Comfy Seattle Jobs That Pay Highly and Don't Require a Degree? (sales, real estate)

[UncleGooby]

Any jobs or careers in or around Seattle meet this criteria that also aren't hard manual labor? Or am I dreaming? By high paying I mean as far above $60k a year as possible. Bonus if the job or career is on the Eastside.

I'm an ex-shut who used to have crippling social anxiety (used to; no longer have) in who has cleaned my life up, lost 100 pounds, and gotten my stuff together. I now want to work but I'm poor and forced to start out with nothing (my own fault, I know) and I don't want to work a low-paying job because it will probably make me want to kill myself.

I'm not entitled, I'm just trying to aim as high as possible despite my circumstances. I also have to take care of a very disabled family member and I intend for my income to cover them as well. I am smart, have many skills, and many people have called me the most reliable and dependable person they know of, but my formal qualifications on paper are atrocious.

So far I have compiled a list of the possible jobs:

1. Real estate agent
2. Sales of some sort
3. Insurance agent
4. Mortgage Loan Officer
5. Banking Compliance

I just am not from WA; I feel that without a formal "mentor" sponsoring me in something I am not going to get hired anywhere because my resume is not that formally impressive.

[flyingsaucermom]

You need strong social skills to be any of those things.

[UncleGooby]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

You need strong social skills to be any of those things.

I have those skills now, just not in the past when I would only leave home twice a year to go to the store.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by UncleGooby

I have those skills now, just not in the past when I would only leave home twice a year to go to the store.

Well I wouldn’t mention these years at all then!

[Ruth4Truth]

RE agent and insurance agent both involve a lot of math. Just a heads-up.

Also, RE agent is relentless; clients call you any time of day or night with questions. You have to have. your phone with you at all times. It's a 24/7 kind of a job. Some can handle it, some can't. Also, some agencies make you pay for using their advertising supplies, and it's not cheap.

I'm not sure; I think insurance companies only hire BA's, at minimum. They do train, but I think the starting base pay is low, and you raise your pay by commission. Have you researched this? If not insurance agent, try insurance adjuster. (Still a lot of math.)

Mortgage loan officer: they also prefer people with BA's. And...more math.

You have to be able to be very meticulous with your calculations and record-keeping. Big responsibility.

[UncleGooby]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

RE agent and insurance agent both involve a lot of math. Just a heads-up.

Also, RE agent is relentless; clients call you any time of day or night with questions. You have to have. your phone with you at all times. It's a 24/7 kind of a job. Some can handle it, some can't. Also, some agencies make you pay for using their advertising supplies, and it's not cheap.

I'm not sure; I think insurance companies only hire BA's, at minimum. They do train, but I think the starting base pay is low, and you raise your pay by commission. Have you researched this? If not insurance agent, try insurance adjuster. (Still a lot of math.)

Mortgage loan officer: they also prefer people with BA's. And...more math.

You have to be able to be very meticulous with your calculations and record-keeping. Big responsibility.

Hi again from the other thread! I'm willing to do, put up with, or comply with pretty much anything. I also like math. I guess I should just aim for whatever hires the easiest with as little qualifications (however fat the chance). I have a friend who got hired at a major insurance company in another state despite never going to college and only working at Walmart and he loves his insurance job. If I could find that here, wooooo.

[rjshae]

You may need to consider working a lower paying job long enough to get a trade degree, which could land you a higher pay.

[bergun]

Originally Posted by rjshae

You may need to consider working a lower paying job long enough to get a trade degree, which could land you a higher pay.

^^^^

I’d go with the above and do some self development. Basically, everything you’ve listed requires a degree or some sort of licensing/certification or massive amount of experience in that field.

You do have ONE plus, which is that the labor market is now in the employee’s favor, with many people who are now moving to a better career field since some of the past requirements have been relaxed, but you still have to complete for those jobs.

It’s not my cup of tea, but private unarmed security is paying up to $22-$25 a hour, far more if you have years of law enforcement experience. And if you’re a reliable person, there is tons of overtime. I throw that out there cuz that will allow you the time gain any needed certification(s) in a more suitable career field, WHILE earning a living AND building up you’re resume.

Hopefully, you were joking about a low paying job might cause you to kill yourself… If that’s the case, and I’m not trying to be insensitive, but you might have some serious that should be addressed first before seeking out careers that have a high level of stress.

I truly wish you well and success, but don’t sit around waiting for a mentor to pop up and to help push you along, cuz you’re wasting valuable time. Be proactive and complete follow ups, you will find a job that is suitable, within reasons, if you stay focused. Remember this; We control our own destiny and if we quit on ourselves, we have nobody to blame, but ourselves.

If you do find a mentor, which I hope you do, make sure to prepay that kind deed to somebody in need, down the road AND don’t let your mentor down because they are making an “investment” in you.

Good luck and stay strong!!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by UncleGooby

Hi again from the other thread! I'm willing to do, put up with, or comply with pretty much anything. I also like math. I guess I should just aim for whatever hires the easiest with as little qualifications (however fat the chance). I have a friend who got hired at a major insurance company in another state despite never going to college and only working at Walmart and he loves his insurance job. If I could find that here, wooooo.

It can be a good career. If you like math, that's half the battle, lol! Have you thought about getting an AA degree in something related? That might be enough to make you hirable in these professions you're considering.

Do you have basic office skills, like Microsoft Office? You can take classes in that at CC. You'll probably need to know your way around the Microsoft Office bookkeeping programs. Of course you could do tutorials online if necessary, but having a CC certificate in office skills is better. You could get that, in addition to whatever you'd get an actual AA degree in. Bookkeeping might be a practical choice, given your interests and goals. Their financial aid office can arrange a Pell Grant for you...

The problem in the Seattle area is, that there are plenty of people with BA's looking for jobs. There's a lot of competition. Still, probably most of those BA's aren't looking for insurance jobs, maybe you'd have that working in your favor. Do you have any personal connections you might be able to use, to get into that field? Maybe check with your extended family members, to see if they know anyone in insurance or mortgage loans.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by bergun

^^^^

I’d go with the above and do some self development. Basically, everything you’ve listed requires a degree or some sort of licensing/certification or massive amount of experience in that field.

You do have ONE plus, which is that the labor market is now in the employee’s favor, with many people who are now moving to a better career field since some of the past requirements have been relaxed, but you still have to complete for those jobs.

It’s not my cup of tea, but private unarmed security is paying up to $22-$25 a hour, far more if you have years of law enforcement experience. And if you’re a reliable person, there is tons of overtime. I throw that out there cuz that will allow you the time gain any needed certification(s) in a more suitable career field, WHILE earning a living AND building up you’re resume.

Hopefully, you were joking about a low paying job might cause you to kill yourself… If that’s the case, and I’m not trying to be insensitive, but you might have some serious that should be addressed first before seeking out careers that have a high level of stress.

I truly wish you well and success, but don’t sit around waiting for a mentor to pop up and to help push you along, cuz you’re wasting valuable time. Be proactive and complete follow ups, you will find a job that is suitable, within reasons, if you stay focused. Remember this; We control our own destiny and if we quit on ourselves, we have nobody to blame, but ourselves.

If you do find a mentor, which I hope you do, make sure to prepay that kind deed to somebody in need, down the road AND don’t let your mentor down because they are making an “investment” in you.

Good luck and stay strong!!

OP said he's a caregiver to a family member. He probably needs to be available to that person on a set schedule.