“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
It’s a question we’re asked before we’re old enough to understand it. By the time we hit our teenage years, it's one of the main things our lives revolve around. We end up stumbling down a career path and wandering around in the dark, hands stretched before us to feel out what it’s all about.
It’s a part of life.
However, each generation goes through this process slightly differently.
And when it comes to the creative industry, there are some challenges the next generation of talent is struggling to overcome. So much so, that GEN-Z are starting to avoid the industry altogether.
Experience VS Potential
Recruiters are hunting for academic experience rather than potential.
We can all admit to glancing and skimming CVs, but the focus on hiring people from academic backgrounds seems a bit old-fashioned. Academic qualifications and experience are a valid green flag in any application, but it's not the only criteria you’re judging a CV by.
Christopher Doyle
We need to switch gears and focus on spotting potential. We all know that being creative isn’t necessarily a structured experience- so why do we rely upon a CV to do all the talking for us? Imagine the ROI on someone you’ve spotted potential in. They may need some more training or handholding than someone who’s got some academic experience, but with that extra bit of help, someone could flourish and make a mark in the industry. A qualification does not define your potential.
We all start from the ground up, and we need to remind ourselves about who helped us along the way when we first started. Be vigilant and empathetic. If you find a spark, stoke it into flames.
Access to industry immersion
If you want to take part in any industry, part of learning and experiencing it is to go to industry events. Yet when it comes to a large majority of big events in the creative industry, the ticket prices are sky high.
And for a generation struck by the cost-of-living crisis, we can’t afford to go. This kind of exclusion reduces our exposure to industry knowledge, connections and inspiration.
Michael Scantlebury
It creates this elitist aura that discourages GEN-Z from attending these events. If we want to encourage more people into the industry, we need to make it far more accessible so that we can experience it before committing ourselves to a career in it.
A reason to commit
The rise of side hustlers isn’t just for clout- it's to make enough money to live.
There’s a stereotype often thrown around that GEN-Z are lazy when in reality, we’re part of the new wave of side hustlers. One source of income isn’t enough to live off anymore, and most of our generation can’t commit wholeheartedly to one job to survive.
To fix this, we need to step up our wages, stat. Invest in the future of the creative industry by paying new creatives their worth and more- especially once they’ve proved themselves. Give them a reason to stay creative.
Kerri-Ann Graham
We don’t want to avoid the creative industry. But the creative industry seems to avoid us.
It should refocus on its humanity rather than its sales. Otherwise, there might not be much of a creative industry left.
By Em Goodier, Founder of Gen Z copywriter recruitment specialists Word Tonic
