FIVE years ago, few people had even heard of the term “online influencer”.
But the role is now the top choice for young jobseekers.
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Thousands of millennials make a living through posting videos, pictures and commentary on YouTube, Instagram and elsewhere on social media.
Top influencers — or online content creators — can amass millions of followers and some make hundreds of thousands of pounds a year after landing deals with brands.
Make-up and fashion vlogger Zoella and Fortnite gamer Ali A are just two of the web stars who helped define the role.
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And YouTuber Joe Sugg found “mainstream” fame on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Now a study from VidCon London 2020 — a festival of the online world — has found 28 per cent of youngsters aged 14 to 24 rate influencer as their dream career, one point ahead of the number who wanted to become doctors, with a police career in third place (25 per cent).
Influencers can work flexibly, help others and potentially earn a substantial income while also exercising their creativity — all key considerations for young workers. A spokesman for the event said: “Being yourself on the internet could be your job.”
Here, two leading influencers reveal how they launched their careers.
JOSHUA PIETERS
JOSHUA PIETERS, 26, has a million subscribers on YouTube.
The former semi-pro cricketer began posting videos when glandular fever left him too ill to play sport for six months.
The Londoner says: “It’s amazing to do a job that allows you to travel, be creative and, most importantly, entertain others.
“Over the next few years, the amount of content creators will continue to increase.
“It will become even harder to succeed in, but the ones who do will be extraordinary.”
Lucy Jessica Carter
LUCY JESSICA CARTER has doubled her number of followers in the last year.
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The mum-of-two, who is expecting twins, posts on parenting, lifestyle and fashion. Lucy, 29, from Wiltshire said: “Lots of schools and parents don’t understand content creation or being an influencer and still don’t see it as a viable career path, but they need to be more open minded.
“To be a good influencer you need the confidence to put yourself out there. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else at this time in my life.”
ROOMS FOR MUMS
A MUM who found work through Sunemployment wants parents to join her at Travelodge.
Emma Northall read a report in The Sun about the hotel chain offering flexible working for mums and dads.
She got a job as a receptionist in Walsall and now the 40-year-old mother of two wants working parents to follow her.
The budget hotel chain has 1,500 jobs to fill with flexible hours to fit the school run.
Emma says: “Travelodge understands the challenges parents face on a daily basis, such as the school run. There are so many parents here . . . we all look after each other.”
Roles include managers, bar staff and receptionists.
Apply now at travelodge.co.uk/careers/working-parents.
When it goes wrong
THE collapse of Thomas Cook has left 9,000 UK workers out of a job.
Here are five key points to note if your employer goes into liquidation, from employment law consultant Liam Grime of The ELAS Group:
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1. Any employee with more than two years’ continuous employment with the firm, is entitled to a redundancy payment, plus payment for any holidays they have accrued but not used, and a notice payment.
2. Employees with less than two years’ continuous service are only entitled to the unused holiday and notice payments.
3. When a company goes into compulsory liquidation, the chances of the firm being able to provide you with these payments are very slim.
4. In such circumstances, the company’s employees have to apply to the Redundancy Payments Office – part of The Insolvency Service – to seek what they are owed in the form of compensation from the government.
(The appointed liquidator must inform employees of their rights and provide compensation claims forms. Employees can return these to the liquidator who passes themn to the Redundancy Payments Office, or you can submit a direct claim online at gov.uk/government/collections/redundancy-payment-forms).
Growing gains
LANDSCAPE gardeners are the cheeriest workers, according to a new survey to mark the International Week Of Happiness At Work.
A study of more than 40,000 workers found 86 per cent of gardeners love their jobs.
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Dog-walkers, counsellors, wedding photographers and personal trainers also emerged as being very content in their roles. The least satisfied were cleaners, plumbers, electricians and life coaches.
Kai Feller, co-founder of the service-finding site bark.com, said: “Being happy at work is very important, both for an employee and an employer.
“The happier staff are, the more productive they’ll be.
“Employers should want staff to feel happy and valued.”
