Get into the creative sector - Blog

Posted by Niche Recruitment
29th January 2020

How to get into the creative sector and some unusual roles you never considered…

Niche Recruitment | Get into the creative sector

Are you the creative type? You’ve probably heard that creative industries are incredibly hard to get into, but it’s not so hard when you know how – and with the Government prioritising creative industries in its of post-Brexit growth plan, now is the best time to try!

You may have been advised to get some work experience under your belt before applying for paid roles, but let’s be real – acting as some art director’s unpaid dogsbody and tea-maker is a waste of your time and talent. Try these six tips instead to bag your first creative job.

1- Showcase your portfolio and knowledge

Market your talent by creating a high-quality, professional online portfolio of your creative work. Set up your own personal website and start documenting your projects and blogging about your experiences and industry trends. Over time, you’ll see your professional presence grow – and it’ll be an impressive talking point for your first job interview.

2- Engage with professionals and influencers

Got your portfolio online? Great – now get out there and share it. Instead of just posting on social media, follow industry influencers and local businesses, jump on industry-related hashtags, and get involved in trending conversations. As well as getting you exposure, it’ll also give you another way to impress employers.

3- Join a media society

Still studying? Get involved with your university’s creative societies, such as film, journalism, or radio. These are not just learning opportunities, they’re also networking opportunities that could help to launch your career.

4- Attend national conferences and events

Speaking of networking, national conferences are invaluable if you want to break into a creative industry. You’ll get to meet industry-leading professionals, learn from the experts through panels and workshops, and discover career opportunities you’d never heard of before. As a bonus, students usually get in free!

5- Think small

Don’t expect to be hired by the biggest, most famous companies in the industry just yet. That can come later in your career. Start looking for a role that suits you in small independent companies or local businesses, where people are more likely to take your talent and potential seriously.

6- Research job descriptions

Look at job descriptions in your chosen field to get an idea of the skills employers are looking for. When you find a role you like the look of, flip through the person specification to see if you have the skills and experience for the position. If you find you’re missing something – now you know what you need to focus on to prepare for your ideal role. What’s more, researching job descriptions might even lead you to a role you’ve never thought of before…

Great, so now you have a better idea of how you might get into the industry, but do you know which job you want to apply for? There are numerous different roles you could apply for, some of which you may never have considered. Here are some of the more unusual ones Niche have previously hired for…

Copywriter

Copywriters are wordsmiths who write for commercial websites, blogs, and advertising agencies. (In fact, you might be writing the copy the voice-over artist speaks!) As well as good writing skills, you’ll need a knack for adapting your content to specific audiences.

Motion Graphics Designers

Junior Motion Graphics Designers will expect to get involved in the creation of new designs and implementation of animations, for social media platforms or email campaigns. This role is the perfect mix of creative flair and technical know-how.

Traffic Managers

As a Traffic Manager, you will support in directing all Creative projects and ideas across the team. Your job is to get the project from creation to completion, so you need to be organised and prepared to take on any challenge that comes your way.

Photography Stylist

Sometimes known as a Media Stylist, the Photography Stylist will assist the photographer with setting the scene and atmosphere ready for a shoot. You quite literally need to be able to see the bigger picture whilst having a keen eye for detail.

Videographer

A Videographer can be based in the field or editing in-house, a role where no two days will ever be the same. They have made their profession in the telling of stories through a camera lens.

Interested in a creative role? Contact Niche Recruitment – a specialist, multi-award-winning, independent recruitment firm with vast experience of matching talent with specialist roles in creative industries.