Esti Wolo

Scroll through most job listings and you’ll see that even many “entry-level” jobs require experience.

Which is pretty tough for those who are breaking into the job scene for the first time and have, well zero, work experience!

Catch 22 or what?

Here’s my best advice for smart, proactive thinkers like you, who want to get ahead of the game.

Get your hands dirty.

No, not doing dishes. Doing any type of internship or volunteer experience in your preferred field.

There are loads of opportunities out there for getting experience. (Yes, even if it’s unpaid).

The trick is to think about which skills your ideal job requires, and find an internship or volunteer position that up-levels those skills:

• Management position? Volunteer for organizations like Tomchei Shabbos that have lots of logistics going, and work your way up.
• Accounting? Get an internship position in an accounting firm. Or do bookkeeping first.
• Teaching? Start tutoring or running workshops for kids.

Start getting experience as soon as you know what field you’re interested in, and you’ll have plenty to show prospective employers when the time comes.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts with me, I really appreciate your lively engagement!

Back to the question: “Do I need a degree?”

Yes, it’s true, there are people who earn a nice living without a degree. They have the required skill, charisma, work ethic, and mazel needed to thrive. 

On the other hand…

Most jobs require some form of post secondary education, either a certificate, an apprenticeship, an AA, BA or Masters. 

So, if you are at a point in your life where you have the time, money, and willingness to get a degree, then, YES! Go for it! It’s an investment in your future.

WHY?

1. More and more jobs require a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A degree will expand your options, especially when you are looking for that hard to find entry-level job. 
2. You never know where life will take you. When you are young, and you have time and energy to put towards getting a degree, that’s the time to do it. Starting from scratch once you have bills to pay will be so much harder. 
3. You actually learn something when you get a degree (I hope) and that’s a positive thing.
4. There are so many places that offer college credits for years in Bais Medrash, kollel, or seminary, and with a few more courses, you have an AA or a BA so that you can be competitive in the job market. 

First, it’s important to understand what you really want to do with your life, and then, you can figure out your best next steps. 

Whatever track you choose, with career coaching, your path is customized to your individual set of circumstances. 

The sky’s the limit, and there are so many good options out there. 

Take care and be successful!

Some people shudder when they think about going back to school.

Because they’re either:

• Fresh out of school and have had it up to their eyeballs with tests and homework and papers, or
• They’re smack in the middle of life and don’t have the time, headspace, or money for more courses.

The good news is that more school isn’t a prerequisite for every high-earning job. 

(Yes, higher education is the entry point for many jobs, but it’s not always practical for everyone).

Property management, sales, IT networking, and web development are all potentially well-paying careers for the right person. These fields don’t require heavy-duty schooling to land good jobs. And they’re not the only ones.

There’s a catch, though. It’s called career development.

With very few (if any) exceptions, no one gets up one morning and says, “I’d love to quit my job, be my own boss, start my own company and make $200K this year” and jumps to it with zero experience.

Nowadays, with the explosion of entrepreneurism, many young people feel passionate about striking it out on their own to make big money. And that’s great! But, here’s the thing, to grow your business or advance in your field – you need to show up and do the work, start at the bottom and work your way up.

You can’t cut corners in business or career development. You will need some level of mastery before you can start earning big bucks. It will take time, and work, and effort. But with the right guidance, a clear road map, and siyata dishmaya, you’ll get there.

Take care and be successful!

If you Google “free online career tests,” you’ll find an explosion of tests that ask you questions like:

• “What’s your favorite season?”
• “Does woodworking appeal to you?” 
• “On a scale of 1-5, how much do you like working on a computer?”
• And so on!

They take about 5-10 minutes to complete, and they offer a dubious list of potential careers that may be suited to you. Oh, and they’re free (at least until you want to see the detailed results).

Are they legit?

Yes, it’s true, free online tests shed insight into your personality and interests, but relying on them to make a major life decision may not be helpful. You are so much more than your hobbies and likes.

What is the benefit of working with a Career Coach?

• A career coach shows you practical and lucrative career tracks that make sense for YOU.
• You gain clarity into who you are, what you’re all about, and what makes you tick.
• You understand why you’ve always loved people and hated computers.
• It can show you careers that need minimal schooling with maximum salary. 
• You get to explore options you may have never even heard of.

These small shifts in clarity can take years to discover. 

Career coaching gives you a powerful head start – so you don’t need to waste precious time and money figuring it out yourself—and instead, get started on building a career you love.

“It all makes so much sense for me, but I never would have come up with that for myself… Faige showed me how it matches my abilities perfectly.” 

Miriam F.