Union

At the intersect between education and technology

Discovering talents and profiting from it – the entrepreneurs guide

Do you have a talent that you’ve always wanted to turn into a lucrative career? They say it’s one of the best ways to achieve true life satisfaction. Identifying your strengths and fulfilling natural potential makes work much more meaningful, yet just 20% believe they’re in a job that utilizes their talents, according to Gallup. In the U.S. alone, only 13% of works say they find their work meaningful, which is a rather sad state of affairs.

If you’re in the majority who works in a job that isn’t satisfying, or worse, consider these ways to turn your true talents into a career.

Discover Your Passions

If you aren’t sure what you’re most passionate about, the first step is to discover your passions. Think about things that you not only bring you great joy, but that you’re skilled at. You may be passionate about painting, for example, but if it’s something that you aren’t necessarily innately good at, it’s going to be hard to make a living at it. Maybe art comes easily to you, whether it’s sculpting, painting, drawing or something else? Perhaps people have noticed your work and even asked you to create something for them. You may be able to profit by selling your creations.

Do Some Research

Conducting research into what you’ll need to launch your career is an important aspect as well, perhaps you’ll need certain equipment, certification or a degree. You may need funding to get it all started. If you can interview a few people who are doing something similar to find out more, ask them how they became successful and try to follow their path while still making it your own.

Are there options for getting the word out about your talent? These days you’ll find apps and sites that may be able to help, including a talent app where you can connect with those who are looking for comedians, DJs, artists, actors and the like without having to go through an agent.

Get Some Training

If you want to be taken seriously, you’ll need experience or at least training so that you’re viewed as a professional. Simply having talent often isn’t enough. You may want to take workshops or attend online or night classes while you’re still working at your current job. Remember, the more you learn, the more marketable you’ll be. Keep your day job while doing so to keep the bills paid, eventually you may make enough using your talent to quit, or at least go part-time.