'It's not worth losing your job over': Bachelor, Amazing Race, and Survivor alums explain how reality stardom affected their careers

On this season's finale of "The Bachelor," Nick Viall met Santa, played with dogs, and, finally, gave out his last rose (and a flashy ring).

The episode marked the end of a season that's spotlighted some rather unusual occupations, from aspiring dolphin trainers to adult nannies. But what does becoming a contestant on reality television really do to your career? Can having a national platform help you snag bigger and better opportunities? Or does taking time off (or even quitting your job) just derail your professional progress?

Business Insider spoke with six people who have appeared on "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette," "Amazing Race," and "Survivor." We specifically sought out people who've participated in competition-type shows, as opposed to reality shows that focus on a group of specific people, like the "Real Housewives" franchise, because competition-type shows usually require participants to take a bigger professional risk (there's almost always one competitor who takes weeks off of work, only to get eliminated in the first episode).

Here's what they had to say about what reality TV did to their real-life careers: