I was so happy to attend this year's Creative Access showcase!
For all you fellow creatives and aspiring whatevers, I'll keep this post short and to the point.
It can be hard being in the creative industry since we're always going to face change, whether good or bad. The arts and media will always strive for progression and innovation, and thus us aspiring professional creatives have to as well.
Starting up in these industries are far from easy, but you have to stay determined and motivated - this is only one piece of advice that I took away from Creative Access' annual showcase. Here are some tips and words of wisdom from the panel of industry professionals that came to speak to us:
Plan in short-term
There's no use in planning what you want to do in 5 years when you don't have a plan for tomorrow. To be as productive as you can, be realistic and plan a to-do list daily. These plans should consist of goals that you want to achieve so you don't waste anymore time feeling sorry for yourself. That may sound harsh, but honestly, we'll all go through that time we need a kick up the butt to get motivated. What do you need to get done so that you progress in your chosen industry?
Do what you're good at
Elijah Lawal, the Communications and Public Affairs Manager of Google UK & Ireland, made this very clear in his speech to us at the showcase. He explains that when he was first approached by someone from Google, he was reluctant since he knew nothing about coding and software, but he soon realised that this isn't what they wanted him for. They wanted to hire him because they recognised his passion for talking to people and making connections.
Take a few moments to really evaluate what you're strengths and weaknesses are. Just like Elijah, let's have more confidence in ourselves, identify and practice what we're good at, and work on building these skills further.
Be amazing at your job 80% of the time and develop new skills 20% of the time
This is a good way to always be ready for advancement in our careers. Focus on your current work and doing an amazing job of it the majority of your time, but take the time to build new skills ready for the next step in your career. Like I said before, all creative industries continually change so we have to get ourselves ready to be shaken from stability.
Be likeable
Hmm... sounds kinda weird, doesn't it? But it's true. The way we present ourselves is key to networking. In the working world, contacts and business links are essential for staying successful, as I'm sure you already know. We have to find ways to stay friendly with fellow creative partners, and the best way to do this is to be sociable and approachable. Chatting to someone is a give and take situation, literally call and response, so make sure you listen to them as much as they're listening to you.
Be open to social interaction at work for sure, but also in your leisure time. You never know when you'll bump into your next client or business partner!
Let yourself be seen and heard!
Confidence is so important. It's easy to slip into thinking we're not good enough to achieve our dreams, but WE ARE! Never compare yourself to other people because you'll end up letting yourself down. Be confident in your work and showcase it! No matter how you do this, whether it be emailing your creative content to employers or blogging *wink wink*, you will always benefit from showing off your capabilities to the public. It can be nerve-wracking, but you'll benefit from having your work critiqued by fellow creative minds.
The only way is up!
The only way is up!
For more information about this year's Creative Access showcase and those involved, read this article!
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