As early as childhood, people are already encouraged to explore the career path they see themselves taking when they grow older. There are countless talks given and articles written that give tips for making this crucial decision.
While most materials are created in positive notes, there are some, unfortunately, that have tones of negativity woven into the context of the piece. This is particularly about the supposed careers one should be wary of pursuing.
These careers are mostly in the creative field. For a long time, society has held a near-contempt for children and young adults who consider the option of pursuing anything remotely creative. It does not matter how much people in Detroit, MI or any other state enjoy the products of the arts, like the portraits of a professional photographer or the music of a composer.
‘Just’ Art
The artistic professions have been mostly debased as “‘just” coloring, writing, or acting. The older generations even used to carry the notion that creative professionals, or “creatives” as they are now more known as, are unable to make hefty profits since all they do with their time is pursue passion projects.
Fortunately, as the world becomes more modernized, this thinking has been rid of, as people open their minds more. Nowadays, the talent of the arts is appreciated more.
Sustainable Career
On this note, it should be recognized that it is possible for creatives to make a profit that will not only sustain their lifestyles but also fund their side projects. According to the Occupational Information Network, a database set up by the U.S. Department of Labor, there are numerous high-paying creative jobs in the market.
A notable profession is in copywriting. Some copywriters work in advertising and marketing firms, while others do freelance work. Earning around $62,000 annually, they write copies that promote the services and products of client companies to the media.
Another is a career as an animator. An animator’s job description entails creating special effects with the use of both traditional and electronic tools, like drawings, images, videos, and sound footage. The average annual salary reported for an animator is about $70,000.
Trial-and-Error?
Given these numbers, why is it that there are still creatives who are struggling with low pay? Some industry specialists believe it to be the outcome of the many years spent in the education system.
Art schools are run as bureaucracies, with inflexible rules that the students have to abide to. Innovation is said to be encouraged, but it cannot be denied that art is often subjective. A piece that is marvelous for one person may not appear to be the same to another.
As a result, students play safe. They start wanting to earn their mentors’ approval more than they do showing their out-of-the-box ideas, all in the hopes of earning higher grades that they can boast of once they graduate.
Furthermore, the art world operates on the notion that no first draft is perfect. Revisions are encouraged, which non-creatives can view as a trial-and-error method. This is not really encouraged in the work environment. The more rigid structures and stricter deadlines allow for very little mistakes. Hence, the need to get it right the first time.
Creatives should not have it bad for the rest of their careers, though. Like their pieces, they only need to make some tweaking to their processes and habits in order to adapt to a more competitive market.
