Step 1: Choose Your Career Path Wisely

Determining your career goals and interests will keep you from wasting your time and money on a degree that doesn't match your desired career path.

In today’s job market the type of degree can make all the difference, especially if you’re hoping to land one of the current in-demand jobs listed below.

New Career Path or Same Career Path?

You have two main career choices: If you’re just starting out, you can pursue one of your interests; if you’ve already entered the work force, you can choose a new path. If you go the latter route, your past training and experience may qualify you for a wide range of careers you may not have considered before.

Decisions, Decisions...

Career counselors using a career assessment can help you find a career matching your skills and interests, which will help make your search more effective. You can also perform self-assessments using a variety of online tools.

In-Demand Jobs

If job security and good pay are important to you, take a look at the US Department of Labor's forecast of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs through 2014:

• Registered nurse
• Network systems administrator/analyst
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Health diagnosis technician
• Computer software engineer
• Dental hygienist
• Law enforcement officer
• Teacher (all levels)
• Accountant

To learn more and find jobs in these and other career fields visit our Career Advice channel.

The Degree to Take You There

Your next step is selecting the degree that matches your career goals and offers the flexibility you need.

Want to get your degree so you can get into one of these hot career fields? Find a school using the School Finder. After you've done that, use the Scholarship Finder to help pay for your program.