Creative Careers span multiple industries that share elements such as non-traditional hiring patterns, a heavy reliance on networking and relationship building, an association with creative practice or discipline, and a variety of freelance or entrepreneurial potentials.
Our Common Good & Creative Careers (CGCC) initiative provides broad support for both Arts and Media/Communications related industries. A few highlights are included below, but please keep up with CGCC related events on the OCS calendar and feel free to connect with one of our advisors for additional information.
The Job Search Tips
- Use Creative Career related industry or function searches to create a relevant Jobs Alert within the Yale Career Link (YCL).
- Don’t forget to search the YCL’s Employer Directory for existing recruiting contacts with companies of interest.
- CGCC oversees a number of internship opportunities including: Arts Apprenticeships; Yale in Hollywood; Block Journalism Internships; and Buckley Media & Public Policy Internships.
- Additional industry specific external resources are available within the Arts and Media & Communications sections of the CGCC portion of our website.
Connecting Tips
- Networking need not be transactional. Take the opportunity to connect with alumni and professionals that are interested in the same things that you are
- Peer Lists, including Class lists and Summer Experience Lists, are available within the Career Library of the YCL and can provide a friendly way to start your networking process
- Yale Cross Campus is a fantastic way to boost your connections with those alumni that have opted into the network
- Consider working with an OCS advisor to explore ways to extend your network through the YAA directory and Yale LinkedIn
Creative Materials Tips
- Along with your faculty advisors, our office can help you to review your practice based materials, including: portfolios, writing samples, reels, and applications.
- Assemble your creative materials in a way that is clear, appropriately contextualized, and conforming to industry expectations. Pitch and presentation can be just as important as the quality of the work itself.
- Even resumes and cover letters can often prove idiosyncratic within the creative industries. Make sure you are comfortable with an industry’s specific formatting and norms.
Tips for the Artist Life
- Our office can help you to take a practical look at the inconsistent engagement, freelance maliablity, scheduling incongruity, and funding gaps that can sometimes complicate a creative career interest.
- Make sure to stay up to date with the CGCC schedule of events (filter for CGCC Event Type with YCL) as we engage a number of visiting artists and creative professionals each semester.
- We also produce a creative career focused podcast, Craft & Career, that provides an archive of conversations with many professionals, including alumni, willing to discuss both the shared and diverging interests between their creative practices and their professional engagements.
While Creative Careers can come with their own brand of unique challenges, they also offer some of the most engaging and impactful career opportunities you might consider. Our office looks forward to working with you to explore the many ways we can help you to identify and pursue your Creative Career goals.
To set up a Creative Careers advising appointment look for the Creative Careers Appointment type within the YCL Advising Appt tab.
