10 careers for creative minds

Back in the day, it was commonly believed that non-conventional, creativity-led career paths would fall into the 'low-paying' bracket. However, this could not be further from the truth. There have always been highly lucrative opportunities for truly creatively gifted individuals.

Fast forward to today, and creative careers are some of the most sought after as more and more people prioritize their passion when it comes to choosing their path in life. Moreover, in today's age of social media and digital platforms, there is no dearth of high-value, high-growth jobs for creative individuals.

On this note, here are some of the best career options that people with an artistic bent of mind can choose:

1. Makeup artist

Makeup artists have been in tremendous demand over the past few years. This career is for individuals who enjoy keeping in touch with the latest fashion and makeup trends.

Top makeup artists are hired for weddings, fashion events, and even in the film industry. All you need to do is pursue a long or short term course to polish your skills and can start working with an organization or as a freelancer.

2. Fashion designer

If colours, patterns, textures, and fabrics excite you, why not make a career out of creating food, clothing, footwear or accessories? Fashion designers can set trends or adapt trends as per their creative choices, but at the end of the day, they use their creativity day after day to achieve success. Fashion designers can sell their products online, through trade shows, retail stores, exclusive brand stores, and much more. Aspiring fashion designers can pursue full-time courses from leading fashion schools or go for short-term online courses.

3. Interior Designer

Designing someone's living or working space is not just a creative career but also a highly fulfilling one since you are shaping and setting the tone of their homes and lives. Interior designers work with colours, textures, fixtures, and more. They can specialize in different segments like office design or kitchen design. Since it is a popular career choice, there are ample courses for interior designers to pursue.

4. Food photographer

Food photographers are sought after by food brands, restaurants, magazines, advertisers, etc. These professionals earn the big bucks while clicking mouth-watering pictures of delectable dishes or food products. Photography students can specialize in capturing food in the best possible way to go on to create exceptional careers in this space.

5. Content writer

If spinning impactful stories comes naturally to you, you may consider a job in content writing. Almost every industry requires content writers, be it a retail brand or a content-led website. Influencing people through words can become a fulfilling career. While you may have a flair for writing copy, there are always courses to be done to enrich your craft and broaden your career prospects.

6. Graphic designer

A career that combines artistic skill and technical knowledge, graphic design is perhaps the most commonly pursued creative career out there. Graphic designers can work with social media companies, advertising agencies, marketing agencies, digital marketing firms, etc.

7. Animator

Bringing their creative ideas to life, animators bring joy to people, whether it is through TV shows, big-ticket films, or even short films. Today, there are numerous offline and online courses for aspiring animators. The combination of technological expertise and creativity can make for a highly successful career in animation.

8. Illustrator

Illustrators create careers out of their love for drawing and painting. Illustrators can go on to work with book publishers, digital media platforms, advertising agencies, newspapers, packaging companies etc. There are several tech-backed platforms that illustrators can use to stay ahead of the curve, including Illustrator, Photoshop, CorelDRAW, etc. Acquiring proficiency in these platforms can help illustrators design lucrative careers.

9. Game designer

Video games are enjoyed by children and adults alike. Whether it is for console games or mobile games, video game designers are all the rage and will continue to be. Game designing is incredibly exciting since designers create everything from the storylines and characters to the challenges and much more.

10. UI/UX designer

UI/UX designers make sure that websites, mobile apps, websites, etc. are interactive, easy to navigate and intuitively designed to deliver a seamless experience for users. UI/UX design involves a great deal of technical skill along with inherent creativity. Some of the skills that UI/UX designers must be proficient in include visual design, prototyping, UX wireframing, and user research, among others.

Any of the aforementioned career options can prove to be highly rewarding and satisfying for creative individuals. At the end of the day, it is all about doing what you love and loving what you do.

(The author is the Co-founder

and CEO, AAFT Online)