While some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to do, others need more time to establish their career goals. Even if you’re in a job you like, there may come a point where you decide it’s time for a career change. With thousands of professions to sift through, there are some in particular that are perfect for those with a caring personality.
If you want to utilize your skills and experience to significantly improve other people’s lives, read on to discover ten rewarding careers where you can truly make a positive difference.
Midwife
As a midwife, your main role will be to provide support, advice, and care to women during pregnancy, labor, and throughout the postpartum period. Midwives are trained to help patients stay healthy during pregnancy. Midwives play a very special role as they’re trusted to deliver the most precious gift – life! Lots of people refer to midwives as having one of the most privileged roles in the world, and for good reason too. This is because midwives actively contribute to the continuation of the human race.
If a career in midwifery sounds right for you, there are certain qualifications you will need to obtain before you qualify. These include completing a bachelor’s degree, one year of nursing experience, followed by three years on a nurse-midwifery program. Depending on the state you’re in, how long it takes to gain your certification and licensure will vary.
Teacher
Whether you enjoy being around young children, teenagers, or grown adults, there are so many teaching opportunities to take advantage of in the United States. From kindergarten, all the way up to high school and university, becoming a teacher gives you the chance to inspire, encourage, motivate, and educate learners. If you like the idea of inspiring the next generation and have a passion for a particular subject, why not take the plunge and go into teaching?
Not only will you have job security and a clear career path, but teaching will also give you a huge sense of accomplishment. As long as you’re confident, can hold your own, and have empathy and compassion for students, you should thrive in any subject you teach. To become a teacher, you will need to begin by earning a bachelor’s degree with a major in the field you wish to teach, alongside completing your school’s teacher preparation program.
Social Worker
The primary duty of a social worker is to improve other people’s lives by assisting with interpersonal and social difficulties, as well as promoting human rights and wellbeing. Social workers provide continuous support, advice, and resources to clients and families, which help them solve their problems. A typical day in the life of a social worker will vary drastically. This is because no two clients are the same.
If you have excellent communication skills, active listening, and use efficient time management strategies, a career in social work may be right for you. For those already in the social work sector, you may want to propel your career to the next level and seek higher-paying roles. Obtaining an MSW degree (Master of Social Work) can help you achieve this.
Nurse
There are dozens of reasons why millions of people across the country go into nursing every year. Whether it’s to make a difference in patient’s lives, improve quality of care, or be a leader in their field, a nursing career will give you personal benefits like no other. Nurses can work in all kinds of environments, such as hospitals, schools, or in the local community. There are dozens of nursing specialties to pick from too, including neonatal, pediatrics, and critical care.
Only you will know what field of nursing aligns with your career plans. If you can work well under pressure and have empathy for patients, there are always jobs available in nursing. What’s more, you’ll receive employee benefits, have the opportunity to progress through the ranks, and most importantly, make a real difference in other people’s lives.
Home Care Worker
There are over 2 million home care workers in the United States whose job it is to provide health care support and personal assistance to older adults and individuals with disabilities. No two days are the same in this role and working as a home care worker will provide key opportunities for career progression. There are numerous tasks you’ll be expected to perform in this role, such as helping with day-to-day housekeeping tasks, as well as preparing meals, and running errands.
As you will be going into a person’s home, you need to be respectful of your surroundings and put your client at ease from the start. Home care workers need to be patient with clients, be excellent communicators, and do everything they can to provide the best support and care. To work in care, you will need to undergo specialist training. However, this will be different in each state.
Psychologist
A psychologist is responsible for studying an individuals’ behavior, thoughts, and feelings, helping them to control or overcome their problems. Psychologists assess their client’s needs, use a variety of methods like interviews, and psychometric tests, as well as direct observation of their behavior.
If you would like to become a psychologist, you will find many rewards in helping others, and enjoy a flexible work schedule. Depending on experience and the field you go into, you can earn a higher salary too. Some psychologists choose to operate alone, meaning you have the option to run your own business. To flourish in this role, you must have excellent communication, numeracy skills, a passion for research, and patience. For those who want to become a clinical psychologist, you must have a doctoral-level degree, which can be a PsyD or a PhD, alongside experience.
Personal Trainer
If you’re a lover of health and fitness, why not turn your passion for keeping active into a full-time career? As a personal trainer, you will be responsible for guiding and motivating clients to achieve their fitness goals. These may be in the form of losing weight, gaining muscle, or staying at a consistent weight. Personal trainers teach and help clients to exercise properly by using specific plans and workouts.
Once you’ve obtained the correct certification, you will be given the key skills and expertise for a long-lasting career as a personal trainer. Watching your client’s confidence grow can be highly rewarding and give you a great sense of accomplishment. To succeed as a personal trainer, you need to be motivated to helping others and have patience for your clients.
Life Coach
In life, we could all do with a helping hand from time to time to point us in the right direction. Whether it’s relationship advice, work, or forming and maintaining friendships, a life coach is responsible for doing all this and more. As a life coach, you will take control and improve your client’s lives in numerous ways. If you can inspire, encourage, and motivate clients to take positive steps forward, you will gain great satisfaction knowing your words are making an impact.
What’s more, unlike many of the roles listed, you don’t have to obtain formal qualifications to step into a life coach role. All that is required is the confidence and belief in your abilities to inspire and motivate others. However, to set yourself apart and enhance your credibility, you may wish to take an industry-recognized life coaching qualification.
Charity Work
When you think of charity work, you’ll be forgiven if you’re under the impression every position is voluntary. What you may not be aware of is that there are a high number of paid charity roles that are provided at different levels. Whether you work for a global or national charity, going into this role is a very meaningful way to spend your working hours, no matter what field you go into.
Not only will you be getting paid for your work, charity work enables you to give something back to an organization, transform the lives of others, as well as help the environment. If you’re passionate about helping those less fortunate, or those who don’t have a voice, this profession may be best suited to you.
Police Officer
If a career in public services catches your attention, you may be interested in becoming a police officer. As a police officer, you will be in charge of investigating and preventing crime, as well as maintaining law and order. Police officers are expected to serve their community to keep everyone in it safe and protected.
To become a police officer, you will need to obtain a high school diploma or GED at the minimum. Police officers must be open-minded, be resilient, be able to handle responsibility, and work well in dangerous or challenging environments.
If any of the above careers interest you, make sure you fully understand the day-to-day duties and responsibilities expected of you. Going into a rewarding career will give you a huge sense of accomplishment, knowing your hard work, passion, and expertise are helping those in your local community and beyond.