There are many reasons you might be looking into different career paths. It could be that you are currently in a job you don’t like anymore, you want something with better career progression, or perhaps you’re coming out of education and looking for the right job for you. No matter the reason, if you are a creative person there are a host of career ideas that you can try. From those you might think of straight away, to those that perhaps are a little less common, we take a look at some career ideas for creative people and offer some top tips.
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How to decide on the right career for you
There are many things you can look into to help you decide on the right career for you. This includes:
Consider what your interests and hobbies in your spare time are
When changing careers, you want to think about things you love. If you work in a job you enjoy, they say you won’t work another day in your life. If you are someone who likes to take photos at home or as a hobby, for example, a photography job might be the career for you. If you love to use social media and are a whiz on your phone, why not consider a social media role?
Think about what transferable skills you have
As well as the things you are interested in, it’s a good idea to consider the transferable skills you have. This will make it much easier to start a new career as you’re building on skills you already have as opposed to starting afresh. It might be that you’ve previously worked in a customer-facing job and, as such, have great customer service skills. Or perhaps you used to be a designer and want to turn to marketing - these creative and artistic skills are sure to help in your new role.
Research what certain roles entail
Sometimes, you can like the idea of a job, but the reality is very different from what you might expect. In order to prevent any surprises, be sure to research the role you’re looking into ahead of time. You can do this by looking online and reading job specifications, finding other people’s experiences on blogs or social media and speaking to others who are in the industry already. This can help you to paint a picture of what is actually involved, answer questions you might have and prepare you for what you can expect.
Career ideas for creative people
There are many career paths for creatives, you just need to take the time to look into the different areas and see what might suit the best. Here are just a few ideas.
Working in marketing
Put simply, marketing is the process of getting the word out about a product or service in order to generate more sales. There are a variety of paths in this field, from a career in digital marketing to more traditional marketing methods. You can work on the social media side, on advertising, SEO, or copywriting. With so many different fields to cover, you want to consider the best one for you. If you work for a smaller company, there’s a higher chance you will get to dabble in multiple different areas of the same field.
Photographer
We live in a time when we have more access to high-quality cameras than ever, and even novice photographers can utilize their phones to create amazing photos. If you’re a sucker for taking snaps, a career in photography could be the one for you. As with the above, there are a myriad of options you can choose from here, whether you decide to specialise in product photography, fashion, beauty, lifestyle or food. Think about what you like to photograph the most and where your skills are. You could join a company and be their in-house photographer or opt for a freelancer position instead. Both give you a lot of creative control. You just need to think about what is best for you.
Writer
If you are someone with a great aptitude for words, why not consider becoming a writer? There are many fields in this, from a copywriter to a content writer, writing in-house for a certain brand, or freelancing and writing for multiple companies. Think about the sort of writing you like to do, whether you want more freedom to be as creative as possible, or if you’d prefer to be guided more. Do you want to write press releases and news stories? Blog posts and reviews? Or do you want to populate websites with creative copy? Think about your past experience, what you can apply to the position and what you would most like to do. A lot of writers are freelance so if you would prefer the freedom and flexibility of a freelance position, this is the role for you. It can be harder to get jobs in, but you might be paid more for the ones you do get. An in-house role can mean more stability but less choice in the tasks you get assigned.
Interior Designer
An interior designer is another fantastic career idea for creative people - plus, for those who don't suit traditional education routes, it's possible to become interior designer without a degree if you're willing to put the work in. You get the chance to decide on the aesthetics and design for buildings from houses to offices, to corporate spaces. You might get to design the layout for new coffee shops and bars, hotels, restaurants and other places in your favourite city and further beyond. You need an eye for detail and precision, to be a perfectionist and to be able to capture a brief well for a role like this.
To conclude
If you are someone who is creative and has an eye for detail, these careers are sure to suit. There are so many different subcategories within each of these that you’d be hard-pressed not to find something to get stuck into. What are some of your top tips for finding a new career in the creative field? Let us know in the comments below; we’d love to hear from you!
