Unconventional Careers

Written By - The Young Vision Ambassador, Taneesha Pradhan, The Winchester School - Dubai.

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If you’re a student in school, there is an undeniable chance that you have thought about what you want to be when you grow up. From the ‘astronaut’ answer of your elementary school days, to the more practical approach you adopt in high school, this is one question that has a lasting impact on your life. Deciding one’s career is a big commitment, and it is influenced by the resources you have access to.

The ultimate dilemma emerges for a student when they have to evaluate their interests and choose one that they want to make their living out of. The popular pathways often include professions like medicine or law, but what if you’re looking for a more unconventional career?

Social Media

There is no denying that technology has changed the way we carry out daily tasks. Many companies that gain traction can owe it all to an ‘influencer’ posting their product on their social media. There are many ways to monetise any aspect of your personality. Whether it’s short videos or text posts, there is an audience out there willing to listen to advice on your expertise.
The best thing about having a career in social media is that it teaches you the essentials of digital marketing and promoting your own brand. All entrepreneurs will tell you that having faith in yourself and selling your product are the keys to a successful business. As you create an online personality, you gain sponsorships and do advertisements that earn you money. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll develop a fan base for yourself!
Social media is a very good source of supplemental income.

Some possible opportunities include:

  • Video creator
  • Blogger (food, craft, etc.)
  • Product reviewer

Academia

If you’re someone with a curious brain and a desire to consume all the knowledge about your favourite topic, a career in academia might interest you. Academia involves all research and higher education related jobs. This career is best suited for people who have found a specialisation in a subject they are passionate about, and they aim to make new inventions or discoveries about their field of study.

In addition to passion, you also need excellent independent research and writing skills in order to be successful in academia. This career choice is worth exploring if a doctorate is your goal. While this is an unconventional career path, it is incredibly rewarding as you will be able to teach people who are truly interested in your subject. If you have an interest in being published, this career path allows you the opportunity to write out your research into academic papers and even be awarded for it!

This is a wide-ranging path and can include jobs such as:

  • University professor
  • Researcher
  • Scientist

 Freelancer

The job market is constantly fluctuating, but if you have a skill that is going to stay in demand throughout all its ups and downs, you should definitely consider freelancing. This entails being hired by individuals or companies to do term-based work. Even though these jobs are usually temporary, they allow you to be your own boss.

This is an excellent path towards getting a full time job because it gives you experience in many sectors in your field before you choose to settle down with one. This is a notable unconventional career to consider because it stretches over many fields and allows you to build your resume at your own pace. If you have more time-consuming commitments, freelancing opens up the opportunity of focusing on them while making money and gaining experience when you choose to. The term-based contracts are helpful in deciding what you ideal workplace looks like.

Some possible sectors to freelance in include:

  • Writer
  • Photographer
  • Legal careers