Unorthodox career choices

“What do you want to do when you grow up?” is a question today’s youth has become familiar with. Doctor, engineer, businessman and scientist are careers that are often viewed as high-achieving and socially acceptable. However, with many becoming increasingly aware of other options, certain out-of-the-ordinary career choices are luring the interest of the upcoming adult.

Freelancer

The term “freelancer” encompasses many different types of jobs that are all connected by the idea of not being tied down to one employer. Rather, a freelancer takes on projects from several companies on their own schedule.

Some well-known careers that involve freelancing include writing, photography and videography. Freelancers provide content under whatever category needed for their particular clientele. In many cases, writers provide written material on different topics, photographers provide their services for various occasions, and videographers shoot and edit short videos or longer segments.

Freelancers are paid based on individual projects and have no stable paycheck or salary. It is important to consider that successful freelancers build up a base clientele and showcase their work through personal websites and social media.

Being one’s own boss means flexible hours and only taking on as many projects as one deems suitable.

However, building up one’s resume within the freelancing industry is hard work and high-paying projects are not imminent within the first years of work.

“Freelancers in the U.S. make an average of $31 an hour, which comes out to 17 percent more than the typical full-time employed worker,” according to a survey from Payoneer.

Social Media Manager

Social media presence is becoming an increasingly important factor for companies and celebrities trying to sell products.

If you are already hooked on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter, this may be a good career choice for you.

A social media manager controls social media outlets for companies or celebrities.

In addition to posting interesting updates and engaging with the community, a good social media manager helps the client reach its ultimate goals, such as portraying a favorable image, by working closely with them.

Social media managers require a multi-faceted skillset. This may include making graphics for posts, being talented writers, understanding that interacting with the “customers” or the followers is key and being able to successfully advertise their customers products.

According to PayScale.com, the average salary ranges from $34,432 to $56,571.

Foreign correspondent

A foreign correspondent is the on-site journalist working for a newspaper, news or radio station abroad. The life of a foreign correspondent is adventurous and at times dangerous, like covering conflicts in the Middle East.

Foreign correspondents require journalistic backgrounds due to frequent reporting on scene.

They are usually either alone or with one other person (such as a cameraman), and have the potential of seeing the world and meeting people from around the globe. Unsurprisingly, the work is usually very rewarding because they are reporting on important topics from areas where regular people do not usually get to travel to. They have the opportunity of making upwards of $100,000 a year.

Netflix Tagger

A job title the older generation will certainly not understand when you hand them your business card is the “Netflix Tagger.” This consists of watching various Netflix series and then writing descriptions about the shows, as well as categorizing them according to themes, tagging characters to their traits and flagging any shows for indicators like age-restricted material.

According to the Netflix Jobs website, this job is available to anybody and requires only an application to Netflix. The only downside is that the profession will probably not make a full career as pay is usually a few hundred per week.

Private Island Caretaker

This may seem like a crazy career, but it is one that exists. Private island caretakers live on private islands and ensure that everything is functioning as it should. In addition to skills such as knowledge of plumbing, carpentering and gardening, Private island caretakers can exercise their creative passions as many write blog articles and have photo journals about their experiences which often serve as ways to further monetize their unconventional career choice while advertising the island’s offerings.

This may be a great career for people who love the sun, sand and sea while making a considerable salary: up to $300,000 a year.

A few years back, a tourism campaign in Queensland, Australia gained attention as they were offering jobs where the worker kept a blog and photo journal for six months and were paid $150,000, including free rent, airfare and insurance packages.

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