Influencers’ ‘surprising’ jobs before becoming famous
Influencers have dished on whether they think working a 9-to-5 or doing TikTok is harder, and their answers might surprise you.
It’s a question that often sparks debate: What’s harder – working a traditional 9-to-5 job or making a living as a TikTok creator?
On the surface, it’s easy to assume that being a content creator is all fun and games.
After all, doesn’t filming quick videos, vlogging your daily life or dancing in front of a camera sound like a dream in comparison to the daily grind in the office?
Last night at the 2024 TikTok awards, where Australia’s top influencers and content creators gathered to celebrate the platform’s biggest stars, I put the question directly to them, and their answers varied … A LOT.
Here’s what they had to say about the differences, challenges, and rewards of the two worlds – and why the “easier” path isn’t always as glitzy as it seems.
With 7.6 million followers, conservationist and TV personality Robert Irwin (@robertirwin) says he tries to blend his 9-to-5 role at Australia Zoo with making his TikTok content.
“They’re interconnected. If I’m out there and am about to go rescue a snake, I just set my camera up and film it and put it on TikTok,” he told news.com.au.
“I try and keep it really run-and-gun and here, there and everywhere – the TikTok is just kind of part of it.
“Anyone I’m with, I’m like, ‘Here, film this, I’m going to do something crazy’, and hopefully it’s a bit of inspiration for people to live life to the fullest and try and give back to our natural world.”
Anna Paul (@anna..paull) who vlogs every day of her life to her 7.2 million followers, began her career in a surprising role.
“Before TikTok, I was a YouTuber but before that, I was a ‘checkout chick’ at Woolies for five years,” she revealed.
“Mentally, being a content creator is way harder, because you have to deal with the judgement.
“But physically, standing for hours and hours and hours at the register is so hard.”
Indy Clinton (@indyclinton) who shares the behind-the-scenes chaos of being a mum-of-three to her two million followers never really knew any different to the work she does now.
“I never had a 9-to-5. I have been in this whole social media world since I was 16 years old, I am 27, so 11 years,” she said.
“I was on Instagram a lot before TikTok … I was the quintessential Aussie girl, I surfed, I posted photos of shells I found on the beach and smoothies.
“When TikTok launched, I evolved, popped out a few babies, and showed the chaos of motherhood.”
Body positivity creator Ariella Nyssa (@ariellanyssa) has 1.7 million followers and had a huge career pivot when deciding to pursue online work.
“I was studying to become a primary school teacher, but when my TikTok blew up, I stopped, because you’re not allowed to post on social media [as a teacher] because I post a lot of [my body],” she admitted.
“I was a dental nurse once upon a time, too, I actually loved it. I think each one has different hards so you have to choose your hard. Influencing and TikTok is so rewarding. I love it and being able to help people, but there are also a lot of down days when you get a lot of hate.
“The dental work was constant, there was lots of running around, and my feet were sore. It’s a different hard.”
Jane Lu (@thelazyceo), founder and CEO of Showpo and Shark Tank host got refreshingly candid when talking about her work.
Her TikTok bio says she wants to help people “quit their 9-to-5s” despite claiming that “making TikToks is harder” than her own 9-to-5.
“I think I have a great business but my TikTok kind of sucks,” she joked.
However, Leah Halton (@looooooooch), who has 12 million followers and one of the most-liked videos on the content-sharing platform thinks the opposite.
“I actually used to work in a fish and chip shop during high school and was also a makeup artist,” she explained.
“For me, I think 9-to-5 is harder because, if you’ve seen my TikToks, it’s just like, selfie videos.”
Her viral video of her lipsyncing to a song received over 940 million views.
With her size-inclusive fashion label, @faytlabel, and 445k followers, Brittney Saunders (@brittney_saunders) shed some light on juggling business and TikTok.
“TikTok is the easy bit, running a business is really hard, and I think social media can make business look really easy when it’s not at all,” she said. “Don’t be confused by that.”
She added that if it were easy, “everyone would be doing it” but noted that it is a very satisfying career choice.
LGBT creators Taz and Alessia (@tazandalessia) have 948.8k followers and do livestreams showing their life as a couple.
“I was previously a floor manager at Mecca, I loved it,” Alessia Allfree said.
“We still work 9-to-5 now as creators, though.”
“I was a personal assistant and have actually taken a lot of what I learnt there and put it into the business side of what we do now,” Taz Zammit added.
“We’re business owners at the end of the day, it’s stressful running a business but there are so many perks so it’s hard to say it’s a ‘hard’ job. It’s so much fun.”
Organising content queen Chantel Mila Ibbotson (@mama_mila_) boasts 1.5 million followers and admitted that working as an influencer is more like 9-to-9.
“I was in the property area, and then I started making cleaning videos, and they took off,” she recalled.
“When you work as a creator, you’re working around the clock, but I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Chloé Hayden (@chloeshayden) is a creator with ADHD and autism who has a million followers and a rather unconventional career path.
“Before I was an actor and content creator, I owned a princess company – I dressed up as a princess for parties and charities,” she revealed.
“I have always been so privileged to be my own boss. I’ve never done a regular job but I would say 9-to-5 would be trickier. I get to play pretend for my entire life. I shouldn’t complain about that, that’s crazy, it’s so cool!”
Elle Ray (@elleray) has amassed over 650k followers thanks to her fun daily vlogs.
“I worked in socials at a gaming company but I wanted to be a geneticist, so that’s the other end of the spectrum completely,” she shared.
“With 9-to-5s and TikTok, the main difference is you’re not really turning off, you’re filming and thinking all the time. But with 9-to-5, you have a schedule. I couldn’t pick which one is harder.”
Nicole Mitrov (@nicolemitrov) has catapulted into the spotlight after being a contestant on Fboy Island and now has over 18k followers.
“I was modelling before – I think working 9-to-5 and being an influencer both have their ups and downs. But influencing and the creative world is so fun,” she said.
Her boyfriend, Jack Johnston, who she met on the show, said, “It depends on what your definition of hard is. There’s hard labour work and there’s hard emotional work.”
The verdict
So it seems that behind the perfectly curated feeds and viral trends is a world of constant pressure, judgement and an inability to truly clock off.
For many, the emotional toll and mental demands of being a content creator can feel far harder than working in a “normal” job – but for most, it’s clear they wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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