5 Good Jobs For Whimsy People Who Still Need To Make Money, According To A Career Strategist
Look Studio | Shutterstock It's hard to find a job that feels genuinely fulfilling, especially if you are a whimsical person. With the job market's intense focus on cut-and-dry expertise in STEM fields, and AI saturating the digital world of creativity, it feels like whimsy and work should be kept in their respective lanes if you want to succeed and thrive financially.
But what if it's possible to mix the two and keep the money flowing? Career strategist Les says it's absolutely possible to embrace your whimsy with a career you love and still make money. In a recent TikTok, she shared 5 jobs that "will feel creative, aesthetic, and still have the possibility for high earning potential."
5 good jobs for whimsy people who still need to make money:
1. UX Designer
UX design (or user experience design) is a career that lets a whimsical individual make cute, yet functional designs for a company's product. According to Interaction Design Foundation, "a UX designer is concerned with the entire process of acquiring and integrating a product, including aspects of branding, design, usability, and function."
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Not only is the job about beautifying things, but it also allows whimsical people to make products easier to use. Not to mention, the job pays a pretty penny, as Glassdoor noted, "the median total salary for UX designers in the US is $109,000 annually, which includes base pay and additional compensation." If you've always wanted to get creative with products sold in stores, this is a great fit.
2. Social Media Strategy / Content Creator
This job can be SO fun for whimsy people. While social media can be a cacophony of all sorts of nonsense, this job allows you to capitalize on your whimsical personality by creating a wholesome brand out of it. We all have content creators who we love to see thrive. That person could be you!
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As far as strategy goes, the American Marketing Association emphasizes that, "Your strategy defines your audience, pinpoints where to focus your efforts, maps out the kind of content that resonates, and sets the metrics that prove it’s all working."
And according to ZipRecruiter, the national average salary for this job as of today is $65,671 a year. So as long as you have a little structure and determination, you can absolutely make it in content creation.
3. Photographer
Being a photographer comes with a lot more than just simply taking pictures (though whimsy people love that too). Flexible hours, traveling to new places, being creative, and setting your own rates are some of the greatest perks of the career.
Additionally, Les highlighted that brand and lifestyle photography are key winners in the job market right now.
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While photographer earnings vary significantly based on everything from experience to client, many agree that finding one's niche is key to good earnings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, photographers in 2024 earned about $42,500 per year, or $20.44 per hour. But that's only an average. “Top photographers charge $8,000-10,000 per day because clients know exactly what they're getting,” Karen Williams, a photo director and producer, said on LinkedIn.
In other words, depending on the niche you find and your raw talent, photography as a career could be extremely lucrative.
4. Interior Designer
As Les said, this one just might be the coziest of all the whimsy jobs. Although it might take some time to build a client roster, interior designers earn a living by using their creativity and artistic minds to make other people's homes and businesses beautiful. Who wouldn't want a whimsical person making their living space a work of art? I know I would.
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According to the BLS, the median pay for interior designers was $63,490 in 2024, and was higher than the national average. These earnings depended on where and how the interior designer was employed, such as going freelance or working in corporate.
5. Graphic Designer
As Les said, as a graphic designer, you can help people build their entire brand, from designing merchandise to increasing their online presence to creating a distinct aesthetic. It's a career that is absolutely impactful in a digital world that longs for real people making real things.
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While there is no official data on how much brand designers make, Indeed posted that similar occupations range from graphic designers who make an average of $49,623 per year to brand strategy consultants who make an average of $90,864 per year.
It varies for brand designers themselves, as "they can work for agencies that supply clients, or they can work as freelance designers and locate their clients personally." It's time to build that portfolio and show these companies what you've got!
Work that pays well doesn't have to automatically cancel out whimsy. If you're a creative person, you can still earn a good living.
Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
