Ever since my decision to study Social Anthropology and Art History at the University of St Andrews, I’ve heard the same phrase countless times: “You will never find a job.” Yes, I know that establishing a career in the arts can be a bit difficult – but it’s not impossible.
After four years at St Andrews, I am finally able to say that I’ve found some footing in an idea of what I’d like to do after I graduate, and, most importantly, what I don’t want to do. Here are some tips that helped me narrow the career search down:
- Try to get as much experience as possible in your field
It sounds incredibly obvious, but gaining experience in your subject area can help you figure out what it is that you don’t want to do. Apply to internships. Join school activities associated with your degree. Explore opportunities outside of university. Some of them you’ll enjoy, but some you’ll never want to do ever again – and that’s ok! Realizing that there are activities you don’t want to do will help narrow down the search. No matter whether the experience is good or bad, you will learn either way, and that’s what matters in your search for a career in the arts.
2. Talk to professionals
In my third year, I figured that talking with some professors and asking how they found their ideal career might help me identify ways in which I could find mine. Hearing their stories about the various paths they took before settling down was a relief, to say the least. I’ve always had an image in my mind of how I’d find my footing in the arts world: go to uni, graduate, and immediately get my dream job – which, I now realize, is highly unrealistic. Most of my professors worked odd jobs and found their careers by happenstance: they met this person at this job, who then referred them to a colleague, who then told them about a job opportunity. The arts is an ambiguous field – one that never really has a straightforward path. So, talk to professionals, professors, friends of friends, basically anyone who has a job in anything relating to the area you’d like to go into. I guarantee it will help you gain a better scope of the arts landscape.
3. Research
Google is your friend. Google anything and everything that you can that is related to the specific arts field you want to go into, and start reading. Forums, articles, anything that will help you expand your knowledge of the arts sector. You just might stumble upon a career or sector that you had never heard of before and are intrigued by.
I wish I could say that following these few tips will guarantee that you find the perfect arts career. However, what I can say with confidence is that doing these three things helped narrow the decision down for me, and I hope it will work for you too!