“Any experience is good experience at the beginning of your journey”

Creative Career Conundrums is a weekly advice column from If You Could Jobs. Each week their selected panel of professionals from the creative industry answers your burning career questions to help you navigate the creative journey.

This week’s question:

I recently graduated and want to break into the creative industry. But my course was largely research-based and I don’t have much experience in the creative field. Most entry-level jobs that I’m interested in often require more skills and experience than what I have. I’m struggling to even start a cover letter because I’m scared that they’ll reject me straight away.

How do you find the confidence to apply for a job? How can I put together an application to a role that might be a big step up from my current skills and experience?

Alex Bec, CEO of It’s Nice That, Creative Lives in Progress and If You Could Jobs:

Congratulations on graduation! A milestone in anyone's life, and it’s no small achievement to get this far, so a big well done before we dive in.

My first piece of advice is to really understand where you are now, and what the gaps are in your skills and experience that you feel are stopping you land the opportunities you’re after. Write them down. Get clear and precise on which ones you can influence, and which ones you can’t. Then find a way to start chipping away at the ones you can do something about – and get started on filling in those gaps, small step by small step. There’s loads of free resources online, and you might be amazed at how much you can develop without formal training, maybe even enough to get you to some of those interviews. There’s nothing an employer likes more than seeing willingness, proactivity and an understanding of your development points.

When you then feel ready, you’ve got to start applying. Be thoughtful, and careful with your applications, but don’t take it personally if you’re unsuccessful – sadly it’s just part of the process (when I graduated I was rejected by countless places before I gave up and concentrated on It’s Nice That more fully!).

Practically, we know confidence can be a real blocker, so we’ve put together loads of helpful, step-by-step guides at Creative Lives in Progress that can guide you through writing a great cover letter, or putting together a stellar CV.

Finally, don’t be a perfectionist. Stop trying to put together the perfect CV or application, stop looking for the dream role that ticks all your boxes – instead, start to widen your search or openness to roles you may have previously dismissed. Look for roles that can give you some insight into what a creative career might look like; you don’t have to stay there forever, or feel like it’s the perfect match. Any experience is good experience at the beginning of your journey.

In general, I’d strongly advise you to sign up to Creative Lives in Progress’ newsletter and socials! It's free and can help bring some inspiration, guidance, community and support during your career quest. Good luck!

In answering your creative career conundrums we realise that some issues need expert support, so we’ve collated a list of additional resources that can support you across things that might arise at work.

We collaborated with our sister company, Creative Lives in Progress, an inclusive creative careers resource, on a mission to transform the way emerging talent access, understand and connect with the industry for this’ weeks question.

If You Could is the jobs board from It’s Nice That, the place to find jobs in the creative industries.

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