6 ways a creative degree will help you get a job – in any field!

Career options in the creative industries are vast and wide ranging. But studying for a creative degree doesn’t confine you to a specialized career in the arts. Unless that’s what you want!  

Creative degrees can also open doors to jobs in wide variety of industries. As an Arts graduate, you’ll have plenty of options available to you. Maybe a career in the media, marketing, public relations, education or even accounting awaits you!   

However, you’ll need more than your talent to get the job you want. Thankfully your creative degree will go beyond helping you explore your artistic flair.  

Importantly, a creative degree will help you gain a bunch of transferable skills that employers really value – a surefire way to help you get the job you want! Find out how your creative degree will prepare you for the world of work.  

You can explain your ideas, brilliantly  

Good communication skills are essential in all areas of life and business, helping you to share information with different people, and to understand what is said to you. It’s one of the top skills employers look for in candidates.  

Your Arts degree will provide plenty of opportunities to develop your communication skills. From critiquing work and explaining your influences to pitching for a commission, you’ll learn to communicate your ideas, visually, orally and in writing. This will really help others understand your thoughts behind your work and what you’re trying to achieve.  

Employers will also value how your communication skills allow you to clearly share your ideas, build good working relationships and network with a variety of people.  

You’re a strong team player  

Throughout your creative degree it’s likely you’ll have many opportunities to collaborate, whether that’s with students from other arts disciplines, or with industry partners. You’ll become experienced in developing individual ideas, then working with others as part of a creative team to bring these ideas to life.  

In the workplace, teamwork can increase efficiency, improve communication, help innovation, and increase motivation as all group members have shared goals. Being able to demonstrate you’re a team player through your university experience will show employers that you’ll be a valuable addition to their team.  

You can solve problems, no matter how big  

Art is often about experimenting and being willing to give new things a go. And when things don’t go according to plan, you take note, learn from it, and use this to improve your next attempt.  

By talking about or sharing pieces of work that aren’t perfect with employers, you’ll show you’re not scared to try new things and that you can use your creativity to problem solve and find other solutions. They’ll really appreciate how your creative mindset can help you to solve complex problems and make effective decisions.  

You can work to briefs and deadlines 

Through showing your work at competitions and exhibitions, and working with industry partners, you’ll gain experience in working to briefs. This will help prepare you for professional life as you become skilled in following instructions, interpreting requirements, and working flexibly, possibly on multiple projects.  

Project-based work is also often deadline driven, so you’ll need to use your effective planning, organization and time management skills to keep the ball rolling – you’ll find these skills equally useful at university and in the workplace.  

You can accept criticism, and learn from it  

The creative industry is highly competitive, not just for jobs but also for placements, and places in exhibitions and shows. You’ll develop resilience and determination as you compete for these opportunities.  

Art can be subjective. Through your creative degree you’ll learn from criticism and become objective about your work. This shows your ability to adapt and learn, and that you’re open minded – important skills in ever-changing workplaces where companies try to stay competitive by implementing new initiatives.    

You’re business minded  

Commercial awareness is sought after by graduate recruiters. It shows you understand their business, the marketplace and even how you can contribute to business performance.  

By using the research skills you develop through your creative degree, you can learn about the organization and the industry that you are applying to. During your degree you may also use entrepreneurial skills in marketing your work – use these examples to impress employers with your business acumen.  

If you’d like to study a creative degree, our Art pathway programs will prepare you for university and beyond – take a look to find out more.