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Not sure what comes next? Start here.

For anyone thinking about a different kind of work, or still deciding what to search for. Pick an area or type a job, tick a few, compare pay where you live, then let Rolespect search for them. Rolespect writes no pay figures on this page. Every Pay near you button opens the U.S. Department of Labor's own numbers, so they are never out of date.

Fills in pay for that place, and goes with your shortlist into Rolespect. It stays on this device.

1Not sure yet? Pick an area.

Each one opens its jobs right here. Tick the ones worth a closer look.

2Know a job or a field? Type it.

    New to changing careers? Start with the six steps, or read every family in full.

    Pay that is never staleEvery pay button opens the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage figures for that job and place, updated each year by the government.
    Nothing to sign up forNo form, no email, nothing gated. The place you type stays on this device.
    No affiliate linksNo school, bootcamp or course paid to be here, and nothing here earns a referral fee.
    Changing careers

    Six steps, in the order that saves you money.

    Most people start by paying for a course. Start with what you like and what you can already do, then check pay, then talk to people, and only then pay for training, ideally with someone else's money.

    1. 1

      Start from what you like doing

      A short, free interest test points at job families before you look at a single title.

      O*NET Interest Profiler60 questions, about ten minutes. Run by the U.S. Department of Labor.FreeOpen in a new tabCareerOneStop Interest AssessmentThirty questions, with results tied to careers and training near you.FreeOpen in a new tab
    2. 2

      See where your skills already carry

      You are not starting over. Enter the job you have done and see the jobs that use the same skills.

      mySkills myFutureType your past job and get related careers, their pay and training near you.FreeOpen in a new tabCareerOneStop Skills MatcherRate your skills and get careers that match them.FreeOpen in a new tabMy Next Move for VeteransEnter a military job title or code and see the civilian careers that fit it.FreeOpen in a new tab
    3. 3

      Check the pay and the outlook

      Pay is the first question for a change. The buttons below open the current federal figures for where you live.

      Occupational Outlook HandbookWhat the work is, the training it takes, pay and how fast it is growing, for hundreds of jobs.FreeOpen in a new tabCareerOneStop Salary FinderPay by job and by place, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey.FreeOpen in a new tab
    4. 4

      Talk to two people who do the job

      Twenty minutes with someone in the seat tells you more than a week of reading. Ask what a normal Tuesday looks like and what they wish they had known.

      Rolespect's Connect station finds people at an employer and keeps track of who you wrote to. It never writes the message for you.

    5. 5

      Try it before you commit

      Volunteer, take a short contract, or start an apprenticeship that pays while you learn.

      Apprenticeship.govPaid apprenticeships near you, in the trades and well beyond them.FreeOpen in a new tabAmeriCorpsA year of service in a field, with a living allowance and an education award.FreeOpen in a new tab
    6. 6

      Get trained without the debt

      Your local American Job Center can pay for approved training if you were laid off. Ask about WIOA training funds before you pay tuition.

      American Job CentersCareer counseling and training money, in person.FreeOpen in a new tabLocal training finderCertificate programs and community college courses near you, with length and cost.FreeOpen in a new tab
    Job families

    What jobs actually exist out there.

    Sixteen families, with the titles employers really post. Pay near you opens the federal wage figures for that title where you would work. The work opens the job's full profile: tasks, skills and the tools people use.

    Management and operations

    Running people, budgets and the systems that let everyone else do their work.

    Might suit you if you are the one who fixes how things run, and you can be the person a decision lands on.

    How people get in. Mostly years in the field first. A bachelor's degree is common. A project management certificate helps project roles.

    Every job in this family: Management, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Business, finance and accounting

    Money, contracts, compliance and the analysis behind decisions.

    Might suit you if you trust a spreadsheet more than a hunch and you like being the person who knows the number.

    How people get in. A bachelor's degree for most. Accountants who sign off on audits need a CPA license. Analyst roles take career changers who can show the work.

    Every job in this family: Business and financial, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Office and administrative

    Keeping an office, a schedule and the paperwork moving.

    Might suit you if you are organized, steady under interruption, and good with people on the phone.

    How people get in. Often a high school diploma and training on the job. One of the quickest ways into a new industry.

    Every job in this family: Office and administrative support, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Computers and technology

    Building, supporting and protecting the systems an organization runs on.

    Might suit you if you like solving puzzles that have a right answer and you keep learning without being told to.

    How people get in. Support roles hire on certificates such as CompTIA A+. Developer and security roles usually want a degree or a portfolio of real work.

    Every job in this family: Computer and information technology, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Healthcare

    Care for patients, and the people who keep clinics and hospitals running.

    Might suit you if you want work that matters the same day, and you are fine with shifts and a license.

    How people get in. Licensed roles need an accredited program and a state exam. Medical assistant, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy programs take months, not years.

    Every job in this family: Healthcare, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Community and social service

    Helping people through hard stretches: housing, health, recovery, school and family.

    Might suit you if you are patient, you can hold a boundary, and paperwork does not scare you off.

    How people get in. Assistant and community health roles often start without a degree. Licensed social work and counseling need a master's degree and supervised hours.

    Every job in this family: Community and social service, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Education and training

    Teaching children and adults, and designing how people learn at work.

    Might suit you if you explain things well and you get energy from watching someone finally get it.

    How people get in. Public school teaching needs a state certificate. Most states have an alternative route for career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree.

    Every job in this family: Education, training and library, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Sales and customer success

    Finding customers, keeping them, and growing what they buy.

    Might suit you if you like people, you can hear no and keep going, and you want pay that tracks your results.

    How people get in. Often no degree needed. Pay frequently includes commission, so ask what share of it is base salary.

    Every job in this family: Sales, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Communications, media and design

    Telling an organization's story in words, pictures and video.

    Might suit you if you write or design well and you can take an edit without taking it personally.

    How people get in. A portfolio counts as much as a degree. Volunteer projects for a nonprofit are a legitimate way to build one.

    Every job in this family: Media and communication and Arts and design, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Science, research and data

    Running studies, working in labs, and turning data into findings.

    Might suit you if you are curious, careful, and happy to spend a week on one question.

    How people get in. Technician roles often take an associate degree. Scientist roles usually want a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Every job in this family: Life, physical and social science and Math, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Engineering and architecture

    Designing and improving the things, buildings and processes the world runs on.

    Might suit you if you like math with a physical result, and you want to see what you designed get built.

    How people get in. Engineers need an accredited bachelor's degree. Technicians and drafters often start with an associate degree.

    Every job in this family: Architecture and engineering, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Skilled trades and construction

    Building, wiring, plumbing, fixing and maintaining.

    Might suit you if you like working with your hands, you want to see the result at the end of the day, and you do not want student debt.

    How people get in. Apprenticeships pay you while you learn, usually over three to five years. Apprenticeship.gov lists openings near you.

    Every job in this family: Construction and extraction and Installation, maintenance and repair, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Logistics, transportation and manufacturing

    Moving goods and making them: warehouses, fleets, plants and supply chains.

    Might suit you if you like a plan that runs on time and you notice the bottleneck before anyone else does.

    How people get in. A commercial driver's license takes weeks. Logistics and supply chain analysts usually have a degree or operations experience.

    Every job in this family: Transportation and material moving and Production, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Public safety and emergency management

    Keeping people safe before, during and after an emergency.

    Might suit you if you stay calm when others do not, and you want work that serves your community.

    How people get in. Emergency medical technician training takes about a semester. Government roles post on USAJobs and on state and city job sites.

    Every job in this family: Protective service, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Hospitality, food and personal care

    Feeding people, hosting them, and caring for them.

    Might suit you if you like a fast day, you read a room quickly, and you want to see people leave happier.

    How people get in. Mostly learned on the job. Management comes from time on the floor.

    Every job in this family: Food preparation and serving and Personal care and service, at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Nonprofit work

    Thinking about the nonprofit sector?

    Nonprofits hire for nearly every family above, from finance to facilities. Rolespect has two pages written for it: how the sector works and where to find the people in it, and what each kind of role actually does.

    Nonprofit careers, explainedNonprofit role profiles

    Picked a direction? Run the search.

    Put the new titles in your profile and Rolespect builds the search, checks each posting is real, and tells you plainly when to pass. Free, no account, and your record stays in your browser.

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