Can you believe some people are lucky enough to play with food, listen to music, travel the world, and get paid for it? Neither did we, until we unearthed these three fun jobs that provide a good living, too.
Food Stylist
Rachel Ray's cooking show may only take 30 minutes to watch, but hours of prep work and sweat went into that yummy chicken dish. Denise Vivaldo is a culinary consultant whose services include prepping food for shows like Ray's, and she insists it's the hardest, most physically laborious work. "My years as a caterer prepared me for being a food stylist," she says. "Lug, schlep, cook, and present."
Vivaldo, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, broke into the business when one of her buffet presentations at a catered event caught the eye of famed television show producer Aaron Spelling. "He came to one of my parties on a Friday night. I went to work on a production that following Monday morning and have never stopped working," she recalls.
But achieving success is more than nabbing a lucky break. Knowing how to sell is also a key asset. "Either you are selling a brand -- like Rachel Ray, a cookbook, or a lifestyle; certain China, a kitchen knife ? how you represent that food is supporting or persuading that sale." Other steps to success include learning "everything you can about food and apprentice with everyone you can," Vivaldo says. "Work for free, if necessary." And, of course, some culinary courses help, too.
Music Supervisor
Got the catchy tune that carried the final scene of last night's "The Hills" stuck in your head? Thank Jon Ernst. As a music supervisor for the show, and its predecessor, "Laguna Beach," Ernst has the enviable job of sifting through myriad musical submissions he receives each day from independent artists, record labels, and agents.
Ernst studied at Berklee College of Music and the University of Florida where he earned a degree in business, but it was his talent as a singer and songwriter that led to composing and selecting music for various MTV shows. "I like to keep a very open-door policy when it comes to submitting music for me to consider for use in my shows, because I never know where I'll find the next great musical gem that becomes the perfect song to fit the perfect scene," he says.
In this gig, Ernst believes real-world experience is paramount. "Find yourself an internship or assistant job with a company that specializes in film and TV music, whether it's a studio or an independent music supervision firm," he advises. "Also, work on developing a broad knowledge of all musical styles, since you never know what you'll be called on to find for a project."
World Traveler
Christina Stubbs has walked the Great Wall of China, gone snorkeling in Bora Bora, and hiked in Patagonia. As a lover of travel, she sought to do all these things on her own, except that she's lucky enough to have a job that pays her to do it all.
As the marketing manager at Absolute Travel, a New York-based luxury tour company, Stubbs develops marketing initiatives, works with designers on creative material, writes copy, and travels frequently to make sure hotels and activities are on par with the demands of high-paying jet setters. What helped her land the job is what so many people refer to as a "useless liberal arts degree."
"I am really glad that I was an English major," says Stubbs, who studied history and English at Oberlin College. "Once you're in the working world, you realize that being able to write and edit is a skill that is just as valid and useful as any other."
Stubbs' advice is to not be afraid to take risks, recalling how she was offered two jobs at the same time. "The salary offered at one job was more in line with what I had been making in the past, but I decided to take the pay cut for this job because I wanted to learn a new industry and try something different," she says. Five years later, she's still happy with the decision she made.
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