Lucky for you, the ability to brainstorm creative solutions to problems is valued in today's workplace, explains Linda Naiman, founder of Vancouver-based CreativityatWork.com. "Traditional business models no longer hold [and] the customer demands innovation. Creative leadership is required for innovation," says Naiman, whose firm helps Fortune 500 companies and other organizations improve business performance through arts-based learning.
For the chance to flex those idea-generation muscles, peruse these creative-thinking career fields.
Advertising Copywriter
At home, on the road, and on the job, exposure to all forms of media can create feelings of information overload. Imagine the challenges faced by copywriters, who must develop copy to promote the sale of goods and services to increasingly media-savvy audiences. Conversations with sales, media, and marketing representatives -- plus advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other marketing data -- direct copywriters in devising messages that convey a particular language and tone. Those messages take a variety of forms, from sales letters and speeches to product slogans, and may go through many revisions. For a new product, copywriters may also help invent a name.
A four-year degree is required for most copywriters, who then build experience and gain greater responsibilities and the chance to work on bigger accounts. Median 2007 wages, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, were $24.36 hourly or $50,660 annually.
Architect
When designing buildings for clients, architects develop potential concepts by considering project objectives, requirements, and budget. The client reviews and selects a concept, but even then continual revision of plans is not uncommon. It's crucial that architects have lots of ideas -- and be able to communicate those ideas visually.
An architectural career's foundation is a professional degree in the field (five-year programs are most common, with most employers requiring a degree from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board). After an internship and a three-year training period comes the chance to take an exam for the required license. The education doesn't stop there, as most states require architects to continue their education (often funded by the employer) to maintain a license. National Council of Architectural Registration Board certification is an additional option. Median annual earnings of architects on salary were $64,150 in May 2006, according to 2008-09 U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics' data.
Freelance Writer
Successful self-employed writers have generally built their businesses by working with a variety of clients. Editors may call on freelancers they know to complete articles and other projects conceived of in-house. But freelance writers must often pitch idea after idea to editors -- particularly those at well-known (that is, competitive) media outlets -- to win an assignment. Coming up with ideas that would appeal to the publication's audience is crucial, as is being able to express those ideas clearly and logically.
Most writers' jobs require a communications-related college degree, and freelance writers often begin on staff; the median annual earnings for salaried writers and authors were $48,640 in May 2006, according to the BLS. Freelance writing advancement often means getting larger, more complex, and more lucrative projects for better-known publications. Attaining a six-figure income is often a goal for full-time freelancers, as evidenced by writers' conference sessions on that topic.
Management Analyst
Also known as management consultants, management analysts are called upon to help businesses remain competitive in an ever-changing marketplace, such as by proposing ways to improve the organization's structure, efficiency, or profits. These consultants, who may specialize in a particular industry or business function (e.g. marketing, human resources), analyze data such as revenues and expenditures, interview employees, and observe operations and then recommend a course of action -- that's where those idea skills come into play.
Some entry-level positions require only a bachelor's degree, but for other a master's, specialized expertise, or both is required. Common majors include management, accounting, marketing, economics, and statistics. Consultants may obtain a Certified Management Consultant designation from the Institute of Management Consultants USA. Salaries in the field vary widely by experience, education, location, expertise, and employer size, with media annual earnings of management analysts on salary was $68,050, according to the BLS. A large number of analysts are self-employed.
Product Developer
From cars and home appliances to children's toys, product developers must use their artistic talents and research on product use, marketing, and materials to create designs that are both functional and appealing. Brainstorming unusual or clever ideas and clever ways to solve problems is a key part of the job. Those ideas are modified and refined, taking into account factors such as customer specifications, design committee input, production limitations, safety, budget, and changes in design trends. The ideas are presented with detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications so that others can understand how all the pieces and equipment needed for the product is to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. In other words, communicating the ideas is just as important as developing them.
Most product developers have a bachelor's degree and at least a few years of work-related experience. According to the BLS 2007 wage data, median wages were $27.19 per hour or $56,550 annually.
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