I've been thinking a lot about my future lately and what kind of career I'd like to start pursuing. I turn 23 next month and some of you may be thinking a career path is something I should have already started thinking about by now, but it's always just been so overwhelming. I've bobbed around from wanting to do this and then that since I was a wee little child, but since I was around 17, I've been distracted by different aspects of life. However, as time's gone on and I'm finally beginning to get to know myself again, I'm really starting to focus on real goals for myself!
Since my late teenage years, I found myself starting to settle; I told myself "Oh I won't be able to achieve anything I'd actually like to do for a career, I'll just work in a 9-5 office job that'll pay my bills." Not the most positive way of thinking, is it? LOL The past few months, though, I've began to see a brighter future for myself, one where I give my dreams a real go! I have a few dream careers (based on the little amount I DO know about each one) in mind that I really want to shoot for over the next ten years and I thought I'd share them with you!
1. A & R Representative
An A&R rep is someone who scouts new talent for a record label, in other words, they'll go around seeing different artists live or hearing demos or mixtapes and if they like what they hear, they can work towards getting the talent to sign with the record label they work for. I've been interested in the music industry since I was about fifteen. I started street teaming for the record label, Fearless Records, at that age and that basically consists of promoting their bands in various different ways and in exchange you'll get a ticket to a show or in most cases, for my friend and I anyway, guest listed backstage. :) Before I even started running street, I had been going to shows almost every weekend so I started to really create relationships with different people; people in bands, record label representatives, tour managers, roadies and I really got to see different aspects of what that sort of life entails.
I don't exactly remember how I first heard about A&R, but I know I've had an interest in the position since around my show-going days. The idea of finding new talent and playing a major role in helping them share their music with the world is just so appealing to me. When I first started going to shows, being in the front of the crowd singing along to every word was my favorite thing and it still very much is, but after my first time standing side-stage at a show, something changed. I got to see the concert from a whole other perspective. I got to see the crowd and the look of love and true joy on the face of every person in the room and that has become something that really fills me up with happiness and a love for the art of music. I think it would be incredible to be able to help give people that gift of music and help the musician/musicians to achieve their dreams!
Here are just a few of my favorite photos with some of my favorite people from my show days! :)
2. Author
I've loved writing for as long as I can remember and as I got older, I realized it was something I'm actually quite good at. English was always the class that I excelled in the most in school and it was a subject I actually enjoyed. I've always kept journals and recently, I've been getting back into it again, along with this blog, however what I truly, truly enjoy is fictional writing. In my teen years, I was writing a book about a girl and her friends and the trials and tribulations of growing up and since then, I think I've tried to continue that book in some way or another. Every time I try to write something new, the characters start to remind me of that teenage girl and her friends...unfinished business and all that. I'd like to pick up on that book again and do some revising which I'm sure is greatly needed!
To this day, my fictional stories have all consisted of the young adult genre type writing. I've been told that my voice is similar to that of Jason Myers (Exit Here) and Michael Northrop (Gentelmen) which is possibly one of the greatest compliments I could ever receive since those are two of my favorite writers of all time. I love that writing is so cathartic and I can say anything I've ever wanted to say through a character. Also, the idea of being able to help someone with something their struggling with or just make them smile through something I've written would be an absolute dream come true. Writing has taken a backseat these past few years and I'd really like to see that change so that I can give being an author a proper go!
3. Event Coordinator
This is a job that I know far less about, but regardless, it is something I'd really like to look into. I first got a glimpse of being an event coordinator from would you believe it? The Hills. Yes, the guilty pleasure of a "reality show" that starred the ever so beautiful and talented Lauren Conrad. Do any of you remember her friend on the show and in real life, Heidi Montag? Well, in Season 1 of the show we saw Heidi working for a company called Bolthouse and they planned and coordinated events for different companies and it just looked so exciting! The reason I started to consider it as a job for myself is because I started to realize that putting together parties and events for friends was something I truly enjoyed. I loved picking out the venue, decor, food, music, everything that would go into an event on a larger scale and I'd quite like to do a bit research and see if it's a possibility for me. The lifestyle of socializing and also having a desk job that also greatly involves working with others toward one final goal is very appealing!
These are the three career paths that have always stayed with me in the back of my mind and I think it's time I really start to focus on them! I hope this has inspired you to give your dreams a chance! Leave your dream jobs in the comments below if you'd like! xx
