Bad Credit Blues

Fast Track Career Training for Almost Everybody

Among the millions of job displaced Americans, people over 50 may have a particularly tough time finding a new job. These people held jobs all across the economic spectrum from manufacturing and service to finance and engineering. So how can a variety of people, with diverse ages, backgrounds, and skills, retrain themselves to enter the job market with skilled work?

Note: you may also want to refer to Top Job Changes for People over 50 and over age 50 education. Of course, you do not have to be middle aged to be able to benefit from these ideas.

Fast Career Changes

The more you bring to the table, the more options you will have. For the sake of this article, I researched ideas that did not require prior higher level education.  I also focused on professions that could be entered within weeks or months.

Fast Retraining Ideas

Insurance Sales – US states do require a license, and applicants must pass a test. But a quick 2 day course is usually enough to enable adults to pass. Prior sales or customer service experience, an attention to details, and an entrepreneurial attitude may be good indicators of success.  Starting salaries or opportunities may not be high, but good agents can enjoy unlimited opportunities.

Certified Nurse Assistant – A quick 6 to 12 week course may be all you need to enter this vital field. While this is not the most glamorous job at the hospital or other health care center, it is very vital. And a CNA certificate can be a stepping stone towards other medical careers. Once employed at a medical facility, many employers will help pay for RN training.  In fact, many medical professionals feel that the best RNs started out as nurse’s assistants.

Microsoft Certified Office Staff – Many Microsoft certification courses can be completed in a few weeks, and power users of common software programs are in big demand right now.  You can find these classes online, though they are also taught at many high schools and colleges.

Software Testing – The demand for professional software testers has bee growing. Certification programs can be completed in a few months.  Companies are realizing that they are better served by removing many of the testing duties from the jobs of the actual developers, and they are moving towards hiring professional testers.

Medical Billing and Coding – Training and certification for this high growth job can be completed in a few weeks. Coders are employed in a variety of professional settings from hospitals to doctor’s offices.

Bartending – We are unlikely to ever run out of a demand for bartenders. Mixology courses last a few weeks, and teach students how to make hundreds of different drinks. Pay varies, but I have known busy bartenders in upscale bars who brought home more than their accountants.  Additional training can also teach bar management.  

Truck Driving – CDL courses can be completed within several weeks. Graduates are qualified for local, regional, or long distance trucking. More and more women are being recruited. There are also good opportunities for husband and wife teams to work together.  Truck driving is not for everybody, but I have known college graduates who gave up their cubicles for the open road.