Why choose a career in the creative industry?

For a number of years now we’ve been active participants in a fantastic initiative run by the MPA. Native Creative – It’s an opportunity for young people to gain some insight into the creative industry and what career opportunities it has to offer. An immersive day, giving them an overview of our industry, a snap shot of the sorts of jobs within & the chance to hear first hand from those of us that live & breath it.

The most frequently asked questions are: What do you do? Why did you choose the creative industry? How did you get into it?…. and the million dollar question – do you enjoy it?

We asked a couple of the team to share their answers / life stories…

Every creative in the world has a backstory. Some are extremely interesting, some are dull. One thing that connects them all is that none of them matter, because there’s a creative job for anyone. Sometimes it can just be a struggle to find the perfect fit for you.

When I was in primary school, all I wanted to do was draw. I would sketch kids in my class, or draw spaceships, or Pokémon, or my teachers fighting each other as WWE wrestlers. I figured out how to build little worlds in my head then when I was bored of my lesson, I would put them to paper. At the time I got into a lot of trouble for this, for not concentrating on important things like maths and English. I still paid attention to what I had to learn, but when I was done, I’d draw in the corners of the page or down the margin. This was how to rest of my life was going to go.

This continued into secondary school, but this is where something changed. After school I stayed behind to wait for my mum to pick me up, in the art classroom as usual. An older kid was on one of the computers in the corner, making things on Photoshop. All he was doing was cutting people out and putting them in different places, but to me it was magic. He showed me a couple of basics and I got obsessed straight away: this was how I could do my art but actually make things look good! I knew straight away this is what I wanted to be doing, so when it came to choosing college options and then Uni it had to be graphic design.

There were lots of things I was interested in school, but I think design stuck because it was the only subject where I got to make things that had never been made before. Science was repeating experiments the school had done for years; maths was following a set formula to get an answer the teacher already knew. Doing design meant that I could make whatever I wanted, with almost no restrictions, whenever I wanted. I spent hours and hours watching tutorials to figure out how I could make the things I had in my head, then when they were done people enjoyed them. The feeling was incredible. I felt like my life was validated and I had some way to be useful in the world.

That ability to surprise people and make them feel something from something that I had made was extremely addictive. As I got a little older and started thinking about career paths, I realised that feeling is hard to find in other lines of work. When I left uni and started looking for my first design job, it was hard. Most people that get to that point in life doing something creative are generally pretty good at it, and you will likely end up competing for jobs with your former classmates and friends. But it didn’t matter, because I knew it was the only thing I wanted to do.

The reality of working in a creative field is quite different to doing it for school or Uni, because you have a stricter brief to follow and usually a tight deadline to meet. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t very rewarding, especially when you get a good project that you can really pour your energy into. The best way to develop your creative ability is to be curious, and always ask questions. Ask why things are made the way they are, or why songs sound like they do. Almost everything you see that is man-made has been designed by someone: a building, a poster, a car, a shoe. The world needs creative people because we need creative things in our life, and the ability to create those things and make a living doing it is a feeling I’m not sure that other jobs can compare to.

Working in the creative sector is very fun, rewarding and diverse in ways that are never usually the same every day. If you’re a designer for example, one day you might be designing a logo for a local business, and the next day you’re watching dinosaurs chase kids across a field. That might sound ridiculous but that is something that has happened to me recently, and it was a lot of fun to be a part of.

If you love doing something creative and you’re willing to learn from other people, develop your skills and keep an open mind – you can make it. The biggest mistake I’ve seen people make over the years is an unwillingness to take criticism. At first it can feel bad letting people tell you why the work you’ve put your heart and soul into isn’t perfect, but nothing ever is. The only way to make a career out of your creative talent is to refine it over time, and let people give you their opinions while taking them on board. Quite often they will be wrong, but more than you’d like they’ll be right. This is a really important part of developing your creative talent over time, and something I wish I figured out earlier in my life.

I’m a senior account manager now, working predominately on hospitality accounts. Upon completing school, I was faced with a crucial decision: continue with A levels or explore my interests further at college, with the bonus of avoiding exams. Considering my dyslexia and difficulty with exams, I opted for the latter, what a choice that was!

In college, I decided to follow my interests in events and marketing, marketing had always been an interest of mine from seeing the Guinness ads on tv and my favourite Reebok advert ‘belly’s gonna get you’. However, after a year, I realised that events weren’t quite my forte and decided to shift my focus towards digital marketing. I graduated and secured a spot at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) to pursue a degree in advertising and brand management.

After completing my degree, I embarked on a journey in the industry. My first stop was McCann, where I started as a work experience intern, I was then offered a role in the photography studio where I got an inside look of how ads were shot, and the lengthy process put in to make sure they work. Following this invaluable experience, I transitioned to the head office, where I worked as part of the Aldi Ireland team across the print channels, before moving onto my role now at IF. Do I enjoy it? 1000% yes, everyday has something different to offer, with every brief comes opportunities to learn & push our creativity.

Over the past seven and a bit years, I’ve had the privilege of working on some remarkable campaigns. From Kevin the Carrot and the Olympics to nationwide digital campaigns, new menus and product launches across Europe, never a dull moment!

Hello there! I’m Joey, a designer originally from Norwich whose creative journey brought me to the vibrant city of Manchester, where I’m now part of the creative team at IF agency.

My journey into the design world started with a simple comment from a teacher who saw potential in me after seeing my enjoyment of the subject in class. While I didn’t fit the mould of a traditional artist, her encouragement unveiled a path I hadn’t considered before. Her belief in my creativity ignited a spark that set me on this remarkable journey.

University was a thrilling dive into design, it granted me the space to dive headfirst into the intricate history of design and its principles, while also revealing the thrill of bending and breaking them. The time spent with fellow passionate minds was a reassuring affirmation that I was on the right path – a path paved with imagination, innovation, and endless possibilities. Crafting my ideas through creative briefs was a joy that let my creativity run wild. The group critiques were an invaluable experience where I was always surprised by the diverse routes we had all taken in response to the same challenge.

What I love most about being a designer is that it never really feels like work. It’s like solving puzzles day in and day out; however, these puzzles manifest as creative challenges posed by our clients. Who don’t always make it easy! Clients love to throw curveballs, as they develop and expand their ideas. These curveballs are where the real magic happens. Collaborating with colleagues who bring diverse skills and viewpoints to the table allows us to craft solutions that surpass expectations and turn challenges into opportunities.

Working on diverse projects allows me to sharpen my creative toolkit, adding more strings to my bow. No two days are alike, and that’s a gift. The journey has moulded me into a more adaptable and well-rounded creative. It’s immensely satisfying to see those initial rough sketches evolve into impactful designs that resonate with our clients’ visions.

If I’ve learned anything on this creative odyssey, it’s that being a designer isn’t just about pushing pixels around – it’s about translating ideas, solving problems, all while staying adaptable in a rapidly changing world. The journey has been invigorating, and the road ahead is paved with endless opportunities to learn, grow, and challenge myself in new and exciting ways.

Most of us are good at something – usually because we enjoy ‘it’ & I’m yet to find a passion without transferrable skills that would be valued somewhere within this industry!