Making It Work is brought to you by Lingoda, join their language learning Super Sprint program and get up to 100% cash back.

When we go to college or enter the real world, many of us think our path is going to be clear cut. We'll pick a major, get an entry level job related to what we studied, and gradually climb the ladder in our chosen field.

But most of us know that the aspirations we have for ourselves at 18 or 22 rarely remain stagnant. In fact, a 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey found that the average American will hold 12 different jobs in their lifetime. Whether you're just out of school or reaching middle age, you might find that the career path you've set for yourself isn't actually what you want anymore.

And that's totally fine. What you may not realize, though, is that there are plenty of ways to change your path without going to grad school. Here are just a few.

Number one, identify gaps in your skill set that you can fill without getting a degree. If you have an idea of what you'd like to do in your career but don't know how to take the next steps from where you currently stand, identify skills that you'd need to develop to get there. If you're unsure of what those would even be, look at job descriptions for positions you'd be interested in the future and see what skills are required.

For instance, if you want to work in podcasting, you'd need to gain some experience in audio production. Relevant job listings could tell you which editing softwares would potentially be worth learning in order to develop this necessary skill for the role. Once you have an idea of the skills that are most important for you to learn, you can focus on how to develop them in your spare time.

And when you're ready to start diving into that new skill, there are plenty of online tools at your disposal to start learning, which brings us to point number two, become proficient in a second language to open up new opportunities. One way to change your life is to increase your income. And even if your goal isn't to be rich, a higher income can mean more options and less time spent worrying about money.

And studies show that being bilingual can increase your earning potential between 5% and 20%. And one of the best tools to learn or perfect a new language is Lingoda, an online language learning platform that is currently offering an amazing deal-- a 100% cash back guarantee for students who finish their Super Sprint classes. When you sign up for Lingoda, you'll start their daily classes in English, German, French, Spanish, or business English.

And if you attend 30 classes a month for three months and follow all the rules for their Super Sprint program, you'll get 100% cash back. Or if you successfully attend 15 classes per month for three months following the Sprint program, you can still receive 50% cash back. Lingoda is affordable to begin with.

And with this incredible deal, you basically pay yourself for developing a skill you already wanted to learn. Plus, Lingoda's classes are offered 24/7. So you can take them whenever your schedule allows.

Their next Sprint starts on January 15, and you have until December 28 to sign up. Space is limited, so sign up with Lingoda at the link in our description and use the voucher code WIN43 to get an $11 discount on your deposit today. Number three, see if your employer offers career development opportunities.

Here's a secret, companies generally don't want high turnover. They want employees who are in it for the long haul. But according to a 2018 report from LinkedIn, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it [AUDIO OUT]..

And many companies do recognize the value of investing in their employees. If you work for a larger organization, you may already have access to career development opportunities you didn't even know existed. Your company may offer a mentoring program, shadowing or training in different departments, opportunities to join professional organizations or attend conferences at no personal cost, and more.

Some companies will even pay for continuing education opportunities for their employees if they feel the return on investment is worth it. And even if your company doesn't have a formal career development program in place, try making the case for what you need. If attending a virtual workshop or getting training on a new software will give you the tools you need to expand your job description, and potentially your income, your employer may be more than willing to fund that development.

Number four, create a social media account to document your personal projects. Social media isn't just for personal use. When used strategically, it can act as a stand-in for a resume or portfolio.

This is particularly useful if you'd like to start a side hustle based on one of your existing skills. If you're into DIY projects, for example, documenting your projects on Instagram or Facebook is a great way to showcase what you can do, as it lets your followers, even if they're currently just friends and family, know that you have a skill they may want to make use of in the future. Make a dedicated account for whatever kinds of projects you want to showcase and research how to make good quality content.

To use the DIY example, look into how to stage before and after photos that highlight the work you've done on a project. Number five, start a side hustle doing a task that other people find annoying. Finally, remember that a side hustle doesn't have to be in a creative field.

Sometimes the most successful side hustles are ones that simply help people get annoying things done. And if you genuinely enjoy those tasks that other people find annoying and can monetize doing them, even better. For instance, maybe you get a thrill out of decluttering closets, painting walls, or selling home and clothing items online.

Those are tasks many people are willing to pay for, so they don't have to do them themselves. You can create an account on an app like TaskRabbit to start marketing whatever you have to offer. And when you can prove you'll reliably do a good job, you may even find solid return customers.

We've used the same carpenter at the TFD offices for many different projects, for instance. While grad school can be a worthwhile investment and a requirement for a few specific career paths, it's hardly the only option. And remember, these are just a few ways to start changing your life without going back to school.

Visit the link in our description to get started with Lingoda and finally invest in learning a new language today. And use our voucher code WIN43 at checkout to get $11 off your deposit.