Career Options

Careers for romantics

If this time of year makes you feel at least a little warm and fuzzy, consider a career that gives you that feeling every day you work. Here are some ideal careers for people who love romance.

TAG and CATHERINE GOULET

[ 2008-02-20 ]

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Tag and Catherine Goulet
FabJob.com

ROMANCE WRITER

“Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl.” If you can write a heart-tugging story based on this age-old formula, you might want to consider a career as a writer of romance novels.

Romance is the most popular genre for paperback books, with thousands of new titles published every year, according to Lori Soard, co-founder of World Romance Writers and author of the FabJob Guide to Become a Romance Writer. “Many romance writers are romantics,” says Lori. “They believe in those happily-ever-afters that they write.”

There are a variety of other career choices for romantics who like to write. After all, someone has to write all those love songs, greeting cards, and romantic comedies.

MATCHMAKER

Even in these days of Internet dating, singles are turning to professional matchmakers to set them up with someone.

A 2006 study for the Pew Internet & American Life Project reported that “most internet users believe online dating is dangerous because it puts personal information online and they also think that many online daters lie about their marital status.” A matchmaker helps people avoid those risks by checking out prospective romantic partners for singles.

You can watch professional matchmakers in action on cable TV shows such as Confessions of a Matchmaker, Manhattan Matchmaker, or The Millionaire Matchmaker.

CHOCOLATIER

If you love chocolate, imagine getting paid to make it and sample as much as you want. While people who work in chocolate shops will tell you they stop noticing the aroma and can avoid the temptation of overindulging, it’s still a dream job for romantics. Every day you’ll watch people choose treats for loved ones.

It’s no wonder we associate chocolate with love. According to an article by dietician Elizabeth Somer at WebMD.com, chocolate contains “phenylethylamine, or PEA, which stimulates the nervous system, increases blood pressure and heart rate, and is suspected to produce similar feelings experienced when a person is ‘in love.’”

FLORIST

As a florist you’ll be surrounded by beauty and help people show others how much they care every day. Although Valentine’s Day ranks as the top flower-selling holiday for florists, capturing 34% of annual sales, according to the Society of American Florists website AboutFlowers.com, flower shops are busy year found.

In addition to supplying long-stemmed roses for Valentine's Day, you can help people recognize many other occasions, including welcoming a new baby into the world with arrangements of pink and blue flowers, honoring mom on Mother's Day, celebrating a wedding, brightening someone’s stay in a hospital, remembering loved ones with floral tributes, or sending flowers “just because.”

WEDDING PLANNER

Wedding planners get paid to plan the happiest day of people’s lives. Whenever a couple marries, someone is needed to oversee all the details to ensure the wedding is a success. That "someone" - the wedding planner - could be you. According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, the percentage of couples using wedding planners doubled in three years.

Also known as a bridal consultant, wedding consultant, or wedding coordinator, wedding planners may plan the entire wedding, be hired to oversee the wedding day only, or consult with couples who want to plan their own weddings. Most are self-employed, although some wedding planners work for hotels, resorts, tourist attractions, churches, temples, caterers, and other employers in the wedding industry.

RELATIONSHIP COACH

After the wedding, couples sometimes need help keeping the romance alive. Relationship coaches may work with couples, or singles seeking a partner, to help them achieve the relationship they want.

Brenna Pearce explains in the FabJob Guide to Become a Life Coach that a coach working with couples might have each partner come up with lists such as what they like about their relationship, what needs improvement in their relationship, suggestions for a better relationship, or activities for them to pursue together. A favorite activity that David Steele, founder and CEO of The Relationship Coaching Institute, uses with couples is the “appreciation exercise.” Couples take turns telling each other what they appreciate about their partner.

As you can see, romantic careers offer many rewards. If one of these feel-good careers is right for you, we hope you love it!

Tag and Catherine Goulet are founders of FabJob.com, a publisher of career guides offering step-by-step advice for breaking into a variety of dream careers. Visit www.FabJob.com to subscribe to their free career newsletter.