With the rumored wardrobe changes from take to take, makeup artists behind the scenes, and lots of editing post-production, many speculate there's no such thing as true reality TV. From "The Apprentice" to "Extreme Makeover," we've seen the drama; we know it's real -- or at least some of it is. But when it comes to the careers depicted in these spectacles, is there any truth to be told?

We asked four professionals who've participated on these shows what they experienced on screen. Can the public learn about their jobs from watching reality TV? Or is it just not "real" enough?

Branding The Apprentice
Reality TV Pro: Troy McClain
The Show: "The Apprentice"

Troy McClain made his mark on the first season of NBC's "The Apprentice," coming in third on the show and was fired for being a "loose cannon." Before his spot on DONALD TRUMP's reality TV venture, the country boy was working as a mortgage broker in Boise, Idaho.

"Since the show ended, we've opened offices all over and made deals I never thought possible," Troy explains. "The important thing is we never lost sight of the fact that the show was a way to further my business."Although "The Apprentice" contestants were all gunning for the same position, their claim to fame -- via reality TV -- helped them succeed in real life anyway.

"It's all about branding and exposure," Troy explains. "We had to brand ourselves as honestly and efficiently as possible. We had to make that come through in our voices and actions." This is a lesson you can take with you to any task, Troy asserts, from class assignments to job interviews to business deals.

Although Troy lost the challenge to become The Donald's right-hand man, he did gain lots of personal business success. "Fail first," he advises. "In order to fail, you had to have tried." His motto: your past failures will create a roadmap to your own success. "My failures led me to where I am today. No one can accuse me of not trying."

So can "The Apprentice" actually teach us something about a career in business?

"I think the show gives you a fishbowl picture of what goes on in the real world," Troy says. "But remember, if you look at fish in a bowl, you can see some of their habits and the basics of what makes them swim and how they eat. But in order to really see the whole lifestyle, you need to go out into the ocean and live with the fish."

Life After TV: Troy's moving on to a new reality show. Instead of being one of the fish in the bowl, he'll be a lead fish. He's signed on to host "HomeTeam" an hour-long show that grants unsuspecting families the down payment and first year's mortgage payments for their first home, this fall. The show will be syndicated nationwide, so check your local listings.

Styling for a Living
Reality TV Pro: Sam Saboura
The Show: "Extreme Makeover"

Before becoming a pro stylist on ABC's "Extreme Makeover," Sam Saboura was hitting retail stores as a sales associate. "You just have to work your way up," he advises. "I went from the Gap to Fred Segal. Then one thing led to another, and I was helping style celebrities as a personal shopper."

For Sam, it's all about knowing who you're dressing. What helps him in this department: "I majored in communications and theater at the University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA)," he says. "When it comes to fashion -- that's all from hands-on experience and just knowing what goes with what and with whom."

Once he assesses a particular client's style and needs, he goes from store to store and showrooms to pull items from racks to bring back to clients.

His duties as a personal stylist, however, involve more than just choosing cute tops, bottoms, and accessories. Sam takes his job seriously. "I'm not just a personal shopper; a lot of work is involved in putting a 'look' together, including an attitude to go with it." It's no wonder Sam wanted to get involved with a show that gives individuals more than just free clothes.

Participants on the show get a makeover of their appearance and then some; they also gain confidence in the process. "As an image consultant on the show, I deal with the total package," says Sam. "It's all about making conscious choices, challenging sensibility, experiencing something new, and building a basic wardrobe." Sam says his profession is not as glamorous as what you'd see on TV. "It's a lot of fun, don't get me wrong," he says, "but it's also a lot of work."

Try lugging 30 pounds of clothes all day. "There's a lot of running around with this job. Plus, you have to itemize everything you pulled from racks and keep everything nice or you will pay," he explains. "And sometimes people don't want your opinion. They just want to see the clothes and that's it."

As for the perks, Sam appreciates the party invites, store discounts, and respect from people in the fashion industry. Not to mention, Sam has met some really cool people along the way, including JENNIFER ANISTON, BRAD PITT, and SARAH JESSICA PARKER -- all celebrity clients he's helped dress.

Life After TV: Need some style advice of your own? Check out "Sam Saboura's Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies" (Clarkson Potter, 2005). "It's essentially a guide for women to become their own stylists," he says.

Powering Up a PR Career
Reality TV Pro: Monica Glass
The Show: "PoweR Girls"

As a full-time intern on MTV's "PoweR Girls," Monica Glass helped out PR-powerhouse LIZZIE GRUBMAN and the girls every day. "I loved my experience working with all of them because they're such great people," says the 22-year-old. "The show was obviously tailored for ratings, and as a result, it did not depict everyone truthfully."

Even still, for Monica, who studied communications at Pennsylvania State University (State College, PA), being a public relations intern for Lizzie was a great learning experience.

"Lizzie is a brilliant publicist -- she really knows what she's doing and how to garner attention from media for her clients," Monica says. "She's a great teacher."

And Monica didn't have to settle for a "gopher" internship experience. She worked directly with clients, wrote her own press releases, helped plan events, and corresponded with the press on a daily basis. The opportunity -- with cameras and all -- prepared her for what was in store once she stepped out of her internship.

"We all just went on with our everyday work -- the only weird thing was that we had cameras following our every move. It was easy to get used to," she explains. "I did notice a few times though when something good would happen and they didn't catch it on tape, they recreated it by making everyone try to 'do it again.'"

So maybe the show wasn't entirely "real." What you saw on screen were parties, celebrities, and drama. Though those elements are still present in real public relations, the cameras neglected to show what PR reps do in the office.

"You didn't see the behind-the-scenes office work. There are a ton of e-mails, phone calls, organizing schedules, events, and tons of mailings," she explains. "The show only really portrayed the 'glamor' of PR. Sure, it's great to go to all these events, but most people don't realize that you work at them. "What you can take from the show into the real PR world, however, are the networking skills Lizzie and the "PoweR Girls" exhibited at parties and meetings.

"Lizzie has a great Rolodex and a lot of friends, which definitely helps her reputation as a great publicist," explains Monica. "But don't forget, you'll also need to know how to use the computer, write well, and stay on top of current events."

Life After TV: Taking her PR prowess beyond her internship, Monica recently started working as a full-time publicity assistant for Dan Klores Communications, a large PR firm in New York City.

Designing a Dream Job
Reality TV Pro: Chad DeWitt
The Show: "Designer Finals"

While most final exams occur in a classroom, for Chad DeWitt and a few design students, an intense, hands-on assignment showcased on cable TV completed their scholastic endeavors in design.

The recent graduate of the California College of the Arts (San Francisco, CA) participated in HGTV's "Designer Finals," a home makeover show and design final rolled in one. The top design students had to make over a room with a minimal budget, a handful of helpers, and advice from a mentor.

In each episode, a student got a chance to go pro and actually work with clients to redesign a particular room. Chad, who majored in architecture, had the pleasure of helping Rich and Karen Rose, married workaholics redesign their cluttered home office. Despite mismeasurements, power issues, and painting difficulties, he completed his assignment with two hours and $100 to spare.

How did Chad accomplish the design project with such challenges?

"You really have to have problem solving skills," he explains. "Sometimes things didn't look the way we planned. You just have to roll with the punches, put out fires, and be resourceful to find unique solutions."

Especially with a stricter budget than designers have to work with in real life, the show only prepares you for a portion of what you encounter in the industry.

"What went on in the show is very different from 'real life,' but some of the skills [exhibited] do transfer," explains Chad. "We had to get go-aheads from clients before we could do anything. But the budgetary constraint we had -- $2,000 for a room -- is a joke!"

Not to mention students only had about two days to complete a project.

Nevertheless, Chad is grateful for the experience. "Having been on the show really adds to my credibility as a designer," he says. "I sometimes tell people, 'I've been on TV, you might want to watch [how] I made this project happen.'"

Life After TV: You can catch past episodes of "Designer Finals" on HGTV. After graduation, Chad opened his own design firm, DE WITT (www.dewittvision.com).