Creativity and your career: job search perks

Summer is almost here, which means you’ll have freedom to be as creative as you like in the company of others! Why not use this time to create a piece of work that sings true to your interests and what you value?

Create something that inspires you to really lean into your creative voice and what you want others to hear, see, and be influenced by. What matters to you and how might you have fun creating a piece of work this summer?

The benefits are enormous:

• Collaborating with others to create new ideas and projects will not only strengthen your working relationships with others but also bring wilder and stronger ideas than if you were by yourself.
• Spending time on a creative project that isn’t linked to university marks or a client’s brief gives you joy, fuels your creativity and experimentation, and gives you confidence in your creative voice.
• Diversifying your networks and creating meaningful connections in the communications or creative industries is always positive for your future job search success. In many industries, up to 80% of jobs are not advertised online. You need to purposefully expand your networks, and talk to people, to find those ‘hidden’ jobs.
• Developing your skills – whether they are transferable ones (problem solving, creativity, time management) or technical ones (Illustrator, Avid) – will make you more employable.
• Demonstrating your commitment to your creative interest area and injecting your personality into your portfolio of work on your website, socials or in your job applications will show your genuine interest in your line of work when marketing yourself to others.
• Increasing your chances of standing out to an employer in the recruitment process, as you will have side projects different to your class mates who all have similar university projects inside their portfolio of work.

Can’t think of something you’d like to work on?

Be bold

Consider entering into competitions that may have briefs or themes that interest you.

Get inspired

Research creative professionals who inspire you and what sorts of side projects they have been involved in. How might you like to explore your personal interests in a creative way?

Start to explore

Research companies you aspire to work for and write your own creative brief similar to projects they have worked on.

Get involved

Ask people in your network whether they would like to collaborate on a fun project over summer and brainstorm ideas.

Have I convinced you yet?

Start small and become a contributor to our UTS Careers Blog or write an article on LinkedIn. You could take photos of your local nature reserve, create a small animation, or develop a sound recording whilst on holiday. If you’re more the social type, join a creative community on socials or go to an event with a friend you were too scared to go to by yourself.

From little things big things grow.

Enjoy summer!

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash