Every working adult has had to make tradeoffs when it comes to career choices. Usually around the last year or two of college they begin asking themselves if they should aim for a high paying, but boring job at one company, or a lower paying, but exciting one with another? It’s really an age-old question that dates back at least to the beginning. In those days, young adults had to decide whether to follow the family farming tradition and work the land, or head to the big city and take their chances in new industries. Fortunately, the choices aren’t so simple in the modern world, but there’s still a question about technical careers like computer programming and web design that lingers for newcomers to the field, which is it possible to find the right mix between relevant, meaningful work and decent pay? The good news is that there is, and many of those jobs are in the field of online media. Some of the most rewarding jobs in the niche, both in terms of creative challenges and pay scales, include the following:
- Graphic design
- Video editing
- Video games
- Web app development
- Technical consulting
If you are aiming for a career in one of the above fields, consider the following guidelines that have served many successful professionals.
Find a Mentor
The sooner you find someone in the field who is willing to mentor you, the better. Many successful adults can point out that a mentor helps in numerous ways, like assisting with resumes, giving advice about hot job opportunities, teaching young people how to navigate corporate politics, and more. If you don’t have a mentor in mind, ask a school counselor or an adult you trust to help you find one.
Finish Your Degree
Taking advantage of low-interest student loans, reasonable repayment terms, and simple application processes can make getting a degree a very attractive, achievable goal for anyone who is willing to work hard to succeed. An education loan also means you’ll be able to focus 100 percent on school and will not have to worry about paying for tuition on a semester by semester basis.
Get an Intern Position During Summer Breaks
Take an intern position during months off from school and you’ll be well on the way to building a solid resume. Potential employers care little how much you were paid for jobs like these, or whether you were paid at all. What it shows them is that you were willing to go the extra mile in order to obtain real world experience in your key area of interest.
Start Working on Your Resume Now
The time to begin assembling your professional resume is now. Too many job candidates wait until they have an interview set up or spot an online job announcement. You need to have a top notch, targeted resume in order to snag an interview. The main thing to do now is assemble a specific list of your education, goals, work experience, and references. Fill in these four areas as best you can. Then, hire a professional resume writer to put it all together for you.
