In the age of remote work, the line between blue-collar and white-collar jobs isn’t necessarily different, but the lines have been blurred. No longer do employers rely solely on four-year or graduate degrees to decide who they hire for an open position. New collar jobs have now emerged to fill employment gaps and provide job opportunities for those without traditional educational paths. If you’ve dreamed of working from home but feel you’re lacking in education or only have specialized skills, new collar jobs are the answer you’ve been searching for.
What Are New Collar Jobs?
New collar jobs refer to employment categories that require specialized skills and knowledge but do not necessarily require a traditional four-year college degree. These jobs typically focus on technology and technical skills, often in emerging fields such as information technology (IT), cybersecurity, cloud computing, data science, and digital marketing.
Unlike traditional white-collar and blue-collar jobs, new collar jobs emphasize practical skills, certifications, and hands-on experience. They bridge the gap between high school education and advanced degrees. Furthermore, these occupations provide opportunities for individuals who have obtained relevant skills through vocational training, industry certifications, apprenticeships, or self-study.
These jobs can have the earning potential of many white-collar positions. The demand for these individuals has remained high due to skilled labor shortages. New collar job candidates can also start their careers earlier than others, as the need for tertiary education lessens. In addition, the idea of constant learning teaches curiosity and a craving for new skills that other workers may not possess.
Is a New Collar Job the Right Choice for You?
Like any other position, a remote new collar job isn’t the ideal choice for every aspiring telecommuter. You still need to meet the baseline requirements listed in the job description and the self-discipline for continuous self-learning. But if you can clear those hurdles, it’s a lucrative option.
Beyond those facets, a new collar job is an appealing option if any of these relate to you:
- Do not hold a four-year degree
- Are interested in changing careers without going back to college
- Serve as an at-home caregiver
- Raise children as a stay-at-home parent
- Cannot return to your previous job due to a workplace injury or illness
- Have mobility limitations that prevent you from traveling or regularly working onsite
The Best Remote New Collar Jobs To Craft a Rewarding Career
If you count yourself among the individuals who have the skills and desire to land a new collar job, or you’re just interested in circumnavigating a four-year degree, here are some top remote new collar jobs to set your sights on.
1. Digital Marketer
Median Salary: $81,591 annually
Job Growth: 10% through 2031
A digital marketer is a professional who specializes in promoting products, services, or brands through digital channels. They use various online platforms and strategies to reach and engage with a target audience, increase brand awareness, drive traffic, generate leads, and ultimately achieve business goals.
How To Become One: Becoming a digital marketer is all about finding your niche due to the broadness of the industry. But whether you choose SEO, content writing, email marketing, PPC marketing, or something else, building your expertise is paramount. You can learn from massive open online sources like Coursera or Udemy, staying up on industry trends, and applying your craft to your own website.
2. Social Media Assistant
Median Salary: Up to $42,081 annually
Job Growth: 10% through 2031
A social media assistant supports the social media efforts of a business or an individual. By managing and executing social media strategies, content creation, community management, and monitoring social media platforms, they build a following on various social media outlets.
How To Become One: Most social media assistants start by studying the basics of digital marketing and how they pertain specifically to social media marketing. Learning social media posting platforms, practicing basic writing skills, and conveying the voice of employers can help interested individuals land one of these popular new collar jobs.
3. Graphic Designer
Median Salary: $50,710 annually
Job Growth: 3% through 2031
A graphic designer is a creative who specializes in creating visual materials and designs for various purposes. Through their artistic skills, creativity, and technical knowledge, these individuals produce visual elements that effectively communicate a message, convey a brand’s identity, or enhance the aesthetics of a project.
How To Become One: If you want to land this new collar job, you should study various online graphic creation tools, such as CorelDRAW, Adobe PhotoShop, Sketch, InDesign, and AfterEffects. Continual practice to learn new techniques is crucial to create the logo, print, or graphic that potential clients or employers have envisioned but can’t make themselves.
4. Teacher/Tutor
Median Salary: $61,820 annually
Job Growth: 5% through 2031
A teacher or tutor is an individual who facilitates the learning process by providing instruction, guidance, and support to students. Through educating and imparting knowledge to individuals of different ages and across various subjects or areas of expertise, they enable their pupils to excel in an academic or professional forum.
How To Become One: To become a teacher or a tutor at the new collar job level, you don’t necessarily need a four-year degree. Expertise in a specific discipline or experience in the field can qualify you for many different opportunities on a remote level.
5. IT Support Specialist
Median Salary: $57,910 annually
Job Growth: 6% through 2031
Also known as a help desk technician or technical support specialist, an IT support specialist provides technical assistance and support to individuals or organizations with computer systems, software, hardware, and network-related issues.
How To Become One: Although IT support specialists may have a two-year or four-year degree, it’s becoming less relevant with proper certifications and training. Online courses can often give you the specialized knowledge required to excel in this new collar job.
6. Web Developer
Median Salary: $78,300 annually
Job Growth: 23% through 2031
Web developers specialize in creating and maintaining websites. Through programming languages, coding techniques, and various tools, a web developer designs, builds, and deploys websites that are functional, visually appealing, and user-friendly.
How To Become One: Once only attainable with a computer science degree, the availability of coursework and certifications has lowered the bar for entry as a web developer. Learning front-end and back-end coding, as well as building a portfolio, can showcase your talents to potential employers.
7. Customer Service Representative
Median Salary: $36,920 annually
Job Growth: -4% through 2031
A customer service representative is a front-facing person who interacts with customers on behalf of a company or organization. Their primary responsibility is to address customer inquiries, resolve issues, provide information, process returns, and ensure customer satisfaction.
How To Become One: Perhaps the easiest to get of any new collar jobs, customer service representatives require more soft skills than any other aspect. Communication, calmness, problem-solving, and empathy are all crucial facets you should have to succeed in this role.
8. Database Administrator
Median Salary: $101,000 annually
Job Growth: 9% through 2031
As the name implies, a database administrator is an IT worker who manages and maintains the databases of their employer. Using their skills, they ensure that databases are properly designed, structured, secured, and optimized to support efficient and reliable data storage and retrieval.
How To Become One: Technical training and industry-relevant certifications are the most direct path to becoming a database administrator. Understanding the basics of computer programming languages (HTML, SQL, and Java), as well as database systems like Microsoft Access and Oracle, will set you apart from the pack in this new collar job.
9. Project Manager
Median Salary: $94,500 annually
Job Growth: 7% through 2031
A project manager is a professional responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing the execution of projects within an organization. Required across almost every industry, they are responsible for ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet the specified goals and objectives.
How To Become One: Although project managers are needed in most industries, aspiring individuals should choose a specialization and study it intently, whether it’s marketing, content creation, or IT. Many industry-specific project management roles also have relevant certifications, which can demonstrate your knowledge to employers.
Find Your Next New Collar Job With Virtual Vocations
Due to the relative infancy of new collar jobs, finding one that gels with your specific skill set can prove daunting. But with a bit of help from the right source, you can discover just what you need to find a position and nail the interview.
That’s where Virtual Vocations can help. By registering with Virtual Vocations, you gain access to a plethora of resources that can make the difference between a successful job hunt or disappointment. Whether you need to learn more about an industry, require career coaching, or just want a source of thousands of vetted remote new collar jobs, you’ll find it all at Virtual Vocations.
What are some of the most in-demand remote new collar jobs today? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts and tips. We’d love to hear from you!
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