Your Guide to a Creative Career

Ever feel like you should work in a creative field?

Maybe friends compliment your eye for design, or you’ve been itching to turn your love for photography, writing, or video into something more than a side gig?

The truth is, creative careers aren’t just “passion projects” anymore. They can be lucrative, stable, and seriously fulfilling paths!

So, what would it actually take to turn your creativity into a career? Keep reading!

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In this Creative Career Guide, we’re highlighting everything from illustrators, photographers, UX designers, and architects to even podcast producers. We’ll break down what these jobs actually look like, how to get started, and what you can expect to earn. Let’s get into it!

How to Choose Your Creative Career Path

To figure out what creative path actually fits you, think about three things: your talents, your lifestyle, and the kind of money you want to make.

A few questions to ask yourself:

• What’s something I’d be happy doing 40 hours a week that also pays the bills?

• What kind of lifestyle do I want this career to support?

• How much money do I actually want to make?

✨ Pro tip: Use our job board to explore different roles and see what lines up with your goals.

Types of Creative Roles

🎨 Visual Arts

Visual artists bring ideas to life, whether that’s on a canvas, a tattoo, or behind a camera. These roles are all about vision and artistic skill, from fine art to commercial work.

• Job Paths: Illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, makeup artist, fine artist, tattoo artist

• Salary Range: $46K–$288K

💻 Digital Media & Design

Digital designers and creators shape how we interact with apps, games, and websites. Think animations, user experiences, and all the visuals that make tech fun to use.

• Job Paths: UI/UX designer, video game designer, animator, content creator

• Salary Range: $64K–$175K

✍️ Writing & Content Strategy

Writers are storytellers at heart. Whether it’s copy for brands, blog posts, or product instructions, this path mixes creativity with communication skills.

• Job Paths: Copywriter, content writer, UX writer, content strategist

• Salary Range: $45K–$200K

🎭 Marketing & Brand Creative

These are the big-picture peeps guiding campaigns, shaping brand identity, and leading creative teams. It’s where artistry meets strategy, and often where the bigger paychecks show up.

• Job Paths: Art director, creative director, social media marketer, brand manager

• Salary Range: $58K–$288K

Explore the full list of creative roles here!

How to Break In With or Without a Degree

Stack up on your skills. College is one way in, but not the only way. Online courses, workshops, and micro credentials are great ways to level up.

Build a portfolio ASAP. Degrees look nice, but portfolios land jobs. Showcase your best work, whether it’s school projects, freelance gigs, or even practice projects from sites like FakeClients. Platforms like Behance, Canva, or Squarespace make it super easy.

Network like crazy. People open doors that resumes can’t. Join communities like The Dots, Meetup for Creatives, and The Professional Association for Design. Share your work on LinkedIn and be intentional about connecting.

✨ Want more insight on how to make your creative pivot? Check out the full Creative Career Guide here.

In this episode of the Two Cents Podcast, we discuss the recent experience of our Facebook page getting hacked, including the sophisticated nature of the scam, how it bypassed our red flags, and the steps we took to mitigate the damage.

Tune in on YouTube or your preferred podcast platform to hear our advice on how to protect yourself from similar scams, and learn how we got our account back.

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See you next week for more career tips, money moves, and transparent advice! 💚