Arts
This is a very competitive industry to get into, with large amounts of graduates in comparison to positions. Determination and motivation will get you a long way and you may have to do voluntary work to get your first break. Take the failures and turn them into positives; ask for feedback from applications and interviews. Once your experience starts to grow though your chances become greater, and networking will give you more opportunities.As for payment, there are huge differences in scales and you may even have to begin working in a voluntary position. A lot of people will work in freelance roles so wages depend on the talent you can offer and an industry’s opportunities. Individuals or studios can charge anywhere between £15 and £50 an hour, or work on prices for individual pieces that are being designed. Within fine art it is totally dependent on how much people think your work is worth.

Entertainment
The entertainment industry is volatile with many ups and downs. Even if an individual’s previous role or gig was successful, there is no certainty of this continuing as trends fluctuate. There is a definite need to have flexibility in where you work and your attitudes towards work due to the variety of positions that you may have to fulfill, but this will only add to your experience and add to your knowledge of your craft.It may help to deviate into a specialty to help develop your career or take on external roles from performance such as a writer or theatre manager. In small acting companies there is more chance for expansion where your tasks can be combined with acting.In musical terms there are several different performance methods whether in a band, as a solo artist, in an orchestra or as a session musician.

Of course it is the dream to reach the summit of your industry and be a world renowned musician, but even if these dreams are realized there is no certainty to stay there as music fashions ebb and flow.In an orchestra there is a definite route that a musician can follow entering at in a role of rank and file then progress towards principal and section principal. In a principal role there will be more responsibility placed upon you such as managing a troop and having artistic input. Generally thought there is little career movement as there are disproportionate amount of players to positions and movement to other orchestras may ne necessary to continue your progression.Generally performers and entertainers and have to network and keep performing to get the recognition and progression that they strive for and do very well to build a career in their chosen entertainment industry.

Media
One key to success is having members of the public respond to your work – even in a negative way if it proves a valid point! Another is simply if your employers like what you are doing. Be warned, however, as such a crowded industry there many people ready to take your job even when you have only just started and there are few high roller positions. Most people in the media make the most of the freebies or perks they get because those are the highlights of the job rather than the monthly pay packet.

Starting salaries for full-time positions can be quite low at around £15,000 due to the training involved, however you will be able to cash in experience and look towards £20,000 - £25,000 once training is completed. Of course, if your name starts appearing on the front page of newspapers, on film posters or is on the tip of everyone’s lips, you will be able to consider yourself to have made it in the media world – at least for the time being in this often fickle industry. Milk it while you can!