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Source: http://By Holger.Ellgaard 10:53, 21 October 2007…
Creative folks usually defy convention. They are the ones who would rather fail at what they love doing than excel at something they have not the heart for. This is why you hear so many stories about starving artists and creative people who continually find themselves at a crossroad.
In a world where commercialism and mass production rake in huge millions, creative folks need to step out of the ubiquitous box and to incessantly prove themselves. With a few career moves and even a career shift however, you don’t necessarily have to starve just to follow your heart. Or worse, take up just any kind of high-paying, painfully boring desk job that will guarantee you some sort of stability.
Here are 5 career choices for the creative soul; and whether or not the pay ends up being decent will ultimately depend on how good and committed you are at what you do.
Copywriter/ Creative Writer
Sure, there are millions of technical writers around, but for the more creative minds, writing a product manual or being stuck writing how-to articles doesn’t sound very interesting. Don’t get me wrong – some of the best technical writers are paid very huge sums. And technical writing is a serious, time-consuming, highly gratifying occupation. However if you’re someone who likes creative writing – describing people and places, writing stories, persuading people, or marketing an idea, concept, or product – a copywriting job may be a better option for you. There are many successful copywriters who choose to go freelance but if you like the perks of bonuses, paid leaves, and healthcare (I mean, who doesn’t?) consider working at an advertising or marketing agency. This way, you are doing something you love and are paid handsomely for it.
Events Photographer
People are going gaga over photos these days. This has greatly to do with the proliferation of social networking sites where people can publish photos and stalk their so-called friends’ photos in the same breath. Now if you are someone who’s handy with a DSLR and you love capturing memorable events on photos, a career as an events photographer will be very fulfilling – and financially rewarding. To get started you can perhaps build your portfolio by taking photos of events for free. A cousin of mine here in the Philippines is an events photographer who works for a more successful studio, while doing freelance photography work on the side. Working for a bigger photography studio allows him to get the training he needs, while freelancing gives him the chance to enhance his skills on his own, and to make a name for himself locally as well. He covers weddings, baby showers, baby pictorials, engagement shoots, birthday parties, and other occasions and events. He now accepts photography bookings on a regular basis, and has been able to transform his hobby and his sporadic gigs into a full-time, thriving career ever since.
Chef /Pastry chef
What is a bad day without ice cream? What is a wedding without a lovely cake? What is a good dinner without a delectable dessert? I’m guessing you get my drift. It’s almost impossible to picture a world without pastries and desserts. For someone who loves working in the kitchen (which means working on your feet for hours on end), has an amazing attention to the tiniest details, and is blessed with a flair for taste, texture, color, and design, a career as a pastry chef is definitely one of the most fulfilling career choices there is. You can go freelancing and focus on a niche, such as wedding cakes or specialty cupcakes, or you can diversify to include a range of products, from regular cheesecakes to the fancier truffles. You may offer dessert bar services for parties as well, and get to advertise your company and your products on site. Another option is to work with a team of professional chefs in restaurants or in hotels.
Graphic designer/ Web designer
Web design and graphic design are occupations that both require visual creativity. In order to successfully communicate an idea or market a product, graphic designers and web designers make use of text, images, layout, and design effectively. Web designing primarily involves the design of pages within a website, while graphic design has a broader job description, encompassing both print and online projects. A graphic designer may be tasked to design a business logo, create a magazine advertisement, a poster, or illustration. While a web designer may be tasked to perform some graphic designing duties in the development and updating of web pages, it’s clear that both occupations require an excellent dose of flexibility and creativity. To communicate ideas effectively in graphic design you need to be able to use both art and technology successfully. As a web designer moreover, you need to design, create, and update web pages and websites, thereby effectively marketing the business or business products to their respective markets or audiences on the Internet.
Events Coordinator/ Events Designer
Not all creative people prefer to work alone. Some of the most interesting creative folks work best when they are part of a team or interacting with other people. So if you are a people-person who has a flair for design, an events coordinating or events designing career might suit you best.
An events coordinating job requires flexibility, coordination with other team players, and lots of planning. You also need to have access to the right suppliers to ensure that the event goes through without a hitch. An events designing job on the other hand focuses more on the design, the transformation of a place or a venue so as to achieve the desired ambiance for any event – from fashion shows to product launches to weddings. As an events designer, you are bound to work with props, lighting, flowers, and entertainment so the ability to think creatively is a must.
With these interesting, decent-paying creative careers, there is every reason for you to ditch that boring 9-to-6 desk job. Not that there is anything wrong with a stable office career, not at all. But if you know you can handle something else, something less conventional – and maybe even more fun – well, there are interesting choices for you out there. By trying your hand at these creative careers, you might end up discovering the world of difference between getting paid for something and getting paid for something that you actually love doing.
Note: All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Source: http://By Janet Hudson [CC-BY-2.0…