London is one of the leading artistic places on earth. With a rich history in creativity and innovation, it continues to provide an unrivalled level of career opportunities. The sky’s the limit for those wanting to break into the creative industries in London.
But when you’re ready to begin a creative career, where do you start?
This article gives you a step-by-step guide on how to pursue an ideal creative career in London.
Step 1 – Do your research
Once you’ve decided which creative role you want to work in, start by doing some research. Perhaps google that role and then work backwards.
Consider searching questions such as “What entry-level positions lead to that X role?” “Does X role require any qualifications?” “Where can I get some work experience in that field, so that my CV looks more relevant?”.
Translate your hypothetical aspirations into something specific. Try to get a sense of what practical steps you’d need to take to get there.
“The creative economy is estimated to provide one in six jobs in London and the creative industries generate around £47 billion for the London economy”
– Mayor of London Website
Step 2 – Get some work experience
Provided your parents are ok with it, look into voluntary or unpaid opportunities. Many jobs in the arts and creative sectors are fiercely competitive, so experience will always help you stand out. This applies even if you’re looking for entry-level positions.
For instance, if you want to be a performer you’re more likely to get attention from promoters and agents the more gigs you do, Open Mics are a great place to start. We recommend unpaid opportunities only because when you start, it’s often likely you’ll be working for free. But if you can find those paid gigs, then prioritise those of course!
This also applies to other artistic job roles such as music producer, production assistant, DJ, or animator. They are all very in-demand career options, so give yourself every advantage you can!
Free work experience can come in many forms. You might find a small start-up company or venue who are looking for free contributors, or you might look to create your own opportunities, which you promote online.
Step 3 – Get a stable job that has flexibility
Once you have left school or college, you need time and money to be able to pursue your career goals. And that’s where having a stable job with a ready-made income is essential.
Everyone needs to work, but if you have your eye on a competitive creative career then it might be sensible to find an undemanding, low-stress, day job in the meantime. They can help you pay the bills and buy you time whilst you’re working towards your main goal.
Many young people who are trying to pursue careers in music for example may often get an opportunity to perform with very short notice, so you may be looking for a day job that can be flexible with working hours. Those jobs exist.
Temping, bartender, customer services, waiting on staff, there are many jobs out there that could fulfil this criteria. Any large-scale recruitment agency such as Reed, Indeed or The Guardian job site could have what you are looking for.
Step 4 – Upskill to give yourself the best chance!
The final step to help you access creative jobs in London is through upskilling, which is where Access Creative can help! Access Creative is the largest independent college in the country, focusing on training young adults in creative fields.
Due to the continued growth of the creative sector in London, we opened a new London campus this year. This centre is ideal for creative individuals. It serves as a hub for gaming, esports, music, media, and computing and is open to individuals aged 16 and up.
We have a range of level 2, 3 and 4 courses. They cover everything from artist development to music performance, to esports management and DJing. Our London college has state-of-the-art facilities and performance spaces to hone your craft. We provide a supportive atmosphere and one where you can learn technical skills to help you stand out from the crowd.
Impressive creative careers
Access Creative’s London alumni are amongst some of the biggest names in the creative sectors, with fame and fortune following their success. The list of people includes household names such as Rita Ora, Jess Glynne, Jamie Morrison, Flo, and Ed Sheeran.
The vast majority of our students go on to have successful careers once they qualify. For instance 95% of our music students, 96% of our games students, 98% of our media students and 100% of ACC events students went on to paid work or higher education within 5 months of graduating.
For more information and to discover how to enrol on our courses please visit our site today.