Best Careers for Creative People

As a creative, you might feel torn when deciding where to take your career. Although you might opt for the freedom of making and selling your work yourself, there are also benefits to choosing a more stable job with a steady paycheck.

So, if you're more right-brained and artistically minded, what roles can leverage your strengths?

What Are Good Jobs for Creative People?

Outside the typical careers you might have considered in art and entertainment — like working as an actor, costume designer or illustrator — there are creative roles to pursue in various fields and industries.

Here are 7 paths to consider:

Art Teacher

As an art teacher, you could immerse yourself in creativity while inspiring and encouraging a new generation to embrace the arts.

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) reports that art teachers are typically expected to:

• Develop a relevant and engaging curriculum of projects, activities and lessons
• Grade assignments and monitor student progress
• Introduce students to various art concepts and techniques
• Offer critique and encouragement

Your path to become an art teacher will depend on the educational level at which you decide to teach and the licensure requirements in your area.

Learn more about how to become a teacher.

Creative Director

Kevin Frost is an assistant creative director at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in marketing and advertising and said he's always been interested in art.

"I started to realize that every decision that you make between purchasing your cereal box or looking at an event flyer or a movie poster was all designed, and somebody had to do that," he said. "That was super exciting for me, and it wasn't until that moment that I saw an application to my world that I loved."

Today, his work involves overseeing a team of designers and their projects. "Day to day, it's a lot of communication, a lot of collaboration, a lot of talking," he said. "There's designers that work on my team that are incredibly talented, so a lot of it is just kind of talking through creative projects."

Mentorship is a large part of Frost's role, as well. "My favorite part of my job is to really watch people flourish and see the outcomes that come from that," he said.

There are a number of degree options that might lead to a career as a creative director, according to Built In, an online resource for startup companies. At SNHU, for example, you could earn a bachelor's in creative writing, graphic design or marketing. From there, you'll likely need several years of work experience, a strong portfolio and maybe even a master's degree to qualify for a creative director role, Built In said.

Graphic Designer

"Ever since I was a kid, I really loved art," said Hallie Bolonkin, a graphic designer at SNHU. "I think it's just something that runs in my family."

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in design and visual communication, Bolonkin started her graphic design career with an internship. "That internship turned into my first job where I was a junior graphic designer," she said.

Now, at SNHU, Bolonkin works on a variety of different projects but said she especially enjoys the print medium.

"I really love working on print material, things like postcards, flyers, advertisements out in the wild," she said. "And I even get to work on some things that involve illustration, which is a really fun creative outlet."

She noted that getting to flex her creativity is her favorite part of the job. "I'm doing the things that I love every day. I know not everyone can say that, so I definitely feel grateful for that," she said. "And being able to work with really awesome creatives alongside me is really fun, just collaborating and learning from everyone around me."

If you're interested in becoming a graphic designer like Bolonkin, SNHU offers a bachelor's in graphic design that can prepare you to get your start.

Learn more about how to become a graphic designer.

Copy Director

There are a variety of specialized management roles to consider within the world of marketing, too. For example, Carley Barton works as a copy director at SNHU.

"Some days I'm working with stakeholders on what the mission of the work is," Barton said. "And other days, I'm actually writing program pages or managing a team of copywriters who are writing program pages or writing our new homepage."

In her role, she said she manages a team and the direction of their projects. "I care very deeply about managing, and I care very deeply about making sure that anyone who reports to me is happy and is feeling creatively fulfilled," Barton said.

She got her start with a bachelor's degree in English and initially became a teacher before changing lanes. Now, Barton has been working in marketing for 13 years.

"I'm really lucky," she said. "I really love the work that I do."

If you want to become a copy director, a degree could be your first step. At SNHU, you might choose a degree in English, marketing or creative writing. And if you already have your bachelor's, you could consider a master's degree.

Learn how to get your start by becoming a copywriter.

Motion Designer

Jon Christenson is a senior motion designer with SNHU's creative team. "I've been a broadcast television designer for most of my career, working on TV show packages for NBC," he said. "I was even lucky enough to be part of the Tokyo Olympics graphics team."

Christenson holds a bachelor's in communication with a film and video concentration and originally planned to work as a video editor before moving into motion design. "It's kind of like a specialized lane or niche in the creative world," he said.

At SNHU, he works on all kinds of videos, including broadcast commercials. "I'm on the forefront of trying to come up with new and interesting ways to use animation," he said.

According to Christenson, motion design involves a combination of skills in graphic design and video editing. If you have a background in either area, he said it might be worth considering this specialty role.

"If you're coming at it from video, learn some graphic design," he said. "And if you're coming at it from design, learn some video theory."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), special effects artist and animators typically enter the profession with at least a bachelor's degree in a related field. At SNHU, you could take a combination of graphic design and game art & development courses to gain the skills you'll need to become a motion designer. For example, you might choose to major in one subject and minor in the other.

Video Editor

You also might consider working in video, like Julia Steer, a video editor at SNHU who holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology with a focus in video production.

Steer got her start in video production and editing when she was a kid. "I started sneaking my mom's digital camera into my backpack with me in elementary school," she said. "So when I would go hang out with my friends after school, we would film little music videos and skits."

Now, she uses the skills and experience she started developing back then on a daily basis. "A lot of the time, I focus on what we post for our social media," she said. "I also get opportunities to work with the rest of the (post-production) team to develop commercials for broadcast, which is really, really cool."

While Steer enjoys her work, she said the people she works with make her job even better.

"I think that is a huge reason why I wake up every day and put 110% into what I do," she said. "There are obviously times where things can be stressful with deadlines and making sure we get what we need to on production or whatnot, but I just know that every day I will have fun."

Writer

As a writer, you have options beyond writing and publishing a book. You could also explore a variety of specializations, including:

• Blogging
• Copywriting
• Journalism
• Scriptwriting
• Technical writing

Although she's currently in a management position as a copy director at SNHU, Barton has a decade of experience in copywriting and still writes in her role today. "I've spent a great deal of my life writing for fun and as a passion, and I realized that it was something that I could turn into a career," she said.

A bachelor's degree in English and creative writing, like SNHU's, can help to prepare you for a variety of writing careers. If you already have a bachelor's, you could also consider an advanced writing degree at SNHU, like a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

Learn more about how to become a writer.

So, What Job is Right for You?

"There's so many different applications for creatives, whether it's through marketing, whether it's through product design and product creation, whether you're creating a podcast or an ebook or anything else," Frost said.

Bolonkin recommended exploring different creative fields before deciding which one is for you. "Try all the avenues, like try illustration, try film, get into all of it because I think you'll kind of discover yourself along the way," she said.

Steer agreed that exploring different fields can help you find where you belong. She also noted that it's not always easy to secure a creative role — but persistence can pay off. "I never really thought that I would be able to get the opportunity that I have right now," she said. "And my advice to anyone that is looking for a job in a creative field would be: just keep trying."

Once you do secure a role, Barton and Christenson both said you should be emotionally prepared to receive feedback about the work you produce.

"As a creative person, everything that you do is kind of in some way an extension of yourself," Christenson said. Because of this, he said that learning to accept feedback can be challenging, although it's something you can get used to over time with the right mindset.

According to Christenson, you might also have less energy for your personal artistic pursuits if you're working full-time in a creative career. "As long as you're fine with this trade-off, go for it," he said.

Is Liking Your Job Important?

There isn't a simple answer when it comes to the importance of liking your job. For most people, work is a necessity — but if you're able to do something you like, that can make a difference in your quality of life.

"I recognize that it's a gift and a privilege to love what I do," Barton said. "I don't think it is a prerequisite for doing really important work or doing honorable work, but it certainly makes the work more fun."

Steer agreed. "Finding a way to love the work that you do is really important," she said. "And then if you find a career overall that makes you happy and that you love, that's even better."

On the other hand, Christenson noted that you shouldn't expect to like every part of your job. At the end of the day, it's still work. But if there are parts of your job that you love, that can make your work feel more fulfilling.

"Also, if you're really enjoying your job, the quality of your work is going to shine," Bolonkin said.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor's and master's, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon's short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.