When people think of careers, many say that to have a promising long-term career, you’ll need to start out with a 4-year college degree. This isn’t true at all. With the rise of the internet, free flow of information, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and many niche networks amongst community professionals, there are many options to choose a career without the need of a 4-year college degree. Some of the professions include the following:

• Salesman
• Designer
• Retail Clerk
• Firefighter
• Plumber / Electrician
• Internet Marketer
• Truck Driver / Company Driver

Salesman
One of the fastest growing careers for anyone without possessing a college degree is to enter the sales force of any company; that be either at a startup or an established company to become their salesman. A salesman will always be needed in all companies around the world that seeks income/revenue as part of their business model. Being a salesman can be rewarding, stressful and fun at the same time. There are many fancy names to describe the salesman out in the job market. Starting your career as a salesman can take you far places in your career if you stick at it and focus on results. Many of the greatest CEOs in the world started out as salesmen early on in their career.

Designer
If you’re into designing, love to draw, into art, fashion and decorating things, you don’t need a 4-year college degree to begin your career as a designer. You can start learning on your own through books, online, attending events, speak with people of experience and learn about the usage of software designs such as Photoshop, CorelDraw, etc and begin your career. Careers in designing are usually based on portfolios of your past work. You don’t need to get a college degree to begin starting to work on your portfolio. You can start for free to do work to build your portfolio for your future offers.

Retail Store Clerk
When you’re purchasing a chocolate bar at your local convenient store, you will always have someone greet you in the counter in front of the cashier to help you make a purchase on what it is you need to buy. This person will most likely manage the logistics, counter and shelf’ing of goods in a retail store. They will also help on the administration with the store. With this career, you don’t need a 4-year college degree to begin as a retail store clerk.

Firefighter
To be a firefighter, you don’t need to start with a 4-year degree to enter the profession. You will need to take some training courses that will enhance your skills and qualifications for you to move up the ranks. Experience is the number one aspect for you to succeed and reach far as a fire fighter. Start by taking fire fighting courses to begin your career. You don’t need a 4-year college degree to start.

Plumber / Electrician
To begin your career as a plumber / electrician you must love the work and to begin your career you certainly do not need a 4-year college degree to start. You can begin at anytime getting hands-on-experience around your own household. But I agree, to go far in your career, you’ll need to invest some training courses to enhance your qualifications and build a reputation of great work amongst customers and the people you’ll work with. You can start now and get your feet wet by on the job training or learning online to start beginning your career.

Internet Marketer
To begin your career as an internet marketer, the number one thing you’ll need to have access to is the internet. From there you can learn everything online and discuss with people who’ve done it. You can participate in community events and discuss in forums online to learn the skills you’ll need as an internet marketer. You can be of any age to begin your career as an internet marketer. You don’t need a 4-year college degree to begin your career in this field.

Truck Driver / Company Driver
To begin your career as a driver, the number thing you’ll need is a driver’s license, safety training certificate and experience. You don’t need a 4-year college degree to begin your career as a driver. One of the keys to success is to be able to work under a team and follow, listen to a set of instructions given of your duties. You can begin anytime as long as you have the skills to drive and passionate about your job. You can have a good long-term career as a driver without the need of a 4-year college degree.

In conclusion, careers don’t necessarily need to begin upon receiving a college degree. If you have the chance to get a college degree do grab it, but remember, when you don’t possess a college degree you can still start your career with any of those 7 options as your starting point to success. Keep learning, persevere and may success be with you.