How do I turn my passion into a job?

Katie Thistleton

Hello there and welcome to The BBC Bitesize Careers Podcast. My name's Katie Thistleton and today we're going to be talking about turning your hobby or that thing that you love and you're really passionate about into a career one day. And to help me do this today I'm joined by our amazing careers expert Mark Anderson, who is an award winning career coach. We're also joined by the wonderful Chloé Fuller. Now Chloé, you run your own business in animal nutrition. This has led you to presenting TV features about pets and touring around the country with your gorgeous dogs. So, it's safe to say that you have turned your passion for animals into a career, is that right?

Chloé Fuller

Yeah. I mean, I've made dogs pretty much my entire identity and my life at this point.

Katie Thistleton

So, Chloé, what actually is your job role and what does it entail?

Chloé Fuller

So, I'm a pet nutritionist and it really involves you having to be a bit of a detective, figuring out what is actually wrong with the dog and how we can treat that with their food. Because at the end of the day, they can't tell us.

Katie Thistleton

Cannot wait to hear a little bit more about how you transformed that passion for dogs into an awesome career. And even if dogs aren't your thing, stick with us, because what we're talking about today is turning whatever your passion is into a career. So, whether that's dogs, sport, chess, make up, games, whatever it may be, that could be a future job.

Katie Thistleton

So, we're going to kick off with a challenge for you, Chloé. Is that all right?

Chloé Fuller

Okay.

Katie Thistleton

This is how it's going to work. I'm going to name a hobby and I want you to name for me as many jobs as you can think of that perhaps relate to that hobby. The first hobby is music.

Chloé Fuller

Music teacher, playing in an orchestra, being as part of a backing band for a singer, being part of a band, maybe sound technician, if you're going to branch out a little bit, maybe you sell musical instruments. I'm running out of them now.

Katie Thistleton

Video games.

Chloé Fuller

So, you could be a video game designer, so you design the way that it looks, or you could be a video game developer, so you design the way that it works. You could work in a video game store, you sell them. I'm running out of things.

Katie Thistleton

Art.

Chloé Fuller

So, this used to be my hobby. This used to be my passion. You could be an artist, you could do commissions, you could do pet portraits, you could do wedding portraits, designing for brands. I'm running out of them now.

Katie Thistleton

Very good. Very good. She's done great, hasn't she Mark?

Mark Anderson

Very good.

Katie Thistleton

Well, I think what we've learnt from that game is there are tons of options that sort of align with your hobbies. Would you say that, Mark?

Mark Anderson

Yeah, definitely. And I always encourage people, rather than thinking about specific jobs, to think about job sectors, because there could be other jobs within that sector that could really appeal to somebody. So, it's important to think broadly when it comes to careers.

Katie Thistleton

Do you think it is a really good idea to think about your hobby or your passion when you're trying to decide what to do as a future career?

Mark Anderson

Yeah, definitely. Because if you're going to be working for, I don't know, 50 years, it makes sense to do something that you're passionate about, something that you care about. So, it's definitely one of the first questions you need to ask yourself when you're thinking about what to do in the future. What do you spend most of your time doing? What do you spend your time thinking about? Just to find out what you're really passionate about?

Katie Thistleton

And I suppose at the same time, if you've got a hobby that you don't want to turn into a career, that's fine too, isn't it?

Mark Anderson

Definitely. I mean, I speak to a lot of young people who are passionate about, I don't know, animals or horses or whatever it might be, but they just want to keep it as their passion rather than getting paid for doing something like that.

Katie Thistleton

Yeah, absolutely. That makes sense. Chloé, you have obviously always loved dogs and pets, as you said, you've now made it your whole identity. When did you know you wanted to do a job that linked to animals?

Chloé Fuller

I kind of stumbled into it because I became disabled at 13 and I became tube fed myself. And I realised that we spend so much time thinking about dog training and we take our dogs to a puppy class, but we don't think about the foundation of all of that, their food. And I realised that because I'd become tube fed, that I could see the difference that nutrition made to me, not just physically, but also mentally and emotional too.

Katie Thistleton

Have you got any advice for anybody listening to this or watching who has a passion or hobby that they're thinking about now, but they're not sure if they want to turn it into a career one day?

Chloé Fuller

Yeah, well, I think first of all, try doing it. Just try doing it as a job. Let's say you want to be an artist and your friend goes, I'd really like you to draw my dog. Try doing a commission. If you don't like how it feels, then you know it's not right for you.

Katie Thistleton

We’re using that word passion a lot. And I think that's really important because I think if you're not passionate about your job, you don't care about it. You're not going to want to get out of bed in the morning, are you? What if you genuinely don't know what your passion is?

Mark Anderson

So, it often comes down to the things you like talking about. You know, the kind of thing where your parents say: “there she goes again talking about this or that”. And, you know, that can give you a clue because sometimes you're so passionate about something, you just think it's normal for you. And, you know, you think everybody might have the same passion, but sometimes it takes other people to point that out to you.

Katie Thistleton

I often say to people a similar thing, like have a think about if I said you can go home from school now and spend an hour doing whatever you want, what would it be?

Katie Thistleton

Well, thank you for all your brilliant advice so far. It's been very, very worthwhile. But now it's time for my favourite bit of the podcast. Ta dah! I have transformed magically into a job interviewer because this is the big job interview and I am going to be interviewing you, Chloé.

Putting you to the test, is that all right?

Chloé Fuller

Okay.

Katie Thistleton

Question number one. What's been your career highlight so far?

Chloé Fuller

Talking about pet food on the stage at Crufts. That's the pinnacle of the dog world.

Katie Thistleton

What advice would you give your younger self about your future career?

Chloé Fuller

That's really hard. And that's also hard not to get emotional, actually, because obviously there's been - I've come such a long way, you know. At my worst points, I was bed bound, I couldn't get out of bed. So, if you had said to me ten years ago, you're going to be in a studio, you’re going to be recording something for BBC Bitesize, I'd have been like puff. So, I guess have faith. Sounds silly, but just have faith, like, it will work out in the end and you will make sure of it. So, believe in yourself because you made this happen.

Katie Thistleton

I love that. Is there anything in your career that you do differently?

Chloé Fuller

I wouldn't be so critical of myself. I'm a stickler for watching something back and going, you're stuttered over your words there. And I'm like, nobody cares.

Katie Thistleton

And the final big question, would you say you're doing your dream career?

Chloé Fuller

Yes. Yes, absolutely I am.

Katie Thistleton

Thank you so much for your answers, Chloé. That was a really good interview. You did very, very well. So, if you were going to give us one thing that we should all take away from this episode today, Mark, what would it be?

Mark Anderson

One of the key things that I often say to young people is imagine yourself at a party and you're talking to somebody, but you can overhear a conversation going on behind you. What's the kind of topic that would make you want to turn around and join in that conversation? And something like that can really help you to think about what you're passionate about, what you like talking about, and so on.

Katie Thistleton

Thank you so much to both of you, for all your advice today. It's been very interesting. I hope you found it really useful. And hey, if you like the sound of Chloé's job because it sounds absolutely amazing and you want to know more about how to get a job with animals, you can go to the Careers in Animal Care section on the BBC Bitesize Careers website and you can always check out the wider “careers in” page as well. And you can explore jobs that are linked to your passion and your hobbies. Make sure you join us next time on The BBC Bitesize Careers Podcast.