25 Dynamite Jobs Featured for Creative Professionals
By Jamie M Downey
Publisher Of THE American Dog Magazine
"I do hands-on animal rescue and it's a tough, heartbreaking world where we struggle to save pets, one-by-one, from our deadly shelter system. I believe I can save more pets with one book, than I can save for the rest of my life, helping one pet at a time. Besides, I had a score to settle with Katrina"” I saw firsthand what she had done to the helpless animals of the Gulf. I was compelled to speak for them, to tell the story of those we saved, and most importantly, to tell the story of those we were too late to save."
Karen O'Toole, book author of Orphans of Katrina (www.orphansofkatrina.com) Photo by Marie Shannon Peck.
22. Book Author
Who hasn't dreamed of writing a novel and getting published? Well there are a multitude of resources offered at colleges as well as online writing classes and workshops where you can learn everything about becoming a book author!
Check out these first time pet-friendly authors:
karen O'Toole, author of orphans of Katrina at www.orphansofkatrina.com
Patrick Bettendorf, author of ruby's Tales at www.rubystales.com
Alana stevenson, author of The right Way the First Time at www.alanastevenson.com
23. National Dog Magazine Publisher
This is a dream come true for those that aspire to become magazine publishers and be able to connect with thousands or millions of people nationwide! People are passionate about their pets and love to read the "dog magazines" on the market today!
Check out some great dog publications:
The American Dog magazine at www.theamericandogmag.com
Bark magazine at www.thebark.com
Modern Dog magazine at www.moderndogmagazine.com
Animal Wellness magazine at www.animalwellnessmagazine.com
24. Regional Dog Magazine
Regional magazines are great because they fill a niche market and can target everything going on in that particular commu nity, and really get involved in the state or city they're covering.
Check out some cool regional mags:
The Virginia Dog magazine at www.thevirginiadog.com
Hawaii Pet Magazine at www.hawaiipetmagazine.com Florida's Lifestyle Dog magazine at www.thenewbarker.com
25. Pet Photographer
Everybody wants to be a photographer, but you have to be very creative and patient when you're working with animals to snap the perfect photograph! They say a picture is worth a 1000 words, and if your dream is to be a pet photographer then check out photography schools or take classes. And, of course, don't forget you need a top-notch camera!
Check out these incredible pet-friendly photographers:
Heather green at www.heathergreenphotography.com
Brett chisholm at www.brettchisholm.com
Lisa scarsi at www.lisascarsi.com
26. Freelance Writer
If you Google "become a freelance writer" you have more than 8.3 million results to sort through that will tell you ev erything you need to know about this "dream job" profession of being able to work from home, set your own hours, and get paid! Being a freelance writer also means that you have an endless selection of options when it comes to work. But, make sure you know how to write!
27. Dog Lovers Internet Web Site
There are millions of dog lovers and many of these savvy dog owners turn to the internet to find out what's going on in the dog world. If you're a computer geek you can set up a Web site loaded with all sorts of dog info which attracts pet indus try advertisers and you're in business!
Check out some influential dog lover Web sites:
Pet finder at www.petfinder.com
Dogster at www.dogster.com
Leashes and Lovers at www.leashesandlovers.com
"I don't do weddings, unless your dog is going to be in it. Seriously, for me it's all about the relationships we have with our pets and it's these relationships that inspire the expressive imagery in my photography. I grew up with a love for animals and discovered my interest in photography along the
way. My goal is to combine these passions to produce an exciting array of fun compositions, contemporary images, as well as a fresh twist on black-and-white portraiture. I also love shooting for editorial and commercial purposes. Nothing is better than having a dog as your subject matter."
Heather Green of Heather Green Photography (www.heathergreenphotography.com) Photo by Shannon Worgan
28. Pet-Focused Artist
Pursue your passion for art and turn it into your profes sion. There are many schools and courses offered where you can learn to be an artist or just perfect your skills before you set up shop and open your very own studio!
Check out these pet-friendly artists:
sara England at www.saraenglanddesigns.com
Jen griggs sebastian at www.scoutdogstudios.com
nancy Allen at www.nancyallenstudio.com
29. Pet Illustrator
Pet-friendly Illustrators can be hired for a variety of projects working for magazines, newspapers, books, newsletters, Web sites, comic strips, fashion designers, or business owners. If you have a talent for drawing you should look into this fun "job" doing what you love!
Check out some creative pet illustrators:
Jim McHugh at www.mcillustrator.com
Beck kramer at www.beckadoodles.com
Paul Brett Johnson at www.paulbrettjohnson.com
Kim Niles at www.kiniart.com
30. Pet Cartoonist
If you have a love of drawing, then becoming a pet car toonist might just be the job for you. This exciting pro fession will allow you to release your creativity and put it on paper in the form of pets and people! Who doesn't love a cartoon? And a great Web site to check out is www.how-to-draw-cartoons-online.com and for some fun examples visit www.cartoonstock.com
Check out some crazy-funny cartoonists at:
Dan Pirano at www.bizarro.com
Joseph farris at www.josephfarris.com
Bruce robinson at www.brucerobinsoncartoon.tripod.com
"I have always loved dogs. A house without a dog is like a home without a heart. There is always joy in our home because of our pets. They unconditionally love us. Molly and Sam greet us first thing in the morning with a kiss, and cuddle with us each evening. I have devoted the majority of my art to dogs as it brings so much joy and laughter to people that see it. People have such a close connection to their dogs, and it is nice to portray this through my art."
Sara England, artist and owner of Sara England Designs (www.saraenglanddesigns.com) Photo courtesy of Sara England Designs
31. Canine Culinary Chef
With all the current pet food recalls and recalls over the last few years, cooking healthy, nutritious meals for dogs has become big business, and there are a number of high-quality chefs that spend their days in the kitchen whipping up tanta lizing treats for Fido!
Check out these amazing pet-friendly chefs:
chef Edward of canine culinary creations at www.canineculinarycreations.com
chef Mike of freshfetch Pet foods at www.freshfetchpetfoods.com
chef Daryll of eModerndog cuisine at www.emoderndog.com
chef Vickie of Vickie's Vittles at www.vickiesvittles.com
32. Newspaper Pet Columnist
If you are considered a pet expert or a certified dog or cat behaviorist, then it's possible to become a contributing col umnist for a newspaper and talk about pets! This is a great way to reach pet owners and share your expertise with all the readers.
Check out some dedicated pet columnists:
steve Dale, my Pet World national column at www.stevedalepetworld.com
sharon l. Peters, pet columnist for USA ToDAY at www.usatoday.com
33. Pet Comic Strip Column
There have been plenty of dogs made famous by coming to life in comic strips. Some of the more notable canine faces are; "Daisy" featured in the comic strip Blondie, "Dogbert" featured in the comic strip Dilbert, "Earl" featured in the comic strip Mutts, "Snoopy" featured in the comic strip Peanuts, and "Marmaduke," which was just made into a movie and hit theatres this past summer.
Check out some noteworthy comic strip columnists:
Patrick McDonnell of comic strip mutts at www.muttscomics.com
Mike Peters of comic strip mother goose and grimm at www.grimmy.com
steve Boreman of comic strip Little Dog Lost at www.gocomics/littledoglost.com
"I love being a canine chef because my dog treats make you and your dog smile! The puppies I am holding were rescued by us and donated to a service dog company. I received a phone call from one of my customers saying they had 18 puppies from two litters and they needed some major help. We handpicked those five for their great temperaments, I fostered the puppies at my home for a couple of weeks, and now they are helping people in need of a service dog. It makes me smile when we are able to help dogs in need, train them using our treats, and then find them loving homes with our customers. It brings joy to myself and also those who share my love of dogs."
Chef Edward Mac, owner of Canine Culinary Creations (www.canineculinarycreations.com) Photo by Mike Satoshi Garcia
34. Pet-Friendly Interior Designer
Since there are millions of homes with dogs and cats living in them, a lot of consumers have now turned to pet-friendly interior design ers for help with decorating their living space. It's not only important to make their home more comfortable for the humans, but for the family dog as well!
Check out these pet-friendly interior designers:
Suzanne Lasky of S Interior Designs at www.sinteriordesign.com
Hoechstetter Interiors at www.hoechstetterinteriors.wordpress.com
Tina Gittner of Lap of Luxury Interiors at www.lapofluxuryinteriors.com
35. Pet Industry PR & Marketing Firms
Many business owners are focused on selling their product and making sales, so they will hire a marketing and PR firm to handle all the marketing, public relations, and social media, as well as generate press releases and hopefully gain expo sure for their company in some of the traditional media outlets.
Check out some innovative PR & Marketing firms:
Barking Lab Media at www.barkinglabmedia.com
Alpha Dog PR at www.alphadogpr.com
Fetching Communications at www.fetchingcommunications.com
Pawsible Marketing at www.pawsiblemarketing.com
36. Branding and Image Consultants
You want your company image and products you sell to make a lasting impression on your customer, which is why branding and image consultants are in high demand nowadays. These savvy consultants will help a business identify what type of brand they want, and keep it consistent throughout all the various media strategies that are implemented to be successful.
Check out some companies that specialize in this field:
Get Brand Wise at www.getbrandwise.com
Pro Market Image offers branding and marketing at www.promarketimage.com
Charlotte's Web Studios offers image and branding at www.charlotteswebstudios.com
"As the owner of S Interior Design, I love being the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services (tm) because we get to make the home environments for our clients with four-legged members look and work great for all inhabitants. S Interior Design assesses the home from the pets' perspective so their needs are accommodated. Pets could care less what color the walls are, but really appreciate a den-like space to retreat to, and dislike the smelly cleaners that sometimes get used since a dog's sense of smell is 200x better than us poor humans."
Suzanne LaSky, owner oF S InterIor DeSIgn (www.sinteriordesign.com) Photo CourteSy oF S Interior Design
37. Social Media Pet Blogger
Blogging is big business and most companies will hire someone to handle the "blogging" about their company to stay connected with their customers. There are also many "bloggers" who set up shop and talk about the pet industry"”who have a loyal following of pet lovers in their community"”which also catches the eye of businesses that will want to advertise their product on your site!
Check out these pet-friendly bloggers:
Ryan Rice, founder of Houston Dog Blog at www. houstondogblog.com
Edie Jarolim, founder of Will my dog hate me? At www.willmydoghateme.com
Paris Permenter, Co-founder of Dog Tipper at www.dogtipper.com
38. Online Magazines & Pet Directories
With the explosion of the internet, most consumers just click a mouse to get the latest news and info they need to stay up-to-date with all things dog-related. And who has a phone book anymore? If you're looking for a business or product for your pooch most computer-savvy peeps will explore the web to find what they're searching for in one of the popular dog-friendly online magazines!
Check out some hip online dog magazines and pet directories:
In Colorado, The Colorado Dog at www.thecoloradodog.com
In Los Angeles, The Los Angeles Dog at www.thelosangelesdog.com
In Dallas, The Dallas Dog at www.dallasdoglife.com
Popular online dog magazine, Dog News Daily at www.dognewsdaily.com
39. Pet Lifestyle Experts
When you become an expert on a subject, especially in the pet industry, you will always be in demand for the plethora of media outlets such as radio, TV, magazines, newspapers, books, charity events, trade shows, etc, wanting you to share your expertise and are willing to pay you for it too!
Check out some fore-most experts on everything pet related:
Pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige at www.colleenpaige.com
Popular pet expert Charlotte Reed at www.charlottereed.com
Pet lifestyle expert Sandy Robbins at www.sandyrobinsononline.com
"I love being a social media pet blogger through HoustonDogBlog.com! It gives me an opportunity to talk about my passion for pooches as well as share important information to Houston's pet-loving community! Whether promoting events, products, or people that are making a difference for pets, I have a blast and get to work side-by-side with my canine companion Isabella!"
Ryan Rice, founder of Houston Dog Blog (www.houstondogblog.com) Photo by Brett Chisholm
40. Pet-Focused Web Designer
Your Web site speaks volumes about your business so you better have a really professional, informative site for potential customers to check out. Since practically
Magazine Industry Jobs everyone is online these days you need to make sure
your web site can compete with your competition, and not get left behind in the dust!
Check out these creative web designers:
Angry squirrels studios at www.angrysquirrelsstudio.com
furry friends Web Design at www.furryfriendswebdesign.com
41. Dog Newspaper Publisher
Consumers love to read and many people still enjoy picking up a newspaper and scrolling through it while having their cup of coffee in the morning! Newspapers, newsletters and journals are still pretty popular reading choices"”even with the internet around!
Check out some pet industry newspapers being published:
The Pet Press in Los Angeles at www.thepetpress-la.com
Alaska Dog news at www.alaskadognews.com
Whole Dog Journal at www.whole-dog-journal.com
42. Magazine Industry Jobs
There are still thousands of magazines being published, which means there are plenty of jobs to be had in the magazine in dustry. Pick up any publication and look at the masthead for a description of the jobs being performed and see which ones you qualify for or would like to train for. Also, many magazines offer internships with no pay, but you gain hands-on experience!
Some of the more common jobs in the industry are:
Associate publisher, editor, managing editor, articles editor, associate editor, editor-at-large, contributing editor, staff writer, contributing writers, contributing photographers, editorial director, copy editor, proof reader, art director, creative director, graphic designer, advertising director, sales director, account executives, marketing manager, production manager, traffic coordinator, all sorts of assistant jobs, and plenty of internships too!
""I love working with people and projects
that involve pets because it allows me to
combine my two loves"”dogs and being
creative. Being a small interactive design
shop allows me to create custom-fit
solutions to solve my clients' unique project
challenges. My services include logo/print
design, website design, blog customization,
branding strategy, social media virtual
assistant, SEO, and more. I am here to
help you when your project needs a good
kick in the ....!"
Jen Griggs Sebastian (with Jordy and Samson), owner of Angry Squirrel Studios (www.angrysquirrelstudios.com) Photo by Matt Sebastian
43. Documentary Film Producer
Many of the documentary film producers have gone undercover to expose a situation that consumers knew nothing about, and many times, take great risks to get the raw footage they need to expose the bad guys to the public and show what really goes on behind closed doors.
Check out these influential documentary filmmakers:
shannon keith of Uncaged films at www.uncagedfilms.com
shaun Monson, director of earthlings at www.earthlings.com
LcA's chris Derose, documentary on "Dealing Dogs" at www.lcanimal.org
44. Pet Radio Show Host
Majority of radio talk show hosts are involved in some faucet of the pet industry, and by being connected to a radio show it gives them a platform to be able to reach a huge amount of fans and consumers, while talking about anything and everything pet-related!
Check out some charismatic personalities who have their own radio show:
Warren Eckstein and The Pet show at www.warreneckstein.com
Pet Talk with Harrison forbes at www.harrisonforbes.com
Wendy nan rees of Wendy's Animal Talk www.wendynanrees.com
Hal Abrams & Judy francis of Animal radio at www.animalradio.com
45. Pet TV Show Host
There are plenty of TV shows centered around animals and if you're an animal lover and considered an expert in your field, then you might be lucky enough to be able to host your own TV show!
Check out a few people who host their own TV show:
Jarod Miller, host of Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller at www.jarodmiller.com
Victoria stilwell, host of it's Me or the Dog at www.victoriastilwell.com
John garcia, dog trainer and host of DogTown at www.nationalgeographic.com
Megan Blake, host of Animal Attractions TV at www.meganblake.com
46. National TV Show Producer
There are dozens of shows on TV featuring all sorts of animals, adventures, or trends, and each show needs a producer as well as a support team behind the scenes to make it happen. Animals shows bring in a lot of adver tisers and these exciting pet-related shows continue to expand in the TV industry !
Check out the networks leading the way in animal-related TV shows:
Animal Planet rocks! Visit their network at www.animals.discovery.com
national geographic inspires! Visit their network at www.nationalgeographic.com
Discovery channel is awesome! Visit them at www.dsc.discovery.com
"Being a documentary filmmaker is one of the most powerful ways to get the animal welfare message out to the mass public. My films reach a huge audience that would not otherwise be educated about the animal issues that I focus on such as; vivisection, puppy mills, rodeos, circuses, veganism, and fur. My newest film just released, called "Skin Trade," exposes the horrors of the fur industry."
Shannon Keith, documentary filmmarker (www.uncagedfilms.com) Photo courtesy of Shannon Keith
|
