The Creative Compass Spring 25

Often roles within the creative sector can be viewed as unattainable or finite, which can cause people who have a genuine passion for the field to become discouraged and demotivated to pursue a career within the arts. The reality is quite the opposite. There are so many moving pegs within the artworld and thousands of departments and roles that no matter where your interest or passion lies, you will be able to find a role that caters to that.

Olivia Allan, Gallery Manager at Runjeet Singh

Top Tips: make the most of our Arts and Creative Industries Fair

1. Prepare!

Look at the employers represented at the event and check if they have any live vacancies on myAdvantage – you never know where it might lead to.

2 Update your LinkedIn profile

You might want to connect with employers or alumni after the event and having a profile you are proud of will make all the difference. Make a good impression

This doesn’t necessarily mean suiting up, but think about how you present yourself – walking around staring at your phone or talking to employers and alumni whilst eating a sandwich might not have the desired effect. If you think your wardrobe could do with a refresh then check out the Workwear Wardrobe– a sustainable and affordable way to get work ready.

4 Practice networking

Careers events are a great way to practice your networking skills. It can be daunting, but if you have done your research then you will be in a great position to make a good impression. Asking about the culture of a company or how to make it as a freelancer is a great way to break the ice and can lead to some valuable insights.

5 Follow up

Connect with people you have met on LinkedIn or email them to say thank you – these small steps can make a big impression!

Read the full articleLink opens in a new window and explore other similar articles on the Warwick Careers BlogLink opens in a new window

Spotlight on...Crafting your creative CV: some top tips

Writing a CV for the creative industries can sometimes feel a bit different to our friends working in other sectors, and it can often be hard to know where to start. Here’s some top tips for putting together a creative CV:

1. The visuals

• Some creative industries may value seeing your creative flair while others just want to easily access key information. If you want to apply to graphic design roles then you might want a visually appealing CV but for most other roles a simple layout will do you favours.
• White space: Don’t overcrowd your CV. Use white space to improve readability.

2. Tailor your CV

• Research the industry: different industries want different information. For example, in film production having a table layout with the production company and assistant directors named can be key. For roles in journalism, having the name of the publication clearly displayed can help recruiters to understand the level of profile to your work. Research what style is needed for your industry to present your experience in the most relevant way.
• Research the role: before you start writing, research the specific role you’re applying for. Identify the key skills and experience required and emphasise these by using active verbs (more on this below).
• Customise your CV: tailor your CV to each job application. Highlight the most relevant information and use keywords from the job description. Remember, you don’t need to show everything, just the most relevant parts of your experience.

3. Showcase your projects

• Personal projects: include personal projects or extracurriculars that use your skillset. Are you applying for roles in a theatre and have been involved in a student production? Great – add it to your CV!
• Student work: highlight any relevant coursework or group projects from your studies.
• Volunteer work or insight opportunities: a lot of people’s first steps in creative industries are an afternoon of shadowing or a few days as a runner on a TV set. Mention these short or voluntary positions as they show experience and contact with the industry.

4. Use strong action words

• Start with strong verbs: use words that describe your skills and experience in a way that directly relates to the skills they’re looking for in that role. For example, instead of ‘worked on’, use ‘led’, ‘collaborated’ or ‘analysed’.
• Change what verbs you use to match the skills asked for in the role advertisement (if you have one) and alter these for each role you apply to. If you’re applying without a job advert and are unsure where to start, check out the ‘relevant skills’ section on the job profiles section of Prospects Link opens in a new windowfor some examples.

5. Keep it concise

• One or two pages is fine for a CV for the creative industries. Make sure to use full pages (no half pages or big blank spaces! Play around with formatting if you have some room left over, but you don’t need to fill this with irrelevant information).
• Try to keep each bullet point no longer than two lines so your CV doesn’t look text-dense.
• Avoid pronouns: ‘I’, ‘my’, ‘our’ can make your CV slightly long-winded. It will feel like you’re writing in note form, but cutting pronouns helps to keep your CV short and snappy.

Additional tips:

• Proofread carefully: typos and grammatical errors don’t show attention to detail.
• Consider a portfolio: for some roles you may need to present examples of your work (such as artwork, set design, writing, sound) to accompany you CV. ScreenSkills have some great advice on how to get started with creating one.
• Use a professional email address: create a professional email address that includes your name.
• Seek feedback: ask a friend, mentor or job search adviser to review your CV.
• Look at examples: there are example CVs on the Warwick Careers webpages Link opens in a new windowand industry specific examples on websites like ProspectsLink opens in a new window. Use these as a visual reference and decide what structure works best to present your experience.

Finally, remember to keep updating your CV as you gain experience. If you’re working on short projects your CV can change quite quickly and it’s much easier to update as you go along. Keep a note of what you’ve done in each role you take on and have this ready to update if you need your CV on short notice.

For more advice come along to our Creative CV drop in.