The Student Room Group

Britain is a nation of frustrated creatives

Poll

Are you a frustrated creative?

See http://aub.ac.uk/news/industry-news/aub-research-uncovers-nation-frustrated-creatives/

Research released by AUB reveals we are a nation of frustrated creatives, with 63% of Brits wishing they were in a career where they could make more use of their creative skills.

The research also found over half (54%) of Brits have a number of career regrets, including not investing enough time when choosing a career in the first instance (23%), their choice of school, college or university (21%) and wishing that they had been offered more career guidance at the beginning of their career path (20%).

What’s more, although 7 in 10 (70%) had wanted to pursue a creative career when they were younger, a staggering 62% stated that they would not class their current job as creative. Indeed, when it came to respondents’ future careers, 55% stated that they would consider a career change, with almost half (42%) saying they would change to a more creative career.

When asked what they would change about their career choice if they could go back in time, 25% would have spent more time researching career options, and 17% would spend less time worrying about the opinion of others and pursue a career they enjoy. Respondents also stated that they would have chosen a university that offered more career support (17%), and some (15%) would go back and take more risks when choosing their career.

The data also shows that support in the early stages of decision making is key to choosing a fulfilling career. Indeed, lack of confidence (19%), lack of suitable contacts (15%) and lack of parental support (15%), were all cited as key reasons for not pursuing a creative occupation.

Did you want to have a creative career when you were younger?
Have you changed path?
Are you worried you might regret your career choices?

The findings ring true with my experience and friends. I know a lot of people who have followed a corporate career path and now regret it - and a whole bunch who have ended up changing career path in their 30s because they wanted to be more creative in their every day job.

Likewise I know a few people who are employed completely as creatives (graphic designers) who are very disillusioned with their career choice because they find they're sacrificing their creativity in order to meet client briefs.:frown:
(edited 7 years ago)

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What does "creative" mean in this context, and what constitutes a "creative" career choice?
Original post by Smack
What does "creative" mean in this context, and what constitutes a "creative" career choice?

What do you think it means?

I didn't start this thread to debate the merits of a small omnibus survey - I'm hoping to find out more about whether people on TSR feel like they've had to sacrifice some of their ambitions and creativity to pursue a career - and whether they're happy with that compromise?

I'm quite worried by the number of adults expressing regrets over their career choices - I thought it would be useful to share that with students on TSR who are currently making some of those choices.
Original post by PQ
What do you think it means?

I didn't start this thread to debate the merits of a small omnibus survey - I'm hoping to find out more about whether people on TSR feel like they've had to sacrifice some of their ambitions and creativity to pursue a career - and whether they're happy with that compromise?

I'm quite worried by the number of adults expressing regrets over their career choices - I thought it would be useful to share that with students on TSR who are currently making some of those choices.


bit sarky, he was only asking.
Original post by ZiggyStarDust_
bit sarky, he was only asking.

It wasn't meant to be sarky - just trying to get creative responses to the thread :smile: and promote a discussion about creativity in work

Creative is a hugely broad word - I work in data analytics (among other things) and that gives me a lot more opportunity to be creative with my work than I would have expected when I was choosing a degree.

As I understand it @Smack is a trained engineer - an industry with a huge range of opportunities to be creative (and also some jobs where creativity could be completely unwelcome).
You can put creativity into most things that you do... I think most jobs allow at least some room for new ideas and creativity, as long as there is a fairly high skill roof (which there is in most things).

Academic? Be snazzy in your papers, and intuitive in your research.
Chef? Think up new recipes and different styles of cooking.

In what I'm doing with brain science, I guess it is creative looking at things that may not be very obvious... and look into innovative research, treatments, and ideas etc.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by hellodave5
You can put creativity into most things that you do... I think most jobs allow at least some room for new ideas and creativity, as long as there is a high skill roof (which there is in most things).

Academic? Be snazzy in your papers, and intuitive in your research.
Chef? Think up new recipes and different styles of cooking.


Sadly some big companies are fully corporate, want everyone to follow standard operating procedures, and generally don't allow room for creativity at all :frown:
Original post by hellodave5
You can put creativity into most things that you do... I think most jobs allow at least some room for new ideas and creativity, as long as there is a fairly high skill roof (which there is in most things).

Academic? Be snazzy in your papers, and intuitive in your research.
Chef? Think up new recipes and different styles of cooking.

In what I'm doing with brain science, I guess it is creative looking at things that may not be very obvious... and look into innovative research, treatments, and ideas etc.


I'd agree - but there does seem to be a substantial number of people who feel they can't be as creative as they'd like (63% in the survey linked in the OP and half the real respondents to the poll in this thread).

It would be really interesting to hear from those people :yep:
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
Sadly some big companies are fully corporate, want everyone to follow standard operating procedures, and generally don't allow room for creativity at all :frown:


D:
Suppose that is true. Though I imagine there is still some variation in that.
Like if you're in a team within an organisation, then maybe there are different ways in which you can go about things. Would of thought most would go for the personal freedom, as that is what tends to give better results (greater motivation, well being, and innovation).
Original post by PQ
I'd agree - but there does seem to be a substantial number of people who feel they can't be as creative as they'd like (63% in the survey linked in the OP and half the real respondents to the poll in this thread).

It would be really interesting to hear from those people :yep:


All people have the opportunity to be creative; but I think most just like the idea, but aren't motivated to implement it.

It is a lot easier to not change things up and stick with the usual.
For instance, I will probably do something I do often, than start trying to replicate a picture made by Van Gough. Maybe one day.
Reply 10
I find that a fair bit of creativity goes into a maths degree so far, but I was a lot more creative when I was younger and wish I still was.
Original post by hellodave5
D:
Suppose that is true. Though I imagine there is still some variation in that.
Like if you're in a team within an organisation, then maybe there are different ways in which you can go about things. Would of thought most would go for the personal freedom, as that is what tends to give better results (greater motivation, well being, and innovation).


My main motivation for going to university was to escape that kind of working environment - it is soul crushing doing the same thing day in and day out with no room to experiment.

Companies don't want their staff to have personal freedom as they are trying to create a consistent brand feeling/experience, or they are trying to get things done in a particular way so that there's a defined system.

E.g., I've worked various retail jobs where we've had to follow a script - that's so that people always experience the same "level" or type of service regardless of whatever branch they happen to go in to.

I like working at smaller companies as there's much more scope for individual expression and chances to make changes and impact on how things are run :bl:
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
Sadly some big companies are fully corporate, want everyone to follow standard operating procedures, and generally don't allow room for creativity at all :frown:


It's hard to be creative if you are on a production line or some similar kind of industrial process. The more simplistic and robotic it gets the more mind rotting it becomes.

I don;t think we can get creative equality until these tasks are automated.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by PQ
What do you think it means?

I didn't start this thread to debate the merits of a small omnibus survey - I'm hoping to find out more about whether people on TSR feel like they've had to sacrifice some of their ambitions and creativity to pursue a career - and whether they're happy with that compromise?

I'm quite worried by the number of adults expressing regrets over their career choices - I thought it would be useful to share that with students on TSR who are currently making some of those choices.


Part of me thinks that this is largely a reaction from workers who are disappointed about the level of standardisation in their workplace and the amount of procedures to follow. I can think of very few people who do get to be truly creative in their work; artists and musicians who write their own music, perhaps. Although it's a common buzzword on job specs, I don't think many people are actually employed to be "creative", but rather to follow set procedures to produce a defined outcome.
Surprise surprise, 90% of people dont get to do what they want in life.

Only way you get to live the life you want is if you're rich.
This is something people in America complain about as well. I think there is a lot of vanity in expressing the sentiment. No one cares if you don't feel you are operating at your creative capacity - it is up to you to find something that satisfies your creative urge.

I think it is hard to find an interesting job no matter what you do. The competition is extremely fierce, luck is a more significant factor than we care to acknowledge, but somebody has to do those jobs.
Original post by alcibiade
This is something people in America complain about as well. I think there is a lot of vanity in expressing the sentiment. No one cares if you don't feel you are operating at your creative capacity - it is up to you to find something that satisfies your creative urge.

I think it is hard to find an interesting job no matter what you do. The competition is extremely fierce, luck is a more significant factor than we care to acknowledge, but somebody has to do those jobs.

Do you count yourself as one of those "somebody"s?
Original post by Espada Null
Surprise surprise, 90% of people dont get to do what they want in life.

Only way you get to live the life you want is if you're rich.

Are you part of that majority?
I would love to pursue a creative career, or at least a career which has room for some creativity. I already get a good dose of creativity from my hobbies though :h:
Sometimes I am one of the somebodies.
Interesting. I'm not sure I'd want my future job to be creative. I'm happy to follow a process. Even if I ended up doing something like web design, I wouldn't place any personal attachment to my projects.

I do, however, intend to get to a decent level on piano.

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