Is being a Youtuber or Twitch streamer a "real job"?

[Ronnie]

I used to be of the mindset where if a person quit their day job to become a full time Youtuber or Twitch streamer (and started asking for money through Patreon), I'd call them an idiot for choosing such an unreliable path. There's this one channel I'm subscribed to known as MetalJesusRocks. He used to work full time at Sierra where he published PC games. Then he moved on to real estate thanks to his wife. Then he quits his job because he wants to focus all his time on his Youtube videos and starts up a Patreon to keep his income stable. When I first saw that announcement video, I was dumbfounded. How could someone with a college degree and a stable job just up and quit to make videos in an unstable field? What happens if you stop caring about video games? You're out of a job.

It reminded me of when I read an article on EventHubs where Juan Debiedma (known by his screen name Hungrybox) quit his engineering job to play Super Smash Bros. Melee for a living in eSports tournaments. I was outraged by such an idiotic decision. What happens when you get older and can't play video games as well as you could in your younger years? How's it going to look if you need another job and your employer sees you quit a stable job to go play video games?

However maybe I was just being close-minded and never thought about what actually constitutes a real job. Is it a 9-5 that makes you miserable? Can playing video games on your couch with a camera on be a "real job"? Were I and many other people just jealous that others can do that for a living? I began reading up more and more blogs and articles about Youtube being a real job. I remember coming across one comparison in one of the posts I read that opened my eyes a little bit. The person made a comparison to music, movies, and other forms of entertainment. Being a musician isn't exactly a stable job. You're not guaranteed success and even if you make it big, you can still fall from fame quickly. Same with being an actor. You won't always make it to Hollywood and even if you do, there's plenty of actors who rose to fame and you never hear from them again.

So maybe these internet entertainers are just a new wave of "real jobs." Something we just have to accept and evolve our growing field of careers. I'm still not entirely sold but what do you guys say? Is being a Youtuber or Twitch streamer a real job?

Edited February 27, 2018 by Ronnie

[Kazuya]

It's an actual job, it takes a lot of time to edit, record, etc. None of it is exactly easy anymore either. There is a lot of stuff do with streaming and such. It's hard work, simply put. 

[Armagon]

Yes, it's an actual job. Of course, going to full-time YouTube right away is not a smart idea. You would want to have another job on the side to support you in case things go wrong with YouTube. But YouTubers make a lot of money and, as Kazuya said, it's not an easy job either.

As for that Hungrybox example, the guy makes a ton of money. And that's not counting the fact that Melee is one of the more niche eSports. The really popular ones make way more money. eSports is a valid career, especially now. 

[Sentacotus]

Couple of things here.  Just because you have a 9-5 does not mean you have to be miserable doing it.  While its tiring it is possible to find fulfillment in what you do and get joy out of pushing yourself to develop professionally either through training, certifications, and even schooling.  Perhaps I have a different perspective being in the IT field I always love learning to do new things and acquiring new skills. 

As for youtube/twitch being real job as you indicate.  I would say that's not the intent behind it (you can make money from it maybe even a living which I'll get to in a minute).  I mean lets face it you have to get 1000 views for maybe a dollar in ad revenue which is sketchy now given youtube's almost tyrannical and biased crackdown on everything not MSM.  I suspect like most if not all people he just did it for fun as a thing to do and built up a base over time.  I mean you listed off some of his experience he was working IT, then did alot of time at Sierra, and then did Real Estate now I'm not saying the guy's anywhere close to rich but I suspect he's also had time to build up savings and get established in life by working hard in those stable professions and on the side he did Youtube for fun, was very good at it, and built a following.   

Moral of the story?  Is youtube made as a means for anyone who uploads to be able to make money?  No.  Is it made to provide a stable income.  Hell no.  Can some people be successful if they approach it with a no BS attitude, outline a business plan/plan of action, and produce high quality content daily?  Sure.  But then again that's pretty much the case with anything in life.  They are just human I'm sure they get just as downtrodden, worn out, and tired of the mundanes of their Youtube stuff like anyone else at a "normal" job.

You gotta remember as soon as you do something for a living it ceases to be a hobby and for fun and now its for keepsakes and gets serious.  My dad makes amazing BBQ and knows the ins and outs of it as a hobby yet he never would want to do business with it aside from the liabilities it then becomes serious and therefore less for fun. 

I too watch MJR btw an amazing content creator. 

Edited February 27, 2018 by LordOTaco

[Nym]

It's an actual job but it requires very specific things in order to make them your full time job.

First you need to be popular, obviously otherwise you won't make a lot of money.

Then it depends on the person themselves, I watch a guy named Imaqtpie who lives on Twitch and trust me, he probably earn more than both my parents combine just off Twitch donations.

Some others, especially who are on Youtube, will need a Patreon and paid promotions for video games in order to be stable.

[Shoblongoo]

Yes--Its a real job. You're providing an entertainment service. You're competing with other content creators also providing an entertainment service. And you're competing in a very crowded space, where most people who think they can do it will fail. 

Conceptually. But-for the fact that its a new form of media. Is it really any different then being a talkshow host or an opinion columnist or a performing artist?
 

Edited February 27, 2018 by Shoblongoo

[DisobeyedCargo]

I'd say so yeah. Your providing a service people want 

[Captain Karnage]

are you making a living off the add revenue/Patreon

yes or no

[Florete]

If the bank takes the money, it's a real job.

[Tryhard]

Yeah, probably. Some manage to be skirt along in a way you would never understand, though, just like "real" jobs.

You just probably should make sure you know it's gonna last before having to explain the ten year gap in your resume.

[Jotari]

Even if it's as basic as selling lemonade on the side of the road, if you have a wage, then it's a real job. That being said, I am curious to see how these personalities will last in the long term. Maybe I'm just cynical, but I don't see people being interested, nor YouTube's maintaining the same level of energy, when they're in their late fifties and have been doing it for over thirty years. Course someone made a parallel to talk show hosts and I'm sure people said the same thing when they popped up.

Edited February 28, 2018 by Jotari

[John Denver Fan]

No, it isn't a real job, in some cases you make no money or lose money, a real job is a high paying job unless it is something like a preacher or a teacher is. Being on YouTube or Twitch posting and streaming videos isn't a reliable job, in fact it isn't a job.

[Augestein]

10 minutes ago, John Denver Fan said:

No, it isn't a real job, in some cases you make no money or lose money, a real job is a high paying job unless it is something like a preacher or a teacher is. Being on YouTube or Twitch posting and streaming videos isn't a reliable job, in fact it isn't a job.

Uh. No? Some people work freelance for instance and there are definitely moments where you won't have any direct profits coming in. That's like saying that starting your own business isn't a real job because it doesn't immediately gain profits. That's hogwash. 

[DisobeyedCargo]

32 minutes ago, John Denver Fan said:

No, it isn't a real job, in some cases you make no money or lose money, a real job is a high paying job unless it is something like a preacher or a teacher is. Being on YouTube or Twitch posting and streaming videos isn't a reliable job, in fact it isn't a job.

What do you mean that a real paying job is a high paying job?  Currently working for minimum wage, so does that mean it's not a real job?

[John Denver Fan]

4 minutes ago, DisobeyedCargo said:

What do you mean that a real paying job is a high paying job?  Currently working for minimum wage, so does that mean it's not a real job?

My late father said that to me, he said this "Don't work in a restaurant like me, get yourself a real job when you grow up" And what he said is true. Working for minimum wage is a job, but it isn't a real job. Posting videos on YouTube and streaming videos on Twitch isn't a job it is a hobby.

 

[NoirCore]

1 minute ago, John Denver Fan said:

My late father said that to me, he said this "Don't work in a restaurant like me, get yourself a real job when you grow up" And what he said is true. Working for minimum wage is a job, but it isn't a real job. Posting videos on YouTube and streaming videos on Twitch isn't a job it is a hobby.

 

So it's a hobby to set up all this equipment, record stuff/stream yourself playing for hours to get money (and Twitch and YouTube have partnerships so yes, people are making money), and edit videos? I think not. Even if the job does not pay much, it's still a true job. Your logic that a job needs to pay a lot to be "true" is bizarre, and I know plenty of Twitch streamers who would show confusion or annoyance at your remark. I don't think you understand how business on YouTube and Twitch works.

[Augestein]

29 minutes ago, John Denver Fan said:

My late father said that to me, he said this "Don't work in a restaurant like me, get yourself a real job when you grow up" And what he said is true. Working for minimum wage is a job, but it isn't a real job. Posting videos on YouTube and streaming videos on Twitch isn't a job it is a hobby.

 

Except that's pretty false. Some people work in restaurants end up owning them. There's no such thing as a fake job. If you make money from it, regardless of profits, it's a job. Posting videos on Youtube for profit or doing Twitch and making a profit is a job. Even if it's not a lucrative one in many cases. Taking that stance on things will lead you to really lousy results. Some people just go through their life doing odd jobs because they enjoy that lifestyle. 

[Deltre]

Of course it is. What could be more difficult than selling yourself? Not only that, but if you can sell yourself well, there's bound to be tons of other opportunities beyond just Youtube/Twitch stuff too. In short, it's a real skill that takes real time and has real applications. Sounds like a job to me. 

[Jotari]

6 hours ago, NoirCore said:

So it's a hobby to set up all this equipment, record stuff/stream yourself playing for hours to get money (and Twitch and YouTube have partnerships so yes, people are making money), and edit videos? I think not. Even if the job does not pay much, it's still a true job. Your logic that a job needs to pay a lot to be "true" is bizarre, and I know plenty of Twitch streamers who would show confusion or annoyance at your remark. I don't think you understand how business on YouTube and Twitch works.

Plus, a lot of the really popular YouTube's get quite a bit of money from their work. Not like Donald Trump levels, but certainly well above minimum wage.

[Etrurian emperor]

On 27-2-2018 at 5:24 PM, Ronnie said:

How's it going to look if you need another job and your employer sees you quit a stable job to go play video games?

Being a youtuber is more than just playing video games. If it wasn't anyone could do it.

Its also about growing your brand and managing your audience. If a successful youtuber quits and tries to get a job that's all about creating, strengthening and managing a brand I'd say he's got pretty decent qualifications for it.

[Xander]

If you're willing to put in the time and effort needed or have the skill to become the top 1% or so of youtubers who make a "decent living" (We're talking $2000/month, probably afford a nice place, good food, etc.) or the top % of twitch streamers which is currently a bit easier, then it can be considered a real job. The downsides to this endeavor are the lack of stability, as while twitch is the big thing right now, something new could come along at any point and you'll have to start all over. Much like what happened as you see youtubers migrating to twitch with 100k+ subs pulling in 400 views, relying completely on donations to pay their bills. For that reason I will say, good luck saving up for retirement.

[TheHeroQueen]

Yes its a real job. Isnt Pewdiepie a millionare cuz of youtube?

[ashlyn]

It can definitely be a real job. It all depends on how much people put into and what they are able to get out of it. Most people who use it as a primary source of income put hours of work into their videos, and the payout they get from it can be pretty great. I would just be cautious to use it as a primary source of income though, because I have known a few YouTubers who were struggling at different times because they were relying on it as their only source of income. In those cases, I think it can be kind of risky though, and so some people have other jobs in addition to being YouTubers because of that fact. There are, of course, those that use it as their primary source of income and don't really do much with it and are broke most of the time, but I don't think they make up a majority.

Edited March 16, 2018 by ashlyn
To add more information that I originally forgot