Advocate Foundation
• Prospect researcher. Many nonprofits rely on researchers to find donors; the researchers uncover information about a wealthy prospect’s hobbies, likes, dislikes and past donations. Pay ranges from $30,000 to $80,000.
What You’ll Need: It helps to have volunteered for a nonprofit, but if you have a strong record of business development or have done political-campaign research and outreach, you’ll have a leg up. Strong research skills and social media savvy are required.
More Information: Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement
• Emergency manager. Federal, state and local governments, as well as hospitals, colleges and some businesses, now use full-time emergency managers to evaluate risks, prepare for disasters and plan for recoveries. Specialists in large cities can pull in nearly six figures a year.
What You’ll Need: Right now no specific degree or credential is necessary. The best way to start is to volunteer for the local or county emergency-management offices or fire departments.
More Information: International Association of Emergency Managers
* Salary estimates from US Bureau of Labor Statistics, PayScale.com and professional organizations.
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