#PeopleOfWantedly: De-mystifying the elusive Creative Strategist role

Tell anyone you’re a Creative Strategist and I assure you that it’ll kindle the fire of their intrigue. So what does a Creative Strategist do? In simplest terms, their role entails marrying business strategy and creative concepts to drive an organisation’s growth through effective marketing initiatives. You’re a researcher, a business analyst, a creative, a facilitator, a designer, a storyteller - all in the name of driving a company's overarching approach and strategy.

Meet Fate from Wantedly Hong Kong as she tells us more about a day in her life as a Creative Strategist, including a peek into some of the past projects she’s worked on!

Tell us about yourself, and why a career in technology?

Hi! I am Fate. I am a Creative Strategist from the Wantedly Hong Kong team. I am passionate about things related to visual storytelling. I love stories and a career in technology is a good way to tell stories in the digital age!

What is a typical workday in your life as a Creative Strategist at Wantedly Hong Kong like?

A typical workday starts from reviewing the process of each project. Deadline is definitely the most important day for all the creators. I will also meet with my colleagues while a new project kickstarts. We would discuss the marketing strategy for a particular campaign, and how a striking visual with the right message for the right audience would help to achieve our campaign goals. Before I open the software, kiss my mouse then beg Adobe to please not crash today! Or sometimes I will buy a “乖乖“. (It is a magic snack from Taiwan that you just put on your device, then it will be a good boy)

What is the biggest misconception people have about creatives, is it true you have to be good at drawing?

“Creative is only shown in some special people. And it can jump out like magic.”

I think creativity is one of the thinking methods you choose to see the world. It can be trained and practiced. Just like you learn how to drive a car.

As creativity is a thinking method, it cannot be treated like pushing a button. Creators too, have to train themselves in daily life. Imagine the process of creation as you would on how to keep your body healthy. We absorb a ton of information and ideas, and we have to digest them. We keep daily exercise and a balanced diet. So on the surface, when you see the creator used one hour to create something, it is actually the accumulation of daily training and practice.

Also depending on which type of creator you are - If you’re an illustrator, the answer is yes. But if you’re more like a graphic designer or video editor, the answer is no, but it is beneficial. Drawing training is sort of a muscle memory that’s linked to your brain. You may not need to be good at it, but starting an idea from sketching something is great. It benefits the same as reading a book, watching a movie, observing the world, and learning from others. All of the things that might seem irrelevant now, will link up one day in the future.

What project have you worked on in your time at Wantedly that you’re most proud of?

I am proud of the project that helps to grow the IG community. Recently, we’ve reached over 10K followers on our Instagram account. Followers didn’t mean everything but all the feedback from users, that they appreciate what I did for them made me feel moved. To imagine that all the graphics, content, and campaigns really did help someone, is a very special experience.

What do you like most about your job and why?

What I like most is that I can directly see how my ideas made an impact on the result. I think this is the most exciting part of the digital generation. We can directly and quickly see how ideas are brought to life, and with purpose. It keeps me on my toes, as we may also change the strategy and adapt accordingly to find out the best way to reach our goals. I am grateful to be a part of the team as a Creative Strategist.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in the creative/design field?

I would say, always keep asking the WHY. As I mentioned, creativity is a way of thinking. You need to find out the reason why it drives better results. Why does this color match another one to make it look great? Why can this content instead of the other bring more attention? We don’t have all the answers in the world, but it does propose an answer to all the creativity and marketing theories. Thinking will make you smarter, and also think faster. A creator once said, that may be weird but don’t stick to your own opinion for no reason. Keep learning, stick to your own opinion only while it is really good enough. Keep rolling in the world! カメラを止めるな!

So the question that you came here with: Do you need to be a good designer to be a Creative Strategist? Fate has shown that is definitely not the case! While it can certainly be beneficial, with creative savviness, great business acumen, and a passion for storytelling, being a Creative Strategist might just be in the cards for you!

Connect with Fate on Wantedly.

#PeopleofWantedly is our monthly series where we showcase the human forces behind Wantedly, what a day in their life on the job looks like, with tips & tricks they have for budding job seekers looking to break into a similar industry or role. ICYMI, catch up on our past features for Andrew, Wantedly Singapore’s Country Manager, and Amy, from our International HR!

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