Interviews can be intimidating. However, we know that they’re also a chance for you to get to know the employer, as much as it is a chance for them to get to know you. Our expert team have pulled together their top tips on impressing employers and making the most of interviews in the creative industries…

The key to preparation is knowledge and you can only get that knowledge through research. Homework about your target industry or organisation is never wasted time! Research the company and know its clients, recent work and values. How does the work they do resonate with you, and what makes them stand out as a company?

STARR stands for situation, task, action, result & reflection. In simple terms, describe a particular challenge, your responsibilities in relation to it, the steps you took to address the challenge – and finally the positive outcome and what it taught you.

Building on your cover letter, think about the transferable skills you’ve gained so far and how they directly relate to specific tasks outlined on the original advert. Your transferable skills could come from your work experience, voluntary roles, personal projects, or hobbies.

As well as demonstrating what you can already do, your potential employer will know that you are invested if you’re asking about what opportunities there will be to gain new skills and experiences. What are you curious to explore in this role, and what are your long-term goals?

Aim to ask questions that show genuine interest in the company and the role. You could ask about opportunities for growth, team dynamics, or ask about any exciting upcoming projects or opportunities.

Get in touch with the employer if you require adjustments to make your interview more accessible. Examples include wheelchair access, a different format for documents, or more time on an interview test.

You can read more about our advice on reasonable adjustments here.

With an in-person interview, leave plenty of time to arrive at the destination and make sure you have any details about where to go. If the interview is online, etiquette is still important. Test out your video call software with a friend if you haven’t used it before.

A lot of people find interviews stressful or anxiety-inducing to some degree. If this is something you’re struggling with, this might be a helpful time to learn more about mindfulness, breathing exercises, meditation, self-compassionate & other techniques to ground yourself. And don’t forget that an interview is ultimately a conversation where all sides are looking for a positive outcome.

An interview is an exciting opportunity but as with anything, practice makes perfect. Even if the outcome isn’t what you wanted, it’s a fantastic chance to learn something new and build towards your goals.

To celebrate Pride Month, we’ve pulled together 4 tips for employers on how to make their workplaces more inclusive for their LGBTQIA+ employees.

1. Pronouns
   Including pronouns in email signatures or wearing pronoun pins helps avoid accidentally misgendering people. Encouraging all employees to include their pronouns in their email signatures not only normalises the use of pronouns within the workplace but also makes trans and gender non-conforming employees feel less singled out for using them.
   
2. Gender neutral bathrooms
   Many gender non-conforming and transgender employees feel uncomfortable when the only options for bathrooms are either women’s or men’s. By having gender neutral bathrooms, it shows employers care about inclusivity and diversity. These bathrooms can be used by anyone and help avoid unsafe or frightening situations for trans and gender non-conforming people.
   
3. Uplift the LGBTQIA+ community outside of Pride
   Although it is lovely to see companies showing their allyship during Pride Month, it is also important that employers are just as invested in the LGBTQ+ community outside of Pride. Making sure your company and workplace is just as inclusive and supportive throughout the rest of the year is what makes your workplace a positive space.
   
4. Educating yourself
   Educating yourself and seeking out training on LGBTQIA+ issues is an important step in creating an inclusive environment. This is not limited to just employers but employees too. When everyone is informed, your LGBTQIA+ employees are less likely to feel distressed in the workplace.

If you would like to learn more about inclusive practices, sign up for one of our upcoming open workshops or contact us to explore our bespoke training courses.

Freelance life can be liberating: you have great creative control; you enjoy flexible and remote work schedules; and it’s a chance to work independently and be your own boss as well as potentially increasing your earning potential too.  

With benefits like these, it’s no wonder that over 4 million people in the UK are self-employed. The creative industries such as TV, film, radio, music, theatre and many others hugely rely on freelancers with freelancers making up a third of the industry, double the rate of self-employment in the wider UK economy – so you’re far from alone in taking the leap.  

But whilst freelancing can be empowering, like anything, it does come with its challenges such as late payments, lack of sick and holiday pay, and you have to be working autonomously to some degree. Here’s our advice on getting set up as a freelancer in the creative industries so you can navigate securing clients, taking care of your mental health and wellbeing, and ensuring that you’re future-proofed for any tricky situations that may arise.

 

It’s absolutely vital that you make sure you’re clued up on taxes and your finances as a freelancer.  

Firstly, you want to set rates. You can figure out a lot from researching what freelancers in similar industries to you charge on websites like Glassdoor, Fiverr or simply asking those in your network what they charge. From there you can set your own hourly, daily and project rates. Be sure not to undersell yourself and don’t settle for ‘exposure’ just because you’re new to the freelance game. Get a clear idea of a client’s budget and charge your worth.  

Joining an industry union (like the NUJ for journalists or the Musicians Union) can also help give you a good idea of standard industry rates and unions like these will provide legal and financial support, which can be a vital lifeline for a freelancer.  

As a freelancer, among other new business activities, you have to make time to self-promote your services, skills and offerings to ensure you’re attracting a steady stream of new clients. It’s also goes hand in hand with building up your portfolio to establish your personal brand. By using social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or TikTok you can showcase your work to the world. However, we’d recommend setting up a website solely dedicated to showing examples of your previous work and experience, as well as making it clear how potential clients can get in contact with you. 

Don’t fret too much if you’re not a computer-whizz, there are some really great tools out there to help you create a website like a pro. Websites such as Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace who offer loads of templates that you can use. Here’s a handy guide on how to set up your first website. It’s super helpful to optimise your website with SEO practices (this basically just means structuring your web copy to ensure you rank highly on search engines based on what audiences are searching on Google when people go to search for your services or niche). You can find out more about how to do that here.  

Marketing yourself as a freelancer is key. Shouting out about your achievements on social media, keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date and following and interacting online with others in your industry are all great ways of establishing yourself as a freelancer. The more vocal you are about your achievements and abilities and the more of an online presence you have, the easier it is for clients to find you and use your services. 

You should also ask former colleagues and clients to leave recommendations for you on your LinkedIn profile and testimonials that you can highlight on your website.  

In our 2023 freelancer survey, 88% of freelancers we spoke to cited networking as a critical factor for success in their careers.  

Take time to map your network. You can even build a spreadsheet with everyone you’ve worked with and jot down how you could be of use to them and vice versa, then ask to go for a coffee to discuss mutually beneficial ways you can help each other. If you’re just starting out, it’s more than ok to be clear about the fact that a coffee meeting will be a chance for you to soak up information.  

Send a message to everyone you know (professionally and personally) telling them about your new career path and asking them to share the news with their friends and keep you in mind for any upcoming opportunities. You can also share the news across social media and ask friends to reshare with their networks.  

And whilst it’s important to build a network of future employers, don’t neglect the power of networking with your peers. You never know who might be in a hiring or commissioning position in the future.  

Whilst it’s important to recognise the benefits of a freelance career, it’s equally important to be realistic about its challenges.  

If possible, separating your workspace and living space can be useful in establishing boundaries between your personal life and your professional life. Getting into a good working routine can also support this goal.  

Networking with likeminded creatives or opting to go to a co-working space a couple of times a week can help offset the loneliness that some freelancers feel when they start working alone. You can also join more official networks dedicated to freelancers in your niche or industry.   

Many freelancers feel the pressure to say yes to work due to fears around financial security, however taking on too much work without real breaks can lead to burnout. It’s super important to manage your finances and know realistically how much work you can take on throughout the year to prevent this. Learn how to say no to jobs when you need to take time to recharge your batteries.  

As a freelancer you’ll have to pay tax via self-assessment (rather than through PAYE like you would if you were employed by an organisation). You can find out more about becoming self-employed here.  

There are a couple of different types of business that you can operate under as a freelancer: 

Sole trader 

As a sole trader, your finances and your business’ finances are one. You’ll be in charge of every element of the business including invoicing and bookkeeping.  

Limited company 

As a limited company, you get to keep your personal and business finances separate.  

Sadé Lawson, freelance creative consultant in the music industry:

Olaide Sadiq, freelance TV prodcuer:

Creative Access Development Programme – freelancer training

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) 

Creative Lives in Progress 

Have your interview skills been gathering dust while you’ve been rising up the career ladder? Are you facing the daunting prospect of updating your CV with years’ worth of work and unsure how to? These moments can be intimidating regardless of what level you’re working at, but particularly if it’s been a minute since your last interview.  

We speak to hundreds of employers weekly and list some fantastic mid to senior roles on our opportunities board, so we know what employers are on the lookout for in interviews for more experienced roles. Here’s some essential tips for anyone who has reached a mid to senior role and wants to get ahead and prepare for your CV and interviews! 

You’ve gained valuable experience and a strong skillset at this point. Perhaps you’re interested in a role in a different industry, or with a change in focus, and you’re wondering how to demonstrate skill matches or transferable skills in that interview room. Employers often use the job description as a score sheet, so use it to your advantage. Write down or memorise key prompts so you can add relevance as well as personality. 

Go armed with observations about how you would add value to the work or services employers already deliver. This could be anything from your culturally relevant insights or how you’d apply training you’ve acquired to the role, or perhaps you’ve had a rather unique pathway into the industry or you’re one of those lucky multi-hyphenate career types who don’t just specialise in one thing. All of this separates you apart from peers you might be competing against. 

What does your LinkedIn profile currently say about you to folks that don’t know you? The chances are that employers will be checking your LinkedIn profile so make sure it’s up to date. You can enhance your credibility through recommendations and skill endorsements from colleagues (complete a few for others and they’ll return the favour). Also remember to add any new credentials and recent achievements to your bio, and engage with other like-minded professionals by commenting and sharing relevant industry insights. 

Remembering the STARR method (situation, task, action, result & reflection). It’s a great tool for your application and interview. In simple terms, describe a particular challenge, your responsibilities in relation to it, the steps you took to address the challenge – and finally the positive outcome and what it taught you.  Rehearsing a couple of project examples from your portfolio ahead of the interview will put you in a great frame of mind. 

Get someone who knows your professional capabilities and achievements to look over your CV and help you with interview preparation. It’s easy to be modest when logging your skills and achievements but modesty won’t get you your next role! Use the opportunity to practise your answers to interview questions and get comfortable with what you want to get across to the employer. 

You’re not legally bound to disclose a disability if you’re not comfortable to, however, if making your interview more accessible could benefit you, get in touch with the employer. For example, confirming there’s wheelchair access, a different format for documents, or more time on an interview test.  

Check out our mid to senior roles in the creative industries on our jobs and opportunities board here. 

Our mental wellbeing is as important as our physical wellbeing; it can affect our overall happiness at work and at home and employers should take steps to support their staff with both. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, we wanted to share some of the steps we take at Creative Access to support the wellbeing of our team.

Here at Creative Access, we encourage our staff to fill in a wellness action plan when they join. This is an opportunity to share any mental or physical health issues they may have or share more generally what negatively and positively impacts their mental health. The plan is discussed with their manager and the employee can share and discuss strategies that help their mental health. The plan is reviewed and updated regularly.

Once a month, we invite our team to lead a wellbeing activity of their choice at the end of our company meetings. Previous activities have included sharing positive affirmations, mindfulness, a mini book club and sharing our favourite poems. These sessions are fun and relaxed, they help with team bonding and raise morale throughout the team.

Our wellness working group is an open forum for our staff to share their ideas on how to improve our working environment. We discuss topics such as resilience, team morale and creating new policies, for example, organising team bonding activities.

We hold regular training sessions for our team on mental health and other key topics, so that everyone feels confident in talking about and handling sensitive topics and issues in the workplace. These are the same sessions we offer as open workshops and bespoke training for our employer partners. If you would like to find out more about the sessions we offer or join an open workshop please click here.

We regularly share external resources with our staff to support their mental health and wellbeing. These include links to websites like Mind and Rethink as well as information about helplines. This is so our staff can get the specialised help and information they need that we may not be able to provide.

We recognise that when it comes to supporting mental wellbeing, there is always more that can be done. That is why we cultivate an open company culture that allows our staff to suggest ways to improve our practices.

Click here to contact us if you would like to find out more about how you could introduce a similar open and supportive environment in the workplace.

As part of our Enhance Your Career series, we’ll be compiling resources to help you climb the career ladder in the creative industries and advocate for yourself in the workplace. 

More and more in the creative industries, employers are looking for transferable skills from varying experiences, versus direct industry experience. If you’ve figured out an industry or career path you’d like to pivot into but are still stuck on how to make the jump, we’ve pulled together our expert advice for getting prepared to switch careers and start applying for those dream roles! 

These could be from work, volunteering or your personal interests. Don’t feel worried if you don’t meet each and every one of the job criteria – demonstrate your passion and ability to learn. Something we often hear from industry experts is that passion and interest from candidates about the job they’re applying for is one of the most important factors when considering who to take on.  

You can also ask yourself these questions about the industry you’re entering: Do you need a qualification? Is there a free course you can access? Can you upskill within the company you currently work at e.g. undertake training? Is there anything you can do in your own time to hone your skills and make yourself an expert on a subject? 

Remember, your individual experience has value; use your own knowledge and expertise to let employers know why they need your unique perspective.  

When positioning yourself and your expertise, something to consider is how can you future-proof your career in this industry and adapt to change? A huge topic affecting most industries at the moment is AI. Think about if this is going to impact your new industry, and what skills can you develop to make yourself indispensable? 

We know that everyone bangs on about networking – and, whilst it can feel cringe – we promise it’s worth it. People enjoy talking about their interests and career journeys, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed for heading to a networking event or reaching out to someone you admire on LinkedIn to ask how they got into the field and if they know of any opportunities, events or industry bodies you could access. Most of the time, people are willing to help and would be happily reminded by a follow up email – just make sure not to overdo it.  

You can also attend relevant industry associations and events to expand your network and get advice from others already in the roles you want to enter. 

You can access career advice for free through resources like the government-funded National Careers Service, and charities like the Young Women’s Trust which offers free coaching for women under 30.  

Research shows that people from under-represented backgrounds who advance the furthest in their careers all have a strong network who nurture their professional development. Creative Access regularly runs mentoring programmes with the likes of Penguin Random House UK and ITV, as well as our own mentoring programme for those on our career development programme. 

You can also ask your employer to sign you up for our career development programme.

Get your CV ready for the industry you’re entering; update your personal profile, make each experience relevant to the skills/transferable skills you’ll use in that role. Read our advice on how to craft the perfect CV and cover letter for the creative industries.

And if it’s been a while since you put together a CV and you’re looking for some more support, you can join one of our monthly CV workshops led by our recruitment team.  

LinkedIn is also one of the best tools for finding new connections and expanding your network. So, make sure it’s up to date with those transferable skills. 

If we’ve learnt anything from our decade-long contribution to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) work, it’s that the dial to access and conditions for under-represented talent to thrive has shifted, but more needs to be done to minimise barriers. We’re also seeing employers do a better job of putting their money where their mouth is on inclusive practices, however, our data suggests that under-represented talent is still getting stuck at mid-level, with a third (33%) of those who don’t receive developmental support received no promotion in the last year.

Our own annual Thrive report data on DE&I talent & employer progress towards diversity goals shows that whilst a large proportion of employers have encouragingly upped their DE&I spend in the last year (68%), almost half (45%) of employers across the creative economy are currently focusing that spend on entry-level talent. However, what a huge majority (70%) agree is that DE&I spend focus needs to be applied across all career levels in the next year.

So what does mid-level retention look like for diverse talent? And what immediate next steps can employers take to maximise employee satisfaction, progression and belonging?

1. Sign your mid-level talent up to a development programme. We suggest something that provides diverse talent access to training, mentoring and networking to improve confidence, skills & knowledge needed to progress in their career. Having your employer offer up role models that reflect your experience is hugely validating and is a data-backed way to propel progress.
2. Seek out employer training! And be intentional about follow-up activity. From ‘disability equity’ and ‘eliminating microaggressions’, to ‘anti-racism in the workplace’ and ‘championing neurodiversity’, structured and bespoke training that follows the latest governmental guidance and research can be of huge benefit to anyone in an influential position whether that be a manager of people, an under-represented individual themselves, as well as senior leadership. It’s also important to make sure the training allows for safe and open discussion that could lead to meaningful enhancements to your inclusivity practices.
3. Mentoring… As previously mentioned, research shows that people from under-represented groups who advance the furthest in their careers, all share one characteristic – a strong network of mentors who nurture their professional development. Creative Access runs a range of mentoring programmes, including one for mid to senior level individuals through our development programme. Mentoring partnerships typically last six months and we ask that mentors commit to meeting with their mentee for approximately one hour per month. Once you’re allocated a mentee, you’ll be invited to attend a training workshop, be introduced to your mentee and provided guidance notes and a template mentoring agreement for you to complete together. You’ll be supported by Creative Access throughout the process.

What does Creative Access want for diverse talent at all levels?

First and foremost, Creative Access is a social enterprise that advocates for under-represented talent in the creative industries. We do this by minimising barriers to access and by fostering conditions for talent to thrive which looks like: roles spanning all stages of the career, plus career developing opportunities, support and training. However, we can’t do this work without the support and buy-in of employers in the creative economy, people who also want to actually do something about better representing communities from under-represented backgrounds.

Whether you’re an individual from an under-represented group looking to enhance your career and take the next step up, or an employer, make sure your hiring managers and HR leaders know about Creative Access’ career development programme aimed at mid-level professionals. Drop us a message at: info [at] creativeacess [dot] org [dot] uk to signal your interest!

Are you unsure how to navigate *that* salary conversation with your line manager? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! As part of our ‘Enhance Your Career’ series, we’re sharing our top tips and resources that are relevant for every career stage and will help you put your best foot forward when negotiating your salary for a new role or for your next step up at your current one.  

Our expert team see hundreds of CVs every week, we’ve placed over 2,000 individuals and our data shows 92% of those we place stay on in the creative industries a year on, so you can trust us to help you make the most of your career! As research shows, those who are underrepresented in creative industries are often underpaid, so it’s an important conversation that you really want to be prepared for, should you choose to have it. Now let’s get straight to the tips! 

You want to be able to provide a timely reason for wanting to renegotiate, so ask yourself, why now? Potential triggers include: 

• A job offer. If you’ve been offered a job and the salary is less than what you think you deserve, you could leverage either current salary trajectory or industry standards (GlassDoor is a great resource for checking) 
• A promotion. Perhaps you’ve been promoted but the salary increase doesn’t match with what you’d discussed, industry standards, or reflect what the role entails 

• You’ve gained further qualifications. Knowledge is power, and if you’ve recently gained a qualification that significantly enhances your work performance and results, you want to be paid for it 
• You’ve taken on a leadership role. Managerial responsibilities shouldn’t be taken lightly and if you’ve recently taken on a leadership role, it’s a great prompt for renegotiation 
• You’ve gained in experience. Often, companies appreciate loyalty and for their employees to stay put, but continue to grow and add value, so it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for a reward for that 

If you have no justification as to why you think you deserve a salary increase, it’s probably not the best time to ask for one.  

Having established why now is the right time for a salary increase, it’ll be much easier to make your case if you can show why you deserve it through evidence of your hard work and the positive impact it’s had. 

Hopefully you’ve kept a log of achievements, projects or outputs and the part you’ve had to play in those, but if not, dig deep into recent projects and make note of: 

• How you contributed to that successful project  
• The positive impact your involvement had on those results 
• The value of your skills to the company 

• How you hope to continue to contribute to overall business momentum & success 

• Make sure you’re informed of industry standard salaries – check out GlassDoor, Indeed Salary Search, Check-a-Salary – and adjust for your position, location and level of experience  
• Research other factors worth negotiating besides monetary ones – amount of holiday, ability to travel or work remotely, responsibilities, flexible-working, investment in training – however you should expect to back up reasons why any of these contractual changes will provide greater benefit to the company 

• Prepare exactly what you want to say and memorise a strong introduction to get the best footing: ‘I’d like to talk about a salary adjustment because of the additional responsibilities I’ve taken on in the last 8 months. I’ve been producing X value for the business, and here’s what it’s resulted in’ 
• You’ll feel more confident in your delivery if you practise with a friend first, and ask them to prepare you with tough questions 
• Top tip: why not try role-playing being the other person in the salary negotiation. It can be a good reminder of what the person you’re pitching might want from you. Such as evidence, specificity or reassurance that you’re invested in the business! 

The outcome might not be what you had hoped for; what are you willing to compromise on? 

• Before you go into the negotiation, have a clear idea of the package you’re happy to agree upon 
• Know that your line manager may not be the end decision maker and understand their constraints 
• You might decide to pause negotiations, renegotiate a different salary package or walk away 
• Think about what your next steps would be for multiple possibilities 

Remember, there’s no one better to advocate for yourself than you. We wish you the best of luck and keep an eye on our #EnhanceYourCareer series this summer. Check out our other ‘How to’ resources.

If you’re an employer, check out our blog on why stating the salary puts your organisation at a competitive advantage here. 

Inspired by Erica Dhawan’s recent book, Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance, our director of intern and graduate recruitment, Anoushka Dossa, put together her key tips on how to communicate politely online with potential employers. Be it over email or zoom, read below for how to present your best ‘digital’ self…

When communicating online, it can be easy to forget that our non-verbal cues – like tone of voice during video calls, or punctuation use in emails – are huge indicators of how we feel. In other words, our digital body language is really important when liaising with colleagues, professionals, and even just strangers online.

Think about the way you’d present yourself in an interview, for example. You’d show that you’re listening to the interviewer by nodding, smiling, and even using words of agreement – otherwise known as active listening.

Or, consider emailing a professional about a potential job role. Would you set the tone with some kind words, or jump straight into your query? And would you use exclamation marks to convey enthusiasm, or just stick with common full stops?

These are all factors to be considered, now more than ever since shifting into hybrid and remote working. So, here are some tips for both candidates and employers on ways to demonstrate good digital body language!

Although it might seem like a trivial and straightforward part of emailing, paying close attention to the punctuation you’re using can make a huge difference, as it’s a strong indicator of our digital body language. Consider switching some full stops for exclamation marks to convey excitement and enthusiasm, or just taking the time to wish your recipient well in the email! Emojis are a grey area: they can be great for adding some personality to your emails, but don’t overdo it – and avoid using them when emailing about a more serious subject, as you don’t want to appear insensitive.

One of the most common rules of thumb is to reply as promptly as possible to whoever you’re liaising with over email. Your response time is, in fact, another indicator of your digital body language; the quicker you respond, the more enthusiastic you seem. If you can’t respond quickly, ensuring that you write a brief line acknowledging the delayed response is often welcome! Online our gratitude is often less apparent, or may not be expressed at all. Sending a follow-up email after a virtual meeting can make it clear that you valued someone’s input and how much you value their time.

It needn’t be all Zoom Doom! Over the past couple of years, we’ve all accustomed ourselves to online meetings; it goes without saying that there are significant differences between communicating over a video screen and chatting in real life. It’s important to make sure you stay engaged throughout the call, avoiding checking emails or anything else that might pop up on your screen. Be sure to consider the slight lag with all Zoom calls, and allow the other person to finish speaking before talking yourself.

Similar to when emailing, it’s important to take note of the phrasing you use in messages when reaching out to professionals on sites like LinkedIn. Networking websites can feel slightly less formal than emails, so it’s typically more conventional to message in a “relaxed” tone. While maintaining a level of professionalism, you’ll come across more friendly and enthusiastic by simply taking the time to ask your recipient how they’re doing, i.e. “I hope you’re well” or extending the conversation beyond the work-related subject, i.e. “Have a good weekend!”

It may be helpful to take time out to observe your virtual self digitally. It can improve your relationships with others!

Freelancers are all too often the lifeblood and the lifesavers of a creative organisation. They’re the flexible extra resource we bring in when the workload suddenly increases and there’s no time (or budget) to hire; they’re individuals with incredible specialist skills who can change your organisation but you could never afford to hire permanently; they’re the crew on a theatre or TV production who make mind-blowing, award-winning work or in the case of many sectors in the creative industries, like film and TV, they are quite literally your entire workforce.

And yet, as Creative Access’ freelancer report shows, many employers are not treating their freelancers in this way. They are treating them as ‘other’ to their permanent employees; investing in training or wellbeing for everyone except their freelancers or worse, claiming to create a culture of ‘belonging’ that includes everyone except the large proportion of individuals not on permanent contracts.

If you have a creative organisation, at some point you will need freelancers. And here is our best practice for how to attract, retain and support the best freelancers in the business:

• Being a freelancer can be especially hard on your mental health
• Employers can play an important role in supporting freelancers with their mental health and wellbeing by opening up access to training and employee assistance programmes to freelancers

• 78% of freelancers in our survey said professional training was one of the most important areas employers and industry bodies can support them
• Ensure your freelancers can access all of your internal training
• Really progressive employers are now offering freelancers a stipend for further professional training – it’s definitely one way to ensure the best freelance talent will remain loyal to you over your competitors
• Or there may be professional training that your team could provide freelancers such as personal brand building, legal or financial management training

• For any freelancer working with you for more than a few weeks, they should be allocated a line manager, who should check-in with them regularly and provide performance reviews as they would with a permanent employee
• You could also consider offering your freelancers a mentor through Creative Access

• If you are truly building an inclusive culture you can’t segregate employees based on their employment contract
• Freelancers should be included in all social events, if you celebrate birthdays in your organisation make sure theirs is marked too
• Make it clear you will make reasonable adjustments for disabled freelancers – 91% of disabled freelancers in our survey highlighted this was an issue with employers

• Having a strong and growing network is critical for freelancers to find new projects and earn money
• Look at where you could help by writing testimonials for them on Linked-In or for their website or introduce them to people in your own network
• Showcase the work they’ve done for you on your organisation’s channels and name check them

Read the findings from our freelancer report: Freedom or working for free? Freelancers in the creative economy.

Young Carer’s Action Day is an annual event, organised each year to raise awareness for the pressures, challenges and sacrifices that are made by individuals caring for a family member or friend. The life of a young carer can sometimes be disregarded. The resilience, patience and empathy can be carried in such a way that doesn’t make it look heavy – but just because you are caring for someone, doesn’t mean you don’t need your own support. The day not only calls for mindfulness but is a chance to say a special thank you to the thousands of people in the UK who care for someone, and ask how best we can provide support.

A young carer might do more chores than their peers and provide emotional support to the individual they are caring for. They may also learn how to nurse someone or look after personal needs.

Sometimes it can be very hard explaining why you have more responsibilities, or why you might have to miss out on certain occasions due to caring duties.

On average, a young carer misses up to a staggering 48 days of education, and over 60% are unfortunately bullied due to having to care for someone. At Creative Access, we believe that no young persons’ life should be unnecessarily restricted because they are a carer.

Our research showed that 80% of young carers in our community felt like caring had an impact on their health and wellbeing, and that they missed out on opportunities due to caring.

This should simply not be the case. Taking care of someone else should never come at the expense of neglecting yourself.

Being a young carer plays such a valuable role in family relationships and even in society. Many young carers speak fondly of the strong familial bonds formed. When healthy coping mechanisms are adopted, and the right support is given – it’s hard to imagine a world without these individuals who are so strong, kind and selfless. Young Carers Action Day is a brilliant opportunity to recognise this and allow young carers themselves to express what they need. Although many do not have a choice about when or how they become carers, we as a society have a choice on whether we support them adequately.

This year’s Young Carers Action Day follows a theme of isolation – a process we’ve become all too familiar with in the past two years. One definition of isolation is “the fact something is separate and not connected to other things”. This seems vital when discussing being a young carer, an element that can sometimes become your identity, unable to be separated from the other things happening in your life. Young Carers Day sets out to explain that this being a carer is not a negative, but simply a part of someone’s identity, and as a community, we must work on the best ways to support – so that an individual is not separated but connected to a wealth of advice that makes every day a little easier.

Speaking from personal experience as an adult, some aspects of being a young carer never really leave you. Even if you don’t feel like you need help now; it’s helpful to know what support systems are available. Here are some resources we have gathered to support young carers:

• The Care Act of 2014 and Children and Families Act of 2014 placed responsibilities on local authorities to take a wider approach to families. This means that councils must have arrangements in place to assess the impacts of inappropriate caring responsibilities on young people.

• Legal stuff can be difficult to navigate and include lots of jargon that’s hard to understand. LawStuff provides free legal information to young people, so definitely worth checking out to know where you stand.

• You should never neglect your wellbeing, physical or mental health – and must always remember you are not alone. If you feel stressed out by too much responsibility, feel like your mental health is suffering, or are even feeling physically tired, these are all signs that you might benefit from some help. Our first piece of advice would be to confide in someone you trust, another adult or your GP.
• We’d also recommend finding your local carers centre, who can signpost you to help and support nearby. Young carers who have taken part in studies speak about the support given, which trickled into other areas of their lives. Support groups, days out, flexibility around work or school were all potential benefits available. The importance of relationships with friends in similar situations can be so constructive, encouraging feelings of connection and trust.

At Creative Access, we feel strongly that the culture of silence around being a young carer must end. It has been documented that many are worried about what happens after official interventions or being different from friends, so this prevents many from speaking out. Because of this, some young carers find themselves leading double lives in efforts not to discuss their responsibilities, but this isn’t the way forward. Secrecy invites isolation, it’s so important to open up to someone you trust, or the organisations ready to provide a helping hand – and begin caring for yourself.

Here some other resources that might be helpful for any current young carers:

• Carers UK– A organisation created to “make life better for carers”. They also have an online forum and helpline (0808 808 7777)

• Youth Access – An advice and counselling network providing advice to young people aged 12 – 25.

• Carers Trust is a major charity working to support, provide services for and encourage recognition for young carers. They have an amazing bank of resources that can be found here.

• Creative Access also has on tips for looking after your mental health by Dr Victoria Mattison, take a look!

By the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (W&A) Website Team

If you’re looking for a job in publishing, then the chances are that your passion for books is already in the bag. This passion is one thing that you can’t learn, but fortunately every other skill required for publishing roles are ones that you can!  
Pivoting into a career in publishing from a previous industry might feel overwhelming, which is why it’s important for you to know that all the skills you’ll need are likely ones you already have. And these can come from any part of your life, not just your current, or previous, jobs.   

We spoke to a handful of our colleagues at Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, across different departments, to find out more about the different type of transferrable skills they use in their day-to-day roles.   

‘Publishing is a highly collaborative industry, and every day I engage with people from my team, other departments and externally. As well as adapting to the people I’m interacting with, I also need to think about the purpose of my communication – Am I sending minutes to a large group of publishing professionals from different departments? Am I pitching a book I’m really excited about to my team? Am I emailing a debut author with no publishing experience whatsoever? Am I writing customer or consumer-facing copy with the aim of garnering interest in a title? Being able to communicate clearly, passionately and flexibly will be key in helping you develop within this industry.’ Jadene Squires, Children’s Fiction Editorial Assistant  

  

‘We publish a lot of books, very close together and my role includes creating my campaigns, but also supporting others with their campaigns. This is alongside managing all our team meetings and admin, therefore the role requires organisation and time management to stay on top of all tasks.’ Anastasia Boama-Aboagye, Publicity & Marketing Assistant  

  

‘There is never a dull day in digital marketing, but you have to be able to multi-task and work to tight deadlines whilst keeping a high energy. Enthusiasm for lots of books, new ideas and working with different members of the team is so important, as it keeps a good flow of creativity and communication which is how big campaigns are pulled together and executed to a high standard.’ Kate Molyneux, Digital Marketing Manager  

  

‘It’s so important to be a support for your colleagues, authors and even empathise with external stakeholder who you may not work with on a daily basis. In the publishing industry, we’re drastically trying to diversify both our publishing and our workforce, and I don’t think this could be achieved without empathy.’ Grace Ball, Children’s Publicity Executive  

‘You are responsible for finding the best places for that author to be reviewed, featured, interviewed or do a bookshop event. I recommend immersing yourself in the kinds of publications your books would appear in as much as possible, so you get a sense of how they cover books. This information can then be used to inform your work.’  Ayo Okojie, Publicity Executive at Head of Zeus  

  

‘This means paying attention to both the finer details, such as an errant punctuation mark and the bigger picture, such as text flowing too closely to an illustration. I use this skill every day, for example when proofreading copy, checking that an ebook has been converted properly from a print file and, for illustrated books, ensuring that the illustrations are appropriate and match the text. The main purpose of an editor is to make the reading process as easy and enjoyable as possible.’ Jadene Squires, Children’s Fiction Editorial Assistant  

  

‘Sometimes, things don’t always go to plan. You could be building a page and a bug could cause an issue, which means referring it to the developers and waiting for them to add a fix before you can return to your task. You might realise that a page is not working as you’d hoped, so you need a break from it and return to it later.’  Heenali Odedra, Deputy Website Editor  

If you’re interested in a career in publishing, head to Bloomsbury Publishing’s Work With Us page to find out more about current vacancies and apprenticeships. For more interviews and advice articles, check out the Careers in Publishing area at writersandartists.co.uk.  You can also search Creative Access’ publishing opportunities here.

About writersandartists.co.uk  

The site is a dynamic, free-to-join community platform that’s home to over 70,000 subscribers. We feature hundreds of free-to-view articles and resources that offer essential practical guidance on both the creative and publishing process, as well as insight into careers within the publishing industry itself. On top of being a digital space for like-minded creatives to connect, the site hosts free writing competitions, and provides opportunities to pitch blog posts or upload writing calendar entries. Exclusive discounts, reward point incentives, and information about industry initiatives (such as work placements or financial assistance) are regularly uploaded to the site.