Written by Adam Waters, Director of BFBS Creative.
I often get asked for advice on breaking into the creative industries.
It’s no surprise that many find it difficult!
It’s a competitive industry that’s experiencing severe job losses. It still disproportionately hires posh people. People are frequently told that ‘it’s not a proper job’ and that they should just give up.
I remember wanting to do creative work but having no idea how. I left uni with no contacts, no idea how to break into the industry, and desperately wanted someone just to give me a plan to follow.
I made loads of mistakes along the way. So, to stop you doing the same, here are my top seven tips on how to get your first opportunity in the creative sector.
Hassle, hassle, hassle.
Every potential opportunity will come from a person. Find the people doing the sorts of work you want to do (using LinkedIn or watching the credits of a film you love) and contact them.
Ask them for help and advice.
If they don’t reply, ask them again.
If they don’t reply, ask them again.
If they say they are too busy, ask for a 20 minute conversation on Teams instead.
If they say they are too busy, ask for suggestions on who could offer help.
The worst thing they can say is no.
When you do ask for help, be specific about what you want.
The first mistake I made was when asked ‘what sort of job do you want to do?’
‘Anything in the media’ I’d reply.
I had no idea what sorts of jobs I could do!
But it made it really hard for people to offer specific, helpful advice. I should have said ‘I can film and edit video. I’d love to do that for a job but I have no idea how. I’d like your advice on how I can get that first role’
It’s fine to admit you don’t have a plan or exact job in mind, but if you do get people offering you advice be specific about how they can help.
Build a portfolio (and it’s fine if you’re not a struggling artist).
Show, don’t tell, is always a good mantra.
I felt insecure when I applied for media roles. I wasn’t a ‘thing.’ I couldn’t play a musical instrument, or paint, or act, and my singing was torturous. Surely I had to ‘be a creative’ to work in the industry?
I could make videos and edit them. To learn I volunteered to make videos for the breakdancing club at my uni. Being able to share these with prospective employers meant they had a clearer idea of what I could do. It helped me stand out and crucially – learn.
A social media presence is very helpful as well. You don’t have to have millions of followers!
Get in the door (literally).
Find some way to get in the office or studio. Turn up and make sure you are ‘visible.’ Offer to help everyone you can, have a positive attitude, and volunteer for extra duties.
You can be cunning about this – work for one of the catering companies who supply film productions in the area. Once you’re on the set you can start speaking to people and finding opportunities.
If people in the organisation know you then it’s far easier to land a job with them.
There are great internship and mentoring schemes through organisations like Creative Access and the John Schofield Trust to help you too.
So, figure out how to get in the door. Then, make yourself as visible as possible.
Don’t leap straight to the end goal.
21-year-old me had grand visions of becoming a critically-acclaimed independent film director. I focused a lot on how to become a Director and all my plans were about how I could leap ahead to doing that.
But remember your career will be a journey. Your first step should focus specifically on just getting into the industry. If you have a specific job in mind it’s likely you won’t be doing it for quite some time.
And along the way you may very well discover you’d like to do something else.
Don’t give up (and don’t let people take the piss).
You must, must, must persevere. Easier said than done. Facing thousands of rejection emails and not getting anywhere is seriously draining. It’s tempting to give up.
Don’t.
You CAN do it. And perseverance beats talent every single time.
I believe we only have one life so why spend the majority of it doing something you hate?
It is important to keep pushing on. It’s also just as important that you don’t let people take the piss. Don’t do creative work ‘for exposure.’ Don’t let people shout at you or disrespect you. There will be more opportunities (as long as you keep at it).
Join our Academy for veterans.
If you served in the UK’s armed forces then you are eligible for our free production skills training. We’ll educate you and pay you a bursary to live on too.
The creative industries offer the same sense of adventure you find in the armed forces. The sector also on average pays more than other sectors of the UK economy.
Have a look at academy.bfbs.com for more information.
Finally, do not give up.
Doing the sort of work you want is worth striving for.
Good luck.
Adam