Marketability:Attainability

March 16, 2009 3:30 PM

What skill has the highest ratio of marketability to ease-of-attainment?

I'm looking to invest in my human capital. I want to make the smartest investment I can make. Any suggestions?

posted by shotgunbooty to Work & Money (11 answers total)

By "invest in my human capital," I'm assuming you just mean train yourself for a career? if so, that really depends on what you happen to be skilled at, and what you would be happy doing, only because if you aren't happy you will burn out sooner.

At any rate, there has been a shortage of computer/IT workers for decades, and there will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Programming or server admin skills are reasonably easy to obtain for someone who is decent at math and isn't totally technophobic, and a degree is not necessary for most jobs.
posted by drjimmy11 at 3:37 PM on March 16, 2009

Health care. My nursing school is being paid for with financial aid and it's only a 2 year program. Only problem is getting into a program.
posted by brevator at 3:39 PM on March 16, 2009

Proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
posted by Tomorrowful at 3:42 PM on March 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Prostitution, probably.
posted by Sam Ryan at 3:47 PM on March 16, 2009

There is no single metric for ease-of-attainment. Some people find a PhD in math easier than a college degree in accounting. If you mean raw $ cost or time you might want to clarify. Also, marketability varies - do you live in rural Kansas or Williamsburg in Brooklyn? The set of marketable skills varies a fair bit.

In general, there will be a high level of competition in the areas that have the ratio you're looking for. The job market is somewhat efficient.
posted by GuyZero at 3:50 PM on March 16, 2009

I would say becoming a corrections officer - it's something a couple members of my family did with much success. You don't need a college degree, but will need a good head on your shoulders.

You learn the skills quickly, but not necessarily easily, while getting paid at the police academy. After you're trained, within 5 - 10 years you can command a salary approaching six figures. Plus, you can work in any jail.

You didn't ask for an easy job and obviously working inside a prison is pretty awful - that's why the pay is so high, as is the turn-over rate. Another downside: your life expectancy may also take a hit.
posted by plasticbugs at 3:51 PM on March 16, 2009

I'm gonna go with plumber. Maybe electrician.
posted by rokusan at 3:57 PM on March 16, 2009

Nursing. Depending on the state you're in, you can become an RN with a two-year degree. It pays quite nicely. But it's a hard job.
posted by gjc at 5:03 PM on March 16, 2009

Drjimmy's answer is the best, I think. What skill is the best investment is going to vary wildly from person to person, depending principally on 1) what your talents are, and 2) what kinds of drudgery you dislike the least.

If there was a single answer for everyone, don't you think people would figure it out and crowd into that field?
posted by grobstein at 7:34 PM on March 16, 2009

Phlebotomy.
posted by Sublimity at 9:45 PM on March 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

you can become an RN with a two-year degree

Not sure this is true. It takes 4 years to earn a BSN. You can earn an Associates Degree in Nursing in 2 years.
posted by quadog at 12:17 AM on March 18, 2009