Young Voices Article 03

Creatives aren’t made only in offices. Whether you’ve just finished uni or you’re between gigs, making the most of this in-between phase could take your career further than you ever expected.

Here we are, somehow a third of the way through 2025, and the job you planned to find in the new year still hasn’t materialised. It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind, like every waking second should be spent on the job hunt. LinkedIn’s seemingly endless ‘I’m excited to announce…’ posts pile in your brain, and the mean voice that lives back there hisses every time a new one gets added to the heap.

Relax.

Everyone’s on their own journey. There’s no rule saying careers must be a point-A-to-point-B cruise along the highway—sometimes you’re forced to take a detour. When you’re in its midst, that detour can feel like a dirt track with no road signs. But I promise you, the path will make sense later. Instead of wishing away your current reality, focus on what you can do to make your detour scenic as fuck without getting totally lost. When you grow as a person, you're also growing your creative potential, which pays off down the line.

Often your energy and authenticity [MO1] will get you hired quicker than your portfolio. Spend time becoming the most ‘you’ version of you that you can be. (Say that ten times fast, I dare you). We’re all different, there’s no magic formula to it – so, just chase what excites you. It could start by simply saying ‘yes’ more. Spending time with someone you typically wouldn’t. Walking a different way home. Picking up lacrosse. Wearing a ball gown to the grocery store. Who knows, it’s your life. #FindYourself. You’ll be more confident, charismatic and memorable for it.

Broad life experiences also provide you a much larger bag of tricks to rummage around in during the creative ideation process. Campaigns are built from human insights. Insights are lived truths. Good insights see into the subconscious of consumers and find the why. Why they behave or feel a certain way. They’re individual yet universal, and the kind of thing you can’t fake or find in a search bar. Every tiny tidbit you pick up or seemingly irrelevant thing you experience can later reveal an insight and act as a springboard for a huge idea. You really do have to let things in before you’re able to force them out.



Whatever you end up doing, be sure it involves unfamiliar people. People you don’t run in the same circles as, people from all walks of life. You’ll be exposed to information you wouldn’t otherwise get and develop interesting takes, empowering you to hold your own in conversation. Never underestimate the power of a good chat, especially when you’re on the job hunt. When you have landed the job, a crucial part of your day-to-day will be connecting with target audiences, some of whom you’ll have little in common with. The more perspectives you’ve absorbed, the better you’ll be. Also, generally speaking, developing your empathy and trying to understand people makes you a good human, and the world needs more of that.

The bad news is there’s no crystal ball to tell you when the dream job is coming. Sorry, it sucks, I’ve been there. The good news is, taking the time to find your feet won’t stop you from hitting the ground running when opportunity arises. Use this period to invest in yourself and let your “you-ness” become your biggest edge. Because at the end of the day, your stories and unique worldview make you interesting. There’s plenty of talent and potential out there, but someone interesting — that's someone I’d want to spend eight hours a day sitting next to.

Thanks for reading our thirdArticle of Young Voices.

If you have a voice that should be heard, get in touch through Instagram or LinkedIn, or slide into Tiger Hongmung's DM's.

Article 03 was written by Sarah Cassell ,Art Director at 303 MullenLowe & Youngbloods Committee Member