The invariability of much of our job is what can make us hate it. Perhaps you just have to live out the rest of your life seeing work as a necessary evil, and spend every shift looking forward to retirement. Alternatively, you might notice there are people out there making a living based on activities that you enjoy doing for fun. Whether it's drawing cartoons, taking pictures or designing racing games, an entire job sector is based on those activities: the creative industries. Formal education can sometimes help, but not always. Here are some things you can do to give you success in the creative industries.
To start off, you need to narrow down your passion. It is always more advantageous to specialise in one skill, then to try and pass yourself off as a jack of all trades. Within the extremely encompassing range of fields, including dancing, acting, singing, writing and filming, it is crucial that you can demonstrate what you are especially good at. It is easier for the employer to hire several specialists, instead of somebody who demonstrates a mediocre capacity for a range of related job skills.
And where would you get your training from? Unless you have been entering and winning contests and receiving offers left and right, you might need to enhance your skill. Going to a polytechnic school is a good choice because they place their emphasis on practical training, which is what the industry actually needs. Always be suspicious about universities offering a program in "arts" because not only are they much too time consuming to complete, they tend to prioritise theories over practicality - if any. Learning on the job, such as finding an internship, is even better and employers are often grateful for your work. Think outside the box - it could be designing basketball singlets, painting murals, or writing articles.
Keeping a good portfolio is of utmost importance. An employer will only be able to judge your potentials based on your own record of your passionate activities. Videos, sound recordings and images are what they will be looking for to determine if you have reached industrial standards. A great way to enrich your portfolio is to include entries to competitions, regardless if you have won anything at all.
Finally, never underestimate the importance of networking. Most of the vacancies in the creative sector are never advertised, instead they have been fulfilled via "who you know". If you don't have any best buddies working in your dream field, start reaching out to them. Create instances where you can impress potential employers, whether that be unpaid internships or competing in contests and festivals.
Finally, never forget that this is one of the more marginalized sector among all job sectors. Having a safety net - i.e. a sustainable job while you work towards your portfolio and networking is practically mandatory. Good luck!
To start off, you need to narrow down your passion. It is always more advantageous to specialise in one skill, then to try and pass yourself off as a jack of all trades. Within the extremely encompassing range of fields, including dancing, acting, singing, writing and filming, it is crucial that you can demonstrate what you are especially good at. It is easier for the employer to hire several specialists, instead of somebody who demonstrates a mediocre capacity for a range of related job skills.
And where would you get your training from? Unless you have been entering and winning contests and receiving offers left and right, you might need to enhance your skill. Going to a polytechnic school is a good choice because they place their emphasis on practical training, which is what the industry actually needs. Always be suspicious about universities offering a program in "arts" because not only are they much too time consuming to complete, they tend to prioritise theories over practicality - if any. Learning on the job, such as finding an internship, is even better and employers are often grateful for your work. Think outside the box - it could be designing basketball singlets, painting murals, or writing articles.
Keeping a good portfolio is of utmost importance. An employer will only be able to judge your potentials based on your own record of your passionate activities. Videos, sound recordings and images are what they will be looking for to determine if you have reached industrial standards. A great way to enrich your portfolio is to include entries to competitions, regardless if you have won anything at all.
Finally, never underestimate the importance of networking. Most of the vacancies in the creative sector are never advertised, instead they have been fulfilled via "who you know". If you don't have any best buddies working in your dream field, start reaching out to them. Create instances where you can impress potential employers, whether that be unpaid internships or competing in contests and festivals.
Finally, never forget that this is one of the more marginalized sector among all job sectors. Having a safety net - i.e. a sustainable job while you work towards your portfolio and networking is practically mandatory. Good luck!
About the Author:
Writing lyrics can be a therapeutic, and ultimately quite lucrative, way of getting into creative writing. With the right contacts you can get your songs recorded and they can supply ongoing royalty income if successful.
