How Art School Can Help You in the Corporate World

Confused about how that arts degree can actually pay off? Friends snickering that it’s a worthless field preparing you for a lifetime of barista work? Think again. An arts degree teaches students to tell stories, think outside the box, and grasp the big picture of a constantly changing economy. Even you spent four years studying Russian cinema and Italian Renaissance paintings, employers are still eager to hire you. Here’s why:

Creative Thinking. In a world turned upside down by the Internet, companies are constantly scrambling to engage new consumers. Innovation is a highly prized skill in the arts world, and so too in the field of marketing, among other fields. It’s not enough to have a clever logo: You have to consistently intrigue customers with smart ideas. Arts majors have a unique way of seeing the world. Remember the giant dragon shadow splashed across the front page of the New York Times to promote “Game of Thrones?” That’s an example of creative, innovative work.

But innovation isn’t just about the customers. It’s about the systems in place within the company—how employees communicate with one another, how products are made from start to finish, how teams approach new ventures, etc. It’s about fearlessly embracing change.

Storytelling. In an age where companies constantly compete for your attention, it’s important to clearly and concisely tell a company’s story. Why does this company do what they do? And how do they communicate that to consumers? The same goes for pitching new ideas, whether products, services, or innovative marketing and operations strategies. Compel your audience at any presentation by engaging them in a story. Get them hooked and you may just snag the deal.

Passion. You didn’t major in late medieval poetry because you wanted an average, run-of-the-mill desk job. And even if you do end up there, make that job your own. Art majors are passionate about their interests, a characteristic that leads some employers to favor them over typical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) candidates.

Big Picture Mentality. While STEM careers typically focus on one niche (molecular chemist, for example), arts degrees prepare students to flexibly grasp a variety of ideas and form it into a larger picture. This helps businesses prepare for, again, a changing world.

So if you’re passionate about art, go ahead and earn your degree. There are employers who can use your mind in the corporate world. Just remember to get as much professional development as possible while still in college through volunteering and internships.

By Quail Bell
Photo by Inga Marchuk

Christine Stoddard is the founding editor of Quail Bell Magazine and owner of Quail Bell Press & Productions. Sarah Sullivan is a contributing writer to Quail Bell Magazine and a copywriter for Quail Bell Press & Productions. Both are originally from the Washington, D.C. area.