25 careers for creatives

Would you love to be creative for a living? Whether you have a way with words, design, film or aesthetics, there are plenty of different careers that can take you in a creative direction. 

In this article, we take a look at 25 popular creative careers and outline some of the qualifications and skills you’d need to be successful. If creativity is in your blood, get some inspiration from this list of creative careers – and get paid to do what you’re passionate about.

What are creative careers? 

Creative careers cover a wide range of professions, each requiring a mix of natural talent and well-developed skills. However, there’s one thing they all have in common: they require innovative thinking and a good imagination. No matter which creative career you pursue, you’ll likely have to think ‘outside the box’ on a daily basis, come up with inventive solutions to problems or questions, and bring abstract ideas to life.

Career paths you can take as a creative

When considering the best creative job for you, start by identifying what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. It’s also important to consider what types of creative jobs are most in demand for full-time work and which are more appropriate as a side hustle. Here are the three different creative career paths (or employment types) you can take, and their pros and cons. 

1. Freelance creative

A freelance creative is someone who is self-employed, meaning they are their own boss and work with clients that they find and choose. They can work on a wide variety of projects, which can be short one-off jobs or long-term, ongoing contracts. The most common creative freelance fields are: writing, graphic design, web design and video editing. But freelancing can be a viable career path for anyone with marketable skills. 

Here are some of the pros and cons of working as a freelancer: 

Pros:

• Flexibility over work hours and location
• Freedom to choose the projects you work on
• Variety of work and clients 
• Sense of control over your income (by taking more projects or raising rates)
• Opportunities to collaborate with businesses outside of your geographic region 

Cons:

• Finding consistent work
• Lack of variety if focused on a particular niche
• Unpredictable income
• Requires strong self-management skills 
• Isolation, especially if you don’t have a strong network 
• No professional support for growth and development

Important skills for a freelance creative

• Communication skills: whether it’s pitching or discussing a brief, being able to clearly communicate your thoughts is an important skill for freelancers.
• Time-management skills: managing deadlines, especially if you’re working on multiple projects, is a crucial part of being a freelancer.  
• Adaptability: being open and flexible to changing deadlines or projects is important for success as a freelancer. 
• Networking: building a strong network is at the core of freelancing. You’ll need to know how to identify opportunities and market yourself to potential clients. 

2. In-house creative 

An in-house creative works for a single employer. They may be employed on a part-time or full-time basis, and must work on whatever project/s their role dictates, as outlined by their employer. This can include working on creative projects for their employer’s business or for different customers or clients, for example, working at an ad agency or hair salon.  

Here are some pros and cons to consider: 

Pros:

• Stability with regular working hours and income 
• Professional development and support 
• Work in a collaborative environment within a team 
• Exposure to projects outside your expertise
• Opportunities for career progression
• Structured work environment 
• Networking opportunities

Cons:

• Limited creative control 
• Must adhere to company policies
• Limited flexibility around working hours and location
• Usually working in a structured role, which could be monotonous
• No control over deadlines or timeframes 
• No choice of who you get to work with

Important skills for in-house creatives 

• Problem solving: in-house creatives may need to overcome challenges like conflicting deadlines or limited resources. 
• Conflict-resolution skills: the ability to work within a team and resolve conflicts as they arise is essential for the overall success of projects and to maintain good work culture. 
• Attention to detail: paying attention to the finer details is an important skill for in-house creatives. 
• Communication skills: being able to communicate with team members, managers and clients is important for collaborating effectively. 

3. Creative side hustle

A creative side hustle is a job you do in addition to your primary job or studies, to earn extra income. It includes making and selling your own products or services. While it can be challenging to balance your commitments with a creative side hustle, if you have the time, it’s a great creative outlet that supplements your income. People pivoting to a creative career often get started by testing out the new career as a side hustle first. 

Pros: 

• Maintain a creative practice alongside regular work
• Turn your creative skills into a source of additional income
• Explore a creative career path before fully committing
• Develop and expand on your creative skills
• Expand your professional network 

Cons: 

• Add stress through increasing your workload
• Marketing efforts may be required 
• Other work may be impacted
• Reduced work-life balance

Careers for creatives in New Zealand

There’s a range of creative jobs in New Zealand where you can use your talents and skills to make money. Here are some of the most popular creative jobs across a range of industries, to give you inspiration for your own creative career path.

Beauty careers

1. Beauty therapist

Beauty therapists provide face and body treatments, such as facials, manicures, pedicures, massages, waxing, electrolysis and more. It’s a job that allows creatives to have an active role in making people look and feel their best, which can be both creatively fulfilling and personally rewarding. 

Average salary from $58,000

2. Makeup artist

Makeup artistry covers a broad range of careers that involve applying cosmetics, and sometimes prosthetics, to change or enhance the way people look. Makeup artists might find a niche in bridal or formal event makeup, stage makeup or special effects for movies. There are also opportunities for makeup artists in cosmetics shops and department stores and as a freelancer working on fashion shoots and with public figures.  

Pay rates start from $30 per hour.

Photography and videography careers

3. Photographer

Photography is a popular career path for creatives, offering a wide range of opportunities for freelancers. Niche areas include wedding and family photography, film and TV stills photography, travel and wildlife photography, corporate and events photography and more. 

There aren’t any mandatory qualifications needed to be a photographer, but formal training in visual arts and photography is essential for building skills and a professional network. 

Pay rates vary depending on the type of photography and the level of expertise.

4. Videographer

Videographers capture video footage, whether for weddings and events, marketing purposes, TV and movies, or even real estate listings. They can work in TV production as a camera operator or on movie sets, to eventually become a director of photography. They use their creative skills to frame shots, position cameras and lighting, and make sure there’s enough footage for the editor and director to use in the final cut. 

You don’t need a formal qualification to become a videographer, but studies in media arts and production will teach you the technical skills and knowledge you need to launch a career.

Average annual salary: $70,000

5. Photo editor

Photo editors review, select and edit photos for publications. While they usually don’t take photos, they use their creative eye to enhance photos and provide the best imagery, which may be used in magazines, for ad campaigns, for social media and more. A portfolio and testimonials will be useful in gaining photo-editing jobs, but taking a course in media, photography or visual arts can help you get the technical skills you need. Salary depends on the individual role.

6. Film producer

Film producers are project managers for movies. They’re responsible for overseeing the entire production, from the budgeting and planning stages to the marketing and distribution of the film after it’s complete. While the director of the film usually makes all the creative decisions on set, a producer keeps the production on track.

Studying a degree in media arts and production is a good first step to a career in film production, providing technical knowledge and networking.

7. Video editor

Video editors use creativity to transform raw video footage into finished ‘films’, whether that’s movies, television shows, wedding videos, social media clips or TV ads. They need technical skills and creative abilities to use editing tools to smoothly edit together footage to a storyboard, then add any sound, visual effects and graphics. 

A diploma or a degree in media or production can be a great way to start your career in this field, helping you develop technical skills.

Design careers

8. Art director

Art directors are senior creatives who oversee the design and creation of different projects: TV, film, stage productions, ads, video games and more. As the director, they are in charge of coming up with a concept (or approving one), choosing the artists, guiding the creative work, then signing off on the final designs. 

Most designers and art directors have a degree or diploma, where they learn design fundamentals as well as technical skills. Someone at art director level usually has several years of experience as a graphic designer or illustrator. 

9. Graphic design

Graphic designers turn their love for drawing and painting into a career, creating things like posters, ads, magazines, books, company logos and branding, marketing and advertising materials (and more). A high level of creativity is needed to come up with different design concepts, balanced by a sense of function and a knowledge of commercial appeal.

Graphic design can be a high-paying job for creative people that doesn’t need a degree, though the more skilled you are, the safer you will be from developments in AI. A diploma and formal training will help you learn the skills you need.

Average annual salary: $73,000

10. Jewellery designer

Technology has made jewellery design a more accessible career path for creatives, with software that allows designers to visualise designs before production, and online platforms for marketing and selling products. Beyond gemstones and precious metals, today’s jewellery designers have resin, leather, stone and other materials to work with, allowing them to truly flex their creative abilities. Jewellery designers can work for a business creating designs, as a freelancer making designs for clients, or as independent designers with their own brands. 

11. Web designer

Website design is a career path that will likely be in demand for the foreseeable future. They create the look and feel of websites, including the overall design of the user interface and the entire layout of the website. They don’t usually code, but they do need in-depth knowledge of how websites work, what makes a good user experience, and digital design principles.

Average annual salary varies depending on level of seniority, location and company.

12. UX designer

User experience (UX) designers are similar to web designers, but focus more on making a website (or app or software) easy to use. They think about design from the perspective of getting a user to do something specific, like buy something to make a booking. For this they need the creativity of a designer coupled with analytical and problem-solving skills.

There are formal diplomas and courses for UX design, or you could progress to a UX designer role after a few years of experience as a web designer. 

13. Fashion designer

Fashion design is one of the more glamorised creative industries, and is highly competitive and difficult to break into. Depending on your niche, you might find a permanent position at a large clothing brand or be an independent designer with your own fashion label. You need a creative mind to come up with ideas for new designs, combined with knowledge of fashion trends, consumer behaviour, and the garment-manufacturing process.

14. Animator  

Animation is another industry that has expanded thanks to technological advancements and cultural shifts. You could be an animator working on original films or in an ad agency working on different client campaigns. Animation encompasses more than just ‘cartoons’, to include any type of motion graphics, like moving logos, video transitions, 2D and 3D model making, movie CGI and more. 

Music careers

15. Music producer

Music producers oversee and direct the recording of music, helping artists develop songs and lyrics, adapting arrangements and coaching artists on what would produce a better sound. They also produce music for radio, TV and movies: in-house for larger companies, and as an independent artist composing their own original music. If you love music, becoming a producer allows you to be creative and work on a range of different projects with different people.  

16. Music teacher

Music teachers can work in schools, colleges or camps, or might tutor students through an agency or on a freelance basis. They need knowledge of music theory and should be able to read sheet music and play an instrument to a high level. Music-focused high schools might stage regular musicals, which would fall underneath the music teacher’s set of responsibilities. All teachers in New Zealand must be registered with the Teaching Council of New Zealand.

Arts and crafts careers

17. Visual artist 

A visual artist has many different career paths they can take, such as producing art for galleries, painting murals, selling artwork, taking commissions for custom pieces and more. Artists have the freedom to choose the art they like to create, whether that’s painting, working with textiles, sculpting or wherever their creative passions lead.

You don’t need a degree or diploma to become a visual artist, but formal training can teach you proper technique and build on your existing skills. Learning how to market yourself would also be helpful for an independent artist. 

18. Illustrator

Illustrators are professionals who create all types of hand-drawn graphics for commercial purposes. They might create illustrations for books or websites, infographics or diagrams for textbooks, or digital designs for video games. Illustrators can work in traditional media, using a computer or a mix of the two. 

You don’t need any qualifications, but a certificate in visual arts or design can give you foundational knowledge and provide a valuable network of creatives. 

19. Online craft seller

Online craft sellers make their own creations and sell them through an established e-commerce platform like Etsy and/or through their own website. It’s a side-hustle type of job, used to earn additional income. Selling crafts online can be a good way to enjoy a hobby while mitigating the costs that craft hobbies usually bring. 

Arts and crafts you can sell online include: knitted or crocheted goods, needlecraft patterns, woodwork products, original paintings, t-shirt designs, prints and dolls/miniatures.  

20. Ceramic artist

Ceramic artists work with clay, porcelain, bone china and stoneware to make products like cups, plates, bowls and original artworks. They can work in-house with a company, creating established products or designing new ones, or can work as independent artists. This is a good role for someone who likes to create things with their hands. 

Creative writing careers

21. Copywriter

Copywriters work across almost all industries, filling in-house and agency positions, working as freelancers and also doing side hustles. They write to a client’s or project’s briefs, mainly for marketing purposes, coming up with concepts and writing copy for ad campaigns, websites, product packaging, and more. 

Completing a certificate in writing or editing, or bachelor in communications is the minimum required to start working in a large company or creative agency. An excellent grasp of grammar, knowledge of contemporary culture, and great presentation skills are also important for a copywriter career in marketing. 

Average annual salary: $73,000

22. Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter writes stories on behalf of another person, who takes credit for the work. While ghostwriters don’t create stories, they use their creative skills to bring the storyteller’s voice to life accurately through the written word. They have the ability to bring structure and meaning to disconnected thoughts, using storytelling principles to create a cohesive narrative. An excellent grasp of English grammar is essential, as is the ability to collaborate with others.

23. Social media marketer

Social media marketers create content strategies to be used for social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They may work freelance, for an agency, or directly for a business, planning what to post to drive brand visibility and user engagement. They use their creative skills to come up with new ideas to make their content unique and worth sharing, to get their audience’s attention. 

While a bachelor of marketing will help you learn the basics of social media, there are degrees, online courses and diplomas that are specifically geared towards social media marketing.

Average annual salary: $85,000

24. Journalist

Journalists write about events, issues and trends for newspapers, magazines, journals, and various digital media platforms. They investigate stories and gather information from people and through field reporting, using their creative skills to first come up with a concept, then communicate it in writing (or in a podcast or documentary).

To become a journalist, you need to complete a bachelor of journalism or a related degree with a major in journalism. Some graduates then enter a cadetship with a news organisation, where they learn on-the-job skills from senior journalists. 

Average annual salary: starts from $68,000

25. Author 

Authors write books, whether print or digital, covering all genres and formats: kids’ books, recipe books, self-help, literature, textbooks, etc. Today’s authors have more opportunities than those before the internet made self-publishing more accessible. Being a successful author takes creativity, time management, and marketing abilities, though it is a difficult career to earn a living from and is best started as a side hustle. 

There are many careers out there that require people with creative skills. Whether you love to write, create visual art, take photos or make TikToks, there are fulfilling creative jobs where you can use your passion to make money. For more inspiration, sign up for job notifications from SEEK, and follow creative agencies you want to work for, so you’ll know as soon as a position becomes vacant. 

FAQs 

What jobs allow you to be creative?

There are many different jobs that allow you to be creative, including:

• copywriting 
• graphic design 
• makeup artistry
• social media marketing
• animation

These are just a few examples, with plenty of other careers to explore. 

What is the highest paying job in the creative field?

Successful authors, fashion designers, artists, and film directors have some of the highest paying creative jobs.

How do I start a creative career?

A good way to start a creative career is by studying the creative degree or diploma of your choice to learn the skills and knowledge needed in your field. Building a portfolio and gaining work experience will also help you get creative jobs.

How do I get a creative job with no experience?

A good way to get a creative job with no experience is to seek out internships, volunteering roles or unpaid work experience to get basic skills and to start a portfolio. Networking and taking courses or accessing free educational resources can also help.

How do I switch to a creative field?

To switch to a creative field, consider where your existing skills could be transferable into a creative job. Further education might also help you gain valuable experience and skills, and networking can help you meet the right contacts.