Technology can help us become a lot more productive than we often realize. More importantly in respect to this post, smart tech usage can actively aid in boosting our career prospects. Whether that happens after making a career switch, or after you decide to take up a different role in the same field, is variable. The fact that knowing how to use technology with intent could be crucial for building a better life is certainly a constant though. So, let us get straight to the three methods in which various forms of technology can be used for earning more and/or shaping a prospective future. Here are few Ways to Use Tech for Boosting Your Income and Career Scopes.
Study Technology
What better way is there to use technology for a career boost, than to study it? Technology is an extremely broad field, so we will focus on three promising fields in tech education that have sufficient scope for even newcomers at entry – mid level:
- Big data experts – $85,000 to $161,000 per year on an average (Salary varies with qualifications, experience, expertise, etc.)
- Mobile app developers – $79,000 to $117,700 per year on an average, (salary varies with previous success, education and experience)
- Coders would be anyone who knows how to write computer programs, whether they learned it from an online course, on their own, or while completing their computer engineering degree ($52,500 to $250,000+ per year on average, varies widely based on education and/or experience).
Each of the above can help you earn significantly more than the average American, while also providing a unique insight into how technology is at the helm of modern civilization. Note that just because you do not have a technical background, it doesn’t mean that you cannot build your career as a techie. There will be obstacles and limits to your earning and growth potentials, but as long as you have a knack for the subject, diplomas or entry-level (Level I) courses can help you in getting acquainted with the technological field of choice. If you are good, there is still a lot that can be achieved by going through professional training and gathering experience in the field.
Study Online, Gather Experience and Hold a Job Simultaneously
The number one reason why careers get stunted is related to the fact that we did not or could not pursue higher education when the time was right. So, after ten years of working as a professional in any field, it feels both impossible and ludicrous to even consider becoming a student again. The proposition of higher education at a later age feels even more absurd after taking a look at present responsibilities, bills and loans (house mortgages, car loans etc.). Fortunately, technological advancements made in and across various fields of internet-based education have changed that permanently. A chance to simultaneously educate ourselves, maintain a full-time job and gain experience for reinforcing our careers is possible today, only because it has been made possible by technology.
One of the best examples of a profession where the available online education tech can be maximized to its full potential would have to be nursing. Consider the fact that with Baylor’s accelerated nursing program online, RNs can go from earning $66,000 per year (average), to $86,000 per year (average), in a fraction of the time that it would otherwise take them to earn both the BSN degree and the consequent salary boost. Online degrees for nurses are ideal because of the current situation, but it has only further boosted an ever-growing demand for healthcare workers that was already there for a long time. However, healthcare is not the only option.
Supplement Your Low-Income Job with Gig Finders
Not all jobs pay very well, and most of the ones that that do not, also leave us with very little time on our hands. However, instead of signing up for a full-time, minimum-wage job, you can choose to get paid on a per hour basis. This is nothing new of course, and employers prefer it as well, since this is a much cheaper way to afford labor, even when the per hour cost is higher on paper. What digital tech + modern smartphones have managed to do is that they have provided us with multiple apps and online platforms for both the temps and the employers to make professional connections on. Use a few temporary job/gig finder apps from your phone to supplement your low-income job.
For example, an employer would have to pay a janitor $480 per week ($12/hour x 5 weekdays), along with other benefits, if the/she was their registered employee. However, they only have to pay $300 per week to a janitor if they decide to hire one as a temp for only 4 hours per day, even at a much higher rate of $15/hour. From the perspective of the janitor, freelancing provides them with more time to either invest in something else or take up similar jobs at higher rates in another place for 4 – 6 hours. Technically and practically, this could push the janitor’s yearly income up significantly higher than what they could have possibly earned by working full time in one place. Remember that this does not only concern janitors; that was only an example!
Admittedly, the best paid jobs from pursuing online education are limited to only those that have completed preliminary or advanced education/training in skilled work already. Therefore, those that can indeed make use of modern online courses should also be able to make the biggest difference in their respective career prospects. Nevertheless, from coding in Python, to learning Mandarin, the possibilities of studying online and developing new skills, or simply perfecting the ones we already possess, are tremendous in 2021 and beyond.
Considering the same from the point of view of someone looking to make a complete career shift, it’s a change that can be significantly more impactful. Earning about $22,000 – $27,000 as a minimum wage, fast food worker or a cashier can make things exceedingly difficult to manage financially. On the other hand, after completing just a short online course in entry level web designing, the same individual could potentially be earning in excess of $50,000+ per year.
