Top 6 Careers for Creative Individuals

Top 6 Careers for Creative Individuals If creativity is where you excel, a job sat typing away at a computer all day may not be the best fit for you. We spend a large amount of time at work, so you want to be doing something that you enjoy and allows you to make best use of your strengths and feel  passionate about. A lot of creative individuals are happiest when they can be imaginative and expressive, but how can this be turned into a career? After all, earning a living as an artist or musician doesnt come easy to most. Here are five great careers for people with creative minds. 1)  Graphic Designer If youre artistic and have an eye for good composition and style, a role as a graphic designer may be up your street. It is a graphic designers job to  communicate promotional or commercial messages through a combination of words, images and symbols. Graphic design is needed for all things from marketing and advertising, to product packaging. 2) Videographer A role as a videographer is a great creative career for somebody who is nifty with a camera. It takes a lot of time and practice to become really good and it may take some time to prove your abilities before you land the best gigs, but it can be a really rewarding job. As a videographer you would be responsible to assemble raw footage, including camera footage, dialogue, special effects and sound effects in order to create a finished product for TV, film, advertising, etc. 3) Advertising Advertising requires a high level of creativity in order to come up with attention grabbing campaigns that stand out from all the other  noise. You must be able to think outside the box and keep up with what customers want; so if you consider yourself to have an innovative way of thinking and an eye on current trends, this could be the career for you. There are lots of creative roles within advertising, from the masterminds behind the initial  concept of a campaign, to the artists who design the visuals. 4) Sound Engineer Is music your passion? Unfortunately the music business is a tough industry to crack, if youre looking to be the star of the show. The good news is that if you are happier behind the scenes, its a lot easier to get into. A  role as a sound engineer could be a good choice, working  with the technical aspects of sound during the processes of recording, mixing, and reproduction and it would be your job  to make live performances and studio recordings sound pitch perfect. 5) Journalist Even when stories are based off facts, the job of a journalist requires a high level of creativity to ensure that their articles  flow well and are entertaining for the reader. Journalism can involve anything from investigative work, reporting on current events for news outlets, to producing feature stories for consumer magazines or websites, so there are plenty of diverse roles to choose from. Depending on the publication you are working for, responsibilities are likely to involve seeking out stories, researching/writing articles, interviewing relevant people and attending events. 6) Fashion Designer Fashion is all about being on trend or setting trends yourself, so it is essential that fashion designers have the creativity to come up with fresh new designs that will catch peoples eye and appeal to the target market. They must have an eye for shape, style and colours that work well together and make a statement. For each product, the designer must choose a fabric, colour and pattern that have the most aesthetic appeal. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

AGR - Graduate Recruitment Down 4 Percent. Growth Outside London. [VISUAL]

AGR - Graduate Recruitment Down 4 Percent. Growth Outside London. [VISUAL] We have all seen the Press Release by the Association of Graduate Recruiters and the attention-grabbing headlines by national news outlets that each graduate vacancy attracts 85 applications. But as an Engineer, I wanted to see the data and visualise it. As we are all short of time, you can find a visual and a short summary below that explain the latest graduate recruitment stats. According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), which today (10 July 2013) published the summer edition of its bi-annual survey, there has been a slight decrease of 4% in the number of available graduate vacancies, when compared to the previous graduate season. However, this year’s survey also reports significant pockets of growth. There are expected increases in the number of vacancies available in regions outside London, including the South East (up from 10% to 12%), the West Midlands (up from 6% to 8%), and Scotland (up from 5% to 7%). There was further good news for some regions, with areas including the West Midlands, Scotland and the East of England now on par with the South East’s median salary of £25,000 for the first time. London continues to attract the highest median graduate starting salary at £28,500 At the other end of the spectrum, banking and financial services predicted a large decrease of 45% â€" substantially more than the expected decrease of 28% reported in the AGR’s Winter 2013 Review. Respondents from the banking and financial services industries noted that general market conditions had resulted in their hesitancy to recruit new graduates. Stephen Isherwood, new Chief Executive of the AGR, said:   “The story of the current graduate market is the story of the economy â€" stagnant in places with growth in some areas. Overall vacancies are slightly down (4%) on last years and there is no salary growth. However, we can take comfort in the fact that the graduate recruitment industry is still investing heavily in its graduate intakes. The AGR is the leading voice of graduate recruiters and developers and its bi-annual survey provides the most extensive and detailed insight into the state of the graduate jobs market. Today’s edition is based on the responses of 209 AGR members in the UK across 19 sectors, which will provide an estimated 18,913 graduate vacancies in 2013. Information was captured through an online survey that was hosted on the CFE website for four weeks in April and May 2013. 0

Student Blog Opportunities for BAME Students in Media, Business, Technology and more University of Manchester Careers Blog

Student Blog Opportunities for BAME Students in Media, Business, Technology and more University of Manchester Careers Blog Written by Hajra Tahir, First Year Law with Politics Student at UoM The life of an average Uni student is comprised of what seems like endless studying, back to back lectures, coursework deadlines, volunteering, gruelling placement searches, CV updating, and let’s not forget, the occasional social event or night out with friends. When time is split into a million different slots, it becomes increasingly frustrating when things take more time than you can afford to allocate. A large proportion of this time is dedicated specifically to preparing for the future. Internships, Vacation Schemes, Insight Days and Work Experience are all some of the most valuable activities you can involve yourself in â€" (and incidentally the most time consuming!) By establishing a foothold in prospective career options as a student, you greatly increase your chances of employment and develop essential skills that will broaden your realm of opportunity as a graduate. However, often a time for BAME students, this process is considerably more frustrating. For a person of colour, every opportunity that you come across is not always a chance to extend your course-related skills or experience working in a new environment. Many BAME students feel they are hindered from breaking into predominantly white industries as a result of inherent prejudices within large companies and firms; despite ethnically diverse workforces increasing an average company’s financial returns by 35%. This discourages students of colour from seeking traditional work-related opportunities, resulting in an increase in demand for schemes tailored specifically to accommodate BAME students. The issue at hand with such schemes, is that they are very difficult to find. When your time is as thinly spread as it is in University, spending an extortionate amount of time searching for extra-curricular opportunities inside and outside of Uni is somewhat counterproductive. This blog post aims to resolve this issue by organising the various opportunities available to BAME students so you can make more productive use of your time.   1) MEDIA AND JOURNALISM Arguably one of the most difficult industries to infiltrate as a person of colour is the media. With a heavy history of under-representation, traditional media outlets such as Television and Radio can be considered somewhat feudal in comparison to more modern creative channels of expression. These contemporary avenues allow aspiring BAME media professionals to flourish and gradually ease their way into conventional routes. The following schemes and websites allow BAME students to achieve this. Creative access is one of the most helpful websites available. They provide a range of opportunities from renowned media giants such as The BBC, ITV Studios, Bloomsbury and many other firms that could potentially support your budding career in the entertainment industry. This includes summer internships, book publishing programmes and even Youtube Channel Management workshops! The BAME Short Story contest is an exciting annual competition that allows aspiring writers to enhance their CVs as well as receive a cash prize for their efforts. The winner will be able to attend an exclusive one-day Publishing workshop hosted by the 4th Estate, as well as having their story published on the Guardian Website. Pop-up Projects (a London based Illustrations company) in partnership with House of Illustration are set to launch a two year pilot scheme that offers a 70 day workshop/master class/business training package to a selected number of BAME illustrators. The chosen illustrators will produce 5 small pieces, the best being sold by the House of Illustrations and distributed by Pop-up. The pieces will also go on display at the London Book Fair and Bologna Children’s Book Fair. 2) CORPORATE WORLD AND BUSINESS Another industry that is largely dominated by racially exclusive firms, is the corporate world. Jobs in Marketing, Management, Law, Banking, Accountancy and Business traditionally have limited space for graduates of colour, making it particularly difficult to grow professionally in an already cutthroat field. The following are schemes and opportunities that will enable BAME students in particular to gain a competitive edge and enhance their CVs and applications. Uncovering Prospects in the City host an annual event for high performing Black/Afro- Caribbean students to explore internship opportunities in Investment Banking and Finance in London. Professionals working at the World’s top 7 City firms will be available to give the best interpersonal advice to the participants. The Dil Internship Project is a scheme aimed at (but not limited to) South Asian students of Pakistani descent who wish to not only give back to their community but develop integral commercial skills along the way. The opportunities available from this project consist of London, Dubai and Karachi based businesses offering long-term and seasonal schemes predominantly revolving around marketing and management. There are also opportunities available for other professions such as engineering. Diversity Access Schemes is another beneficial opportunity put forth by the Law Society that enables diverse young individuals undergoing extenuating circumstances to earn a scholarship that will fully fund their Legal Practise Course. The project is sponsored by a range of top firms including Hogan Lovells and Eversheds and Sunderland â€" further widening the horizon of prospective employers. 3) TECHNOLOGY The final sector that I will be talking about is technological and biological sciences. BAME students can visibly be seen to make up a large proportion of most STEM subjects at University and A-levels. Despite this only 3% of tech leadership programmes are held by ethnic minorities. The following scheme helps bridge the disparity between these figures. The Association for Black and Ethnic Minority Engineers (AFBE) is a brilliant group that provides a range of projects specifically aimed at BAME students. They aim to help young BAME professionals succeed professionally and are a sound support network for ethnic STEM students. For more support and skills based internship/ seasonal opportunities, visit the University of Manchester Careers Service. The Careers Service has various resources to optimise your experience as a BAME student and help you progress career wise, post-graduation. Also coming up is the BAME Careers and Beyond event on the 2nd April 2019, where top BAME professionals from various industries will talk about how best to pursue employment opportunities after graduation as a person of colour. All

5 Ways to Hack Your Budget Between Jobs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Ways to Hack Your Budget Between Jobs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Between jobs and struggling to make it by with regular lifestyle choices? Until a hiring manager calls with good news, you need to make a few cuts, but you want to do more than survive. You want to thrive! Here are five ways to hack your budget between jobs and save money. 1. Cut the Cord and Keep Tube Time You may have given up on your New Years resolutions by now, but you can cut back on other bills in your life. Start small. Cut the cord altogether, and keep your tube time intact. Consider casting TV shows from your smartphone to the big screen via Google Chrome, Roku or a similar device if youre the type that just needs noise in the background and loves old shows. Channels such as HBO and NBC have apps available but offer a monthly fee at much less monthly. YouTube lets you stream some content for free, especially if you love cat videos and keeping up with favorite vloggers. Youve heard of Netflix, which is great, but there are more options to pick and choose from â€" even combine to get the TV experience you want for less. You can still access live TV when you cut the cord, with streaming subscription services such as: Sling starts at $20 and goes up, depending on the package, and you can customize your package with add-ons for Spanish language channels and sports. Hulu begins at $40 a month for 55 channels that include varying major networks, such as NBC, FOX and CBS. PlayStation Vue starter packages offer 45 channels with Access/Access Slim: $40/$30 per month with up to five continuous streams allowed at once. 2. Hack Home and Living Expenses Ideally, never let your housing budget exceed 30 percent of your take-home pay, and for homeowners, that total also counts homeowners insurance and property tax. Typical home repairs vary, but its wise to budget that in, too, even for renters, who may be responsible for damage they contribute to or cause. Most dont live in ideal circumstances. Half of your monthly take-home pay gets put toward the mortgage or rent, especially when between jobs. Try living by the 50/20/30 rule where you still have flexibility but maintain a healthy budget for home and living expenses: Fixed costs should only consume 50 percent of income and apply to those fixed costs that remain the same monthly, such as rent and internet. Savings should comprise 20 percent of your income. Variable costs should only use up 30 percent of your income and include expenses such as groceries, entertainment and clothing. Adjust these percentages based on your circumstances, aiming to work toward the rule for a healthier financial balance. In the meantime, where else can you cut or hack your expenses? Invest in a French press over heading to Starbucks every other day. Cut the gym fees, and use free weights and bike or dance. Rent out a room on Airbnb or look for a roommate. If you have a skill to teach others, put it to use for a reasonable fee. 3. Take Transportation Disparities By the Wheel Transportation costs take up a surprisingly large chunk of your monthly budget, especially if youre a car owner. The good news: this presents you with more savings opportunities. When buying or trading in a car, do your research first. You probably considered the costs of down payment and closing, but theres more. Do you drive about 15,000 miles a year? The average total cost of car ownership was $8,469 in 2017 for clocking that mileage, and that doesnt count the monthly car payment. Every model differs, as does the added costs of ownership. How much does the gas tank hold in city or on one of your famous road trips? Dont forget the loan payments, regular maintenance and emergency repair costs. You never know when youll need to replace the break line. Shop for cheaper car insurance: one study noted an $850 disparity annually between the lowest rates and the average quote you receive. So, shop around for multiple quotes from agents and car insurance providers, and dont discount small providers â€" they have some of the best rates around. Shop discounts on your policy, such as anti-theft built into the car, AAA, low mileage and multiple cars. These little discount hacks add up, but you can always consider alternative forms of transportation, such as taking the bus or biking to work. 4. Get By On More Than Ramen Theres nothing wrong with living off Ramen. You can add fish and veggies and bake it like casserole. Ramen is versatile, but you need a more balanced diet to keep your health up. Eat your choice of fruit, veggies, meat and bread even on budget based on the change you find around the house. Use the power of Pinterest to meal plan, grocery shop and save. For example, Crockpot it if you dont cook to eat cheap and healthy and gain tips on what to do with leftover turkey slices, how to make various curries and make tons of beans more palatable. Make versatile and big portions of slow cooker recipes like oven roasted potatoes, bone broth and pulled pork â€" store the leftovers as freezer meals. Youll actually know what went into your food because you made it. Clean up a cast iron pan from the thrift store, and use it for various cooking methods: bake, fry and more. Dont be afraid to experiment with vegetarian and vegan meals, using protein-rich veggies such as cauliflower in your meals. Buy wraps and make enchiladas one night and a chicken salad wrap for another day. 5. Force Yourself to Save Horrible at saving? When between jobs, its hard to help â€" using up emergency funds are nearly a weekly or monthly thing, depending on your circumstances. Save with the power of technology and improve your credit score in the process. Apps like Qapital and Digit make you set rules to save when you spend or put money aside automatically for various goals, even providing you with a spending card separate from your goals. Tip yourself a buck every time you go to Starbucks, and set money aside to back debts. Its also worthwhile to check out secured credit cards and credit builder loans, which may ask for a deposit of funds to act as your spending limit on a card or deduct a monthly amount to save for you. Such services typically report to the major credit bureaus to boost your credit score, but dont go this route unless your budget allows for it. These simple changes will make you save money between jobs, which doesnt mean you have to lead a bare bones existence. Your health and happiness matter â€" its just about finding what works for you.

Action Words For Resume And Application Letter Writing

Action Words For Resume And Application Letter WritingAction words for resume and application letter writing are found in every document. They often spell out the main goal of a resume and are an important part of the resume writing process. It is important to not forget that the first impression is worth more than the CV, so if the content of the text and the formatting is poor then it is obvious that your attempt at a decent resume has been less than impressive. Here are some examples of action words and their importance to good resume writing.Actions words are often used in such a way as to distinguish the resume from other documents or the CV. A phrase such as 'from his/her experiences' will set the reader on edge and make them question whether the person who wrote the resume is really serious about getting the job. It is therefore very important to use the correct action words. The most common action words are the adjective 'first' and the noun 'actions'. They stand out and are easier to identify than the passive phrase 'from his/her experiences'.Adjectives are the words that describe what the text is. There are a wide variety of adjectives. It is essential to know the use of each. Most people use 'good'excellent' as their general adjectives. However, it is often necessary to use specific adjectives if your subject is a particular job or business.Applications can vary in number and quality, so is essential to learn which terms will suit the application and which will be less suitable. For example, the terms 'primary role'experience' is more suitable for primary roles and secondary roles respectively. They can also be used to specify certain skills. An example would be 'Experience working with computers'. Although not always acceptable, they should be used in moderation to ensure that they do not dominate the resume.An individual's experience and qualifications are the most important and long-lasting language needs to be used sparingly. In this case, the te xt should be noted as being a 'degree'diploma'. It is the most generic form of qualification and can be used in place of the term 'occupation'occupation title'.An example of long-term language would be 'A professional development meeting which included professional development training'. It is best to start your job description with a concise and meaningful statement. This makes the body of the document more relevant to the job requirements, and then the application will stand out as a statement of purpose to get the position.Finally, remember that the first impression is the most important part of resume and application letter writing, so ensuring that the body of the document is clear and easy to read is vital. Short and simple sentences will help the text stand out and encourage the reader to scan the document, which will then make them more likely to read it fully.No one is going to read a document with long and complex sentences, but short sentences and proper grammar will make it easier to skim. This will make the document more searchable and increase the chances of the reader staying on to check the details.

Creating a Rock Star Resume (part 2)

Creating a Rock Star Resume (part 2) Creating a Rock Star Resume (part 2) Creating a Rock Star Resume (part 2) August 14, 2009 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment Continuing with my resume tips, I have even more Rock Star Resume tips to help you stand out! Show results. This is the single biggest difference in making your resume stand out from hundreds of other job applicants. (I do this myself, and I know this is why I get the interviews!) Underneath your Key Strengths section, list 4-5 career highlights that are results focused. Quantify each of your career highlights in terms of dollars, percentages, or numbers. For example, lets say that youre in sales and youve brought in an average of 10 new clients per month. Thats 120 clients a year, and if youve been doing that for the past 3 years, thats 360 new clients! So, one of your career highlights could be “Gained approximately 360 new clients which generated $360,000 in new revenue in three years”. Also, try to quantify each of your accomplishments for every job that you list in your Experience section. Highlight leadership and teamwork. Hiring managers look for candidates who are strong leaders, AND strong team contributors. Highlight your leadership skills and the results of the projects and teams that youve led. If youre a little light in this area, then highlight any leadership experience you may have had in professional organizations, a sports league, in church, or any other extra-curricular activities. Also, list projects in which you were a strong team member in terms of what your role was, and what the team accomplished. If youd like more tips to advance your career, visit our website for career tools, resources, and coaching support.

Have you ever quit a crappy job We want your story! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Have you ever quit a crappy job We want your story! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Were preparing the next International Quit Your Crappy Job Day for March 31 2016. As part of that, were going to create an e-book on quitting and as part of that we want?to hear your story of quitting. Have you ever left a crappy job voluntarily? What did that job do to you? Why did you leave? How did you do it? Then what happened? Did you regret your decision? Write a comment below we would LOVE to hear your story. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related