The total size of the U.S. creative industry stands at $43.9 billion, according to recent research undertaken by the Association for Creative Industries. The very year Etsy started up, it garnered sales worth $2.4 billion, indicating the extent to which art can be a lucrative trade.

Some of the most in-demand careers that require artistic skills include those of cartographer, architect, set and exhibit designers, and interior designers. Some of these jobs – for instance, that of an architect – require technical knowledge and a degree, while others (including the post of interior designer) require a blend of natural talent (or an eye for style) and knowledge of computer design programs catered for a specific industry.

If you are keen on breaking into an arts-based industry, how can you convince recruiters you are the perfect fit for the job?

Building a portfolio

Arts-based jobs will often require the prior presentation of a portfolio demonstrating your ability at a particular job. Thus, if you are applying for a job in interior design, you should be able to present your target company with designs of various parts of a home.

You should ensure you create these designs with the software preferred by the company. These include SketchUp, Autodesk 3Ds Max, and Autodesk AutoCAD. You should also brush up on your basic drawing skills.

According to the American Society of Interior Designers, people working in this profession should have three core skills: artistic and technical skills, interpersonal skills, and management skills.

Bringing skills acquired from other jobs to an arts-based job

If you are applying for an artistic job for the first time, it is important to list down core competencies that may be relevant to the job you are applying for. Your list may include working alongside others towards common goals, managing long-term strategic goals, developing new projects and initiatives in conjunction with other professionals, training other staff, communication with clients, problem-solving, etc. When listing these skills on your resume, be as specific as possible so that recruiters can glean a good idea of your capabilities.

For instance, instead of saying you are a good team worker, state that you worked alongside others on a specific community mural, or that you worked with other interiors specialists to design a home for a specified competition.

Promoting yourself during job hunting

Don’t limit yourself to applying for published jobs. In your free time, work on promoting your work, making an effort to build a name for yourself in the hopes that your content will be shared with recruiters or movers and shakers in the art industry. Start a blog or website and put the required amount of time to ensure you are telling a good story with your art.

Take time to learn more about the equipment you need to take good photos and videos, and learn the ins and outs of social media sites to ensure your content is shared. WordPress, SEO plugins like Yoast, and platforms for social media programming like Hootsuite take time to get the hang of, so don’t rush into building a site or social media page.

Ensure you master these tools so that from the word go, you present a polished, cutting-edge, arty site that will capture the attention of those in the know and make your content worthy of sharing.

If you have always been interested in a job in the arts, the good news is that there are many opportunities to show off your talent.

Build a portfolio of your best work, and take the time to list down the main competencies that are required for your dream job. Work on promoting yourself on social media as well, building a fan base that will share your work and help you build a name as a bit of a mover and shaker yourself!

Jane Francis is a freelance writer and editor. She spent over a decade working as a career advisor and coach, helping thousands of people create career plans and follow them through. Now she’s taken a step back to spend more time with her growing family and to write about her favorite topics.