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A lot of us get fed up with routine and the repetitiveness in our lives. Some try to shrug it off and force themselves to “like it or lump it”, picking up depression along the way. Others respond to their true calling, refusing to self-impose a life sentence of job dissatisfaction. They begin a new focus in life: to build a career based on what they enjoy doing. Apart from getting some formal education (which often isn’t even relevant for some creative careers), what should you do?

To start off, you need to narrow down your passion. It is always more advantageous to specialise in one skill, then to try and pass yourself off as a jack of all trades. Within the extremely encompassing range of fields, including dancing, acting, singing, writing and filming, it is crucial that you can demonstrate what you are especially good at. It is easier for the employer to hire several specialists, instead of somebody who demonstrates a mediocre capacity for a range of related job skills.

It is also likely your passion is not up to employable standards, and this is the defining difference between a hobby and a career. Consider further tertiary schooling, but take great care on the teaching contents that they provide. Universities are notorious for promising degrees that seemingly relates to the creative industries. In reality they are typically heavily slanted towards theoretical work, and only by signing on as post grads do they acquire substantial practical knowledge – and this basically lengthens your time in schooling and more financial burden. It is much wiser to look into a respectable polytechnic school where the focus will be on technical training, which is what the industries actually need.

You will also need to work constantly on your portfolio. This is an accumulation of all the creative work you have completed, with the show an employer your talent. In the creative industries, your portfolio will speak volumes over any other certifications, so it is essential you update it constantly. These can include submissions to a competition you never got an award out of, they make great additions to you portfolio.

Networking will be your other critical asset. A great deal of jobs in the creative industries never made it to the situation vacant section, simply because they are quickly filled in by the acquaintances and associates within the job. Offering to work as an unpaid intern is a compelling chance to build a relationship with those already working in the field. Outside of that, participating in clubs and festivals related to your interest is another method of becoming noticeable.

Remember, there is always the risk of indefinite unemployment when pursuing a career based on creativity. This job sector will always remain less available than others, simply because the public demand for arts will always be below that of other necessities of life. A financial back up plan is paramount if you wish to stay alive, and this might involve taking up second or even third jobs. And even if you are extremely unhappy with what you have to do to support yourself, try to use the circumstance as a motivation to work even harder to enter the creative industries – so you may leave that misery behind!

Photography is one of the creative arts that is easy for an amateur to gain experience in. A good camera can be bought cheaply these days, though remember to check out camera reviews first.. This article, Thinking of a New Job Where You Get to Be Creative? is available for free reprint.