Your Creative Job Title Is Changing
Creative Highlight - Nathan Dumlao
I was recently looking through creative job opportunities when one role stopped me.
It was for a Video Editor.
When I started reading through what the company was actually looking for, I realized something. They weren't really looking for just a Video Editor. They wanted someone who understood storytelling. Motion graphics. Sound design. Brand. Internal communications. Marketing. AI-powered workflows. Cross-functional collaboration. All in one role, “Video Editor”.
And it confirmed something I've been noticing for a while now. Creative job titles aren't telling the whole story anymore.
Your Skills May Be More Valuable Than You Realize.
Creatives have always defined themselves by the title they hold. And yes, we are.
Photographer. Designer. Editor. Illustrator.
But what else have you experienced and learned along the way?
You've spent years working with clients and have become incredibly good at creative strategy without ever calling it that. You're a photographer who understands production, casting, directing, retouching, social media, and brand storytelling. Maybe you're a designer who has spent enough time working with startups that you understand how a product actually gets built. Or you're an editor who understands pacing, music, culture, marketing, and what makes someone stop scrolling.
These are not random extra skills. They're part of your creative value. Companies are looking for people who can connect those dots and share their strengths.
And Then… There's AI.
We can't talk about changing creative roles without talking about AI.
AI is showing up in job descriptions, creative workflows, production processes, marketing teams, design departments, and the tools we're already using. And because of that, we should and can be asking ourselves this question - How does this fit into what I already know how to do?
AI may help you organize ideas. It may speed up part of your workflow. It may help you explore concepts. It may automate something that used to take hours. It may eventually become a normal part of your creative process in ways we haven't even figured out yet. But the technology still needs people who understand story. And that’s what we need to hold on to and remind clients of. The importance of what a human can do compared to AI.
Find A New Perspective
This might be the part I want creatives to hear the most.
When you're looking at opportunities, expand your search. Command Find those words that apply to you and I know you’ll be surprised at what you find! Read the descriptions. Look at the skills. Pay attention to what companies are actually asking people to do. You might discover that a role with a title you've never considered is describing work you've already been doing for years.
Or… maybe you're 80% of the way there and the remaining 20% shows you exactly what you could learn next.
Feeling pressured to master photography, design, video, marketing, AI, coding, strategy, and every new platform that appears is exhausting AND unrealistic.
But we should remain curious about the things happening around our craft. Allowing ourselves to pivot is what creates room for our own evolution and staying current. Understanding how your role connects to something else is your strength.
