Two years ago, I dropped out of college with a bare minimum GPA. I do not claim to be the smartest in the room but over the next few months, I discovered that the job market is not as dire as many depict it.
Currently, I have three remote jobs and I am earning significant compensation. Interestingly, I am a recruiter’s favorite and throughout my career, my success rate of landing a job has been more than 80%.
I was inspired to share my experience after a post that went viral on TikTok, where a Gen Z graduate with two degrees was being denied a job everywhere. This story was later covered by some of the biggest news platforms including Yahoo Finance, Newsweek, and Dailymail. This also sparked an online debate about the job market in 2024.
How I cracked the code of the job market and how you can replicate my strategy for success, let us look at it together.
A Step By Step Guide to Getting Hired
Before we kick start the guide, keep in mind that this guide will only work for skills that do not require a professional degree i.e. MBBS, law, dental surgery, architecture, etc.
However, 45% of companies plan to eliminate bachelor’s degree requirements for some positions in 2024. So, this is an ideal guide to jump-start your career in tech. The guide also contains references from some of the most successful professionals in the industry, so make sure to follow their journey as well.
Step 1- Master the Skill Not the Theory
Most professional degrees are divided into three phases. In the first phase, students learn theory in the classroom, followed by an examination, and then comes the experimental part that offers hands-on experience. Each phase is equally important for acquiring a degree.
However, when you don’t have the degree you have to master the skill. There are so many online platforms, offering skill-based education. The Internet has made education so accessible that you no longer have to bury yourself under a pile of student loans.
Moreover, internet plans are so affordable that anyone can get a good internet connection. For instance, the Cox Internet starting plan will only cost 50$ per month, which is enough for you to continue your quest for education. They have a very reliable customer support available 24/7. For Spanish-speaking customers, a dedicated helpline is available at Cox servicio al cliente. Feel free to reach out to them for further guidance.
You can check Coursera, Skillshare, and Udemy for online free and paid courses.
These courses follow similar education patterns as any degree program and are taught by leading professionals in the industry. Through these platforms, I learned data analytics skills, digital marketing skills, UI/UX designing, and some basic programming languages.
All these skills are marketable, which brings me to my next point.
Step 2- Focus On Sought After Skills
Degree or no degree, if your skill or education is not marketable, guarantee you won’t get the job. For instance, in the above-mentioned video, the individual was complaining about not getting a job while having two degrees the only issue was not having a good degree.
She had one degree in acting and the other in communication. These degrees look fancy on paper. However, in the job market both these degrees are useless. CNBC covered the top 10 most-regretted college majors back in 2022. Surprisingly both communication and liberal arts made it to the list of most regretted majors.
This report further fortifies the notion that not every skill is desired in the market. So, if you are thinking of starting a degree with a difficult career path, prepare for uncertainty as well. On the contrary, if you cannot afford a degree but you have a passion for learning, there is a much higher chance of your success.
How? Let us see how I did it.
Step 3- Learn Anything by Elon Musk
If I have to recommend one video to everyone seeking a job without a degree, that would be Elon Musk – How to Learn Anything. This video breaks down the learning process into simpler steps. Right from looking at best course development rules to using psychological principles of positive enforcement, it offers a breakdown of modern education.
This video will further offer a much simpler action plan that anyone can follow and master a new skill. According to this video, you can pick any skill and search for a course online. Now, set small consistent goals and a routine that ends with reward.
This blueprint is used by professionals for self-learning and by the billion-dollar online education industry to make education addictive.
Step 4- Let Your Work Do the Talking
Now that you have mastered a skill, mentioning it in your CV is not enough. You need to build a portfolio that can effectively display your work. There are online sites where you can upload your work, communicate with recruiters, and even get in touch with companies.
With the right skills, networking, and a good portfolio, you are more likely to find your dream job. Here are some of my favorite tools that can help you learn skills, and build a solid networking and good portfolio in no time.
Skill Learning
- For research and free tutorials: YouTube
- For certificate and professional learning experience: Coursera
- For skill building: skillshare
- For expert learning: udemy
Networking
- For networking building: LinkedIn
- For remote work: FlexJobs and justremote
- For job searching: Glassdoor
- For Job listing catalogue: Indeed
Portfolio
- Displaying work: social media networks (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn)
- For designs: dribble, Behance
- For UI/UX: awwwards
Step 5 – Ace the Communication
Now that you have your skills on display, it is time to ace the interview. During interviews, recruiters assess your personality, not your skills. They want to know if you will be suitable for the workplace and the team.
Acing communication is slightly tricky, especially for an interview. You have to walk a thin line between not talking too much and still appearing smart. For a crash course in communication, head to YouTube and search for “How to speak so that people want to listen”.
This video will not just prepare you for the interview but will also get you ready for a leadership role in the future. After you learn about communication, make sure to practice it as well.
Top Tech Companies That Require No Degree
Now that you are ready to enter the job market, here is a list of top tech companies where you can work without a degree:
- Apple
- Nordstrom
- IBM
- Tesla
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