“We’re stronger and better together”

Creative Career Conundrums is a weekly advice column from If You Could Jobs. Each week their selected panel of professionals from the creative industry answers your burning career questions to help you navigate the creative journey.

Every week our talented roster has been answering our reader submitted questions. Now that the year is drawing to a close – we thought they’d like to take a break. We’ve taken over this week’s question to give our advice givers a chance to look back and forward to the new year.

This week’s question:

Think back on the questions you’ve answered throughout the year – what common themes or topics came up? Did your hopes from last year come true? What are you looking forward to in 2026? And are there any areas or topics you’re excited to explore more in the new year?

Katie Cadwell, co-founder of branding studio Lucky Dip and The NDA Podcast:

I love how practical this year’s questions have been. It’s opened up conversations about the less glamorous side of being creatives. How to find passion for boring tasks. The best ways to manage inter-team politics. Where all the unseen work goes.

But we’ve had some bigger issues too – with themes of self-worth, doubt, finding our value. In a world that can sometimes feel as though there’s very little good, it’s not surprising that creatives (who are like sponges, picking up on all that energy) begin to question their purpose.

But being asked those questions demonstrates how much we care. How much we want to add to the work, not detract from it. Every week I’m inspired by the passion in our submissions, even if that person is feeling a little lost.

Which brings me on to my 2026 goals – community. Building our own support systems, reaching out to peers, talking these issues through (whether that’s with us at CCC, or your network) We’re stronger and better together. As AI pushes us into silo-ed working, ignoring the temptation to ask a bot and discussing with friends instead, is an act of rebellion.

And another way to push against the feeds of fake creative? Having more fun with our work. My new year’s resolution is to be more analogue. More DIY. Get the crayons out, rip up magazines, get charcoal all over your hands. Remember the satisfaction of creating something beyond pixels. Let’s get stuck in in 2026.

Send us some more questions about how to keep that creative spark alive. When to use and ignore the new tools popping up everyday. How to get back to our roots – because that’s where creativity is truly accessible. With the humble pencil and paper.

In answering your creative career conundrums we realise that some issues need expert support, so we’ve collated a list of additional resources that can support you across things that might arise at work.

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