The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People, by Carol Eikleberry, Ph.D., is not only useful on a practical level, but also provides inspiration for those struggling to express their creative voice, and maybe even get paid for it.
Eikleberry has the credentials to write about career counseling, being a licensed psychologist who has worked in the field for over twenty years. She has also has the requisite experience, having struggled for many years in unfulfilling jobs that stifled her creative tendencies.
Hope for Liberal Arts Majors
Eikleberry, like those who may be enticed to pick up her book, pursued an undergraduate degree in liberal arts. Many have pursued the same path, and quickly found upon graduation that it was difficult, if not impossible, to find jobs that were even remotely related to their education. Or, they started out in entry-level jobs in areas in areas such as advertising, marketing or public relations, and quickly found that the business world was not to their taste.
There is hope, says Eikleberry. Although finding a job that utilizes one's creative skills in a manner that is fulfilling--even profitable, can be a long and arduous task; it is possible with a lot of persistence and, yes, creativity. She outlines the search for a creative career in a methodical manner, providing proven methodologies and hard data to back up her claims.
The Six Basic Personality Types
A cornerstone of her book is a theory envisioned by the psychologist John Holland. Holland developed a theory based on extensive research and hundreds of psychological studies involving thousands of people. Holland and his collaborators determined that there are six basic personality types and six corresponding work environments comprising the modern workforce:
- The Artistic Type
- The Social Type
- The Enterprising Type
- The Investigative Type
- The Realistic Type
- The Conventional Type
Holland and his colleague Gary Gottfredson devised a method for determining a code for thousands of job titles as presented in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). For instance, an Experimental Psychologist is classified as an IAE (Investigative, Artistic, Enterprising), while an Newspaper Editor is an AES (Artistic, Enterprising, Social). The book is punctuated by "The Career Reference Section," which lists 270 occupations and their corresponding codes. A description of each occupation is listed, along with annual wages for those job types for which this information was feasible to obtain.
How to Determine the Creative Career that is Right for You
Eikleberry's book gives more than just psychological theories and research; she also gives concrete examples of steps one can take to find that perfect job. She doesn't imply that it's an easy task, though; finding a career that one truly enjoys can be a lifetime pursuit, but it doesn't need to be an arduous one.
Often, finding a creative career that is fulfilling, both emotionally and financially requires an unconventional path. After all, readers of this book are intended to be unconventional, right? She presents a list of eight paths to "compose your own career," along with a detailed rundown of recommended methods and examples for pursuing each path --
- Take a creative job as a way to earn your living.
- Take a conventional job and have a creative hobby.
- Take a bread-and-butter job to support your creative ambitions.
- Run a small business marketing your creative work.
- Teach in your field.
- Freelance a service.
- Get a grant or find a patron.
- Create an unconventional career.
Develop a Strategy to Make Your Creative Career Dreams a Reality
Finally, Eikleberry presents advice on how to actually go about tending to one's creative needs and bringing them to a professional reality. She uses the analogy of a garden, i.e., all creative types possess the potential for creativity under the "ground," but one’s creative garden needs to be carefully cultivated and nourished over time. Once the fruit is ripe, it can be harvested and shared with others.
Eikleberry's book may not provide that "eureka" moment, at which the reader suddenly discovers the exact job he or she is destined for. However, it provides the impetus and the structure for starting to think seriously about pursuing a career that satisfies both one's creative and professional goals.
The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People, published by Ten Speed Press, is currently in its third edition.
Jereme Zimmerman - Jereme is a freelance writer who currently resides in his native state of Kentucky. He is a film buff and an avid listener of all types ...
