By Taylor Morgan
Everyone has that one dream job—the career their kindergarten self proudly declared they would pursue when they grew up. For most of us, it was a teacher, firefighter or astronaut, but now kindergarteners are saying they want to be one thing: a content creator. This flashy new career is pulling Generation Alpha in, promising them a life of glamour and independence. However, one big question remains: Is this so-called career being accepted by the rest of the world as a “real” job?
From recent Super Bowl commercials to sponsorships with top brands, content creators and influencers are everywhere. Being a creator in the social media space is not entirely new; platforms that gained traction in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as MySpace, allowed people to express themselves creatively. However, one major shift has occurred in the past decade: platforms have started partnering with creators and introducing creator funds. In 2018, YouTube expanded its YouTube Partner Program allowing creators to monetize their content through sponsorships and ads. This major shift within social media transformed the industry, allowing influencers to leave their day jobs and pursue content creation full time.
Consider TikTok content creator Abby Catlin. In a video she posted on October 29, 2024, Catlin revealed that she had quit her job as a NICU nurse to pursue content creation full time. While she received an outpouring of positive feedback, she also faced backlash. Critics questioned everything from why she would leave an “actual career” to the financial instability of content creation.
The bad taste that many people—especially older generations—have when it comes to quitting mainstream careers for content creation stems from a few key concerns. First, the perceived lack of skill and formal training goes against virtually every traditional career path. Many people believe that it takes little effort to build and maintain a career as an influencer, despite the financial rewards some achieve. Second, influencing typically lacks a traditional job structure. Consumers observe influencers being self-employed, working without fixed hours or a consistent salary, and often deem it a hobby rather than a career.
While we cannot definitively say whether content creation qualifies as a “real” job, one thing is clear: many of today’s kindergarteners who dream of becoming content creators will likely achieve their goal. As our world becomes increasingly digital, the demand for content creators will only grow.
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