One completely unexpected byproduct of pandemic is that many people that were out of work during the stay-at-home orders have used the time to reevaluate their career goals. Aside from the obvious staffing shortages evident at your local coffee spot or restaurant, for those that pay attention, the amount of vlogging beyond just makeup tutorials has seen a spike in activity. People wanting to make a living by visually expounding about their hobbies abound on the vlogosphere. While this may seem like a fun and fulfilling way to make money, for most people it can’t financially replace the steady income and security that comes from having a job. Being a professionally Vlogger takes a lot more time and discipline than most people think. Having a successful vlog, with followers and endorsements can be just the ticket for landing your dream job!
Considering yourself as the number one product you are promoting, then having a well-crafted vlog with followers is a commercial for what you are capable of. If you are a beauty vlogger that has a ton of followers, a goal it is hard to achieve in the crowded market, opportunities may arise for you within the competitive beauty industry. For example, Nikkie de Jager is a Dutch beauty blogger with 9.6 million YouTube subscribers and is the most-subscribed beauty channel in the Netherlands. As one of the top beauty vloggers, she has developed lucrative partnerships with top brands like Maybelline. The development of relationships both within that industry and with her followers has gained her a legitimate position in that industry.
Not everyone can achieve millions of followers, according to Forbes magazine “making money off of a YouTube channel is not as easy as people seem to think... there are thousands of vloggers who struggle to attract any revenues at all.” However, even a much more modest number of subscribers within a specific community has the potential to gain the attention of prospective employers looking for talent in various industries.
What a hiring business gets from your successful vlogs is a built-in audience, that you have done all the work in cultivating, without them having to pay an exorbitant amount of money on a commercial. That you are a proven success on whatever scale further demonstrates your value and potential input as an employee.
In short, while many aspire to make a decent living creating content for internet consumption in whatever field they consider themselves to be adept, most just can’t make a living doing only vlogging. There is a far greater probability, though, that a savvy job seeker will establish credibility in whatever field most aspirational to make a living in, by creating a unique, and valuable vlogging identity to showcase the very qualities an employer can use to benefit his or her own company
