This article is your one-stop place to get all your career questions answered because I’m taking the 9 questions I’ve been asked the most recently and rounding them up into a FAQ for you.
Everything from how to find cool jobs to what do I do as a creative career coach is covered.
Are you ready to start the career learning journey?
Is it possible to have a creative career without a degree?
Short answer, yes. Longer answer, hell yes.
As a creative staffer and recruiter, not once did someone’s education either help them get a role or keep them from getting a role. Being a Creative with a capital “C” is one of those fields where talent and skill weigh exponentially more than degrees or school names.
That said, if you want to move up into the management layer or C-suite, a degree might be useful to you there.
If you decide you want to do official learning there are of course art schools, portfolio schools and grad schools.
What emerging creations will the future of your career hold? Perhaps you’ll be at the forefront of the next wave of social media creativity!
2. What are the most in-demand career skills for 2024 and beyond?
This is a big time no-duh sort of answer at the moment but…. AI understanding and it’s use to enhance your work. There are very few roles out there that AI hasn’t already infiltrated to some degree. If you haven’t begun to at least understand how AI will affect your job it’s time to get crackin’.
Genuinely the skill of actually using AI to it’s full potential will be the skill that almost everyone will need moving forward.
For those more familiar with tech, getting in on the building of AI systems (alllll the skills that go into that) is going to be the sought after skillset for the foreseeable future.
You need to remember without a great skilling up strategy, you can easily get left behind by your competition!
3. How can I successfully change careers at 40 without starting over?
Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to ditch your data analyst gig yelling “I’m going to become an architect!” as the door hits your booty on the way out.
However, understanding the ins and outs of what a career change really takes will help you be more successful at your own should you really want to make a career transition (at any age).
First, think of what role responsibilities you want to engage in daily vs. focusing on a title.
Focusing on what you want to do instead of what some company hs decided to title that will allow you to find many, many more possible places to do something you enjoy.
Next, research.
Unlike your first career where you either chose it and were funneled into after school or you happened to fall into it - this is your chance to choose something that makes sense for who you are now and what your life needs in this moment .
Let yourself brainstorm away (see step one) then go nuts deep diving on companies, organizations, people, initiatives etc you’d like to work with, on or for.
Evaluate your skills.
Once you’ve gotten a handle on what it is you want to do and where, do your best to assess what skills you possess that make you a no-brainer hire and where you might need to fill some gaps.
Outline how you could fill those gaps and create a plan to get rollin’!
Finally, rock your network.
One advantage you have of being a more experienced worker is that you have a larger, more entrenched network in place. This is the time to start reaching out and letting your people know what your new direction is all about and to start rewriting your career narrative.
If you want to learn more about making a career change, check out my workshop series that walks you through the process step by step.
Top Tip: Always make sure to think about your career in terms of what values and priorities you want to honor as the person you are today (not the 21 year old who graduated with a degree their parents thought would be useful).
4. What are the best strategies for networking in a post-pandemic world?/Do you really need to network to succeed in your career?
I get it, you're busy with just trying to live your life, but if you want to retire early in the Bahamas with a Mai Tai in your hand, you need to increase your visibility within your network so you can create a career that allows you to live the life you want to live.
Networking is so important because relationships are fundamental to any successful career.
Luckily networking has become even easier since the pandemic. People are much more amenable to digital only connections in a way that wasn’t as acceptable before.
As a result, you can:
Build a network with folx globally through digital channels
Get super niche since there’s an online space for everything/one
Take advantage of in-person events since now they work incredibly hard to provide value, where pre-pandemic those events were less tailored
However, you must be aware that making the connections (real, deep connections) is just as, if not more important than before the pandemic..
Also note that showing up to the networking events is step zero. For a step-by-step to make them work for you head here: How to Network At Events.
In summary: show up, be you, make real connections!
5. What are the fastest-growing industries for job seekers in 2024?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the fastest-growing occupations for the near future are (in no particular order):
Healthcare and healthcare management: the healthcare industry as a whole is expected to see a 19% increase in jobs in 2024, which is faster than average. This is due in part to the aging US population.
Renewable energy: the global focus on sustainability and environmental impact is driving demand for renewable and alternative energy sources like solar, wind and hydro.
Construction: the construction industry is the cornerstone of day-to-day living and is poised to contribute to a soon to be booming commercial and residential real estate market.
Ecommerce: the ecommerce industry is expected to grow at a minimum of 6% in 2024 which doesn’t sound huge, but since the industry itself is so massive that percentage is a big-time chunk of the jobs market.
IT: As always, tech and IT jobs will continue to grow. It’s projected to continue growing at a rate of roughly 15% through 2024!
If you’re struggling to choose what your next career (or first!) might be, go ahead and download your free 5 Big Questions to Find a Career That Makes You Happy now
And stay tuned for a helpful new workshop coming soon (get on my newsletter to get the first info).
6. What are the pros and cons of pursuing a career in remote work?/How can I negotiate a flexible work arrangement with my current employer?
I’ve gotten this question(s) in various forms a lot in the last few months. I think the reason is that many of the big name companies have mandated return to office for their employees. I've been working with remote and freelance workers since before I began my business and have some strategies that will be helpful to those of you wondering how to make it work.
As with anything there are of course pros & cons. In honor of the good ol’ pro/con list here you go:
Pros:
Flexibility in work location and often work hours
Potential for better work-life balance
Elimination of commute time and costs
Access to a wider range of job opportunities globally
Increased productivity for many folx
Cost savings on work-related expenses (e.g., clothing, lunches out)
Cons:
Potential for isolation and lack of in-person social interaction
Challenges in separating work and personal life/Risk of overworking or underworking without clear boundaries
Difficulty in building professional relationships and networking
Reliance on technology and potential technical issues (also upfront costs for freelancers)
Possible career advancement limitations in some fields
If you’re still interested in negotiating a flexible work arrangement with your current employer, you’ll want to follow the this step by step plan of action:
Research your company's existing policies on flexible work
Prepare a detailed proposal outlining your desired arrangement
Highlight the benefits to the company (e.g., increased productivity, cost savings)
Address potential concerns proactively
Suggest a trial period to demonstrate effectiveness
Be open to compromise and alternative solutions
Choose the right time to approach your manager
Practice your pitch and anticipate questions
Be prepared to discuss how you'll maintain communication and productivity
Each of these steps will ultimately lead you to creating the worklife that works best for you.
When negotiating anything, it can be tempting to want to skip it because you’re scared, but it will have long-lasting positive effects on your career and life so prepare as much as you need to to feel confident going into it.
If you want to get a more in-depth look at negotiation success factors, have a look over here . In this post, I discuss why negotiating your salary and work set tup can be a pivotal step in your job search journey, especially if you're seeking a job that not only fulfills your passion but also provides financial stability.
7. How do I address employment gaps on my resume effectively?
Sending out your resume is obviously an essential factor to success in any career, which means there will be lots of info you need to cover.
Your priority should always be to showcase your skills and abilities, but if you’ve had a gap in your employment history it can feel really daunting to address what you were doing during that time.
There are 10 things to keep in mind when it comes to addressing employment gaps on your resume:
Be honest: Don’t try to hide or falsify your employment history (it will just bite you in the ass).
Focus on the positives: Highlight skills or experiences gained during the gap.
Use a skills focused resume format: This will draw attention to your abilities rather than chronology.
Briefly explain significant gaps: Provide a short, clear explanation if the gap is recent or lengthy.
Include relevant activities: Mention volunteer work, freelance projects, or educational pursuits during the gap.
Use years instead of months: This can minimize the appearance of shorter gaps.
Prepare for interview questions: Be ready to discuss your gap confidently and positively.
Keep it professional: Only include personal information if directly relevant to your career.
Emphasize your current skills and readiness: Show how you're prepared to/you did re-enter the workforce.
Work that summary statement: Use this to highlight your overall qualifications and address potential concerns upfront.
For more information on how to build a great resume, check out these fantastic resources:
How to Redo Your Resume in 8 Easy Steps (So You Can Get a Job With Better Benefits)
Personal help building a resume that resonates!
8. How can I develop leadership skills in my current role to advance my career?
I work with clients on leadership skills all the time and my Top 3 Tips for developing your leadership skills are:
Study leaders you admire
Learn to listen
See the bigger picture
For a deep dive, I have lots of resources to make it easy for you to become the best leader you can be. Get started with these blog posts:
When creating your leadership or management style, you may encounter “imposter syndrome” rearing its head. As uncomfortable as this feels, always remember that many experts in your shoes felt the same way at one point. For more on limiting beliefs, check out this workshop.
9. How do I create a standout LinkedIn profile that attracts recruiters?
Next, let’s look at the relationship between marketing and your career. I can hear you groaning from here. Yes, you have to market yourself. You truly need to sell yourself into the job you want and LinkedIn (love it or hate it) is the number one free resource to help you do this.
For more on why (and how) to optimize your LinkedIn profile read Why you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile. If you want to skip straight to a free workbook on how to do all this just click here.
I always tell my clients to think of LinkedIn as a big, free, digital billboard just for you! It really takes less work than you think to get it ready to wow. These three elements will make your profile go from blah to OMG:
Write a compelling headline and summary that grab attention
Showcase your skills and accomplishments (really highlight those puppies!)
Optimize your profile using keywords so that you're more likely to appear in search results
Wrap Up
Thank you for joining me in for this Careers FAQ. I hope you found everything you were looking for.
If you’ve got a 10th burning career question that didn’t get answered here, go ahead and pop an email in my inbox at: ebs@ebsanders.com I’m here to help! You can also reach me here or on Instagram.
You deserve a little treat for making it to the end so don’t forget to grab one of the freebies created just to help you out!
Download your favorite freebie now >>
Yours in ‘keep those questions coming!’ goodness-
EBS
P.S. Click here to get on the list for more actionable career advice sent straight to your inbox.
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EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types
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