Being a “Creator” Will Be an Essential Job Quality in the Future
Whether you work a full-time job or freelance, you better prepare for the wave
As of September, over 123,000 LinkedIn users have added the word “creator” to their profile, an increase of 15% since last year.
In some circles, this number may not come as a surprise. The creator economy is booming, and it’s only getting started. Back in 2015, only 28,000 LinkedIn users called themselves creators.
The number is increasing due to the acceptance of the times.
Photographers are making tens of thousands of dollars selling minted versions of their photos, bloggers are their own social coins on platforms like BitClout, and companies pay employees to make TikToks for organic reach.
The days of flying a useless desk job are coming to a close. We’re seeing the rise of creative use cases faster than imagined, and marketers and advertising experts aren't the only ones who need to use the right side of their brains.
I have some personal insights into making it as a creator I think could help you. I have leveraged my creativity to go from freelance to practically full-time work doing what I love.
Here’s why you need to activate your creativity to survive in the future job market.
The future is the Matrix
I just watched all three Matrix films recently.
I’ll be honest with you; I laughed at it more than I should’ve. I’ve heard all the references before, so I wasn’t surprised by the idea of AI and living in a simulation. I mean, there’s a 50% chance we’re living in a simulation right now.
Now, I think the Metaverse is dumb. Like, having a virtual version of yourself in a meeting defeats half the purpose of having an actual meeting.
Meetings are for listening. If an animated version of my boss is on screen, I will think of them as an NPC video game character run by code. I won’t take him or seriously, and they should know that.
The real-world Matrix isn’t a Monster Energy-fueled apocalyptic world where everyone Ready Player One lives into oblivion.
“Web3" or “Web 3.0,” however you want to say it, is the future I’m talking about. Hell ya, baby.
But before you close the browser because you still doubt the rise and important use cases of crypto, let me explain what it’s done for my own life and what I think it will do.
Fellow bloggers are more bullish than I am. For seven years, photographers I’ve followed on social media are turning their lives around through NFTs. I’m buying the dips on mini crypto crashes and reaping the rewards.
The new features that Web3 offers are new tools to play with, so you can market yourself to a niche audience.
Communication and creativity go hand-in-hand
A company I work with understands the importance of creativity.
They want me to experiment. They want me to A/B test, figure out what works on TikTok, and use fun sound effects in the videos I edit.
Of course, they give me feedback, as that’s to be expected in this field. There’s a give and take, but I like it. Collaboration is the core of creativity.
With collaboration comes the importance of communication. I create products, but I’m one leg of the table. If one leg snaps, the charcuterie board on the table falls and smashes to bits.
Being a creator is just as much about communication, and you’ve been trained in “communication skills” since college.
I’m allowed to make that joke. I was a COMM major. By my senior year, I thought I’d wasted four years of my life. I didn’t have a job entering the real, scary adult world. But I stacked my skills and found my way.
I carved my job out of a marble stone because I found someone with a need, and I jumped at the opportunity. Trust me: you’ll work harder for the people who want you.
There are levels to come to terms with your creativity:
Level 1: You bring your idea to life, but no one cares.
Level 2: You spend years studying creators. You get over your need to be the best. There’s no use ignoring the greatness that came before you.
Level 3: You create content and build an audience that loves your work. In the meantime, you never stop learning, and you slide in the DM’s of the creators who were once out of reach. This step takes the longest, but it’s the most important.
Level 4: You bring another idea to life. This time, you have an audience of super-freakin-fans behind you who pay attention
Make your content, and keep making it. You’ll grab someone’s attention.
Don’t worry, you already have what it takes to be a creator
Inspiration comes from 360 degrees. Keep your head on a swivel.
In other words, you need to keep your network up at all times. Inspiration doesn't strike people who are closed off or distracted. A successful creator is an iceberg. People only see 10% of the actual work they do.
Building a brand is similar. That’s why personal branding and being a creative often get mixed up and confused. Don’t get it twisted…
Have you ever had a day where everything went your way?
You woke up early and full of energy
Your coffee hit just right, and you got to work on time
You completed all your work tasks ahead of schedule and hit the gym
Then you worked on your side hustle for an hour and made dinner
We’ve had this kind of day, but I bet we’ve had even more sad days. You don’t know it, but it’s because you didn’t realize the quality treatment you gave yourself by going to bed early or eating healthy compared to the way you usually do.
Here’s the thing: you know what it takes to have days like this; you just don't want to put the work in or take the time to build habits.
Just like having a great day, you already know what it takes to be a successful creator who’s confident to put that word on a resume.
You send emails, make memes for your friends, and take too many photos of your cat. These are all surface-level creative skills that can be stacked into something huge.
My friend’s mom runs an Instagram account for their stinky pug with 80,000+ followers. It’s incredible and proves my point.
There’s potential in every seemingly unrealistic creative endeavor.