Great Careers For Trendsetters

Great Careers For Trendsetters

See some hot career options for trendsetters.

By Lisa Manterfield        

Famed technology visionary Steve Jobs once said, "I want to put a ding in the universe." Using his ideas and passion, Jobs built a memorable career innovating the way the world communicates.

Want to find a career where you could use your passions to create a new trend or style?

Check out our list of trendsetting career options that could align with your interests.

Career #1 - Marketing Manager

If you have an eye for new trends, a career as a marketing manager is one option to consider. Whether it's for developing new items or finding innovative ways to advertise existing products, as a marketing manager you could use your trendsetting skills to monitor new fads for promoting your company's products or services.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, marketing managers usually work with a team of advertising and promotion managers, product development managers, and market research managers. They might play any number of roles in areas like market research, product development - even pricing and advertising.

Education options: Want in on this trendy career? Employers generally favor candidates with a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, with a focus in marketing, says the Department of Labor.

Career #2 - Fashion Designer

Do you have a passion for fashion? Consider a career in fashion design where you could spot trends and predict the styles, colors, and fabrics that people might be drawn to next season.

By researching trends in the economy and society, fashion designers can create designs that appeal better to the public, says the U.S. Department of Labor. After sketching their designs, they generally work with textile designers and manufacturers to select fabrics, draw sketches, and create prototypes.

Education options: If you want to pursue a fashion-forward career, look into an associate's or bachelor's degree in fashion design. Want to one day open your own shop? Combine your fashion degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, and you could gain the needed skills to do just that, says Department of Labor.

Career #3 - Chef

Do you love food and enjoy testing new recipes? As a chef, you could put your culinary creativity and trendsetting nature to use, finding new ways to suit the public's palate by staying in touch with culinary trends, such as healthier alternatives or sustainable food sources.

In addition to overseeing the daily duties of a kitchen staff, chefs might play a role in preparing cost estimates for food and supplies, making work schedules, developing recipes, and planning menus, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Education options: A career in the kitchen sound good? Look into schools that offer associate's degree or certificate programs in culinary arts. According to the College Board, an organization that administers academic aptitude exams, courses could cover everything from food science to baking to restaurant management.

Career #4 - Foreign Correspondent

If you hope to explore the world and learn about different cultures, a career as a foreign correspondent might be right up your alley. In this type of career, you could have the opportunity to bring important world issues and trends into the spotlight by gathering information, creating stories, and delivering international news to viewers or readers back home, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Assigned to a country by a publication or station, foreign correspondents usually work under strict deadlines, says the Department of Labor. You might be asked to report the news from the location of a war zone or at the scene of a natural disaster.

Education options: Want to start preparing to pursue this trendsetting, globetrotting career? According to the Department, the common education path for foreign correspondents is a bachelor's degree in journalism or mass communication.

Career #5 - Interior Designer

Do you enjoy decorating your home or office? As an interior designer, you could give decorating advice to clients and illustrate the latest interior design trends.

By listening to a client's needs and wishes, interior designers can create a design that fulfills those requests, says the U.S. Department of Labor. And even though those designs will need to be created with building/safety codes - and budget - in mind, interior designers can still bring their creativity to the table and deliver something that makes the client say, "Wow!"

Education options: Want to get in on this career? Look into interior design programs at the certificate, associate's degree, or bachelor's degree levels. If you want to apprentice post graduation, you might want to go with a bachelor's degree, as the Department of Labor notes that these grads generally qualify for formal apprenticeship programs.