Do you love your job or have you been working all these years just for a living? If yes, then I am sure you are in a trap of some conventional Jobs. These are the Jobs, which are chosen by the parents for their kids or say it’s always been their dream. The country where still being a Doctor, Engineer, Bank PO or a Management professional is considered to be a more respectful and monetary job, It is hard to find people believing in unconventional jobs. Though with the career paths taking sharp turns and sudden frightening drops, a lot of people are opting jobs, which most people would not think of when choosing a career path. In last few years there has been a sudden shift in the job markets and a detailed look at the job prospects offers a more hopeful picture for those who seek an alternative to the typical lists of “hot jobs.” If you are a free spirit and value intrinsic rewards over financial pay-offs, then these alternatives or unconventional jobs can provide you with an opportunity to make a living by doing what you ‘LOVE.’

Today in India there are numerous options for one to explore. Gone are the days when only Engineers and Doctors used to earn good money. It is the most creative phase in India, it’s the time when people have started following their mind and heart to follow the unconventional route. So if you can heal people, style people, cook a good food, for instance, a good job is probably waiting.

OFFDHOOK gives you an insight with opinions from the experts as we try to explore some unconventional jobs.

 

MAKEUP ARTIST

 Make up is all about looking good and leaving an impression and someone who uses cosmetic techniques to create beauty upon the human body is a makeup artist. It enhances a person’s appearance and brings out color and features.

Thanks to digital cameras, makeup artists are much in demand for weddings, fashion shoots, fashion shows, corporate shoots etc. That is of course the one aspect other main aspect is theatrical and film makeup artist. Such artists can do wonders with their magical brush. They can make old look young and young look old on camera as they perfectly trained to deal with digital and high definition cameras. “Makeup artist can transform women stunning cover girls/brides. Overall its a great self confidence booster” says most sought after makeup artist Vidya Tikari. Vidya who has created stunning and exquisite looks for some of the most famous faces from the fashion and film worlds believe that

“In India It is the growing field due to immense growth of entertainment, media and wedding Industry and It is definitely a great career option amongst non academic lines”. So how easy or difficult it is to be a makeup artist? “While there are numerous Mom and Pop studios trying to teach this, to find genuine institutions who imbibe new technology and contemporary styling one has to bank on reliable names” replies Vidya.

So If you have a deep love and passion for cosmetics then makeup is surely an unconventional choice for your career. Believe in your creative skills, pick up those fancy brushes and start living your dream as it has lot for you.

 

GROOMING COACH

 No matter you are a man or a woman, grooming plays a vital role in how you will be perceived by the society. Today personal grooming is as important as your monthly salary! How you look, how you walk, how you sit, how good you smell and how you take care of yourself determines how well groomed you are. Today In India it’s not only about Individuals who have to look good but companies need to manage their Image too. Nowadays personal groomers are very much in demand as they help people improve their image. So how can one become a grooming expert and is this a good career option in India now?

“The hour has come for Groomers and Personality enhancers in India now. A new Industry is emerging which entail a complete check on lifestyle, social and professional etiquette, wardrobe and Inner makeover. So to have a better personal, professional and social life, the demand of Groomers is increasing in India”, says Grooming Expert, Former Lieut Rita Gangwani. She also added that “the opportunity for grooming experts is immense as the Industry is set to grow exponentially in the next few years and apart from being a gratifying profession in terms of personal fulfillment, this is also going to be a very lucrative career option”.

 

LIFE COACH

 A life coach is someone who helps you reach a goal or make a change in your life. In a simpler way life coach gives your life a direction much needed. Their job is to help you get from where you are in your life now, to where you want to go. It is someone who motivates you and helps you in achieving your vision for yourself. A life coach helps you to accomplish your goals, make new changes and live your dreams.

So how is ‘Life coach’ as a career option in India? We asked Internationally known professional certified coach(PCC) Ms. Malti Bhojwani who has a vast experience of being a life coach.“Today in India, unfortunately a lot of people(very helpful people no doubt) from Vastu consultants, tarot and numerology readers, socialites and image consultants are calling themselves life coaches as well. People with zero formal coach training having little or no credentials are coaching even some Bollywood stars. Yes in India, it is a growing profession that is gaining recognition” said Bhojwani. She also added that “The coach-training Industry is growing as well and from the start most of them were online courses and still they are mostly online. There are a handful of local institutions offering ICF approved courses in India now. Having said that it is more about the experience one buds as a coach and not just about learning the skills”.

 Life coach as an unconventional job option is definitely gaining trend in India but one has to be fully devoted towards this profession. As coaching is a process where the client grows and widens their perspectives. “Being a coach is challenging and it is fulfilling. When you can be authentic to your own higher self and purpose and trust that you will attract the right clients for you, you will find joy in your job and hence never feel like working. But if you are trying to be what you are not just to fill in the gaps and just for the money, then I don’t think it will work” concludes Bhojwani.

 

CHEF

 If you can cook and simply love to cook then you can definitely consider of becoming a chef. The word CHEF might sound very delicious and exotic to you but the path to reach there isn’t easy. The career of a chef is full of physical labor, long hours of work and heavy competition but the reward is the opportunity to design creative dishes, run a kitchen or even manage a restaurant. So is this career option gaining trend in India ? Chef Nitin Lokhande shares his expertise with OFFDHOOK.

“Chef as a profession has become very happening and glamorous these days. 14yrs back, when I decided to become a chef, my mom got really upset. But times have changed today. More and more youth aspire to become chefs” says chef Nitin Lokhande.

Today in India, opportunities for chefs have grown tremendously. Chef as a profession has become very respectable in the Indian society although it is not as easy as it may look like. Being chef means lot of hard work and energy to be constantly on the feet, focused on delivering the best quality of food.

The job of a chef is all about creating good food with true passion. Is our society ready to accept this passion?

“People’s perception of looking at chefs has changed enormously, I feel good to see that my parents now take pride in telling their friends that I work as a chef. I also believe that chefs will not be going out of fashion so soon, tomorrow their may be computerized programs to develop events but food will have to be prepared by chefs for years to come” kindly add salt as per your taste, chef Nitin Lokhande.

 

HOME BAKER

 Nothing smells (or tastes!) as delicious as a freshly baked loaf of bread straight from the oven. Delhi based baker Mansi Gahlaut took baking as a hobby but gradually lot of appreciation and demand of her cakes prompted Mansi to launch her own business, Oh Sugar! It keeps her busy 24*7 and gives her a feeling of contentment. “The concept of baking in India has changed completely and is at its all time right now wih a lot of bakers already there and the new ones coming up” believes Mansi Gahlaut.

The work of a home baker is undoubtedly a tedious job, as every client demands something different and unique. “It is not easy as people are very demanding nowadays and want everything in one cake”.

Baking is not as simple as it looks, its just not about baking cakes, it’s love for the art of baking that goes in baking. “People should understand that lot of hard work goes into what we bakers bake. Lot of physical labor and mental creativity is involved in it. Now is the time when society should appreciate and accept our work as we make any occasion special for you”.

 

RADIO JOCKEY

 RADIO JOCKEY colloquially known as RJ, is a profession meant for the people who simply love to talk and have the power to influence people around. So, to give you more clarity on this career option we spoke to India’s best RJ’s.

“Today being a radio jockey gives you lot of name and fame, It makes you a star of your own city as one gets lot of popularity. People listen to Rj’s as they relate to them so anyone who wishes to be one should be well informed, intelligent, quirky and edgy” said RJ Meenakshi. She also added that “It’s not easy to be a Radio Jockey, one has to be really passionate about it. If you can make a difference with what you speak then this profession is certainly for you”.

RJ Rochie also believes that “It is one of the best career option if you love talking, because it pays you to do just that. Most stations are always on the lookout for great natural talents. As a career option its pretty lucrative, one can easily earn between 50K to 2 lakhs a month as an RJ”.

 

EMCEE

Professionally as well as personally, the work of an emcee is extremely satisfying. Emcee or Master of Ceremonies is the official host of a staged event and speaks and entertains the audience by keeping the event moving. Today in India Emceeing is not limited to mere business events, weddings or conferences but has risen to a level where MC’s are seen on Indian Television and Bollywood Films. One such Emcee who has now made it big on Indian Television as well is Gunjan Utreja. Gunjan started his career as an emcee and after having a wonderful stint, did some amazing shows as a TV actor. According to him “Hosting or Emceeing is definitely a lucrative career option as TV and Radio channels are growing up with lightning speed”. He also feels that “Along with fiction the non fiction programming is also on the rise which means more anchor based shows. No doubt it’s a very competitive field but the only thing which makes one survive this chaos is the passion towards this craft”.

OFFDHOOK’s journey on the unconventional route does not end here. ODH will come again with more Career options that are still not being explored in India.  

 

Richa Sharma