What is a ‘legit job’?
Doctor.
Lawyer.
Engineer.
Chartered Accountant.
There used to be no fifth decent profession around three decades back. Probably, ‘business owner’ counted as the fifth option. But that was that. If you study commerce, you HAVE to become a CA. If you study science, you have only two options- doctor or engineer. And only passing from the avant garde institutes in India or abroad, led some form of credibility to you.
In later years, avenues opened up a bit. You could pursue a career in consultancy, management, vet studies, architecture etc. Management was a wider field. There were various sub-streams that you could choose from- operations, finance, sales and marketing, human resources. These were the traditional streams available; and the most widely known.
Throwback to around a decade ago- several courses started popping up for completely new areas. Specialized management and technical schools both public and private now offer courses such as- wildlife and forestry management, public health works, banking and finance, foreign trade and commerce, social sciences, mass media and communications, digital marketing, research and entrepreneurship, rural management, agri-business management, insurance, telecom management, and even petroleum management.
It is indeed a great time to be a student. Because you can make a career in anything, literally any stream you are passionate about. And with the Internet boom, exploration and research is easy. An Indian student can find with the click of a button; some of the top colleges in the UK for pursuing a niche course related to architecture restoration and cultural art!
Now, what is the definition of a ‘legit’ job?
A job that you get after a rigorous educational program or course, which lasts for a year minimum. A program that enriches you with all the tools and skills required to excel at your job and become a member of the earning community. It entails the big bucks, the steady betterment of lifestyle, and then retiring peacefully after you have saved enough.
Now, this course MUST be tough to get into. There must be various complex entrance tests, internal assessments, external exams, and a rigmarole of evaluations before you get your degree. You must be so exhausted after the course, that you have to actually think to remember if you actually learnt something…
Enter: Not so ‘legit’ jobs
A not so ‘legit’ job may not have all the frills. But is has one major factor for consideration - internal satisfaction. And the best part is skills set is directly proportional to the level of success achieved at work; and you can actually earn even better than the traditional jobs out there. Motivation has been identified as a key driver for lack of employee retention, and interest at the traditional work place. What are some actual non-legit jobs out there?
Fashion designer
Nutritionist
Gym trainer
Football Coach
Image Consultant
Freelance writer
Freelance destination wedding photographer
Personal shopper
Makeup Artiste
Cake designer
Jewelry Designer
Fraud Examiner
.
.
.
Imagine getting paid to travel to different places and clicking wedding photos! Or tweaking the wardrobe of a client to better their persona and dressing sense. Looking after client requirements and providing regular content on a freelance basis. Putting your love for baking and art into a business!
Various businesses have spawned over the years from passionate people just going with the flow. Hint: Instagram marketers, social media influencers, pet photographers, and wedding planners. It is really not the time for-
‘Beta badey hokar kya banogey?’
‘Doctor!!’
And thank God for that!
