Entering my fourth and final year of university next autumn, life after graduation is no longer a distant concept. As an English student, I have always known that I enjoy a humanities- and creativity-oriented education more than one rooted in the sciences. Luckily, my parents always supported this choice and told me to study what I’m truly passionate about, not what I think I should.
However, whether or not they receive that same support, many people find the pursuit of a creative career completely out of the question. Applying for internships this summer, my friends, who study both humanities and science subjects, and I have become completely preoccupied with this topic.
In these discussions, I discovered one thing: the majority of my friends are afraid of pursuing creative careers. But why is this? Fear of financial instability? Lack of self-confidence? A total lack of consideration of it as an option? Let’s take a look at why this fear of pursuing creative careers exists and try to make it feel a little less daunting.
Challenges Behind Creative Careers
First, I’d like to acknowledge the obvious challenges that come with a creative career. From the perspective of a ‘creative,’ rejection of their work can be painful. For some, creativity is not something that consistently flows. A fear of ‘drying up’ can be paralyzing, and not producing work is not an option for someone whose livelihood depends on their ability to create. On top of that, the development stage takes time and effort — waiting for success can be difficult.
Additionally, the emergence of AI creates even greater uncertainty about the future of creative careers. The creative industries rely on more than just the ‘creatives’ themselves. These people face challenges as well — including high competition, a constant need for differentiation and innovation, and pressure to meet external and internal expectations.
However, these challenges are present in all industries. For example, in 2026, internships at investment banking firms set a record for the lowest all-time acceptance rate; for instance, Goldman Sachs had a 1.16% acceptance rate for 2026 internships. Though an industry like finance may seem more certain or stable, ‘creative graduates are just as likely to be in work 3.5 years after their degree as any other graduate group’. For our generation, the job market is challenging for everyone, and in turn, financial instability and job insecurity are concerns for everyone.
How Stigma Shapes Our Fear of Creative Careers
The difference in fear of or confidence in the pursuit of certain industries comes from stigmas and prejudices we have been exposed to. In fact, high school-age students (and younger) of our generation are ‘not being informed of opportunities in the creative industries’. With society discouraging us from these creative fields from a young age through constant exposure to the challenges of these careers and a consistent lack of information shared with students about these careers, there is no question why creative careers feel like a pipe dream, not a reality.
I have also noticed fears and hesitations that are often overlooked in my conversations with friends. Coming from a largely rural state like Kentucky, I have grown up comfortable being in a Southern and suburban area. However, many of my friends who are afraid of pursuing creative careers grew up in major cities and fear living outside these metropolitan centers. In their minds, suburban living, Southern living, or life outside of these centers is not an option. For them, a perceived lack of career opportunities, particularly opportunities in creative fields, makes living in such places feel impossible.
In my experience, if you look outside of the ‘marquee’ cities, you can find abundant job opportunities for creatives. In fact, the 10 best cities for any kind of internship in the US include Jersey City, NJ; Fremont, CA; Newark, NJ; Irving, TX; Garland, TX; St Paul, MN; Plano, TX; Scottsdale, AZ; Anaheim, CA; and Glendale, AZ. Opening your options beyond New York City and LA can vastly expand the opportunities available to you. As young people, living in a city during these formative years feels essential. But does that city have to be New York or LA? The lower cost of living in some of these other areas could make a lot of sense for people starting their careers.
An interest in the music industry automatically makes people think of LA or New York as the best options, when Nashville and Atlanta both have flourishing music industries. Outside of the South, Minneapolis and Seattle also both offer equally vibrant music industries. (Ever heard of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Brandi Carlile, Macklemore, or Prince?)
Or take the film industry, many think of New York or LA as synonymous with film, but Atlanta and Charleston, SC, are both hubs for filmmaking. (Stranger Things, Righteous Gemstones, and nearly the entire Marvel Universe are created in these creative hubs.) Again, this is not limited to the South, or even the US, for that matter. British Columbia and Albuquerque, NM, both have well-respected film industries, and both are far from the NYC/LA spotlight.
Creative careers exist outside of New York and LA, though this information is not as widely known. Reminding myself that some of my favorite creative projects and artists are living and working in these non-traditional creative centers helped me to overcome a fear of pursuing a creative career and opened up opportunities for my future.
Creative Career Opportunities
As with anything, researching the job market and available opportunities is essential to getting your foot in the door of the industry you’re interested in. Additionally, looking for research programs with a practical focus or industry connections helps to choose a creative career ‘well.’ In fact, ‘70% of jobs in the creative industries aren’t advertised’. With this in mind, reaching out, expanding your network, and researching the job market you are interested in opens up the world of creative careers beyond what you may have believed possible.
In my experience, the campus career center at my home school was extremely helpful in my search for internships in the music industry. Though I have little musical ability and only a few anthropologically oriented music classes under my belt, I decided to put my hat in the ring and see if I could turn my love of music into a career. As a result, I landed a year-long internship with the Country Music Association, geared toward pre-professional students looking to find their niche in the music industry.
Even the creative industries need people with expertise in math, science, English, finance, and most other areas of study. If, like me, your passions draw you naturally toward a creative field, you may just find that with a little courage and diligent searching and networking, you can translate your passion into a career.
Life after graduation can be scary, especially when we, as students, are constantly exposed to the increased uncertainty within the job market, the pressure of AI taking jobs, and more competition than most generations before us have experienced. Hopefully, this article has helped to empower you when thinking about life after university. Passion is important in professionals, so don’t be afraid of that creative itch you can’t stop scratching — pursue it.