 “Higher education is very important if you want to succeed in life,” you’ll usually hear the pundits say. For the most part, they are correct—many people with a four-year degree do land a great job with great pay. But many students drop out of university early or don’t even attend it in the first place, and those who do graduate often have difficulty breaking into the job market.
There are no guarantees
The fact is that higher education does not always guarantee financial or personal success. Many people without a degree do manage to land great jobs that pay well—and that’s what Betsy Cummings will show you in her book Real World Careers: Why College is NOT the Only Path to Becoming Rich.
If you’re about to graduate from high school and not sure whether to pursue college or university, or considering a change of career after many years of working in a particular field, then this book is for you. Based on real-life examples from both men and women who either left college or didn’t go in the first place, this book shows how there is room for such people in today’s job market—and how they were able to earn a living.
You’ll discover:
• How those who didn’t pursue higher education succeeded anyway
• Why some walked away from degree programs with no regrets
• How to prove your worth without a degree
• The value of apprenticeships, internships, vocational schools, on-the-job training and other such avenues to gain hands-on experience
• How to take advantage of growing industries
• How to be an entrepreneur without an MBA
Plenty of options
Cummings presents a straightforward approach to the topics she addresses, covering both the upsides and downsides to many career and training options. Also included are tips, online resources and how-to’s concerning career options, the ever-changing job market, fields of interest and information on some of the trade schools, associations and institutes featured in the book. She also presents thought-provoking questionnaires and quizzes to help you identify your interests and make them work for you.
Her writing style is to-the-point, making this book an easy, leisurely read. Throughout the book she shares stories of men and women from all walks of life who became successful without a college degree. In addition, she intersperses text with current statistical information on issues ranging from university enrollment to the hottest up-and-coming careers. And she lists dozens of online resources for further help.
A little tip
The only drawback is that the statistics and the online resources listed are U.S.-based, which may be a disadvantage to those living outside the United States—like the team at WCDA. However, these websites shouldn’t hinder you from at least checking out what they have to offer; you can still gain some pointers or ideas about what’s out there and get a good sense of the ongoing trends in today’s job market.
The other thing to keep in mind when reading this book is that when Cummings uses the word “college,” she is talking about a university environment—not a community college offering hands-on experience. Americans will typically use either word to describe the same kind of institution, whereas in Canada, for example, college and university mean two totally different things (Canadian colleges are more focused on hands-on learning and trades, whereas universities are venues for lecture halls and a lot of studying).
Real World Careers can help you re-examine and re-evaluate your own life, no matter what your educational background or work experience. It may just be the key to unlocking your inner passions and may lead you towards a successful and fulfilling future.
About the Author
Betsy Cummings is an award-winning business reporter who resides in New York City. She writes for the New York Times, Adweek, Smart Money and various other business magazines.
Author: Betsy Cummings
Number of pages: 180
Publisher: Warner Business Books
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