Everybody wants to have a successful career, but that's easier said than done. Not only do you have to spend years mastering your craft and working hard to succeed in any career, but most careers also require years of school and thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are some careers that let you skip all the schooling and money spent. If you're looking for a career you can get started in fast, here are some options.

IT

Of all the popular career fields today, IT is one of the most interesting. IT involves dealing with computers and computer networks, including all the individual software and hardware that goes into creating a system for an organization. If you're a big fan of working with computers, you'll love IT. What makes IT even more interesting is the fact that you have so many options within the field. Since just about every business in the world needs some form of IT professional, you can find yourself working in nearly any industry when it comes to IT.

Perhaps the coolest part about choosing IT as a career is the fact that you can easily get IT certifications online. You do have to take a test to obtain a certification, which you will have to pay a fee for each attempt. Even though most certifications don’t require you to take certain courses to sit for the exam, it is highly recommended. Some topics covered on these exams require hands-on practice to fully grasp the concept. Enrolling in a self-paced educational program could be a good option because they allow you to study on your own time and at your own pace.

Trade Work

With so many people looking for careers in the fast-growing fields of technology and medicine, a big hole has opened up in the world of trade work. While trade work does require a little bit of schooling and some time in an apprenticeship program, you don't actually have to get a degree or have a ton of experience to work in a trade. Some of the most popular trades include plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC. If you work one of these positions, you'll spend most of your time working on individual parts of both commercial and residential buildings.

All you have to do to get started in a trade is find a shop that will take you on as an apprentice. Once you're in the apprenticeship, you can enroll for classes to take to supplement your work hours. As you obtain more work and school hours, you'll continue to climb up the pay scale. At the end of this climb, you'll earn the title of a journeyman, which allows you to start your own shop or work on your own.

Computer Programming

The truth of the matter is, you can get into almost any computer-related field without having to go through years of college and pay for an expensive degree. Even more complicated fields like computer programming don't actually require you to have a degree. While programming can be a great alternative to getting IT certifications if you're more interested in creating software, it's also a lot of work.

Becoming a computer programmer from the comfort of your home means spending hundreds or even thousands of hours learning how to program and understanding the subtle nuances of programming. Unless you already have a solid understanding of programming, you should expect a steep learning curve that takes a while to overcome. Fortunately, there are tons of great resources to help you learn online, including short courses you can work through to get a grasp of various programming concepts. If you're interested in programming, you should also make sure you know a fair bit of math, as that can be a big part of the job.

Just because you want a successful career doesn't mean you have to spend an eternity going to school. With these great career choices, you can get started quickly so you don't have to waste your time working somewhere you don't want to. If you're interested in one of these fields, you can find more information online about getting started in them.