Top Problems Switching to a Creative Career
There are many problems when switching to a creative career. Everyone wants to become a digital nomad. They dream of leaving their 9-5 and sipping drinks on the beach. This is not a seamless transition. Let’s try and solve some basic issues. This is coming from someone who blogs and freelances in addition to my day job.
Competition
Competition is a big reason many people don’t start creative careers. This was something I learned as soon as I finished college. My best solution for this problem is to remember that there are a lot of creative careers. Some are more competitive than others. Do your research. Also, new creative careers are emerging yearly. Many of the creative careers that are available now weren’t even available when I first started. There was no such thing as an Instagram Influencer in 2008. See what’s up and coming and learn about it.
Changing Technology
This is another reason people don’t want to go into this type of career. Software you learned is obsolete by the time you graduate. This is something I experienced. (Google what QuarkXPress is.) You will have to continue learning new technology. Learning new programs and software does not mean going back to school every time something changes.
There are a lot more opportunities to learn things on the internet for free. One of my best investments of time was learning HTML online. The W3Schools has free courses on coding. I left school with zero coding skills. This meant I figured out how to improve my skills to be able to keep up with the changing times. Continuing to evolve is important no matter what industry you’re in. Creative careers are no different.
Running out of money
Ignore the misconception that changing careers means immediately quitting your current position. This is never a good idea. Of course you will need to save a good chunk of money before making a major career change. And even after saving money, don’t quit right away. Leave your current career only once you’ve started earning enough money in your new creative career to fully support yourself. This may mean juggling for a few years. Or it may mean simplifying your life. Don’t think you’re the only one.
Are there any other questions about problems switching to a creative career? Leave them in the comments.
