Top 9 Jobs for Creative People
Can’t bear the thought of a boring desk job limiting your ideas and creativity? Check out these jobs that will let you unleash your creativity and imagination.
Published 03 Dec 2021
Does the thought of a typical corporate desk job stifle you? Do you want a job where you can express your ideas and opinions freely? Or perhaps you feel like you would thrive in an environment where you can unleash your creative spirit.
Chances are you’re a creative person, and being stuck in a boring job will limit your potential.
So, if you’re looking for a job that encourages you to think outside the box, here is a list of jobs for creative people.
#1. Graphic designer and illustrator
If drawing or sketching is something that’s up your alley, you might want to consider becoming a graphic designer and illustrator. These jobs are the epitome of creative roles as their scope involves communicating ideas and messages through appealing visuals.
As a graphic designer or illustrator, you’ll be creating high impact and attractive visuals according to briefs given by clients or your company. This includes developing layouts for magazines, designing print ads or creating illustrations for a website. While you may need to adhere to certain preferences, the whole thing is still you! You’re essentially stamping your style and signature into your work.
One of the great things about being a graphic designer is that you’ll be working with other creatives in the industry such as copywriters, advertising managers and marketing experts to get the vision on track. Being in a collaborative environment can be invigorating for creatives because it allows you to bounce ideas off of one another.
PRO TIP
Want to explore this creative course? We’ve got all you need to know about studying graphic design here.
#2. Writer
Don’t have an eye for aesthetics but a flair for writing instead? Perhaps you can tell a good story based on a few prompts or events you witnessed. If that’s the case, you should consider pursuing a career in writing.
As a writer, you’ll be using your imagination, creativity and innovation to create strong written pieces that have an engaging rhythm and tone. Whether you want to put your skills into journalism, content writing or copywriting, you’ll need to be able to deliver complex thoughts and ideas in simple, clear language that's quickly and easily understood by others.
Different writing roles will require different skillsets and qualities. For instance, if your strength lies in persuasive writing, it’ll be advantageous for you to be a copywriter, content writer or travel writer as you’ll need to engage your audience and coax them into taking action.
The best thing about a writing career is that you won’t be bound to a desk. If you’re a freelance writer, you can work almost anywhere or accept jobs from all over the world. All you need is your laptop, a fast internet connection and a whole lot of inspiration to craft your work.
PRO TIP
A mass communication degree will equip you with all the right skills and techniques to excel in this career. Learn more about mass communication here.
#3. Architect
Ever looked at a building and wondered how someone could come up with such a design? Perhaps these odd but cool buildings around the world inspire you.
Architecture is a field that combines art with science. Architects design aesthetically beautiful spaces where people can live, work and play without compromising functionality and overall performance. The field requires creativity as architects need to consider a number of aspects in their designs such as functionality, safety, cost and customer requirements.
Whether it’s working with a housing development, hospital or college campus, an architect’s role is to bring a space to life so that it can benefit the people in the long run. If you consider yourself to be artistic, intuitive and always looking for ways to improve things, you'll be right at home in the architecture industry.
PRO TIP
You’ll need to be registered under the Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM) to be a professional architect. Kickstart that journey by obtaining an architecture degree here.
#4. Interior designer
If you spend most of your downtime rearranging furniture, marvelling at IKEA showrooms and looking for knick-knacks to spruce up your home, you probably have an interest in interior design.
Interior design is about the artistic planning and decoration of a property’s interior. As an interior designer, you’ll need to use your creativity and technical skills to transform spaces into aesthetically pleasing environments. However, design isn’t all that’s important. You also need to ensure functionality, comfort, safety and flexibility to meet certain expectations and preferences!
With this job, expect unconventional work days where you’ll go from meeting clients to discussing concepts, sketching out layouts and designs, browsing catalogues, and teaming up with plumbers and electricians to realise your client’s visions. If you’re not the kind that likes working alone or being stuck behind a cubicle all day long, this career may just be for you.
PRO TIP
Want to be an interior designer? An interior design degree will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to be an expert at your craft.
#5. User interface (UI) designer
Not many people think that developing websites or applications is a creative field. After all, there’s probably codes involved. What’s so creative about that?
Well, UI designers help bring design ideas to life by ensuring a website or application is both appealing and easy to navigate. Take Instagram, Grab or MySejahtera applications for instance — all of them have features and designs that make it easy for users to navigate and find what they are looking for.
As a UI designer, you must be creative not only in design but also in problem-solving too. You may need to figure out how to present products on a website in a visually appealing manner, or how to persuade a customer to make a purchase.
PRO TIP
Start your journey as a UI designer by taking up a multimedia design degree.
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Explore Now >#6. Industrial designer
Have you ever wondered why ironing boards are shaped the way they are? Perhaps you have an even better idea of how a person can iron their clothes without having to stand for long periods. Well, if you’re the type to come up with creative solutions to everyday problems, you may want to continue reading.
Almost everything around you is designed by industrial designers. From cars and furniture to children's toys and household appliances, industrial designers are essentially the geniuses that combine art, business and engineering to make practical products for our everyday life. They imagine how people might use these products and test different designs to see which works.
Most industrial designers will focus on a particular product category. For example, industrial designers that work on medical equipment or electronic products will create computers, ECG machines or smart tablets. On the other hand, designers that specialise in transportation will develop products such as bicycles, cars and scooters.
So, if you think you’ve got the creativity to invent new products that make lives better, consider pursuing a career in industrial design.
#7. Chef
From tomato confit with 12 flavours to coffee-infused asparagus, you can bet that the culinary industry is brimming with surprising combinations of flavours and textures that no one else dares to try except for chefs!
Being a chef is more than just cooking up a good meal; it also comes with the enormous responsibility of creating new and innovative recipes that appeal to customers. To do this, a chef will need to familiarise themselves with different types of ingredients, their flavours and how they should be cooked in order to achieve the best taste. Only with this will they be able to improvise their meals or transform existing recipes into something new.
There’s also the delicate matter of ensuring that the food looks good too. Chefs will need to know key plating techniques to maximise the visual elements of the food such as enhancing the colours, adding height, creating a balance and mixing textures. In fact, an Oxford study suggested that an artfully plated dish tastes better than the same dish without the plating.
So, if you’ve got the taste buds and an eye for visual presentation, then the culinary industry might be perfect for you.
PRO TIP
Ready to take on the gastronomical world by storm? A culinary arts course can prepare you for that.
#8. Early childhood educator
Creativity is one of the most important elements of a child’s learning process as this helps with their self-expression, thinking and problem-solving skills. As an early childhood educator, you’ll need to incorporate every bit of creativity into your curriculum.
In fact, being creative isn’t just about preparing tools to colour or paint. You’ll need to incorporate a wide range of creative activities such as dance, music and messy play and turn these into educational lessons for the kids.
For instance, introducing art and craft activities in celebration of a cultural festival will boost their understanding of different cultures, races and religions. At the same time, you’ll also improve their hand-eye coordination and develop their fine motor skills.
In essence, early childhood educators need to know how to communicate with children in a simple yet creative way while teaching them lessons in ways that they can understand.
PRO TIP
Want to take an active role in building the future of our next generation? Learn how you can realise that goal with an early childhood education degree.
#9. Art therapist
If you have the ability to deal with people of varying personalities and genuinely care about the welfare of others, but don’t particularly enjoy sitting solemnly across from someone taking notes with a clipboard in hand, this particular career path may be fitting for you.
Art therapy is a method used by professional therapists to help clients understand, express and address their inner conflicts through the use of visual art. It’s especially useful for clients who have a hard time processing their feelings or have difficulty discussing painful experiences.
The activities can take the form of sculpting, painting, making collages or other artistic processes and they are usually accompanied by psychotherapy techniques. With this, the art therapist will be able to dissect the issue and come up with treatment plans.
DID YOU KNOW
In Malaysia, you’ll need the right certificate and licensure to practise therapy. A psychology degree will get you started, but you’ll also need a postgraduate qualification to be a full-fledged therapist. From there, you can undergo courses in art therapy that’ll give you the training and knowledge to integrate them into your practice.
We hope this gives you a good idea of some of the various creative jobs that you can pursue to keep that artistic spirit alive. All the best!
Looking for jobs that are people-friendly? We’ve got you covered.
Nina Fazil
A work in progress — has been for the past 24 years.
