This Dilber comic strip is really eye-opening and telling of the 20th century mindset about careers.
(Source:Click Here)
Ever thought of following the dream? Ever thought of becoming a superhero in your own little universe? Don’t want to be a part of the “rat-race” to become a Doctor, Engineer, Programmer, Government Officer, CA, Lawyer, Banker or Manager? Want to assure parents that you can follow your dream and yet earn handsomely? Want a Rewarding AND Satisfying career? If you answer is YES to any of the above questions, then read on.
Career is what shapes our lives and dictates many life-choices. It does not define us as a person, but certainly affects our personality. For most people your career will define you! That’s wrong, but so are the ways of the world! A career is a way to earn now, grow in the future and enhance personal satisfaction & social standing with every passing day. A career is not a job! A career is a future course of action that we chart for ourselves yesterday, today, tomorrow. Everyday. Every Minute. Every second.
Our every desire, thought, idea, action, words, company or circle we keep, manners, colleagues, help us define our career path. It can be forced - becoming a drudgery. Or it can be rewarding and appealing to ourselves - where we enjoy what we do to earn a living.
How does the idea of “Never Ever Have To Work For Money” sound to you? Do you want to “Tap Dance To Work Every Morning”, like world’s top investor Warren Buffet does? Do you wish to do daily you LOVE to do? Do you want to wake up and look ahead for a day full of possibilities, opportunities, passion, excitement and joy?
Here are some of the most unconventional career paths that you can take. These are the careers that most likely your parents won’t approve initially. These are the career paths that might even get you a rebel tag in the family circles. So, how can you manage to have your cake and eat it too? Communication. Awareness. Counselling. Discussion.
By telling your parents that it is not a blind jump into the unknown. By telling them others have walked before and have done well. By telling them that these are all SERIOUS careers requiring special skills, training, preparations, smart & hard work, and dedication. By showing them how rewarding your career can be for you financially as well as personally.
So, without further ado, here are the top 5 picks for today (Yes, there’s more!):
1.Social Media Influencer
Social Media is everywhere. It sets our daily discussion topics. Our news debates. Our purchase decision. Our vacations. Our political leanings. Our understanding of the “real” world out of it and beyond it. Youth are more on their phones these days than they are on their bikes. Even a group of friends chatting is constantly checking their phones, showing and sharing memes, re-tweeting, videos, posts, commenting, liking and reacting. So what not earn from it while doing what we already do. You just need a plan. And here it is.
A.Blogger
Have an opinion on everything? Have strong opinions about something specific? You think you are good with words? You can write? Or more simply can you dictate to Siri or Google? Yes? Then why not write a blog? Go to Reddit, Blogger, Wix, WordPress or Medium look at top 10 blog sites. They have hundreds of free tools to publish your ideas to cyberspace.
Blogging is an art and has some method to it. It’s like swimming. After learning the basics beside the pool, you’ll have to ease in. Don’t jump.
So the first step is to start writing. It can be done in a few easy steps. You will have to give your 30-60 minute daily in the beginning. You can give more, if you start liking it.
List the topic(s) you want to write about. See what’s already written on them. Identify what is missing. That’s your niche! Organize your thoughts. Do some research. Reference genuine and credible sources. Check facts.
Make a catchy headline. That’s what will attract readers. Make it stand out. Next, write your post. Don’t rush. Organize the sections of the post in a logical and smooth flow. Read it from someone else’s perspective. Ask a close confidant to review it. Keep it simple - don’t over explain. And don’t leave it too complex either.
Use attractive images - license them or use creative commons. Add humor, if possible. Use sarcasm, if that’s what you’re good at. Don’t repeat. Don’t be a perfectionist - who sacrifices good for the best. Be open to changes. Before publishing, select a theme that defines your blog. And is your extension.
B.Instagram Influencer
Text is dull. Who has time anyway? A picture says a thousand words! Tell stories. Then go Insta. Make yourself a brand. Use B&W or splash Colors. Go rainbow or choose shades of blue.
Let your channel be the window to your mind. Stick to a theme. Define a style. Use appropriate borders. Select a layout that lets you showcase. Tinker, experiment, innovate. If something doesn’t work, move on. Show posts in puzzle layout. Use posts to build tempo. Have or not borders, mix them up! Apply filters, edit your pics before posting.
Make memes. Give gyaan. And crack some jokes. Share a recipe. Challenge your friends. Accept challenges and post tasks. Never forget to use #HashTags. Create and upload short videos. Tag relevant people.
c.Vlogger –YouTube, TikTok, FB and much, much more
Text is not your medium. Pictures are but a point in time. No problem. Start a Video Blog - Vlog. Record yourself - Doing tasks. Making something. Remodelling. New recipe. Creating an artwork. Sharing feelings. Expressing opinions. Having an argument. Telling a story. Singing. Mimicking. Jokin’ around. Foolin’ around. Have a live debate - be that Star News Anchor! Choose the correct platform - YouTube is too crowded but has the largest audience base, difficult to crack. TikTok for funny and light stuff. Facebook & FB Live - mass audience, also difficult to crack. Instagram Live, Stories & IGTV - niche & select audience, but can’t save videos.
If you are a gamer then Twitch IRL for livestreaming, but not very strong advertising options. DailyMotion has more pro content then YouTube, but limits on length/size of content. Vimeo - the Pinterest of videos - too pro, too classy, more engaged audience. Flickr is into videos now, not very popular though. The techies can go for d.tube - ad-free but blockchain based monetization, low base. Learn video editing. Become a sound engineer. Slice and dice clips. Add animation from templates. Or create your own. Give voice over. Add music. Be a star. Make stars.
2.Stand-up Comic
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people”
Victor Borge, Comedian
You really think you are funny. Make people laugh. Can find little, stupid, funny things in everyday life. Can observe how people react in different situations. And use that in your stories. Do your stories always have a weird twist? You don’t care if you offend someone - it’s a free country! Comedy needs courage. Wit with wisdom. Can speak the truth to those who matter.
Can you talk about your deepest secrets, funnily enough! Can you talk about your failures? Exam fears. Dumped in an affair. Beaten by bullies at school. Flaws. Stupid names. Stupider family vacations. Can you make the audience feel connected? It’s the art of Hope.
Start writing material. Copy does not work anymore. Keep a handy notebook. Play it in your mind. Perform for close friends. Work on your setup and punchline. Change set, tone, timing and words. Review. Refine. Repeat. Until you get it write! ;)
Start going to smaller & free gigs - get rid of the stage fear, ridicule and booing. Earlier the better. Stage management is key - Always hit the stage running! Comedy has an energy to it. Delivery is the key. Landing the joke makes all the difference. Make a face, then say a line. When all else fails, just fall back first rule: Say your line bigger, broader, faster, and funnier with attitude.
The comedy scene is here. It is going to stay. Grow. Become more acceptable. Open-mic events are happening in many cities. If yours doesn’t have one - do a small bit in a party. Orhead out. Do it 4-5 different times with variations. Get the video recorded, properly. Upload and check reactions.
Audience approval is all one looks for. Always have scope for live interaction. Treat them like adults. Don’t patronize. Neither let the wrong ones get to you. Let it slide off like water off a duck’s back. Have confidence in dealing with hecklers.
3.ESports Professional / Gamers
There are kids. There are boys. And then there are Pros Gamers.
Fortnite. Minecraft. PUBG. The Witcher 3. Apex Legends. Destiny 2. Dark Souls. Call of Duty. These are the new addictions. And like every addiction, parents despise them. But, unlike addictive substances, Online and Multiplayer games have a rewarding career. Millions of dollars in prize money. Celebrity status. Regular paying teams.
Like any other profession, they require commitment, preparation, discipline, tools and healthy lifestyle. Positive motivations - love of the game, competition, team contribution - keep you going. Success and money come on their own.
Choose your own poison - pick the game carefully. New games can make you the new superstar. Or you might be lost in oblivion just like them. Established games have very tough competition. And bigger audience base and prize money. Established games have better support, infrastructure and resources available to them. Stick to the game you truly love. You won’t regret it one way or the other.
Learn the moves. Get in the groove. Hang out with fellow gamers. Visit gaming zones, fests, conventions. Soak yourselves in their wisdom. Learn from their journeys. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Learn the hacks. Find who not to mess around with. Grasp the finer points. Start contributing in small ways. Community breeds motivation.
Gear up. Invest. Gaming Laptop/PC, Console, Cards, Drives, Mouse, Headsets, Mechanical Keyboard, Sensor Gloves, VR Sets are essentials. Check reviews of pros. Keep the equipment in good shape - DON’T use new devices just before the tournament. Unfamiliar equipment has far too many failures to their credit.
Practice. Practice. Compete. Practice. Practice. Build your muscle memory and reflexes. Keep healthy, sleep properly, and do exercise. Study if strategy has layers. Record and review your own games. Learn from your mistakes. Climb the ladder, top the charts at pick-up groups/tourneys. Team-up with others with complementing skills.
Check Teamfind, Discord servers, subreddits, Steam groups. Network. Others are competitors, no one is a rival. Even your competition teaches you. Many times they team-up with you. Once you have arrived, you’ll get endorsements too. (Pic Credit TeESports)
4.Home & Geriatric Caregiver
India has the world’s largest population of youth. Who is out and about? Studying. Working. On vacations. Their parents are the first one in generations to really lead an affluent life. And a longer one. So how not to compromise on that coveted education/ or career? And still care for your parents? Or anyone at home in need for it. Wouldn’t it be fantabulous if someone trained and trustworthy can be there when you can’t? (Pic credit: PinClipart)
With more parents living longer and alone - reliable, trained and accessible Home and Geriatric (medico-speak for old-age care) care is poised to take-off big time. You don’t want an office. You care. You are diligent. Alert. Affable. Friendly. Love spending time with children, aged and others with special needs.
Having a training and license helps. Establishes trust in clients. A sense of comfort. Check out NISD, Rehabilitation Council of India&The Nation Trust (all Govt. of India organizations). They provide training. Licences. Register NGOs and placement agencies in this field. Provide guidelines.
You can choose from a variety of fields - Vocational Rehabilitation, Audiology & Speech, Intellectual Disability, Prosthetics and Orthotics (related to limbs), Hearing impairment, Learning Disability, Mental Illness, Autism, Deaf blindness, and many more.
(Pic source: Walker County)
You’ll learn and apply many essential skills - Communication & trust building. Handling difficult situations & behavior. Safety hazards. Human body anatomy. First aid. Health issues. Client hygiene & Personal care. Home Safety Training. Alzheimer's and Dementia training. Hospice (terminally ill) client care. Nutrition. Equipment training. Client enrichment through art, activities, music, learning, etc.
Licensed and trained caregivers are in very high demand in developed countries with high incomes and an ageing population. Caregivers are considered essential service providers and given priority in Work Visa and resident-ship programs.
5.Animator
Create a virtual world. For Websites, Mobiles, TV, Games. For educators. For businesses. For administrators. For banks. For games. For movies. For news. You get the drift. Make 2D and 3D masterpieces.
Were you creative and artistic? Are you good at sketching, drawing, sculpting? Animation is your next stepping stone. Learn yourself. Join a class. Earn Certificates, Diplomas, even Degrees at Universities.
Multiple skills are needed - drawing, sketching & shading, Multimedia, Graphics, Video Editing, Sound Engineering, 2D and 3D modelling, Character building, Storyboarding, basic Physics, Anatomy & Math. Software Tools - Autodesk Maya, 3DS Max, Mari, Adobe’s Creative Suite, Toon Boom, Cinema 4D, Harmony. Communication and people skills are as important.
(Source: Reallusion)
Build your portfolio. Make class assignments. Tell your story.Make Avatars for celebrities. And your own demo reels. Upload them for the world to appreciate. Have a perspective. Participate in competitions - national & international. Visit Anime fests/conventions. Follow established artists.
Earn while you learn. Start taking part-time jobs. Complete professional assignments. Update. Practice. Acquire new skills. Team up & do large projects. Make short films. Consider a Master’s degree. Join workshops. Train others. Join a studio. Or go freelance. Be your own boss.