Top areas for creatives to upskill in 2024

New year, new skills? Hell yeah!

We’re big fans of learning something new here at Creative Natives – this may sound a little cheesy, but learning is fun, so we’re all for candidates putting some time in to upskill and grow. Plus, there’s demand all across the industry for talent to be able to do more, so why not set yourself up for success and learn something new?

We know that it can be really hard to figure out what you should be upskilling in and focusing on, especially if you have a limited time or budget. AI or paid search? TikTok or UX/UI?

Don’t worry, that’s where we come in. Whether you want a promotion, a new job or are considering changing the area of the industry that you specialise in, here are some of the most in-demand skills from our clients that you should consider upskilling in 2024.

via GIPHY

PR

• Data analysis – it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but you need to make numbers your friend to succeed in PR. You have to be able to interpret data, derive insights and demonstrate the impact of your PR campaigns for your clients, so if this is something you struggle with, make it a priority.
• Social media & influencer relations – your approach to PR needs to be an integrated one and should include social media. In particular, there’s a large demand for influencer relations strategy. While there may not be many courses for this, asking your manager if you can start working with influencers or sitting in meetings with influencers will be a great step in the right direction.
• Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) – these technologies are taking the world by storm and aren’t stopping any time soon. They can add so much to your PR approach, particularly with events and activations, so getting a handle on these is a massive plus.
• Writing – you can always work on your writing skills, and in particular, how to write a press release (it sounds simple, but it’s something we hear regularly). If you’re not sure if you need to improve your press releases, ask a senior colleague or a manager for some honest feedback and go from there.

Account services

• AI – learn the value of it and how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to do in depth, robust research and create strategy.
• Negotiation skills – as the economy shifts and budgets tighten, you need to be able to negotiate costs with both clients and suppliers. Showing a business that you can negotiate and save them money will go far.
• Relationship building – Covid did a number on people’s relationship building skills and juniors in particular were impacted. Get confident with more face to face interactions and managing relationships in person, not through a screen.
• Digital knowledge – the crossover between traditional advertising and the digital first world continues. As audiences and the types of media they consume shifts, so will client needs, and therefore being across digital and social first campaigns and upcoming digital platforms will be vital.

Creative

• Unique skills – while generalist designers are always valuable, diverse and unique skills are what sets them apart from the rest. Popular and in demand skills include animation, packaging and UX/UI design.
• Figma – if you’re a traditional designer and use Adobe Suite, get on to Figma. More workplaces are using Figma over Adobe Suite, so get on it!
• Update your portfolio to show process – not a skill, but definitely a way to help you get ahead in the hiring game. Hiring managers want to see not just the end product, but the thought and design process, so make sure to tell a story that shows every step.

Social Media & Marketing

• TikTok – it ain’t going away, so get on board or get left behind. Make sure the course you choose includes paid TikTok ads in it.
• Generative AI – much like TikTok, AI is here to stay. Generative AI gives social media talent the ability to quickly generate new content, like images and animations. With businesses demanding more and more content, learning how to use these tools, and use them effectively will put you ahead of the pack.
• Affiliate marketing – B2C companies are looking at affiliate marketing as another channel for sales, so knowledge in this area and how to manage a successful program is absolutely key.
• Social SEO – TikTok, and increasingly Instagram and Pinterest, are becoming the search engine of choice for many and brands want to make sure their content is coming up first. Having this skill adds so much to your toolbox.

Digital Marketing

In Digital Marketing in particular, there is increased demand for candidates to get out of their lane and diversify their skill set.

• Paid social – get across all of the main areas of paid social – Meta, Pinterest, Snapchat and of course, TikTok.
• Paid search – many candidates have paid social, but don’t have paid search, and paid search is being asked for more and more. Get some Google Ads training under your belt.
• Converting technical information into layman’s terms – this is definitely more of a soft skill, but is increasingly in demand. Whether it’s in writing or verbally communicated, being able to describe exactly what you’re doing and what impact it has for non-tech people is key for success.

Product, project management and strategy

• AR & VR – brands – particularly big brands – that want to set themselves apart from their competitors will be turning to AR and VR to do so. If working with a big brand is on your wish list for 2024, upskilling in this area is a great idea.
• AI – as AI gets better and better, those who know how to use AI to compliment their skillset and support their work (particularly automating admin tasks) will be viewed favourably over other candidates.
• Video production – the demand for video content keeps rising, so to set yourself apart, get across the entire video production process, not just one part of it.
• Stakeholder management – soft skills are just as important as technical skills and knowledge. Getting better at managing relationships and stakeholder expectations and managing up will only help you in your career, as it’s something that hiring managers look out for.

Finished your training, updated your resume and ready to find a new role? We’ve got you – get in touch with our team today at hello@creativenatives.com.au.

Not looking for a new job, but want to try and land a promotion with these new skills? Check out our blog with tips and tricks for negotiating and landing that yes.