When you are creatively minded, finding a career that suits you is easier said than done. The creative market is generally much more saturated than the corporate, business one. A lot of people are blessed with unique talents, and getting a ‘break’ can be difficult if hundreds of other people are all vying for the same break too. But that doesn’t mean to say that you need to give up on your creative dream. The arts are still celebrated and valued very much in modern society. It’s just that forging out a career in them doesn’t have a set path. You don’t suddenly become ‘qualified’ and then walk straight into a job. There are lots of different ways you can attempt to break into your chosen industry – here are some of the ways you can do it.
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Work like mad
It goes without saying, but you will need to have a very strong work ethic in order to give you any chance of succeeding in a creative sphere. Of course, there are some creative roles that do require a qualification or at least some form of formal education. If you want to be an actor, for example, going to film school automatically gives you a better chance of making it due to having strong credentials. For other careers, like being a musician, it all comes down to simply working hard and making yourself heard. You might need to get a side job in order to support yourself financially if you are not yet able to make real money off your artistic passion. Sure, it might not be a job that you see yourself staying in long-term – but just remember that these are the sacrifices you need to make to achieve your goals.
Perfect your online brand
Gone are the days where you could achieve any modicum of success without utilizing the internet. These days, if you are not online, you may as well not bother. The internet can be a great tool when it comes to bettering yourself in your creative practice and getting your work into the public sphere. For example, many people sell art online. The first step is creating a website where you can showcase exactly what it is you do, and also give people an option to contact you about work. You may also choose to create some social media channels purely for your creative project or business. It is always wise to keep these separate from your personal social media accounts, so you can keep a professional demeanor at all times.
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Network
Being a closed book, is, unfortunately, never going to get you far in life, especially if you want to work for yourself. You will need to get used to mixing with other like-minded people and adopting the ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ mentality. Getting involved in local events with your art, music or product might not seem like a big deal at first, but it could end up opening doors for you that you had no idea about before.
