An interest in law is not an uncommon thing. After all, laws are what govern our lives and how we live them. There are laws for everything. They protect us, they make society safer, and they help us to develop. With so much resting on them, it’s no surprise that many of us have at least a vague interest in the law. It’s why courtroom dramas are so popular, and why we’re all addicted to the latest true crime documentaries. The law fascinates us, and we’re keen to learn more.

In some, this interest is more than an idle curiosity. Some of us grow up knowing that we want to be lawyers. We go to college and law school, we study and train for a long time until we pass the bar and we become lawyers. But, it’s not always that simple, unfortunately. Some of us develop an interest in the law in later life, long after college. Some of us would love to work with the law, but have no interest in being a lawyer. For whatever reason, you might find yourself with a love of law but at a loss for related career options that suit your lifestyle and personality.

Fortunately, being a high flying attorney at law isn’t the only option if you long for a career working with the law or in the legal sector. Here are five jobs in law that you may not have considered.

Court Reporter

If you are looking for a career that gets you right into the thick of things, this could be it. Court reporters work to transcribe spoken or recorded speech into written documents. They work in courtrooms, but also with solicitors in meetings, depositions and with video witnesses. Court reporters can also work with different specialities such as medical malpractice, business law and property law.

Legal Secretary

If you have fantastic organizational skills and enjoy research, then a job as a legal secretary could be ideal. Legal secretaries have the usual admin duties like filing, making appointments and scheduling meetings. But they also write up legal documents, research important information for cases and draft motions and subpoenas. Legal secretaries play a crucial role in a busy law office.

Related: Becoming a Paralegal

Journalist

Unfortunately, a lot of our news relates to crime and the law. An interest in and knowledge of the law could make you a fantastic investigative journalist.

Conveyancer

Conveyancers work with property. To buy or sell a house, you need a conveyancer to draft contracts, communicate with the other party, complete surveys and searches and generally keep the process running smoothly. Conveyancers work in a different kind of office, with different people, but still enveloped in law. Depending on the level, a conveyancer may or may not need a law degree.

HR Officer

Working in human relations is challenging. Every day you deal with different people’s needs and requirements. Working for big firms to keep both employers and employees happy, while maintaining the growth of a company and ensuring everyone stays within the law. Knowledge of employment law and business law can be crucial.

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Most of us think we’re underpaid for what we do. As educators, Jarell and I know we are underpaid. Even as instructional designers, we are pretty sure we’re underpaid.

Outside of education, some people believe there are positions that are grossly overpaid. The infographic below illustrates the concept:

Unfortunately, pay gaps exist out of perception, and because we allow them to persist. It’s a societal construct, and it can be quite annoying. If you think you are underpaid, you’re best bet is to change industries. Further your skill set, and put your career first. It’s easier said than done, of course.

When most people think of healthcare and medical professions, the first careers that come to mind tend to be doctors and nurses. After all, these are professionals we all come into contact with on a regular basis. However, the healthcare sector is much more than just these two jobs, with hundreds of unique and fulfilling careers most people have never even heard of. Medicine and healthcare will always be in demand, making this one of the most reliable industries out there. If you are considering a medical career, here are five that you might have overlooked.

1. Dance Therapist

As made up as it sounds, dance therapy is a real treatment and one that has a major impact on the health and well-being of others, making it the perfect career for those passionate about medicine and dance alike. With some business know-how, you could even build your own facility offering healing services. This career does require a master’s degree and doesn’t pay as much as other masters-level jobs do, but it’s so rewarding most barely notice the difference.

2. Dosimetrist

Dosimetrists are practically unheard of, but they’re one of the most valuable jobs in the medical world. They specialize in radiation and work with oncologists to treat cancer patients using radiation therapy. It can take a long time to become a dosimetrist, and with the daily work with radioactive materials, the risks can be quite high. That being said, this is an incredibly lucrative position and is one that requires an incredibly special and passionate person to do it.

3. Cardiac Perfusionist

While most people have heard of heart surgeons, very few know of the cardiac perfusionists that assist them during surgery. These professionals operate the machines that pump blood into the heart while it is stopped during the operation. With the rise in heart surgeries, this vital career is becoming more and more in demand, making now the perfect time to rethink your professional life. This work does require a degree but offers excellent pay and relatively flexible hours.

4. Sonographer

Sonography is the perfect option for those wanting to work in the medical field but don’t want to go to medical school. These individuals use machines called ultrasounds to view joints, organs, and muscles, and spot potential injury or illness. With a qualified doctor and portable ultrasound machine for sale, you could even create your own mobile medical screening service. This career rarely requires a bachelor’s degree, but an associates degree and some training is necessary.

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5. Medical Transcription

Wanting to work in the medical world doesn’t necessarily mean that you want to work directly with patients. If this is the case for you, then a career as a medical transcriptionist might be the perfect solution. As a transcriptionist, you would need to listen to recordings of doctors and type what they say into reports and notes. This is a job that can be conducted in doctor’s offices and hospitals, but, thanks to the internet, you can work from home too, allowing flexible work days.

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When you graduate high school or even college, the world can seem scary. Suddenly the routine of classes, finals, and essays is gone. What do you do next?

You have a few options:

Gain More Education

If you have a particular kind of career goal in mind which requires you to have a degree then it makes sense that you’d work towards one- starting with a college diploma or A-Levels. If you’re not sure what you want to to (and enjoy education) then it could also be worth continuing education. That way, you have time to work out your career path and once you graduate, you open the door to entry level graduate jobs.

You can then specialist by taking more education, for example a masters or course specific training at an institute such as the Ultimate Medical Academy. If you want to be a teacher or a lawyer for example, you’d usually take another year or two training after your degree. The more education you gain, the higher positions you can eventually apply for once you graduate.

However, education is expensive and a job isn’t guaranteed, so it’s not for everyone. Many graduates can find they struggle getting work as while they have the education, they have little to no experience in the working world. Think carefully and decide if this is for you. If you have a particular career in mind, doing some part time work alongside your studies or even some voluntary work can help to give you desirable experience.

Get a Job

If you get a job right after graduation, chances are you’ll be starting at the very bottom. And that’s ok, because from there, the only way you can go is up. Further study and education is never a bad thing, but it’s not for everyone. Maybe you didn’t perform very well at school or perhaps you just didn’t particularly enjoy it. If that’s the case then there’s no point forcing your way through it. If you’re keen to start work and begin earning right away then this could be the best option for you. In the time that your peers have gone to college, gone to university and found an entry level graduate job, you could have reached manager status and be earning just as well.

You will often be offered training and sometimes even education too by your workplace as you go along, for example if you work in care your workplace might pay for you to gain your credentials. It can make sense that you’d get a job roughly that’s in the industry that you want to work in. That way, all of the work you do is experience in the field as you work your way up. For example, if you want to become a retail manager then you could start off as a checkout assistant or shelf stacker. If you wanted to work in sales, you could start as a call centre worker or door to door sales person. As many companies hire internally, once better positions come up, you’re in a good place to be considered.

Get an Internship or Apprenticeship

An internship or apprenticeship essentially gives you the best of both world when it comes to paid work and education. You can still earn a wage (although this will be lower than minimum wage for your age group), but you’re given invaluable training and experience too. Many companies that run these kinds of programs give you the opportunity to apply for a full time job at the end of it. Otherwise, you have the skills and experience to apply where you want. This could be anything from working in a shop to learning a trade, see what’s available based on your skills and interests.

The only issue with apprenticeships is that they’re limited, and only usually available to younger age groups such as school and college leavers. If you’re focused at this age and know what you want to do, an internship really can allow you to get your foot in the door. See what kinds of things are available to you.

Go Freelance

Working for yourself has so many benefits. There’s no rubbish commute, no annoying colleagues and plenty of flexibility. You get to live life on your terms, and there’s no being micromanaged by a boss. However, it can take time to start earning enough money to make this work, which is why the older you get, the more difficult it can be to do. As a school leaver, you’re in a good position. If you have parents that are prepared to support you while you get things off the ground, you could really put your all into it. It might take you a year to start earning the equivalent of a full time wage, but once you’re established the only way is up.

You could become a blogger or a YouTuber, or you could work on freelancing sites. In time, you’ll develop long term relationships with clients which can give you a reliable income. Another option would be to start your own business, again as a school leaver you’re in a good position to do so with the support of your parents. This could be buying from wholesalers and selling for a profit, or making things to sell. You could through your own website, through social media or an online marketplace like eBay, Etsy or Amazon.

You could attend training days or undertake a part time business course online in your spare time to give you more understanding. Without the stress of having to keep a roof over your head, pay bills or feed yourself, you can dedicate your time to getting off the ground and earning money. But you’d need to check if this is something your parents or guardians would be happy with you doing.

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Isn’t it just a lit bit cruel, that so many youngsters are asked to effectively study for the career they want, when they haven’t even begun to live yet? As a result, many people end up in jobs that they’re not all that happy with, purely because they’ve changed so much from when they “chose their career” and by the time they actually begin it. Other people have no clue what they want to do, or even if they’ll ever have a job. But rest assured, there’s a job for everyone. Below, we take a look at some useful tips for ensuring you find the job that’s right for you, no matter whether you’re 22 or 42!

Try a Career Quiz

If you don’t know where to start in your hunt for the perfect career, try a career quiz like Career Fitter or Career Key. Career Fitter is one of our favorites because not only does it give you career suggestions, it gives you statistics, videos, and other helpful information about your career choices. It’s always our first suggestion when someone is stuck in their career path.

What Do You Like Talking About?

The usual job advice you get is that you should follow your passion. That’s not the worst advice in the world, but it can be a bit tricky to put into practice. For starters, there’s a level of wisdom needed to identify what your own passions are, and that wisdom is normally beyond most youngsters! So instead of identifying your “passions,” make a note of what subjects you always get fired up about when that conversation is steered that way. If you can talk about it for hours, it’s usually a pretty big sign that it’s one of your passions. From there, it’s all about looking for jobs around that interest.

Try Out Jobs

You don’t need to commit to just one career, and then set about finding work. You can “try jobs out,” so to speak. You might have an inkling that you’d like to work in the newspaper industry, but how could you know for sure unless you’ve lived in that world for a bit? Before saying “I want to be [X],” look at getting an internship in a related job for a while. It might confirm your dreams, or make you realize that it’s not for you. Also, don’t worry if you’re past the “usual age” for an intern – there’s no age barrier for these types of things, so don’t overthink it.

Work With Experts

You don’t have to battle through life alone. If you don’t know what you want to do and have no clue about how to go about finding the answer, then get help. There are experts who can help you find the right job for you no matter what circumstances you’re in. If you’re just looking for advice, then speak with a careers advisor. If you’re struggling to figure out what you can do because of a physical injury or disability, then contact disability employment services. It’s possible that there are many more options for you than you previously realized. Alternatively, you could also speak to a mentor, if you have one in your life. If you trust them and they know you, then they’ll steer you in the right direction.

Think Outside the Box

When we’re growing up, we tend to think that there are only a set number of jobs out there. All of them seem to take place in an office or otherwise corporate environment! But this isn’t true. While the bulk of work might be office-based, the economy doesn’t run on corporations alone. There are thousands upon thousands of jobs that need to be done, and the majority you won’t have heard of. So think outside the box. You might just end up with a job that’s way more interesting than anything you might have fallen into if you pursued office work.

Avoid the Big Decisions

If you’re really unsure about the work you want to do, then you’ll be well-served by avoiding any big decisions and commitments. There’s no law that says you have to pick just one career! Instead, why not job-hop a little? You’ll be trying out a host of different jobs. In time, you’ll have a better understanding of the industries and tasks that you like.

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It’s Never Too Late to Change

Of all the lessons to take from this article, make it this: it’s never too late to change your job. You might feel obliged to stay in a profession because you’ve built up so much time there, but don’t be. You’re free to do whatever you want, at all times. It’s possible that we’re not supposed to stay in the same job for years on end as it is anyway – so mix it up if it doesn’t feel right anymore.

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