7 answers
Ja'Taya
Student
Memphis, Tennessee
3
Questions
Asked
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I am in the 10th grade and I am beginning to explore my future career , what are some careers I should consider based on my passions ?
I am in the 10th grade . I like drawing characters and making designs . I also like decorating . Although , I'm worried about the pay . Which drawing career pays the most?
#career #careers
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7 answers
Kelly Wight
Director of Corporate Sustainability
5
Answers
Andover, Massachusetts
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
There are so many options when your passion is drawing and designing! Graphic design, interior design, and illustration are all traditional roles. One thing to note about any of these options is the vast array of industry options you can pursue. For example, with illustration you could design children's books or you could create scientific illustrations in medical text books. As a graphic designer you can develop artwork at an ad agency or you can create marketing materials for a financial firm. While doing research, the average salary shown is for the broad category of that field, but you can make vastly different amounts depending on the industry you are in. Keep that in mind when searching and consider trying to search for the average salary in a specific location and a specific field (i.e. graphic designer, in the healthcare field, in Memphis). Also, be sure to look at various titles for that role. A graphic designer can be called anything from "creative specialist" to "production artist". I was worried about pay when I first became a graphic designer, too. My first job I was making a salary just above minimum wage, but then, as a matter of chance, I changed industries and doubled it. In my opinion, one of the great things about design and creativity is that so many industries need people to fill these roles. Some ideas I can think of for you are product design (sneakers, furniture, etc.), animation (explainer videos, Pixar/Dreamworks), graphic design (logos/branding, advertising, marketing materials).
Robert Lukasiewicz
NJ - New Jersey
7
Answers
Clark, New Jersey
Updated
Robert’s Answer
As far as worrying about pay, one of the best pieces of advice I received was to pursue your passions and interests and the money will follow. If you love what you do and have a passion that is a career not a job.
Chuck Intrieri
Business Consulting
22
Answers
San Luis Obispo, California
Updated
Chuck’s Answer
Hello Ja'Taya:
Assess your skills and interest. Think about your interests and consider your skills.
Explore various careers options
Develop a career plan. Focus on what you want to do and how to get there.
Research careers.
You could volunteer in a career that you think is good for you.
Develop an effective resume.
Find work. Learn the skills needed to pursue the career of your dreams.
Assess your skills and interest. Think about your interests and consider your skills.
Explore various careers options
Develop a career plan. Focus on what you want to do and how to get there.
Research careers.
You could volunteer in a career that you think is good for you.
Develop an effective resume.
Find work. Learn the skills needed to pursue the career of your dreams.
Kathy Cortez
Operations Executive
17
Answers
Palatine, Illinois
Updated
Kathy’s Answer
It's great that you are thinking about how to leverage the things you love and turn them into a career! Design is a very, very broad field so I am confident you will have no problem finding the right fit.
Here are some things to consider:
- What type of lifestyle or physical activity do you prefer? Often decorators and interior design professionals do the planning and design, but then also do much of the work (painting, staining, shopping, wallpaper). Conversely, doing cartoons or computer based design is more of a desk job.
- Do you envision working for yourself or someone else? Having your own business can be challenging but also rewarding - especially financially.
- Are you more interested in the "art" of your trade or the "technology / science" side of things? Interior design can mean everything from designing and making the actual elements for display to doing large scale commercial design (for example, for a large office building) that includes everything from building security to temperature controlled computer rooms, to where to put the desks!
- How much flexibility do you want for things like family and hobbies?
- One last thing to consider is "where" you'd like to do the work. Usually when people think of interior design and decorating they think of residences. But here are some things you may not know: All of the pretty displays at stores and boutiques are done by someone with a design background. Hotels and offices are also done by someone with an eye for design. And of course, if you really like cartooning, you might consider a career in cinema.
The sky is really the limit. The salary scale will vary significantly so here are some other things to think about:
- If you are a go-getter and good with people, you may be able to earn a very good living ($100,000 +) doing design work. But you'll have to build a client base and earn referrals. Just remember that this is an economy-dependent job and you will also have much leaner years.
- If you are more introverted you might consider getting a job as an employee or independent contractor with a company where you do the design work for projects that someone else brings to the company. This is also a good way to learn about how to commercialize your craft. It will pay closer to $50,000, but is a good way to start.
- Experienced project managers for commercial and industrial design can earn from $60,000-$80,000 depending on the role.
See some next steps that might help you choose the best career. You really can't go wrong! Best of luck.
Start looking at the curriculum at varies colleges (including art schools) to see what types of programs they offer. This may also spark some other ideas I didn't mention.
Talk to friends and family and see if they know anyone currently doing these types of jobs. You can interview them or shadow them for a day and see if it is the type of work you want to do.
If you are really ambitious, reach out to local businesses - even if you don't know anyone there - and see if they will allow you to do some job shadowing. I think you'll be surprised how many people love to share what they do.
Also, ask if any of these places would consider summer internships either while you are in high school or college.
Once you select your college, pick the broadest, most general classes first to give you some room to change your mind without costing an extra year of school
Here are some things to consider:
- What type of lifestyle or physical activity do you prefer? Often decorators and interior design professionals do the planning and design, but then also do much of the work (painting, staining, shopping, wallpaper). Conversely, doing cartoons or computer based design is more of a desk job.
- Do you envision working for yourself or someone else? Having your own business can be challenging but also rewarding - especially financially.
- Are you more interested in the "art" of your trade or the "technology / science" side of things? Interior design can mean everything from designing and making the actual elements for display to doing large scale commercial design (for example, for a large office building) that includes everything from building security to temperature controlled computer rooms, to where to put the desks!
- How much flexibility do you want for things like family and hobbies?
- One last thing to consider is "where" you'd like to do the work. Usually when people think of interior design and decorating they think of residences. But here are some things you may not know: All of the pretty displays at stores and boutiques are done by someone with a design background. Hotels and offices are also done by someone with an eye for design. And of course, if you really like cartooning, you might consider a career in cinema.
The sky is really the limit. The salary scale will vary significantly so here are some other things to think about:
- If you are a go-getter and good with people, you may be able to earn a very good living ($100,000 +) doing design work. But you'll have to build a client base and earn referrals. Just remember that this is an economy-dependent job and you will also have much leaner years.
- If you are more introverted you might consider getting a job as an employee or independent contractor with a company where you do the design work for projects that someone else brings to the company. This is also a good way to learn about how to commercialize your craft. It will pay closer to $50,000, but is a good way to start.
- Experienced project managers for commercial and industrial design can earn from $60,000-$80,000 depending on the role.
See some next steps that might help you choose the best career. You really can't go wrong! Best of luck.
Kathy recommends the following next steps:
Nathan Roobottom
Sales Manager
5
Answers
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Nathan’s Answer
Ja'Taya, I was also very passionate about art and drawing when I was in school and found my career in technical drafting. Since then, the industry has gone digital and all the work is now performed on a computer. So, I would agree with all the advice others have given you and add that you should consider which are likely to become digital and if working on the computer is appealing to you or not. If not, you still have many options to explore. If you don't mind expressing your artistic passion using computer software you could begin exploring which software the careers that interest you are using and begin learning how to use them.
Selina Larsen
Design Prototype Manager, Store Experience Marketing
1
Answer
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Selina’s Answer
Don't limit yourself to the obvious choices. I loved drawing when I was in high school too, but nobody told me about options in architecture, interior design, or landscape design. These are high paying, creative jobs that are design focused.
Take notice of what you find interesting in the world (the texture of sidewalks? the organization of parking ramps? the way a museum is organized? the kinds of plants in a city park?), and investigate who does that. Try to talk to the people making those things–most folks are happy to talk to a young person considering their field–and they can tell you the good things and the bad things involved in the job.
You might find some career options out there that you never considered before.
Take notice of what you find interesting in the world (the texture of sidewalks? the organization of parking ramps? the way a museum is organized? the kinds of plants in a city park?), and investigate who does that. Try to talk to the people making those things–most folks are happy to talk to a young person considering their field–and they can tell you the good things and the bad things involved in the job.
You might find some career options out there that you never considered before.
Donna Hull
Engineer
71
Answers
Columbia
Updated
Donna’s Answer
Ja'Taya;
So many opportunities in front of you. Congratulations for starting to think in a career minded way, you would be surprised on how many students walk down the graduation aisle and have no idea what their next step will be. Both of the previous answers offer good advice.
I have left a next step website to go to. Over the next few years learn and grown within yourself. What are your true passions. Choose a primary career path and a secondary. If college is an opportunity that you have, it is always good to take it. College opens doors into the corporate world, not only because of the education you receive, but the commitment to accomplish something on your own and persevere to that AA, BA, MA degree. Plus it boosts that opening salary that a company is willing to start you at.
Yet as far as salary. Take Robert's advice, pursue your passions and the money will follow. As a novice in the business if your first job doesn't get you to where you need to be monetarily, there are always supplemental jobs like Uber, Amazon Flex, etc... And even with your passion maybe you do face painting at parties or draw caricatures in the park. :)
https://www.criteriacorp.com/assessments/cognitive-aptitude-tests
So many opportunities in front of you. Congratulations for starting to think in a career minded way, you would be surprised on how many students walk down the graduation aisle and have no idea what their next step will be. Both of the previous answers offer good advice.
I have left a next step website to go to. Over the next few years learn and grown within yourself. What are your true passions. Choose a primary career path and a secondary. If college is an opportunity that you have, it is always good to take it. College opens doors into the corporate world, not only because of the education you receive, but the commitment to accomplish something on your own and persevere to that AA, BA, MA degree. Plus it boosts that opening salary that a company is willing to start you at.
Yet as far as salary. Take Robert's advice, pursue your passions and the money will follow. As a novice in the business if your first job doesn't get you to where you need to be monetarily, there are always supplemental jobs like Uber, Amazon Flex, etc... And even with your passion maybe you do face painting at parties or draw caricatures in the park. :)
Donna recommends the following next steps: