As a job seeker, there are many things that are important to you when defining your work-life goals. You desire meaningful work at a company with a healthy culture and financial security. Money isn’t the only reason you select a career, but it’s a critical part of the decision-making process. If you’re ready to obtain a job that’s high paying, you’ll appreciate this career advice.
Why Money Matters in Your Career Journey
The basic premise of a workforce is providing value and labor in exchange for compensation. It should be a fair exchange and commensurate with your education, experience and skills.
How important is money when you evaluate possible careers? According to a survey of U.S. workers, the top reason they were open to new opportunities was to make more money. Additionally, 62% of respondents said salary, perks and benefits are the primary factors that attract them to a new job.
While other things are on your list, including flexibility, benefits, opportunities to advance, culture, training and feeling valued, money is a key motivator. That’s because worrying about being able to afford to live is a foundational need. When this need is met, you can flourish and become more introspective about your career path.
The Career Advice You Need To Land a High-Paying Job
How do you begin this journey to finding a high-paying job? Follow this career advice.
First, you need to define what your options are for high-paying roles that are in demand. According to research on high-paying jobs in the U.S., the top highest-earning careers are physician-related, which, of course, requires years of study and practice. That’s a very defined career path, but there are other roles outside of the medical field, including:
- IT manager: As the business world continues to adopt and rely on technology, every company needs IT support. Most of these roles don’t require a four-year degree. Instead, many employers in this field are focusing on skills-based hiring.
- Financial manager: For these roles, candidates need to have financial planning knowledge and certifications.
- Marketing manager: Companies of all sizes and verticals are investing in marketing to grow their business. Projected job growth for this category is strong, and you can earn a high wage. Some organizations may require a college degree, but you’ll be an even more attractive candidate with specialized skills in digital marketing, search engine optimization, marketing automation and content strategy.
- Sales manager: Sales manager job growth runs parallel with marketing manager growth because these roles work together. More so than a degree, this role requires a lot of soft skills in leadership and problem-solving.
When reviewing these high-paying jobs, you can evaluate if they are a good fit for you.
- Identify the abilities you have that align with these jobs and how to develop the technical and soft skills that you need.
- Establish a career goal by defining your abilities, aptitudes and attitudes and how those relate to landing a financially rewarding career.
- Know your value via researching average salaries for a job in your location with your skill sets.
- Explore how the jobs that you’ve identified would look on a daily basis.
- Learn from your current or past work experiences and how what you’ve gained can propel you to your next job.
- Don’t be afraid to pass on opportunities that aren’t paying a competitive rate.
- Practice your interview skills to stand out and become a leading candidate.
Get more great career advice from an economist by watching the video below.
The last piece of career advice for getting a high-paying job is to use a job-matching platform.
What Is a Job-Matching Platform?
You may not be familiar with this new approach to job seeking and hiring. A job-matching platform uses data points from a candidate’s profile and a job profile to create a “match.” The system leverages artificial intelligence and algorithms to connect candidates and employers. It considers someone’s attributes, abilities and attitudes and doesn’t require resumes or applications.
It's data-driven but also people-centered. This new way to pursue a career is a more equitable way to land a high-paying job. The platform also offers career advice from mentors and the ability to take assessments to identify jobs that are a good fit.
Take This Career Advice and Land That High-Paying Job
By following this career advice, you can be on your way to a fulfilling job that meets your financial needs. Never sell yourself short in the workforce, and keep focused on your career goals. You can get more great advice by reading our guide, “Truthful Insights for How to Pick a Career in the 21st Century.”
