Many people may argue that the best part of working in the creative industry is the thrill of the unexpected, the fervent chaos, the joy of putting one’s creative self before any rules and structures. (What creative industries can I work in? Consult a full list here). What is missing from this picture, however, is how daunting looking for a job in the industry is, and how quickly that beloved chaos can turn into a waterfall of panic.
The trick to avoid it is to know where to start, and this short blog will help you do just that. When you finish reading it, you will have a small folder containing all the right resources. Second, there’s no better way to avoid the panic than looking at prospects and openings broadly. It’s important to know that some opportunities that might not feel like the right fit for you now can lead to new and exciting plans, and get you exactly where you want to be.
Most creative industry jobs fall slightly to the side of mainstream recruitment. You will find that, more often than not, posts will either be advertised on a semi-casual basis (through LinkedIn, or the social media of the producing company) and are easy to miss, or will be freelance.
Keeping this in mind, there are resources that group upcoming vacancies in the creative industry, where you can keep posted on new projects and openings. They cover every area: from TV and film productions, to theatre carpentry and props, to sound specialists and musicians.
This is a quick guide on where to start sourcing these jobs, with helpful channels recruiting UK-wide, and opportunities you can get involved in in the local area.
Creative Access is, perhaps, the best resource out there when it comes to the media and creative industry. Their mission is to support and champion talented people from underrepresented backgrounds, allowing them to not just enter the creative industries, but to thrive in them. It has the major advantages of covering the entirety of the UK and touching on every subject, from graphic design, to music instrument repair, to screenwriting.
My top tip is to sign up for their jobs and internships newsletter. This way, you will receive monthly updates directly to your inbox to scroll at your leisure.
Great opportunities advertised include:
- Scholarships
- Mentoring programmes
- Workshops
- Industry Insight Events
If you want to start local, there is no better place to go. Similar to Creative Access, Creative Scotland offers jobs in a variety of sectors, focussing on the geographic area of mainland Scotland and the Islands. More than just advertising vacancies, Creative Scotland also offers grants, scholarships and funding for individual projects.
Great opportunities offered include:
- Scholarships
- Funding for projects
- Industry Insights
- Traineeships
Slightly more off the radar than the previous two, Creative Aberdeenshire has a Facebook platform where they advertise opportunities available in the North East, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. The kind of opportunities you will find there range from hiring photographers and musicians for events, to working on TV sets. Recently, they have advertised major shows looking for staff and trainees, including big sellers like Good Omens and Outlander.
More Resources:
Screen Skills covers the world of Film, TV, VFX, animation and games in the UK. Together with advertising openings and starter-level jobs in a variety of public and private sectors, it also offers bursary options.
Great opportunities offered include:
- Mentoring and Bursaries
- Masterclasses
- Career mapping tools
- Trainee offers
- Interviews and top tips with successful people in the industry
2. BAFTA Guru
This exciting film-based opportunity gives young people and beginners the chance to get into the film industry, by hosting student competitions, Q&As with famous actors and directors, and much more.
They offer:
- Career development bursaries
- Writing competitions
- Screenwriting mentoring
- Workshops on diversity in the arts
This is a useful resource if you want to see what roles are available in the long run. It is unlikely that you will see traineeships advertised in here, but you can start navigating the exciting opportunities that await after a graduate job!
Opportunities they offer: Creative Coordinator, Theatre Production, Orchestra Managing, Drama and TV Technician, etc.
Although focussed primarily on the arts development in England, ACS is a useful resource for self-starters. In particular, it has a lot of information about public grants and funding, and it covers broader areas than the creative industry. For example, it works with museums, galleries and cultural heritage.
5. Artshub
Artshub is the most multifaceted resource of the list. First of all, it is a media outlet that covers news, opinions and feature articles regarding all relevant sections of the creative industry. If, before you start looking for jobs, you want to sit with a cup of tea and read a couple of articles about what is happening in the creative world, Artshub is the place for you.
You will see in the dropdown menu a ‘Jobs Newsletter’ link, where you can subscribe and receive relevant ads.
This last resource doesn’t post on a regular basis as much as the others. You will find few odd jobs here, but sometimes they are traineeships and starting level positions, so it is worth keeping in mind while job-hunting.
If you have reached the end of this blog, I hope you found what you were looking for! If not, we have a dedicated resources page covering Media, Publishing and the Creative Arts. And, as always, the Careers and Employability Service is open to receive students with both online and in-person options. You can make an appointment here (will direct you to CareerConnect) to discuss routes into creative industries with the careers adviser for LLMVC, Rhona Gibson. And if you want us to have a look at your CV/applications for upcoming jobs, book a CV appointment through CareerConnect. We are happy to discuss career plans and assist you in your rise to the top.
Edit July 2024: Please note that CareerConnect (abdn.targetconnect.net) is no longer accessible. Please log in to MyCareerHub instead to access appointments, jobs and events. Any questions, please contact careers@abdn.ac.uk
