You're most natural when you're relaxing on vacation. In those moments, you show your true career colors. You might be surprised at the kind of degree that suits your personality, but they're all linked to lucrative, engaging careers that could mean enjoying your day at work. Consider what you'd do on an ideal trip to the beach, and learn what it means for your ideal degree and career choices.
You... unpack a perfectly organized car for a day of fun: pop-up gazebo, coolers for snacks and drinks, floats, beach equipment and a portable grill.Ideal degree: engineering
While the thought of organizing a family vacation stresses others out, you love the challenge. Your family relies on you to pack the car, bring the room keys and schedule a weekend's worth of fun. You can put those smart skills to work in engineering. Organization is key for engineers, along with math and science skills, a highly logical mind and the appropriate training. Go for a bachelor's degree in engineering to start; the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that city-planning civil engineers earned mean annual wages of $78,560 in 2008.
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Ideal degree: human resources
You're interested in making a personal connection with the people around you. While others might spend vacation keeping to themselves, you're all about reaching out. In human resources, you're the friendly face of a large corporation, and it's your job to have that personal interaction with new and long-standing employees. An associate degree in human resources could land you a career as a human resources assistant. The BLS reports that these trained assistants earned mean annual wages of $36,810 in 2008.
You... pack your camera with your beach towel and spend the day taking pictures of waves, water and sunsets.Ideal degree: visual communications
Images hold a lot of power for you, and you like teaching yourself how to take a great picture or sketch a scene. With a visual communications degree, you could translate that passion into a career. Combine your skills with an associate degree in Web design and do freelance work creating an online visual presence for business and personal clients. A bachelor's degree in visual communication or graphic design could mean working as a graphic designer; these specialized design pros earned mean annual salaries of $46,750 in 2008, the BLS reports.
You... look up the best restaurants in town and enjoy decadent meals every day of your trip.Ideal degree: culinary arts
Your vacation is all about trying new food or enjoying your old favorites. Why not make a career out of your culinary love? Go for an associate degree in culinary management to work your way into a management position at your favorite restaurant; the BLS reports that food service managers earned mean annual wages of $50,320 in 2008. A bachelor's degree in the field could offer the training you need to open your own business.
You... spend most of your time shopping for good deals in town at the quirky and cute local shops.Ideal degree: business
Who needs the sunburn of a full day at the beach? If bargain hunting and local shopping are more your style, a bachelor's degree in business could land you a career as a professional buyer. Shop for a living and get the best deals for your clients, using your degree training to help you understand the fundamentals of business. The BLS notes that retail buyers earned mean annual wages of $55,540 in 2008; a healthy salary for your own buying. Retail management would be another career option with a broad-focus business degree.
You... take trips to the local science and marine museums, learning everything you can about the natural world.Ideal degree: environmental science
You always pack an extra bag to pick up spare cans and trash that others leave on the beach. You're interested in the details behind the natural world, and an environmental science degree is right up your alley. A bachelor's degree in earth science could mean a career studying nature as an environmental scientist. The BLS notes that these specialized scientists earned mean annual wages of $65,280 in 2008. The best part of working in environmental science is that you can pick your favorite environment; make a living studying the beach climate, or focus on forestry or other locations.
Career training for your dream job
No career training program can guarantee a particular job or salary, but hiring managers in the fields above often prefer to see prior training among applicants. With the right training, you could enjoy a career that fits your personality type. And who knows? You might find yourself looking forward to going back to work in the middle of your vacation.
