Career choices - head or heart?

Stemar3

My head is absolutely minced and any wiser soul's opinions would be much appreciated.
Ive graduated from college with a degree in music, specialising in Vocals and have sang my whole life, always deeming it the 'dream job'. Unfortunately we all know it can be sporadic in payments, work etc. My other end goal is to become a music therapist by completing a masters. I was very lucky at the beginning of this year to have been offered a tour as a backing singer for a well-known artist both here and the UK, which is well paid and a fantastic opportunity, and also in the meantime have been offered a permanent seasonal contract as cabin crew for a very good airline, meaning I'd have to leave the tour and take the job.
My question is.... Should I take the sensible job with the option to travel and save for my masters, or should I follow my passion and see if this tour leads on to even bigger opportunities?
Thank you

miezekatze

I'd go for the backing singer job. It would be a great opportunity for you, and sounds much more appealing than a cabin crew job (which you could always apply for again in the future if you change your mind).

Jesus take the paid singing gig, not only cos it actually sounds like a good gig but because how could you look back and not have taken it ten years from now?!

You won't starve, and opportunities like this come very rarely. Go for it.

strandroad

Go for the singing gig. If you stay in music it's a great selling/talking point on your resume!

Scraggs

Take the singing job and use the opportunity to get more experience in the industry and make contacts that could be useful in future. No reason why you can't save money for the masters doing this job also.

evolving_doors

Wow a paid music job with someone relatively well known..on tour.... if yer young and just outta college take it and make some good memories . The course will be there every year.

SATSUMA

Sing! It's what you were born to do!

December2012

No question - sing and love it.

Tokyo

The opportunity to tour and be a backing singer for a well known artist sounds like the type of chance that doesn't come along often in life. There will be other job offers in life, and the fact that you're posting here already shows that you know what you want to do, and would regret it if you didn't take the opportunity to sing.

With all due respect, this shouldn't even be a decision you need to make. This isn't necessarily a heart v head decision, but more a sensible one. You are one of few that would have such an opportunity so close out of college.

LegacyUser

Stemar3 wrote: »

seasonal contract

If it's a seasonal contract, it's no better than the uncertainty of the music business. Go and sing, you'll regret it if you don't.

witchgirl26

Take the singing job. Ask if you can defer the cabin crew place if you do want it. Make the connections in the industry and hold on to them. Never know when they'll come in handy. Enjoy!

AlmightyCushion

The cabin crew job is definitely the safer bet long term but you'd be a fool not to take the singing job. It's the type of job that I imagine is tough enough to land but once you get it, it could probably open up a few doors and present a lot of future opportunities. You'll have plenty of chances in the future to get a cabin crew job or one similar to it.

nkav86

Go for the singing job. Its paid as you said and somewhat gives you a chance to travel, but also will give you an experience you'll never get anywhere else. Best of luck!

Emme

Take the singing job. It sounds like a fantastic opportunity. Chances like this don't come very often life so you should grab it. It will stand to you whatever path you choose to take when the tour is finished.

Stemar3

Thank you all for your input! See my only concern is that that tour will end in Autumn and I'll be left chasing my tail again money wise. It's a fantastic opportunity and experience but there's also a gap in tour dates, with very little going on for April and May, meaning I have to balance a 2nd job in retail to keep myself ticking over. Im wondering would it make sense to take the cabin crew and record/work on building myself as an artist on my days off. Its just tough balancing 2 jobs currently.

witchgirl26

Stemar3 wrote: »

Thank you all for your input! See my only concern is that that tour will end in Autumn and I'll be left chasing my tail again money wise. It's a fantastic opportunity and experience but there's also a gap in tour dates, with very little going on for April and May, meaning I have to balance a 2nd job in retail to keep myself ticking over. Im wondering would it make sense to take the cabin crew and record/work on building myself as an artist on my days off. Its just tough balancing 2 jobs currently.

OP have you done the training for cabin crew? I just ask as I know someone who did it and it was not only really intensive but approx 40% of the class don't actually make it through.

I get what you're saying about using your days off but unless you have your schedule, will this not be difficult to organise? You might not know until the week before what days you're off and they might not fit in with when you want studio time etc.

I understand it's tough balancing the two jobs but realistically the tour will give you more opportunity to work on building yourself within the industry and as an artist and contacts than the cabin crew job ever will. Would you be able to talk to your retail job and if you know what days you're not on the tour, work around those with them?

August is a long time away and if you were to do the tour, is there any opportunities do you think for getting more work out of that in terms of job offers for other tours etc? Would you be able to put off the cabin crew job until then stating that you have a fixed term contract?

Stemar3

witchgirl26 wrote: »

OP have you done the training for cabin crew? I just ask as I know someone who did it and it was not only really intensive but approx 40% of the class don't actually make it through.

I get what you're saying about using your days off but unless you have your schedule, will this not be difficult to organise? You might not know until the week before what days you're off and they might not fit in with when you want studio time etc.

I understand it's tough balancing the two jobs but realistically the tour will give you more opportunity to work on building yourself within the industry and as an artist and contacts than the cabin crew job ever will. Would you be able to talk to your retail job and if you know what days you're not on the tour, work around those with them?

August is a long time away and if you were to do the tour, is there any opportunities do you think for getting more work out of that in terms of job offers for other tours etc? Would you be able to put off the cabin crew job until then stating that you have a fixed term contract?

I think at the moment it's more so a fear that this great, stable and well paid cabin crew has come up, which sensibly I could do for a year or so to save for my masters. I would be able to afford a car and have free travel on my 3 months off, and wouldn't be living so tight moneywise. It wouldnt be following my dream by any means, but id be happy in the long run as a music therapist after my masters. I know the job offer cannot be postponed unfortunately - they only generally offer seasonal contracts as a rule of thumb but I'm down for the 1 group of training thats permanent. Theres some great pros, well paid, travel, stability and 3 months paid leave a year. Cons are I wouldn't be in control of my life so to speak, as currently I can choose when I work/travel/holiday etc.

The fear I have I suppose is the uncertainty of music, if another tour/job doesn't come into fruition and I'll spend my life waiting on my next invoice or next audition. They would be the cons - uncertainty in work and pay, not knowing when you will be paid again, working 2 jobs and no pension etc.

The pros of course are following my dreams, the thrill of performing to thousands which I've worked towards for years, flexibility in my life, travelling the country to tour, an just the absolute adrenaline rush when doing what you love. It doesn't feel like work.

witchgirl26

Stemar3 wrote: »

I think at the moment it's more so a fear that this great, stable and well paid cabin crew has come up, which sensibly I could do for a year or so to save for my masters. I would be able to afford a car and have free travel on my 3 months off, and wouldn't be living so tight moneywise. It wouldnt be following my dream by any means, but id be happy in the long run as a music therapist after my masters. I know the job offer cannot be postponed unfortunately - they only generally offer seasonal contracts as a rule of thumb but I'm down for the 1 group of training thats permanent. Theres some great pros, well paid, travel, stability and 3 months paid leave a year. Cons are I wouldn't be in control of my life so to speak, as currently I can choose when I work/travel/holiday etc.

The fear I have I suppose is the uncertainty of music, if another tour/job doesn't come into fruition and I'll spend my life waiting on my next invoice or next audition. They would be the cons - uncertainty in work and pay, not knowing when you will be paid again, working 2 jobs and no pension etc.

The pros of course are following my dreams, the thrill of performing to thousands which I've worked towards for years, flexibility in my life, travelling the country to tour, an just the absolute adrenaline rush when doing what you love. It doesn't feel like work.

I totally understand wanting the security piece but the cabin crew job isn't the only secure job that you could get. You could try to find one for when you come back from the tour and work on the masters then depending on what happens. And if there is downtime in the tour - use that to look for a job after so that you have options if nothing is immediately forthcoming.

Ultimately only you can make the decision but don't make it based on fear as opportunities to follow your dreams don't come along very often.

Emme

OP, chances like this only come along once in a lifetime if you're lucky. It's up to you if you want to pass it by for the sake of security. If you choose the secure but boring route you will have to be prepared to live with the consequences. You say singing doesn't feel like a job to you. Yet you want to pass up this opportunity for something that does feel like a job for the sake of security. Imagine doing 20 years of this and knowing you passed up the chance of a lifetime and your dream of singing is gone.