The days of being a jobless, and flat-out broke creative are long gone. What’s more interesting is that, as a creative person, there are many creative job variations that you can apply for because most creative jobs of the 21st century require cross-functional skills.
In this article, you will get familiar or reacquaint yourself with the top 11 in-demand creative jobs in 2023, and the skills required to land them. Whether you’re just breaking into a new career in the creative industry, or looking for something related to your current creative job, you’ll know which creative jobs you should pursue at the end of this article.
Technology is powering most sectors, and most creative jobs require technical skills and tools that you can apply both remotely and onsite. However, the popularity of remote creative jobs cannot rule out the importance of on-site creative jobs.
This is why this section will provide in-demand creative jobs that you can do remotely and the ones that occasionally require you to be on the field.
Remote-Based Creative Jobs
1. Creative Director
You can liken a creative or art director to a project manager because they handle creative projects from the beginning to the end. This is a high-paying job because it involves client-facing duties, and high-level ideation and execution.
A creative director is responsible for representing the brand to clients. They also head the creative team and ensure that members deliver timely and within the scope of the project’s objectives.
What skills do you need to become a creative director/art director?
- Project and people management
- Problem-solving
- Creative thinking
- Interpersonal communication
2. Brand Manager
Like the Creative Director, a Brand Manager also represents their brand adequately. However, a brand manager sometimes doubles as the social media manager because the role is usually focused on portraying the brand in the best light.
They do this through public-facing activities including, developing and communicating the brand’s products/services to consumers and researching innovative and industry best practices. They also develop and execute converting campaigns with the help of other creative teams.
What skills do you need to become a brand or social manager?
- Media and communications
- Public relations
- Sales and marketing
- Content creation
- Digital marketing
- Content marketing
3. UI/UX Designer
A UI or Web Designer develops the visual aspect (user interface) of a software, app or website that users can see and interact with. This role is technical because a UI Designer need to be skillful to present a good user interface, but they also need to be creative and understand their target audience to deliver software or apps that meet people’s needs.
A UX Designer, on the other hand, is mostly focused on understanding users’ behaviour to enhance their interaction with the visual design developed by a UI Designer.
You can be a UI and UX Designer because both roles require similar technical skills, and a good understanding of, and empathy for product users.
What skills do you need to become a UI/UX designer?
- Psychological and user research
- User interface design
- Graphic and web design
- Design software and tools
- Communication
4. Creative Graphic Designer
Graphic design has been around for a while, but forget the stereotype that graphic designers are just logos or flier designers.
Good graphic designers are also creative brand designers because they participate in the development of a brand’s unique identity. They are also constantly improving this identity to represent the brand as it progresses.
What skills do you need to become a creative graphic designer?
- Understanding of consumer psychology
- Design software and tools
- Communications and media
5. Technical Writer
Technical writing is one of the top creative jobs to pursue in 2023 because more businesses are turning to tech-based solutions, and there’s a constant need to carry consumers/users along in their advancement.
A technical writer creates manuals and guides that simplify users’ understanding, interaction, and usage of a product.
What skills do you need to become a technical writer?
- Writing
- Good command of the English Language d communication
- Research
- Understanding of consumer psychology
6. Content Marketing Manager
This role requires multiple skills including creative, email, and media writing, as well as digital marketing which involves the use of multimedia tools for getting businesses in front of ideal consumers.
A content marketing manager has a grasp of good SEO and marketing and uses different content to achieve expected marketing and sales outcomes.
What skills do you need to become a content marketing manager?
- Excellent and diverse writing
- Data analysis
- Digital media and communications
- Customer relations
7. Content Creator/Influencer Marketer
If you’re conversant with the streets of social media, your ears are probably full from hearing the terms Content Creator or Influencer. This is where the saying “if you can’t beat them, join them” might make sense because those people are obviously doing something right!
Are you a camera-loving person? Do you love to create planned or random TikTok content and IG videos that advertise products and services? Are you familiar with social media trends?
If you tick these boxes, you have been sleeping on a pot of gold. All you need for this role is a basic-good understanding of photo as video edition and a large dose of creativity and passion for social media.
What skills do you need to become a content creator/influencer marketer?
- Excellent speaking and writing
- Content ideation and curation
- Video and photo editing
- Social media and communications
8. Podcast Producer
Podcasts are fast becoming the most preferred channel of information consumption. But unlike what most podcast consumers think, a lot of work goes into the audio they consume in 20mins-1hr.
As a Podcast Producer, you’re involved with the scripting, arrangement, recording, and production processes of a podcast. You’re also a lover of podcasts and can conduct interviews.
What skills do you need to become a podcast producer?
- Excellent speaking, writing and interviewing
- Content ideation and curation
- Sound editing software
9. Animator/Motion Designer
An animator brings art and life to a brand’s work. Instead of adopting only still designs, businesses are leaning more towards 2D and 3D graphics because of how they sustain viewers’ attention.
As an animator, you get to have fun while you work on storyboards, video animation, or other motion designs.
What skills do you need to become an animator/motion designer?
- A good grasp of consumer psychology
- Figure sketching and drawing
- Animation and motion design software
- Graphic design
Onsite-Based Creative Jobs
10. Event Planner
In simple terms, an event planner organises and oversees formal and informal events. Event Planners ensure that vendors provide accurate technical tools, decorating items, meals, locations, and event personnel.
This is a creative role that will remain relevant because organisations and individuals use formal and informal events for proper networking, business, and refuelling purposes. And they are willing to hand over event planning to in-house or external event planners.
What skills do you need to become an event planner?
- Project and resource management
- Negotiation and problem-solving
- Cross-teams communication
- Sales and marketing
11. Interior Designer
An interior designer has an eye for detail and develops aesthetic yet functional design solutions. If this definition describes you, and you have some technical skills to back your eye for beautiful designs, you’re in business!
What skills do you need to become an interior designer?
- Great communication and customer relations
- Technical design
- Building and construction
- Product sourcing and market negotiation
- Sales and marketing
5 Benefits of Having a Creative Job
Are you a newbie in the creative industry and wondering why should I pursue a creative career? Before you pursue one of many lucrative creative jobs of 2022, and even the future, below are some of the reasons why there is so much buzz around creative jobs, and the ever-promising creative industry.
1. You get to work with a creative team
One of the perks of taking a creative role is that you get to work with other creative people. Like any other field, the creative sector is interdependent and relies on the input of different individuals to generate the right output.
For example, as a graphics designer, you need to collaborate with the art or creative director to know the creative direction of a brand design project. Every time you interact with other members of your creative team, you’re bound to learn something new that will spark your creativity.
2. You do more, but stress less
You can succeed as a loner in the creative world, but you will reach the peak of your goal faster if you collaborate with other creatives to get a project done.
If you have been a freelancer for so long, it can feel strange joining a team. But with time, you’ll notice that your ideation process is wider and covers areas you wouldn’t have covered alone.
The execution stage will also be smoother because all hands are on deck, and conducting post-project evaluation with a team gives you hindsight that might have remained hidden if you did it all alone. Also, you’ll find it easier to overcome inconsistencies in work delivery within a team than when you worked solo.
3. There’s always a new challenge to solve
The survival of a creative brand is hinged on its ability to constantly identify and solve new or existing challenges. In a creative role, you can never run out of challenges to solve, and this makes the job exciting and refreshing.
Even when it seems like the role is getting stale, a forward-thinking organisation that depends on creativity to thrive will create advanced roles/duties to match your progressive creativity.
4. You’ll become multiskilled
Another benefit of taking on a creative job in 2023 is that you’ll become so skilled that you can function in multiple roles. When you create solutions to problems daily, your skills become diversified.
More importantly, your transferable skills will help you remain relevant even as new job roles arise in the future.
5. You’ll earn well
Aha! This is probably the part you have been waiting for! Whether you’re a fine artist looking to use your skills to help brands portray their product and services in the best way, or a musician with the ability to deliver exceptional voice-over ads, you’re highly in demand.
Nowadays, organisations are aware of the values creatives bring to the business world and are willing to pay handsomely. As long as you hone your craft daily, and package your skills properly, you won’t need to earn ‘exposure’ for your hard work.
Conclusion
You got to the end of this article, which means that you’ve found one or two creative jobs that you’re willing to pursue in the foreseeable future. Forget the myth that there is no job or the half-truth that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots have taken all the good jobs.
The list of creative jobs in this article is a testament to the fact that if you build yourself every day and look for job opportunities in the right places, you’ll land a great creative job.
