What course to finish to earn well in 2024 man and woman

In today’s world, change happens so fast that sometimes it’s hard to keep up with everything. Professions do not stand still either. New specialties appear regularly and it is important for everyone to successfully adapt to the changing reality.

These aspects are key strategies for staying competitive in the current labor market. Mastering a new profession or skill can be done in various ways. One of the most convenient is taking courses. Let’s find out together with experts what specialties are especially relevant nowadays and how not to miss out on training.

Table of Contents

How to choose a profession?

To begin with, analyze the labor market. Today there are many areas where everyone will definitely find something for themselves. For example, some of the most in-demand and attractive fields are IT, digital marketing and design. Within them, these 10 specialties are particularly notable :

programming – the process of creating computer programs and applications;
front-end development – the development of the external interface of an application or website;
backend development – working on the inside of web resources. A specialist interacts with servers, databases, and also handles the processing of application logic;
SEO – optimization of the site for its promotion to the top of the search results for the required queries;
interface design (UI/UX) – creating user-friendly and understandable interfaces for websites and applications;
3D-animator – development of moving characters, images, animated scenes in three-dimensional space with the help of special programs;
motion design – animation of graphic elements such as text, icons, illustrations and photos in movies, videos, advertisements, web design and applications;
AR design – developing visual and interactive elements for augmented reality (AR) technologies using special programs;
VFX-design – creation of visual special effects in movies, games, TV and other media products;
product design – development of the whole project: from the appearance of the application to its positioning on the market.

Before buying training, it is advisable to think about what you like and are good at. Perhaps you love creativity or you have always been drawn to solving complex problems. Ask yourself questions. Analyzing your desires and skills will help you become a sought-after specialist and start earning on what you like. After you can start looking for good and quality courses.

Let’s analyze all the fields and their corresponding professions together with experts.

Programming and development

Software Engineer, Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist

“IT employers value not only technical skills such as proficiency in specific programming languages, frameworks and tools, but also problem-solving, creativity and the ability to learn. So how do you choose the right course?”

It’s worth considering a few key factors before enrolling in a course. First, the reputation of the education platform and instructors. A good indicator is the presence of successful graduates. Secondly, the course structure should be clearly organized and cover all the necessary aspects. Certificates can come in handy to prove your knowledge.

However, the most important thing is the practical skills you will gain. Testimonials from other learners can also give an idea about the quality of the course. Finally, cost is an important factor. But I don’t advise you to look for the cheapest option at the expense of the quality of the training.

What are the course requirements?

Depending on the IT direction you choose, the minimum course requirements can vary greatly. For most beginners, mastering at least one programming language and understanding its basic principles is critical. For example, for web development, this might be JavaScript combined with frameworks like React or Vue.js.

Additionally, understanding how a version control system such as Git works is essential for any line of programming. It’s key to effective teamwork and code management.

What are the requirements from employers?

Often, but not always, a minimal understanding of databases, whether SQL or NoSQL, is required. It all depends on the specifics of the projects. A basic familiarity with interface design principles, especially for frontend developers, and an understanding of REST API principles for backend development can also be considered part of the mandatory minimum.

A deep fundamental knowledge of computer science is what sets top programmers apart from the rest. However, for many, it is an optional aspect to enter the IT field. Although it is very often considered a big plus.

Communication skills and the ability to work in a team are also important in IT. Software development often requires a collaborative effort. Today, there is a situation where employers are reluctant to take beginners and make exorbitant demands on them.

Because of this, candidates began to exaggerate their experience, putting in their resumes what they didn’t really have. Whether it is right to do this is for everyone to decide for themselves. I personally know of cases where people made a quick start in the profession. After courses and “building up” experience, they could earn over 200,000 roubles.

Digital marketing

Director of search engine optimization agency iSEO

“The peculiarity of digital marketing is that it is based on data. A lot of things can be measured and efficiency can be calculated. As a consequence, the popularity of specialists related to digital is growing. Professionals are in short supply in many areas, including digital marketing. This is not a routine job that can be easily replaced by neural networks. You have to learn new things all the time: analyze data, test hypotheses, make mistakes, draw conclusions.”

A generation has grown up with the whole world at their fingertips. Just pick up a smartphone and you can get any information you want. Instantly! The web has every product, service and brand. On the internet we meet, socialize, work and spend. It’s already so natural that it’s as if no one remembers how people lived before the internet.

For many companies today, online is a key channel for attracting customers, especially if we are talking about the B2C sector (business-to-consumer).

Take, for example, marketplaces, which have been on everyone’s lips for the past few years. They simply could not exist without digital marketing. But B2B companies (business-to-business) are also paying a lot of attention to digital channels today.

What courses are there on digital marketing?

There are a lot of courses out there. Perhaps the main question to ask yourself before buying one is how am I going to use this knowledge?

SEO can be roughly divided into “client” and “partner” SEO. In the first case, you promote the client’s (or employer’s) website and get paid for it. In the second – you create your own sites and monetize them with advertising or affiliate programs.

SEO is also divided into “white” (white hat) and “black” (black hat). In the first case, you are guided by instructions from the search engines themselves and avoid dubious methods that can harm your site. Adherents of the “black side” do not bend to engage in spam and other reprehensible methods of promotion.

Another important issue is geography. Russia differs from the rest of the planet that we have not only Google, but also Yandex. In the rest of the world, the first has long ago defeated all its competitors and is actually a monopoly. The algorithms of the two search engines are markedly different.

Before signing up for a course, it makes sense to study the information “firsthand” – that is, from the browsers themselves. Both Yandex and Google have a lot of materials for webmasters, where you can learn the basic principles of work, as well as the features of a particular system.

How to choose the right course?

If you have decided on the type of SEO, geography and methods, then this will already narrow down your choice a lot. What else should you pay attention to?

Experience and achievements of the author of the course – a company or a particular specialist.

Relevance of the course. In SEO everything changes quickly. The more fresh knowledge you get – the better.

Testimonials. But you should realize that they are easily “tipped” on the web. Ideally – to get impressions about the course from a person whom you personally know or trust.

Cost. This is probably the least important criterion. If you really learn how to do everything the instructors promised you, the cost of the course will quickly pay for itself. In addition, the course can often be purchased at a favorable discount.

What are the requirements of employers?

When it comes to recruiting aspiring SEO promotion specialists, I would start by highlighting a few important points as to why this is a beneficial practice for both companies and job seekers.

A “soft landing” for the employee. It is much easier to introduce a novice specialist into a position and adapt him to the company’s standards, as he starts his work by performing uncomplicated typical tasks. Over time, they become more complex and interesting. The whole process is, of course, supervised by an experienced team leader.
Cheaper for the company. It’s simple. Finding a specialist with good experience often requires more time and money. Finding a beginner is much faster and, it must be said, easier.
It gives existing employees the opportunity to develop their team management skills. Performing daily tasks can sometimes demotivate experienced specialists or simply make them “bored at work”. But the opportunity to grow and develop a new colleague fuels interest and motivation.

Now I will tell you what employers pay attention to when selecting a novice specialist. You may be surprised, but soft-skills will be more important than hard (professional competencies, knowledge and skills of a specialist).

As practice shows, the latter can be taught, but the former determine how a specialist relates to work, tasks and training. Soft-skills, which are considered extremely important, are systematic, initiative and responsibility.

It is also important to want to actively develop in the field of search engine promotion. Maybe you already have your own cases or have tried to promote some websites on freelancing? Have you taken courses, engaged in self-study? Great, tell us about it! This will already give you some points to your credit.

You need to have a basic knowledge of SEO basics: search engine algorithms, key concepts – meta tags, backlinking, internal optimization. And, of course, MS Excel is important. Every SEO-specialist should know what a GDPR is.

Creative specialties

Designer, illustrator, mentor

“In the market of training courses, both large online schools and lone enthusiasts, additional education centers and design studios are now competing for your attention. As someone who has worked as an instructor for four years, I know this for sure: what is effective for one person is a waste of time for another.”

Basic criteria for choosing a course

I recommend starting your choice by identifying the criteria of what will absolutely not work for you.

For example, offline learning, live or recorded. At first glance, the third option is more convenient. But these are the courses that most often remain unviewed. Because there are always more important things to do. A clear schedule disciplines many people and makes them include training in their schedule.

In large cities there are offline courses in different areas of design. They are especially convenient for those who do not have the opportunity to study at home. For example, a large family, noisy, a lot of distractions.

After deciding on the form of training, an important criterion is the teacher. The same material and program can be presented in completely different ways. A bad teacher discourages the desire to learn, and a good one – on the contrary, motivates. It is not necessarily a “star” of the design sphere. He must first of all be suitable for you – by the pace of speech, the manner of presentation, sense of humor and even by views.

Another criterion is the ability to ask questions and get feedback from the mentor outside of lessons. There are many misunderstandings at the start of the training. The value of the course is precisely that the student is not left alone with his problems. If the feedback is lame, you might as well watch free videos on the internet.

What else should I pay attention to?

You can indirectly draw conclusions about the quality of the course by its duration. It is impossible to teach well from scratch in two weeks or even a month. If the course is very short, most likely, the information will give superficial and the most basic. And you will have to dig out all the nuances on your own.

I would define the optimal duration for studying one subject (program or direction) as two to three months, with classes at least twice a week.

Another way to get information about the quality of the course is to ask the manager how many and what kind of works you will have in your portfolio after the training?

If case creation itself is included in the educational program, this is a big plus. You will be obliged to enter the labor market with a portfolio. It’s good if experienced specialists can help you build it during the training program.

What about a certificate of completion? Many trainees it is important as a confirmation of knowledge. Almost any design school or even an expert who has recorded a personalized course, you will give it upon completion. Let’s understand which ones are valuable and which ones are just an A4 sheet with polygraphic pictures.

From the point of view of the law, there are:

state educational institutions;
organizations with a license for additional professional education;
organizations with a license to provide educational services;
organizations with a different license or no license at all (for example, if the course is recorded by a blogger).

If it is important to you that the certificate has “weight”, check the license of the company whose courses you are interested in. In institutions from points 1 and 2 you will receive a diploma of the state or established sample. They will officially confirm mastery of the specialty. In all other cases, the document received upon completion will only mean the fact of passing the course, even if the diploma itself says otherwise.

However, in real life, no one ever asks to show it as proof of qualification. For the employer is always more important your practical skills presented in the portfolio.

Of course, before buying, you should read reviews. Sometimes they can clarify non-obvious points. For example, that in the process of training it is possible to change the teacher or “freeze” the group, that is, cancel the training. But it is also worth remembering that nowadays reputation is a parameter that can be managed. Companies delete negative reviews about themselves or write customized articles about competitors.

Therefore, you should not believe every review, even if it is “Nothing is clear, wasted money” or “Everything is super, I found a job in the first week”.

As for cost, there is no direct correlation between price and quality. Behind the high check is often the salary of marketers and sales managers. And a low one can hide either a product made on your knees or just an insecure but awesome expert who is shy about selling.

In this matter, I advise you to focus only on your wallet. If on all other points you realize that the course suits you, then take it.

How to choose a creative profession?

When choosing a design profession, be prepared for high competition. The lower the threshold of entry into the profession (those “from scratch in two weeks”), the more people you will have to compete with in the labor market at the beginning of your career.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t make money in this field. Responsible people who meet deadlines and can conduct polite business negotiations are always valued in any profession. But these qualities are not taught on courses.

As for specialties, some of the most in demand are interface designers (UI/UX), 3D-animators, motion designers, special effects and augmented reality specialists.

Recently, the “product designer” – someone who thinks through the entire project: from the appearance of the application to its positioning on the market – has become popular.

If you are focused on high income, I would not recommend going into the fields of illustration and photography. In these fields, the supply far exceeds the demand.