Jobs (& Hints) For Creative Souls
[ 24 January 2008 ]
“Suggestions for job hunting, or really any way to make money that isn’t completely depressing to the creative heart would be so great!”
While, ultimately, I think most of us are searching for the work that truly fulfils us, sometimes it can take a while for that to become apparent, or for us to be able to start acting on our dreams. At this point, of course, we still need cash to survive — so here are some ways to spin gold.
Ebay
While selling on Ebay for the rest of your life would probably be a very trying exercise, there is no doubt that it is still an excellent way to make cash. You can use it to get good money for the things you don’t want anymore — clothes, appliances, books & weird trinkets — & then use that money to kick you off in any direction you want. You can also make your own stuff or become a hardcore second-hand shopper & then do bulk Ebay listings. Lots of people do this & seem to make a pretty good living from it. I know, for example, that Audrey, our men’s style writer, supported himself for several months while he was in the USA by buying t-shirts in second-hand stores & flogging them on Ebay. If he can do it, you can too!
Retail
I know that sounds a bit obvious, but there are a lot of retail jobs that don’t suck. Yes, you have to deal with customers, but you will probably get fantastic deals on whatever you’re selling, & you might even end up in a shop full of fun people! When I worked at Lush, we got a fabulous discount (I hear it is not quite so fabulous any more, unfortunately), were allowed to take home all the old stock, & sang & danced around the store all day to the sounds of Grease (or whatever else we were loving at that moment). Working in an upbeat vintage clothing store, frantic ice-cream parlour or sprawling bookshop can be really lovely if you give it a chance.
Offer to help someone
I remember hearing some insane statistic, something like 80% of all available jobs ARE NOT advertised in the newspaper. I was filled with glee when I heard it, because to me it meant that I could do practically anything I wanted if I approached the right people. The thing is, there are people all over the place who could use a little bit of extra help. Your bed-ridden neighbour might want someone to mow their lawn, your mother might need help with her accounting, your friend might need a college tutor or perhaps the billionaire across the street could use a personal assistant. People who need help are often too busy to think about asking for it or placing an ad to find it, so do the leg-work for them — ask if they need some assistance! Likewise, drop your C.V. in anywhere you like the look of — with a big smile & lots of enthusiasm — regardless of whether they’re hiring or not. That’s how I got my job at Lush!
Think outside the box
Trading hours for cash is the usual way of making money, but it’s not the only way. Get a stall at a market, start making & selling cupcakes, play music in the street, get a job at your favourite cafe, design flyers for bands, put on shows, become an artist’s model, try working in a library, make jewellery & sell it on Etsy, pick fruit, design websites, screenprint t-shirts, teach art classes, work as a nanny, apply for a grant, play the piano in a hotel bar, write horoscopes, become a telephone psychic, grow your own vegetables & sell them, shine shoes, do street portraits, clean houses, garden, teach yoga classes, design postcards & note paper, make journals, hold workshops…
Generally, the best thing to do is think about what you’re good at & what you enjoy, then head in that direction. As crazy as it sounds, one of my best jobs was working in a huge awful corporate — but it had a lax dress code, I was allowed to wear headphones, the internet connection was super-quick, it paid well, I did data entry which was mindless enough that I could think about my own stuff all day, & I worked with entertaining people. I also had a lot of fun working as a book-buyer for a bookshop, as well as working at Lush Cosmetics (where they promoted me to manager in about two months!).
One thing worth considering is whether you really need to be working 40 hours a week in some crazy job. If you’re in the process of starting your own small business or working on your art, you really only need enough cash to pay your rent & bills & buy food — which is something you probably don’t need to work 40 hours to afford. Think about your expenses, do a budget: how much money do you spend on rubbish? It’s easy to cut that back. Start making your own lunches, hold pot luck dinners instead of going to restaurants, sneak in to the movies, make coffee at home & take it to work in a Thermos, cancel your gym membership & buy some free weights… If you can pare back your spending, you won’t need to work in a generic “job” as much — & you can spend your free time bettering your present & constructing your future.
Lots of people have worked ridiculous jobs before they got their big break or started doing what they really loved. Steve Buscemi used to drive an ice-cream truck! John Candy sold paper napkins… door-to-door! Jerry Seinfeld sold lightbulbs over the telephone, Dan Aykroyd sorted mail & Jennifer Aniston was a telemarketer! People do all kinds of crazy things to make ends meet before their real careers take off — even Madonna used to work at Dunkin Donuts & do nude modelling for extra cash.
The most important thing to remember is that what you do to pay the bills doesn’t define you. It’s okay. It’s just a means to an end. What makes people desperate is when they feel that their title as “Junior Hamburger Griller” is who they are — & that they will never do or be anything else. See the light at the end of the tunnel. You can, truly, do anything you like with your life. The only person limiting you is you.
That’s the major problem with working in a bookshop or doing data entry or peddling soap. After a while, you are bound to feel some kind of dissatisfaction. You will yearn for more, even if you’re thinking ‘more of what?’. I think that eventually we all want to contribute to society in some way — to feel that we are helping, making a difference, constructing something of value to other people. Doing something you love, or owning your own business, can really help to fill that gap.
Even once you find what you love to do, you will find that your work will change & evolve as time progresses. Life is always in a state of flux, & the best thing we can do is hold on tight & enjoy the journey!
Extra For Experts:
My articles I Don’t Know What To Do With My Life!, How To Make Your CV Impressive & How To Be A Writer might be of use!
These books — The Lost Soul Companion: A Book of Comfort & Constructive Advice For Black Sheep, Square Pegs, Struggling Artists, & Other Free Spirits & The Not-So-Lost Soul Companion by Susan M. Brackney are both worth a read.
Orbiting The Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide To Surviving With Grace by Gordon MacKenzie is the perfect book to help you survive cubicle life!
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
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all of this is so true – especially the part about paring back your expenses. i have no generic job, the only thing i do that could even be classified as a regular job is my work as an artist’s model, which i do a couple of times a week. i also do/have done almost everything else on your ‘think outside the box’ section (except cleaning and being a nanny – tres domestic! eek!) ... but even with all those powers combined, it’s not a huge income. however, i do have a kind of peace of mind because i don’t feel as if i’m wasting my days doing something and dreaming about doing something else. that’s worth it, i think :)
Ah what a lovely article. I couldn’t agree more. My desk job is average but the hours are flexible and I adore my office mate. It also leaves me plenty of time to do theatre, write and make jewellery. I’m in a pretty sweet position at the moment and there is a massive flood light at the end my tunnel and I can’t wait to see what’s there!
I won’t go so far as to flatter myself by saying I’m a “creative soul” but I’m definitely having a career crisis of epic proportions at the moment so this is some timely advice! I’m definitely going to go back & read “I Don’t Know What To Do With My Life!” now too. Merci beaucoup mademoiselle! x
I’d like to speak to #2 on your list, eBay. In 2003 I went thru a divorce and lost my job at the same time (unrelated incidents) and out of desperation, started selling things on eBay from around the house to pay bills while I looked for another job. eBay selling seemed easy and lucrative, so I made it my full-time job. 5 years and 14,000 items later, I’m still doing eBay full-time, loving it, and getting paid to write and speak about it.
Anyone can do eBay – either as a full-time job or in addition to another job or home business. I am at home raising my kids, and in charge of my life. I can’t say enough good things about eBay! Thanks for your post.
Suzanne — That is incredible! WELL DONE YOU! Just another reason why the internet is totally magnificent!
Thanks for the advice Gala!
As I was sitting, doing my trial application to college (well, CEGEP=Quebec College), I realized all too many people are stuck in the same cube type life.
If you had the chance to create your own path, and your own life full of adventures, why not? I mean, don’t we all get that chance everyday? We just need to grab the opportunities.
This whole tragic situation with Heath Ledger has made me all philosophical and life-appreciating. Sigh.
Retro.Bunny — His death is very sad. I don’t know him or anything, but given the timing, I am inclined to think it was probably an accident. It is a horrible thing regardless. 10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favourite movies of all time!
Woah, the last time I worked I gave this promotonial tickets for an sea-food store xD It was aweful…oh, does selling my old electric guitar counts?
Being a full-time college student leaves little space for working o_o
Gala, I like your take on the world of work :)
Combining different kinds of work can be a really fun way to go, especially if you get bored easily!
Yeah, it was mine too.
He was just really great, and shined on screen. As in, even as a “bad boy” type in 10 Things, he just seemed so positive.
Why is that some of the most talented people die by the time they’re 28? Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Kurt Cobain…
Oh well, I’ll lament to myself, and not ruin this comment space for the uplifting article.
I do believe Janis, Jimi, Morrison, and Kurt Cobain all died at 27.
If you really feel stuck/stifled/drained by your job, see if you can go part-time, freeing up some extra time in your week for creative self-expression and personal growth ;-)
Financial tips: Don’t go out, don’t get takeaways, don’t buy anything that isn’t on sale . . . Of course these are short-term guidelines and occasionally the rules will get broken (and that’s OK!), but set yourself some ideals to strive for and see how well you will do!
Fae:
n____n
That’s what I meant. Like, by the time they’re 28, they’re either already dead, or just died.
Oh dear, I sound really horrible and disrespectful now. u_u I’m sorry everyone.
Thanks so much for this article. You are such a positive person and this has inspired me to move in new directions! Starting now!
This is insane!!! Not even half an hour ago I was updating my resume, I hate my current job. I’ve been there for so long I feel as though it’s starting to define me as a person ‘the girl who works at the bulk food store’ It’s awful.
One day, I want to be just like you ! Making money writing, and illustrating. You’ve been such a positive influence in my life I’m glad I stumbled upon your journal that sweltering august morning. :3
I want…Steve Buscemi…to drive an ice cream truck…to my house. Like, now. And then he can take me into town to look for a job or something. Sigh. That image is so great.
I love my chosen trade which will get me through school/uni. I’m a Barista (professional coffee maker) and I’ve had just over three years experience so now I get to be the uber-cool head barista. I waltz in just as it starts to get busy and then skoot out the door before the menial clean up begins. Plus they pay me a lovely hourly rate. Yay!
the idea of steve buchemi selling icecream would scare the living day lights out of me (just with the whole movie conatation)
Anyway people forget that you really don’t need that much money just to make ends meet if you learn to buy only what you need and must. Living on under $400 per fortnight independently isnt as hard as one would expect. Then you have plenty of time to do what you do!
Saying that I am a fellow arty person and I am a hair dressing apprientice right now and doing loads of smaller course so one day I maybe able to do freelance work as a stylist and journalist, though I often think about opening my own 50’s kitchy salon stocked with awesome products, records and clothes.
Yay, an article after my own heart :) I’m hoping that pictures of monkeys and marshmallows will work out for me, but if not I am definitely going to be ‘thinking outside the box’ before I go back to an office job!
Another great book is “Creating A Life Worth Living” by Carol Lloyd. Thanks for all these words of inspiration, you’ve got so motivated about the future!!
XOXO
What a great article!
I am still in high school, and looking for a job that I like even a little seems like a very hard task. It seems like the only jobs available for high-schoolers involve selling corn dogs to rowdy teenagers in the mall. Not very appealing when I already spend so much time at a school I hate surrounded by Neanderthals. (sorry to be so negative.)
Anyways, you’re article gave me hope that I can find some alternative way to make a little cash. I just have one question. What kind of jobs, if any, did you have in high school?
thanks for this, gala! it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. on saturday, I applied for a barista job at a very high-end establishment, with no coffee experience but lots of enthusiasm. they asked me to interview that day and my first training day is tomorrow! sometimes it can be hard and scary to apply for a job (I have had scads, but I have never done a formal interview, somehow I get offered more jobs than I can take!) but it can be worth it to get a dream job.
Batopus — !! Hee. Glad you like the picture. Photoshop is so cool :D
mymy — Ahh, I lived a very privileged life & didn’t work while I was in school. I didn’t actually know anyone who did, either. I did a paper run twice & then quit, haha! I volunteered at the local women’s centre though, which was kind of cool. I helped organise zines & stuff :D There are some small positions at charities & organisations like that which pay, & they would probably be okay with someone only working after school. Much more fun & fulfilling than selling corn dogs, argh! xx
voltaire — Oh, good for you! That’s fantastic. I hope you knock their socks off with beautiful lattes!
It’s so good to know that there are other people out there looking to not necessarily have a CAREER, but little tastings of a few things to make the world go around. It’s not necessarily “our parent’s world” anymore – there are a lot of possibilities out there – it’s just about finding them & making them work for YOU.
Yay.
www.artshub.com.au
creative/arts industry jobs! i got my job at a music/theatre events ticketing company there.
and they also have lots of worthwhile volunteering positions, however it does cost $80 p/year to join, but i have found it totally worth it.
Wow, thank you, Gala! This is full of amazing suggestions! I shall be filing it away, as I am thinking about how to earn money in the year between leaving school and going to university.
I worked at a crazy hectic ice cream shop once! (technically it was gelato) It was really fun…for about two months. So I quit. What’s great about part time jobs is that they aren’t your life, and you can always find another.
I am a freelancer – the move halved my salary but the peace of mind, happiness and sense of purpose in the last 18 months is amazing – I dont even look like the same person, its amazing how once you find a way to be happy the rest of the world falls into place – you no longer put up with crappy relationships or friends who aren’t really there for you – once you make space for your dreams to come true its amazing what can happen.
Hey there Gala,
I stumbled upon your website just last night and oh my glitter I cannot believe how delighted I am to have found it!!! Its as if everything I ever needed to know has been compiled and arranged just for me, complete with pink love hearts and sparkle!
Yesterday I was Googling for tattoo research (I’m getting another 2 soon) and today you just happened to post on jobs & CV’s (Im prettying up my CV right now to send to a potential job in Melbourne – wish me luck).
Thank you for being my encyclopedia, I’ve never seen a more beautiful and informative resource… you can bet your eggbeaters I’ll be back everyday!
PS: Do you think it is acceptable for me to email my CV to my contact in Melbourne? or should I make email contact and ask for a postal address?
Jersey — Aww, thanks dolly! I do my best ;> I think sending your CV as an email attachment is totally acceptable, I used to do it all the time. But it will depend on the industry — if you’re going for a graphic design job, maybe sending it on amazing paper & making a real impact is the best idea!
i feel like things are becoming clearer and clearer in my mind in regards to the career i want to persue. i’m a firm believer in the universe sending you clues when you least expect and in ways you wouldn’t think. i’m currently temping (as im never in any one place long enough for anything permanant) and i got placed in a fantastic advertising agency full of talented and inspirational people… magazine racks full of old Adnews and plenty of time to read, ponder and plan. i’m excited about life!
nice article by the way :) xx
Im probably going to sound really silly but Im new to selling on ebay, and I’ve sold 2 items so far using a paypal account… but now the money is in the paypal account and i cant figure out how to get it into my bank account. I’ve gone through the procedure of joining the two up, but the money still hasnt transferred.
Can anyone help me with this?
thanks gala!
I need to find someone to teach me how to do this whole ebay thing, I have so many old cameras and such I could probably live on for a while. xo
Good article, but I don’t think you should be advocating sneaking into films!
thanks for your positive words, you encouraged me to go my way and do what i think is right. (: i really think that having an online shop or selling things on ebay is a good way to go.
stel, go into your paypal account and use the withdraw funds box at the top. You should have already set up your bank account to put them into. If you still can’t figure it out, they have a FAQ sheet listed on there too which will explain things.
Dear Gala,
I discovered your site a few days ago and I am not a great fan of yours. You attitude towards life is wonderfull and it’s really great that you share those positive, creative energies with us.. :)
This article could have been written for me. I work in a Law Office as a Secretary, in Lisbon, Portugal.. This job is definitely not me.. at all!! I’m all for crafts, creating new things, recycling, make friends.. I wish I could live a different life.. Have a job that would make me wake up anxious to start, with a smile on my face. My dream is to have a small shop with my things in the window – clothes (new and second hand), recycled objects, books,crafts in general.. that would be grand!
Unfortunately, I can’t really ditch this job, because I already have trouble paying rent now, imagine if I didn’t work here..
Anyway, I can say that you motivate me to lear more about it – Who knows if I don’t have a smart ideia and get right of the suit and paint my hair pink or beautifull blue like yours :)
Thanks
Hugs,
Susana
Dear Gala .. Were it says I am not a great fan of yours, You should read I am now a great fan of yours… sorry ;)
Thanks JakJak!
I dont know what i was doing wrong in the past haha but its all working now :)
Thanks Gala!
My girlfriend is an amazing actor that is struggling to get a break. I read your entry to her and her face lighted up with a smile.
Keep up the great work and goodluck to all the struggling creative people in the world…without you the world would be a boring place :)
Perfect timing yet again, I’m desperately looking for jobs at the moment and it was starting to seem like telemarketing was my only option, but this is so inspiring and I feel much better about pursuing more stimulating jobs now. So what if I’m underqualified, haha…
Thanks Gala :)
OMG this article came at the absolutely perfect
time.. thanku thanku thanku this will help
me soooo much :-)
x o x
This could not have come at a better time. Seriously.
Such an inspirational article… thanks! I sell on etsy… I only started recently but I’m finding it really enjoyable. The crafting community online is magnificent too. I also go to uni and study psychology and work in retail casually. But yeah, I feel like the world is my oyster right now. I used to be really anxious all the time and depressed about my life… but getting a job and doing things OTHER than study has really opened my eyes up to a whole new world of experience outside of studying :)
I spent all last night moping to my mum about how much I’m stuck in my current job and how I want to move to Boston and work for the science museum(!!). I don’t think it’s coincidence that you wrote this article today!
my cousins friend is paying off med school loans by constantly buying wholesale items and then selling them individually for a little more on ebay (i.e. a set of chapstick)
I work in a Supermarket at the moment.
In my town, we haven’t got any decent shops, they’re all in the bigger towns.
I don’t drive, and catching the bus every day would be expensive.
I’d love to work in Topshop. I like helping people with their outfits. Once, I was at the counter in Topshop, and this random woman asked me if the top she wanted to buy suited her.
I was so chuffed she’d asked me, and not the lady behind the counter!!!
I really need to go back to college though; I don’t want to be working in a crappy little supermarket all my life.
Xxx
Loved the article. I’ve tried my hand at Ebay though, and I barely managed to sell one item… have to figure out what I’m doing wrong !
Wow this has come at a great time! And it is so wonderfull for these suggestions!. At the moment im trying to decide weather to take a gap year to build up my portfolio and possible internship or to go straight to london college of fashion to do photography. Also I really want a change in my sat job, so all afternoon I have been handing my cv out! (I even sprayed them with a little perfume!)
oo also I popped into Lush under your suggestions and it was fab! they sell the glittered talc powder I think you said they stopped selling in Australia( mebe its an english thing :s).
much love! and thanks for a fab article! you bring many smiles to my face!
xxx
Gala, what a lovely article! I like your tips about cutting back costs too and how that can lead to working less hours…
As someone who has found a good job that I love, I think this is spot on! I spent my 20’s doing a bunch of things, not all of them worth doing. But it taught me a lot about my interests and my work style. I now work in an office, but I do work that inspires me and where I feel like I’m making a difference every day.
Now I just gotta hire one of you free spirits to watch my little baby this autumn, so that I can keep doing what I love. :-D
hey can you tell me how to do my own site? i sell my photography through deviant art but lately i was thinking of making a site because then i wont have to give DA 2/3 my profit and i can put adds on… but i really dont know where to start. should i hire someone to do it for me? when it comes to internet pages and html im not good at allll….
A big piece of advice I can offer any fellow creatives (or anyone for that matter) is not to let people define you by your occupation. Be yourself – if you’re a designer and artist like myself, don’t ever listen to others say that you should ‘dress more creative’ or ‘act like an arty type’. You are who you are and they should embrace it as you have. Changing your clothing isn’t going to make you any better at what you do (unless you’re a model/actor then it comes with the territory) – it’s your skills that count!
My husband is a designer too and at his work Christmas party, a guy from the sales team attacked him with the shallow ‘You don’t dress like a designer, mate. They’re supposed to wear black or crazy colour and glasses.’ It made us both so mad. We laughed it off later because the guy made it sound as though we’d missed the memo about the official ‘Designer Uniform’.
Remember, the proof is in the pudding and not the decorations that adorn it.
P
x
kitten – “www.artshub.com.au” Wow, thanks for the link! I’ve been trying to research the Australian job market recently & hate trawling through generic job websites, but that one is great! Shame about the membership fee, but it sounds like it’s worth it. :) x
aaah mate thankyou SO much for this post!
these past few weeks have been full of so much worry about what job i should apply for, because i know that retail (for me Loeb, my beautiful supermarket) is something that im definitely not suited to, as i know i’d always worry about if i gave the right change, and so ive been fretting over it so much that i had completely forgotten about eBay being a possibility!
so, THANKYOU GALA DEAR!
:D
How scary, moments after i read this i checked my email and found an offer for a job position i applied for weeks ago!!
What great advice, Gala!! I’m currently trying to get myself situated as an artist, after just not fitting into any of the jobs I’ve had elsewhere (ranging from retail to restaurants…). I just decided to take the plunge and start my own business, but your post made me realize that if it doesn’t work (giving myself a year), that there are other, creative, options for me! ;) lol.
I love the Tonald Drump Ad Gala. These are great tips. Most of us have done crappy jobs whilst we working towards our goals.
And doing a job that sucks can really motivate you to work harder towards your dreams.
I have just quit my full time job to pursue my eBay business and temp in random roles until I hope it makes enough money to live on. I already realised that I don’t need a full time salary just to survive with the basics, although it means cutting out all the fun extras, but will give me more freedom to pursue what I really want to do! I’m really glad you wrote this article today as it has given me even more motivation to make it all work! Thank you.
I love this article massively.
This article couldn’t have come at a better time. Even though I hate the food service industry, I walked into a restaurant yesterday and got handed the job on the spot. Plus, I only have experience hostessing, but they want me to waitress (which makes more money)! Summer travelling here I come!
Feels like this article was written for me, ha.