13 Interesting Creative Jobs (With Duties And Salaries)

Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 7 February 2023

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Imagination, original thinking and data are essential to any creative job. Creative jobs allow individuals to share their ideas, opinions and information to meet a particular aim. Learning about the various professions in the creative industry can help you decide if it suits your interest. In this article, we discuss what a creative job is, the skills required by such professionals, the advantages and disadvantages of the industry, and 13 creative jobs that may interest you.

What are creative jobs?

Creative jobs require individuals to use theatrical arts, written and musical expression to communicate with an audience. They create content to share ideas, motivate the audience or evoke a specific emotion such as urgency, happiness, sadness or even anger. They align their creative perspectives and business goals to take a role in media, construction, design or even marketing.

Skills required at a creative job

Creative individuals possess several skills that help them bring a new perspective to a problem. While creativity is innate to some individuals, specialised courses help hone the skills necessary to excel at a creative job. Some essential skills required at a creative job are:

Communication skills

An essential skill in any creative professional is using words, visuals, audio and stories to communicate. Creative professional articulates their ideas into a form that others understand. Their communication is purpose-driven and showcases their creative talent while achieving business objectives.

Related: Communication Skills: Definitions And Examples

Colour theory

Professionals in photography, advertising, marketing and films widely use this theory to evoke an emotion in the audience. Colour helps retain audience attention and may also help improve brand recall. Understanding this theory helps professionals create compelling content.

Making observations

Creative professionals are curious and seek inspiration from the most mundane things. They observe how society functions and use the insights to create relatable content for entertainment or sales. Paying close attention to how people use a particular product or service helps professionals think of ways to improve them.

Problem-solving

Creative jobs like advertising, marketing or even architecture require individuals to work within constraints to produce solutions. Individuals resolve issues with methods that are data-driven and creative. A creative job also allows individuals to experiment and test ideas before scaling them.

Related: Problem-Solving Skills: Definitions And Examples

Asking questions

Creative individuals are inquisitive and ask questions based on observations. It helps improve brainstorming sessions and results in new perspectives on the issue. Questioning the norm also helps redefine the rules and make them relevant to the current times. Creative professionals may use this to their advantage by channelling their perspectives into their artistic expressions.

Networking

Expanding the professional network helps individuals advance their creative careers. It exposes them to new perspectives, people and updates them with the latest trends. Networking helps individuals understand the industry demand and hone their skills accordingly.

Advantages of a creative job

The advantages of choosing a creative job differ from one profession to another. The experience of a creative professional depends on the company, geographical location, exposure and abilities. Here are some reasons a job in a creative field may seem exciting:

  • creates a therapeutic feeling

  • provides freedom to express yourself

  • enables you to experiment and test your ideas

  • fosters collaboration with other like-minded individuals

  • combines creativity and business

  • tasks are not mundane

  • provides transferable work and allows you to change career paths

  • creatives may choose to work alone or in a team

  • involves occasional travel

  • helps you question the norm and think beyond processes

13 jobs for creative people

Here are some jobs you may choose from to build your career in a creative field:

1. Tattoo artist

National average salary: ₹17,770 per month

Primary duties: Tattoo artists sketch and create designs on the skin. They understand the client requirement, carefully illustrate the picture and then develop it with permanent ink. Tattoo artists have excellent drawing skills, focus and a steady hand to execute their designs.

2. Video editor

National average salary: ₹31,666 per month

Primary duties: A video editor identifies the best segments of the recorded footage and showcases them to an audience in real-time or later. They use software to add text, images, transitions and audio to complete their production. They work in advertising, film, television and digital media productions.

3. Makeup artist

National average salary: ₹40,423 per month

Primary duties: Makeup artists work with clients to give them a look to suit the occasion. They work with actors, politicians, public figures or other individuals for weddings and events. A makeup artist may specialize in prosthetics to provide a transformative look to artists, especially in movies or theatre.

Related: How To Become A Movie Makeup Artist (With Duties And Skills)

4. Photographer

National average salary: ₹39,364 per month

Primary duties: Professional photographers work in the media, event management companies and specialised fields such as wildlife photography. They use their knowledge of lighting, framing and colours to create photographs that convey a message. A photographer may also work with brands to create product photography or portraits for catalogues and edit them using computer software.

5. Interior designer

National average salary: ₹26,285 per month

Primary duties: Interior designers create aesthetically pleasing and functional spaces within client budgets. They design offices, industrial areas and homes according to the client requirement. An interior designer works closely with architects, engineers, builders.

6. Fashion designer

National average salary: ₹31,250 per month

Primary duties: A fashion designer creates apparel and footwear for brands or individuals. They understand fabrics, colours and use this knowledge to match patterns and create clothing that sets fashion trends. A fashion designer may oversee the production of garments, check the quality, fit and size to meet client requirements.

7. Copywriter

National average salary: ₹21,706 per month

Primary duties: A copywriter works in advertising, marketing or directly with businesses to create compelling content that evokes an emotion in the audience. They write a text for marketing material such as posters, social media content or even videos. A copywriter collaborates with designers and art directors to ensure the marketing material is as per client requirements.

8. Advertising manager

National average salary: ₹87,500 per month

Primary duties: An advertising manager oversees the ideation, creation and execution of marketing campaigns across media. They review campaigns created by the team before it gets sent to the clients for their approval. They also track and monitor the campaign results across radio, television, print and digital media.

9. Architect

National average salary: ₹32,710 per month

Primary duties: Architects use their creative abilities, mathematics and understanding of materials to design buildings for residential and commercial use. They work with interior designers, builders, contractors and engineers to execute their vision. An architect ensures that the space they create is aesthetically pleasing, sustainable and safe.

Related: How To Become An Architect (Career Steps And FAQs)

10. Public relations manager

National average salary: ₹47,636 per month

Primary duties: Public relations manager help maintain the public image of corporates and individuals. They possess excellent communication and networking skills that help establish and maintain relationships with media professionals. They arrange interviews, press conferences and publish press releases to promote a brand, product, event or manage a crisis.

Related: What Does A Public Relations Officer Do? (Duties And Qualifications)

11. User experience designer

National average salary: ₹55,891 per month

Primary duties: User experience designers or UX designers evaluate the experience of a website, mobile application or other software provides to a user. They focus on improving customer experience and satisfaction with the help of design. The designer studies data to understand customer interaction with the application. They collaborate with website developers, software engineers or mobile application developers to align the customer experience with the business requirement.

12. Art director

National average salary: ₹53,895 per month

Primary duties: An art director uses visual elements to stimulate the audience's mood and emotion towards artistic production. They understand the director or client requirements, brainstorm with colleagues and create an experience that effectively conveys the desired message. An art director works in various fields including, advertising, films, journalism and publishing.

13. Creative director

National average salary: ₹1,25,000 per month

Primary duties: A creative director leads a team of creative individuals comprising copywriters, graphic designers, artists and even website designers. They collaborate with the team to ideate, create and execute advertising and marketing campaigns. A creative director often works in an advertising agency and under strict deadlines.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.

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