How To Make It In Music By Eliminating Your “Risk”

How is it that many people cannot seem to achieve success as professional musicians, while some people quickly build and develop highly successful music careers? Find out by reading this article…

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How To Make It In Music By Eliminating Your “Risk”

By Tom Hess

Tom Hess, international music career mentor and guitar player in the 1.5+ million album selling operatic metal band Rhapsody Of Fire discusses what it takes to achieve success as a pro musician.

How is it that many people cannot seem to achieve success as professional musicians, while some people quickly build and develop highly successful music careers? One of the ideas that I continually stress in my articles is how your success as a professional musician is directly related to your ability to build value while minimizing risk (if you are not familiar with this concept, take this music career success building test now before reading this article). Once you have become familiar with this idea, your potential for success in the music industry will increase tenfold. However, to get everything out of your potential, you must do more than simply ‘know’ about this concept.

As a trainer to musicians, the main thing I train people to do is to learn how to become effective at offering maximum value with minimum downsides/risk with every action taken. In my experience I noticed that most musicians easily grasp the idea of lowering their risk in conventional/obvious ways, however many people do not realize that even their ‘positive’ traits and skills can hold elements of severe music industry risk. This lack of awareness makes it much more difficult (if not impossible) to reach lasting success in one’s career as a professional musician.

To end up as one of the few highly successful musicians, you MUST find out how to reduce the inherent weak points that lie on the opposite extreme of your music career strengths. As you read the rest of this article, I will demonstrate how to do this and explain how this analysis will bring you closer to the music career success that you want.

The Introspective Character Of A Professional Musician

In the process of working towards a music career, you have no doubt spent a lot of time to acquire skill sets with intention of using them in your musical projects. At the same time, if you are like most musicians, all your skills were acquired in a random fashion, lacking an underlying plan of how these ‘assets’ will fit together to enable you to build a music career. As a result of this random planning, it is more than likely that your positive pieces of value will also contain contradictory weaknesses that can be interpreted as damaging elements of risk if they remain unchanged. I observe this unfortunate scenario very often in musicians in all areas of the music business, and the most frustrating part is that this frequently happens without them being aware of it.

To accelerate the advancement of your career as a pro musician, learn to get the most from your positive attributes while minimizing the negative/opposing weaknesses that they create in your music career strategy. All musicians with a thriving career do/have done this at one point or another, while those who fail to become successful continue to wonder why some musicians can ‘make it’ in the business and they can’t. The good news is that it is possible for anyone to get on the right track with their approach and I will explain how to get started as you keep reading.

To begin, see the table below that lists (in the left column) several music career assets/strengths that musicians typically have. In the adjacent column, is an illustration of how a seemingly positive attribute can frequently contain elements of risk/weakness that lies beneath the surface. While giving music career training, I come across the issues listed below on a continual basis (among many others) and these are the reasons why a person typically struggles to make it in the music business even though they possess many great skills and accomplishments.

Note: Of course as a general rule, the items you will read about in the left column of the table are good/positive (at least when taken in isolation). However as you will see, when taken in context of your specific goals they also often contain unexpected weaknesses that can hurt you unless you take proper actions to prevent this from happening.

Your List Of Music Career Values And Assets

Your Assets’ Matching Element Of Risk

You are very friendly and considerate of others.

Musicians who go out of their way to be too accommodating often get taken advantage of when negotiating contracts and business deals (that happen all the time in the music industry).

You have played, performed and toured with many different bands.

This seemingly positive thing can often be misinterpreted (by other people) to mean that you lack loyalty or dedication to a single project (particularly as you seek to enter a new, more successful band). Ironically, your true amount of commitment and loyalty may be in fact very high, but the credential of having played in many bands can often be perceived in the opposite way from what you intend.

You easily come up with new plans and ideas.

Musicians to whom this description applies often have a tendency to begin a number of new and exciting projects, only to let them wither away, unfinished. Over time, this leads to not only extreme frustration and overwhelm but also to a vicious circle of taking actions in your career based largely on emotional impulses rather than rational thought.

You are a musician who plays multiple different styles of music.

Unless you want to make a living mainly as a songwriter for hire, it will be better for you to establish your musical reputation as a specialist in a single genre of music. Most bands and record companies prefer to work with someone who is an expert in the specific music they do. Think hard about where you want to see yourself in the music industry and take actions appropriately.

You are a jack of all trades player on many instruments.

While having skills on many instruments is often (but not always) important for being a session musician, if you want to do anything other than work in the studio, in most cases you will be better served by becoming an expert on your chosen (one) instrument. Here you need to determine by yourself what it is you want to be known and perceived as in your music career and act congruently with that vision.

Note: I don’t mean to imply that having general knowledge of more than one instrument is ‘bad’, but there CAN be a problem (depending on your goals) with trying to communicate to others that you are trying to make a name for yourself as someone who plays many instruments.

You are good at thinking things through.

People who are too analytical in everything they do have a tendency to get stuck for too long in ‘planning’ and spend too little time actually ‘doing’ the things that will move them forward in their music careers. Although it is good to analyze issues from all angles, it is important to keep this quality balanced with the ability to take consistent action on a regular basis.

You very self-reliant and dependable.

As valuable as it is to be resourceful and independent, musicians who spend too much time working by themselves often have a hard time working on team-oriented projects. This can be very damaging for your music career, because being a professional musician will require you to collaborate with MANY different people on a variety of projects. Moreover, no matter how skilled you are, you simply cannot do everything you must do in your career ‘by yourself’. To succeed in the music business you must learn to love teamwork.

You have a high level of work ethic and persistence.

All too often, people with the best work ethic can become too stubborn to change the course of action in their music career, even when the actions they are taking are not bringing them the desired results.

You have great musical skills.

Many musicians are completely out of balance with the amount of time they spend developing their musical skills and the time invested into building their music career. While having high level skills on your instrument is definitely a requirement, advanced musical skills by themselves will not give you the successful music career that you want.

You went to college for music.

Unless all you want to do is teach music as a professor in a college, a music degree is hardly worth the MASSIVE investment of time and tuition money if you want to be a professional musician. The reason is because in music school you are not going to learn anything about building a successful career at the end of your education. In the vast majority of cases, your resources will be better invested into actually expanding your music career directly and receiving ‘specific’ music career training from someone who is already a pro in the industry.

After having seen how and why your music career assets can also become your weaknesses, there are a few things you need to do right now to maximize your chances for success for doing music as a career.

1. Understand that not all elements of music career value are ‘positive’ when taking into account YOUR long term music business goals. Certain elements that may at first seem overwhelmingly positive can very often do more harm than good (as you have seen in the above analysis).

2. Make it a high priority to get the clearest understanding of your current risks and values in your music career. To get help with this, fill out this quick music career success building test.

3. Organize a music business plan detailing the goals you want to reach. In the process, list the assets (elements of musical value for the industry) that you will need to acquire and also make a plan for how you will minimize their opposing negative side effects. To get help with doing this, you should work with a proven music career coach who can guide you effectively through this process. Additionally, through music career training you will often discover new and powerful ways to make yourself more valuable in the music business that you have not considered before.

4. Keep in mind that compiling a comprehensive plan for reaching your music career goals demands having a clear image of what you want to achieve and supplementing that vision through ongoing training. Fact is that the majority of musicians are not hard-wired for thinking in this way. They, as most creative business minds, tend to act on impulse and intuition. Although it can be helpful to rely on your gut feeling occasionally, doing ‘only’ this will make your music career results unpredictable and random.

Last but not least, remember that in your quest to build new pieces of value for advancing your music career, your actions will be of limited use until you complete the self-analysis of your strong and weak areas in the way I explained here. After learning how to get the most from your current potential, your progress towards a successful music career will become greatly enhanced.

To help you learn more about your current potential to build a successful music career, fill out this free music career success building test.

How to Prepare For UPSC Exam?

UPSC is a very big and prestigious examination conducted for the Indian Government Jobs, but it is not an easy one. You need to prepare well for this exam and make your preparation as effective as possible. Here are some tips that will make your preparation easy and effective.

Plan your study
Plan your study properly, because it is not just one exam, you will be preparing for different subjects. So, plan your study properly and make a schedule.

Also Read: Top UPSC coaching in Bhopal, MP

Prepare for the exam in small chunks
You need to make sure that you will be prepared enough for the exam in the entire subject and it will not be good to prepare in one subject and leave the rest. So, divide your study into smaller chunks and prepare for them.

Don’t spend more than two hours

It is a common mistake done by most of the students; they spend too much time in the preparation and don’t make sure that they are gaining any knowledge from it. Spending 2 hours in the preparation is more than enough on daily basis. But, you need to make sure that you are learning something.

Make use of study materials
You will get the study material for the exam from the online UPSC coaching. So, make sure that you will study from the coaching and it will be easier for you to score more marks in the exam.

Keep a record of your performance
It is very important to keep a record of your performance. Make sure that you are tracking the time you are spending in the preparation and also make sure that you are doing the revision of the topics which are going to appear in the exam.

Conclusion:
These were some simple tips to make your preparation easy and effective. If you follow these tips, then you will surely score more marks in the exam. So, start preparing for the exam and make your preparation as effective as possible.

About the Author:
Gaurav Marwaha is the director at Unique IAS Study Circle. It is an institute that offers both online and offline coaching for UPSC & IAS. It is also known for offering the best MPPSC coaching in Madhya Pradesh. The institute has a team of experienced and knowledgeable faculty members who are always ready to help students. The institute also has a well-stocked library that has all the resources that a student needs to prepare for the UPSC & IAS exam.

92Career: Features, Pros & Cons, Cost and Alternative [2024]

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, career development and job search platforms have become essential tools for job seekers and professionals alike. One such platform that has gained attention is “92Career.” In this blog post, we will take an in-depth look at 92Career, examining its features, advantages, disadvantages, and explore some of the top alternatives available.

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What is 92career?
92career is an online platform that helps individuals thrive in their professional lives. 92career is a valuable resource for anyone who is looking for a job, looking to develop their skills, or looking for career advice. It is a comprehensive platform that offers a wide range of services to help users achieve their career goals.

What Does 92career Offers?
92career offers a wide range of services, including:

Job search: 92career has a database of thousands of jobs, both government and private. Users can search for jobs by location,keyword and other criteria.
Skill development: 92career offers a variety of courses and tutorials that can help users acquire new skills or refine existing ones.
Career counseling: 92career’s career counselors can help users with resume writing, interview skills, and other aspects of job searching.
Networking: 92career’s networking platform allows users to connect with other professionals in their field.
Articles and resources: 92career’s blog and resource center offer articles, videos, and other materials that can help users with their careers.
Benefits of using 92career

Access to a wide range of jobs:
92career has a database of thousands of jobs, both government and private. This means that users are likely to find a job that matches their skills and interests.

Opportunity to develop skills:
92career offers a variety of courses and tutorials that can help users acquire new skills or refine existing ones. This can make users more marketable to employers and help them advance their careers.

Access to career counseling:
92career’s career counselors can help users with resume writing, interview skills, and other aspects of job searching. This can give users the confidence they need to succeed in their job search.

Opportunity to network:
92career’s networking platform allows users to connect with other professionals in their field. This can help users learn about new opportunities, find mentors, and build relationships that can benefit their careers.

Access to articles and resources:
92career’s blog and resource center offer articles, videos, and other materials that can help users with their careers. This information can help users stay up-to-date on industry trends, learn new skills, and develop their careers.

Key Features of 92career platform
The platform is available in English and Hindi language.
It is free to sign up for 92career.
There are paid plans available that offer additional features, such as access to premium jobs and career counseling.
Pros & Cons of 92career
Pros:
Wide range of jobs: 92career has a database of thousands of jobs, both government and private. This means that users are likely to find a job that matches their skills and interests.
Opportunity to develop skills: 92career offers a variety of courses and tutorials that can help users acquire new skills or refine existing ones. This can make users more marketable to employers and help them advance their careers.
Access to career counseling: 92career’s career counselors can help users with resume writing, interview skills, and other aspects of job searching. This can give users the confidence they need to succeed in their job search.
Opportunity to network: 92career’s networking platform allows users to connect with other professionals in their field. This can help users learn about new opportunities, find mentors, and build relationships that can benefit their careers.
Access to articles and resources: 92career’s blog and resource center offer articles, videos, and other materials that can help users with their careers. This information can help users stay up-to-date on industry trends, learn new skills, and develop their careers.
Cons:
Job listings not always up-to-date: Some users have reported that the job listings on 92career are not always up-to-date. This can be frustrating for job seekers who are looking for a specific job.
Career counseling services hit or miss: Some users have reported that the career counseling services on 92career are hit or miss. Some counselors are very helpful, while others are not as knowledgeable.
Networking platform difficult to use: Some users have reported that the networking platform on 92career is difficult to use. It can be hard to find people who are actually interested in connecting with you.
Paid plans can be expensive: 92career offers paid plans that offer additional features, such as access to premium jobs and career counseling. These plans can be expensive, and it is not clear if they are worth the cost.
Overall, 92career seems to be a decent platform for job seekers. However, it is important to do your research before signing up for any paid plans. There are a number of other job search platforms available, so you may want to compare them before making a decision.

How much does 92Career cost?
92career offers both free and paid plans. The free plan gives you access to basic features, such as job search, resume builder, and career advice. The paid plans offer additional features, such as access to premium jobs, career counseling, and networking.

Here are the pricing plans for 92career:

Free plan: This plan is free to use. You get access to basic features, such as job search, resume builder, and career advice.
Basic plan: This plan costs $9.99 per month. You get access to all of the features in the free plan, plus access to premium jobs and career counseling.
Pro plan: This plan costs $19.99 per month. You get access to all of the features in the basic plan, plus access to the networking platform.
Enterprise plan: This plan is available for businesses. The price is customized based on the company’s needs.
You can also purchase a yearly subscription for 92career. The yearly subscription prices are as follows:

Yearly subscription for the free plan: This plan costs $99.99 per year.
Yearly subscription for the basic plan: This plan costs $119.99 per year.
Yearly subscription for the pro plan: This plan costs $239.99 per year.
Yearly subscription for the enterprise plan: This plan is available for businesses. The price is customized based on the company’s needs.
To sign up for 92career, you can visit their website and create an account. You can then choose the plan that is right for you.

Top Alternatives to 92Career
Overall, 92career seems to be a decent platform for job seekers. However, it is important to do your research before signing up for any paid plans. There are a number of other job search platforms available, so you may want to compare them before making a decision.

Here are some other job search platforms that you may want to consider:

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a popular social media platform for professionals. It allows you to connect with other professionals, search for jobs, and post your resume.
Indeed: Indeed is a job search engine that aggregates job listings from a variety of sources. It is a great way to find a wide range of jobs.
Monster: Monster is another popular job search engine. It offers a variety of features, such as resume posting, job alerts, and career advice.
Is 92Career Right for You?
Whether or not 92career is right for you depends on your individual needs and circumstances. If you are looking for a platform that offers a wide range of jobs, the opportunity to develop skills, and access to career counseling, then 92career may be a good option for you. However, if you are looking for a platform with up-to-date job listings and a user-friendly networking platform, then you may want to consider other options.

Here are some factors to consider when deciding if 92career is right for you:

Your job search goals: What are you looking for in a job? Do you want to find a job in a specific field or industry? Do you want to develop new skills? Do you want to get career counseling?
Your budget: 92career offers both free and paid plans. The paid plans offer additional features, such as access to premium jobs and career counseling. If you are on a tight budget, then you may want to stick with the free plan.
Your comfort level with technology: 92career is a web-based platform. If you are not comfortable using computers or the internet, then you may want to consider other options.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to use 92career is up to you. Weigh the pros and cons and decide what is best for you.

FAQs About 92Career:
Is 92career a free platform?
Yes, 92career offers a free plan that gives you access to basic features, such as job search, resume builder, and career advice. However, there are also paid plans that offer additional features, such as access to premium jobs, career counseling, and networking.

Are Remote Job Opportunities Available on 92Career?
Yes, there are remote job opportunities available on 92career. You can filter your job search by location to find remote jobs. You can also search for remote jobs by keyword or industry.

Here are some tips for finding remote jobs on 92career:

Use the location filter to find remote jobs.
Search for remote jobs by keyword or industry.
Use the advanced search to narrow down your search results.
Read the job descriptions carefully to make sure that the job is truly remote.
Contact the employer to ask questions about the remote work arrangement.
Here are some of the industries that offer remote jobs on 92career:

IT and Software: This industry is always looking for remote workers, as many IT and software jobs can be done from anywhere with an internet connection.
Customer service: Many customer service jobs are now remote, as companies can save money by having customer service representatives work from home.
Writing and editing: There are many remote writing and editing jobs available, as companies need content creators and editors who can work from anywhere.
Education: There are also many remote education jobs available, as more and more schools and universities are offering online courses.
Sales: There are some remote sales jobs available, but these are typically more limited than other types of remote jobs.
If you are looking for a remote job, 92career is a good place to start your search. There are many remote jobs available on the platform, and you can filter your search results to find jobs that match your skills and interests.

How I can Enhance my skill through 92Career?
Yes, 92Career offers a variety of ways to enhance your skills. Here are some of the options available to you:

Take online courses: 92Career offers a variety of online courses that can help you learn new skills or refine existing ones. These courses are offered by a variety of providers, so you can find courses that match your interests and learning style.
Read articles and watch videos: 92Career also offers a blog and resource center that contains articles and videos on a variety of career-related topics. These resources can help you stay up-to-date on industry trends, learn new skills, and develop your career.
Get certified: 92Career offers a variety of certification programs that can help you demonstrate your skills to employers. These programs can be a great way to boost your resume and increase your chances of getting hired.
Connect with other professionals: 92Career also has a networking platform that allows you to connect with other professionals in your field. This can be a great way to learn from others, get advice, and find job opportunities.
Can Employers Post on 92Career?
Yes, employers can post on 92Career. To do so, they need to create an account and then post a job listing. Job listings on 92Career can be searched by keyword, location, and other criteria.

Here are some of the benefits of employers posting on 92Career:

Reach a large audience: 92Career has a large user base, so employers can reach a large audience when they post a job listing.
Target specific audiences: Employers can target specific audiences by using the search filters on 92Career. For example, they can search for users who have certain skills or who are located in a specific area.
Get qualified candidates: 92Career users are typically highly motivated and qualified, so employers can be confident that they will get qualified candidates when they post a job listing.
To post a job on 92Career, employers need to provide the following information:

Job title
Job description
Location
Salary range
Job requirements
Contact information
Employers can also choose to post their job listing for free or to pay for a premium listing. Premium listings appear at the top of search results and can be seen by more users.

If you are an employer looking to hire, I recommend posting your job listing on 92Career. It is a great way to reach a large audience of qualified candidates.

Conclusion
In conclusion, 92Career offers a range of features and benefits for job seekers and professionals navigating the competitive job market. By weighing the pros and cons and exploring alternative options, individuals can make well-informed decisions to accelerate their career growth. Whether one chooses 92Career or another platform, the key is to leverage these resources to find the best-fit opportunities and achieve career success.