The Future Of Work: How To Move Into A Creative Industry

All Photos @queserser_official

Does your dream job involve brainstorming, researching, designing and building something?  Basically, do you dream of doing something more creative?  But what if you feel like you don’t have a creative bone in your body?  It turns out, you probably do but you have learned to be non-creative.  A fascinating TEDxTuscon talk by George Land suggests that our rigid education system and even more rigid companies have meant that we know how to be good workers and follow instructions, but we lose the ability to think more freely.  
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So can you re-learn creativity?  Well it is still there, in between your current expertise, imagination and motivation.  The best way to flex that creative muscle again is to learn by doing.  This is a philosophy held by Queserser (pronounced que sera sera), a design-based solutions company, established in Japan with offices in Asia and Europe.  Queserser has fostered a non-traditional company culture to encourage increased creativity and productivity for both the organisation and the employees.

I spoke with Nathalie and Josh to get their advice for joining a creative dream team.

Nathalie

Nathalie has been with Queserser for over two years working in Research and Development, and is the representative for the Belgium office.  Prior to joining the company, she was an operator for video and interactive events in Japan.

Her role blends creative and technical abilities, depending on the client the team are working with.  If you are interested in the creative aspect of development and like working with the structure of processes, R&D may be a good fit for you.  Nathalie highlights that in this role, team work is key.  “We all tend to work as one and rely on the people around us,” she says.  “If someone needs advice, you can get a helping hand from anyone around you.”

What are the some of the challenges of working with such autonomy in a creative role?

​“Communication is extremely important, especially because we have many people working on different projects and their role in the company is not easily defined.  While it is great that we are able to work on so many things, we each have to take on the responsibility to get tasks done and provide results.”


When looking to expand the team, what characteristics do you look for?

“We are attracted to people who think differently. I think the more crazy and unusual the person, the better the company becomes.  It leads to more connections and opportunities. We are able to offer a large number of unique products, because of the diversity within the company and the great designers we have hired.”
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​What would advice would you give to people looking to switch into a more creative industry from a more traditional company?

“A good culture fit is important. If people are used to more structured environments it can be difficult to figure out what to do on your own. Being a creative employee is similar to being a freelancer, but within an office.  You need to take the time to to learn, be patient, and be compassionate and understanding to your teammates. The most effective creatives have a heart and want to help those besides them for the common goal of growing the company with great products and services.”  

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“We are attracted to people who think differently. I think the more crazy and unusual the person, the better the company becomes. ​"

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josh

Josh has been with Queserser for 4 and a half years.  Previously to joining the company, he was an English teacher and freelance translator working in Osaka where he is still currently based.  By his own admissions he has taken on a smorgasbord of roles: translation, interpretation, narration, market research, project management, copywriting, HR, and even modelling for a pastry campaign.  This is a great example of how an entrepreneurial spirit can help a creative person not only find their niche, but also open themselves up to new opportunities within fields they would have never previously considered.

When looking to expand the team, what characteristics do you look for?

“Uniqueness. Someone who is the first of their kind in the company. This can cover a variety of factors such as technical ability, educational and professional background, nationality, age, life experiences, goals and philosophies.”


Have you hired employees who are switching from a different industry/career path before?  If so, what made them stand out if they didn’t have the typical amount of experience?
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“We’ve hired a lot of employees who are switching industries and career paths. In fact, that’s often what we look for when hiring new staff.  Some positions such as web development or design require previous experience in that line of work, but other positions like project direction and strategy actually benefit from someone who brings a fresh and different perspective to the table.  We’ve had people join in the past couple years who previously worked in the travel and nursing industries and this led to new businesses we opened in the domestic tourism and senior care industries. What typically makes these employees stand out is the new opportunities they provide for expanding our business into new fields, industries and countries – something that would not be possible if we only hired from within the creative industry.”

What would advice would you give to people looking to switch into a more creative industry from a more traditional company?

“I would say that a person’s attitude, perspective and ideas can compensate for a lack of experience, and that’s important to remember when looking to change careers. Design is about solving problems and not necessarily having 10 years of experience in project management – though of course that helps. If you can bring a fresh and unique approach to a problem and provide a solution no one has yet thought of that carries intrinsic value to a company.”

What are the some of the challenges of working with such autonomy in your roles?
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“I think drawing out your own road map for a given project or problem is quite challenging. Freedom can be a scary thing without direction, so finding a way to keep yourself focused and task-oriented is essential to producing quality results and achieving targets you have set for yourself.”

queserser

Connect with the Queserser team!  
http://www.queserser.co.jp/
​Instagram @queserser_official