Non-Standard Careers Advice
Today I visited a local school to do a careers talk - one of many that I've done in the area since we moved here. As ever it was loads of fun to do - it's great to chat to kids about the industry and, lets face it, Me is one of my favourite subjects :)
Anyway - since the talk is fresh in my head I thought it might be useful to jut down some of my key tips in case someone out there can benefit. So here we go:
If you want to have a great career in the creative industries I suggest you:
1) Be Interested
As well as interesting. Whilst you should be proud of your ideas and skills, remember that experienced people probably won't be so impressed initially. They're probably wrong, you're definitely going to be the next big thing, but there's still a huge amount you can learn from them. Remember that creative people love to talk about themselves so, be interested, ask as many questions as possible and wait for them to be interested in you.
2) Be Confident
Following on from the above though, be confident in your abilities and - if you're young - remember that things change quickly and it's only a matter of time before they are out of date and you are the new breed. You can do it, go for it! But do avoid telling people that you're gunning for their job.
3) Be Brave (but not stupid)
Don't be afraid to take a risk here and there if it feels like the right thing to do - particularly while you are young. Bear in mind that the consequences of procrastination are often worse than the consequences of acting and that it's easier to make mistakes when you don't have any commitments. Generally, the further you can get in your 20s the more successful you'll be in your 30s onwards.
4) Be Kind
Remember that your relationships are the the lifeblood of any creative business, nurture and maintain them at all costs and try not to abuse them. It's okay to ask for help now and again but it's important that you try to balance it by returning the favour if at all possible. Sometimes it's just as simple as telling people how much you appreciate their assistance.
5) Be Open
Don't approach every relationship as if you're looking for something out of it - be open to new people from different sectors, you never know where the next opportunity will come from.
6) Be Lucky
Remember that if you get on with stuff you can craft your own luck out of the "luckticles" that surround you all the time - often referred to as opportunities - so pick an activity and get stuck in!
7) Be Strong
If you're aiming to be successful in the creative industries it's only a matter of time before someone tries to knock you down a peg or two. Remember that: it's almost never personal, the person doing the knocking may also have their own challenges which might, in turn, be influencing their actions and - most importantly - never discount the possibility that they might be in the right. If you're going to aim high it's inevitable that you're going to make a few mistakes along the way.
Well, there you go! Hope someone finds that helpful and - if you do - please do let me know!
Anyway - since the talk is fresh in my head I thought it might be useful to jut down some of my key tips in case someone out there can benefit. So here we go:
If you want to have a great career in the creative industries I suggest you:
1) Be Interested
As well as interesting. Whilst you should be proud of your ideas and skills, remember that experienced people probably won't be so impressed initially. They're probably wrong, you're definitely going to be the next big thing, but there's still a huge amount you can learn from them. Remember that creative people love to talk about themselves so, be interested, ask as many questions as possible and wait for them to be interested in you.
2) Be Confident
Following on from the above though, be confident in your abilities and - if you're young - remember that things change quickly and it's only a matter of time before they are out of date and you are the new breed. You can do it, go for it! But do avoid telling people that you're gunning for their job.
3) Be Brave (but not stupid)
Don't be afraid to take a risk here and there if it feels like the right thing to do - particularly while you are young. Bear in mind that the consequences of procrastination are often worse than the consequences of acting and that it's easier to make mistakes when you don't have any commitments. Generally, the further you can get in your 20s the more successful you'll be in your 30s onwards.
4) Be Kind
Remember that your relationships are the the lifeblood of any creative business, nurture and maintain them at all costs and try not to abuse them. It's okay to ask for help now and again but it's important that you try to balance it by returning the favour if at all possible. Sometimes it's just as simple as telling people how much you appreciate their assistance.
5) Be Open
Don't approach every relationship as if you're looking for something out of it - be open to new people from different sectors, you never know where the next opportunity will come from.
6) Be Lucky
Remember that if you get on with stuff you can craft your own luck out of the "luckticles" that surround you all the time - often referred to as opportunities - so pick an activity and get stuck in!
7) Be Strong
If you're aiming to be successful in the creative industries it's only a matter of time before someone tries to knock you down a peg or two. Remember that: it's almost never personal, the person doing the knocking may also have their own challenges which might, in turn, be influencing their actions and - most importantly - never discount the possibility that they might be in the right. If you're going to aim high it's inevitable that you're going to make a few mistakes along the way.
Well, there you go! Hope someone finds that helpful and - if you do - please do let me know!