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Find a Job You Really Want In
For plenty of us, the need to be creative comes from deep within our bones. Some of us are drawn to the creative process, while others find it can be a stress-relieving activity. No matter your reasoning, it can be fulfilling and rewarding to create something with artistic value, but it can also be lucrative.
There has often been a misconception that becoming a creative professional means dooming oneself to low wages and few job opportunities. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. As we consume more and more information and images daily, the need for creative people has never been higher.
Entry-Level Creative Jobs
There are several ways to break into a creative career, and luckily, minimal experience is required. Here is a list of interesting jobs that will allow you to use your creativity, while also providing you with the opportunity to start an exciting career.
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Social media manager
Average Yearly Salary: $58,000Social media managers are exactly what they sound like. They are responsible for handling a brand’s social media.
They create content, plan posts, develop followings, interact with social media members, and monitor a brand’s online presence to increase awareness of the brand and develop a positive image for the brand.
If you are someone who keeps active Instagram or Twitter accounts, or someone who enjoys creating digital media, a social media manager position could be for you.
Luckily, the only experience required for this position is, of course, experience with social media, but having a marketing or digital marketing degree is absolutely a plus.
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Content creator
Average Yearly Salary: $52,000Content creators are the artists and digital media makers who are behind each ad, social media post, poster, article, and graphic you come in contact with daily.
Many companies and industries are looking for creators who can turn a brand’s message into an easy-to-consume piece of media for the general public’s eye. Because of this, the demand for people who can create content is very high.
If you have experience in creative writing, graphic design, visual art, or any other type of media, this may be a job for you to consider.
Typically, to land the job you will need a portfolio that shows off all the great work you have done, but having a degree in graphic design or another creative field doesn’t hurt.
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Marketer
Average Yearly Salary: $26,000A marketer may not be the first thing you think of when considering creative careers, but these are some of the most creative professionals out there. These are the people who are tasked with creating eye-catching advertisements, developing campaigns to increase brand awareness, and identifying potential customer groups.
A team of creative marketers is behind your favorite commercial or ad. While it is not one of the more artistic roles on this list, it certainly remains a position that requires creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
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Freelance writer
Average Yearly Salary: $52,025Behind every blog, social media post, advertisement, and website, there is a writer, creating content for you to consume. Because of the sheer amount of written media the average person consumes daily, the need for writers has never been higher.
A freelance writer is a writer who has a bit more flexibility in terms of the projects they take on. The work they do is often varied, so it is perfect for someone who has a lot of dexterity in writing.
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Photographer
Average Yearly Salary: $49,000Becoming a photographer is an easy way to create beautiful pieces while still making a living.
But don’t think you’re limited to graduations, bat/bar mitzvahs, and weddings. Professional photographers can also work for firms to document important events, create promotional materials, and create content for their clients to consume.
Creative Jobs that Pay Well
There is a general misconception that if you are a creative professional, you make little money. The whole “starving artist” trope, however, is slowly going by the wayside. Here is a list of creative jobs that make over the average American salary.
Salary and wage data was compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and represents the median pay for each position as of May 2019.
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Industrial designer
Average Yearly Salary: $66,000Industrial designers create and design product concepts. They often require some engineering know-how and business skills to create a product that can function and sell well. They need to research how a product will work and then complete sketched renderings of the product, which are then sent to clients for approval.
Typically, a bachelor’s degree is required to land this job, but the average salary of an industrial designer is well worth it, being around $69,000.
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Multimedia artists and animators
Average Yearly Salary: $69,000Multimedia artists and animators are creatives who make images and videos for us to consume. Using the help of technology, they can create unique graphics, animations, and videos.
Professionally, they are used in the advertising industry, as well as in social media, movie and video production, video game development, and software creation. They can also aid in the rendering of product prototypes and proposals.
Most of the time, a bachelor’s degree will be required, either in computer graphics, art, or a related field. The median pay for a multimedia artist or animator is around $75,000 annually.
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Technical writers
Average Yearly Salary: $63,000Technical writers are those who are responsible for writing instructional pieces, whether that be how-to guides, manuals, or other materials. They are tasked with presenting complex information in an easy-to-understand way.
While they can be used to communicate instructions from company to client, they can also write internal pieces meant to disseminate information around a company.
They also usually work with technical professionals in the field, such as the creators of a product or the developers of software.
In this position, a degree in writing or a similar field is usually required, but it also helps to have additional technical knowledge in a certain subject, such as science or engineering. The median pay for a technical writer is around $73,000 annually.
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UX designer
Average Yearly Salary: N/AAlso known as a user experience designer, these are the people who are responsible for making a website or software easy for a client to use.
They design and test layouts and interfaces as well as keep a website or software looking professional and visually pleasing. Because, at this point, almost every company has an online presence, the need for UX designers is only increasing.
To land this job, you will probably need some experience working with a programming language, such as HTML or Python. You will also need some experience working in design, which teaches you the more artistic and practical side of this position.
Annually, the median income for a UX designer is approximately $74,000.
Work From Home Creative Jobs
These days, more and more people are opting to work at home, which can be especially beneficial for artists who find a typical office setting puts a damper on their creativity. Working from home can also be a great option for someone who is looking for a low-stress job. Here is a list of a few jobs that can be done from home.
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Graphic designer
Average Yearly Salary: $45,000With the proper technology, graphic designers can work just about anywhere. All they need is a computer, the appropriate software, and perhaps a touchpad or other form of electronic canvas.
Working from home as a graphic designer also means a higher amount of flexibility when it comes to working hours. You can decide to work when inspiration strikes, which can be especially helpful if you are a night owl or someone else who operates outside of a typical nine-to-five.
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Freelance writer
Average Yearly Salary: $52,025Just as with graphic designers, freelance writers only require a computer to work from home. Freelance writers can find more flexibility in the work that they do, as they can choose to only take on projects that interest them, or projects they believe they can write easily for.
Freelance writers come in many forms, including bloggers, freelance technical writers, copywriters, and content creators. Freelance work does not stop at writers, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for anyone who wants to become a freelance artist.
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UX designers
Average Yearly Salary: N/AWorking from home may be perfect for a UX designer, as they are probably already well-versed in using electronic communications. Furthermore, with just a computer and access to the internet, they can develop, maintain, and repair most types of websites or software.
Just like with other work-from-home jobs, UX designers can also work in the fashion that is most productive for them, whether that be working for eight hours straight or taking it one hour at a time with breaks in between. This can make the tedious work of programming much more manageable and prevents burnout.
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Digital marketer
Average Yearly Salary: $55,000Digital marketers can easily work from home, as most of their work already takes place digitally. Checking their key performance indicators, running analytics on websites, and running advertising campaigns.
Also, when working from home, digital marketers can find errors or mistakes in their campaigns much faster than those who are limited to a typical workday.
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Stylist
Average Yearly Salary: $35,000For someone who is fashion-forward, becoming a work-from-home stylist may be the perfect job opportunity. With companies like StitchFix offering personal stylists, online stylists are quickly becoming in demand.
If you are aware of the latest trends, or someone passionate about curating specific looks, a stylist position may be for you.
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- Interest Based
- Location Based
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- Requirement Based
Author
Natalie is a writer for Zippia with a passion for research and storytelling. She is a graduate of Lake Forest College and holds a degree in both English and French.
