The creative industry keeps on growing and many people - especially millennials - are looking to enter this highly lucrative market. However, it's not just your skills that matter. Competition is tight among professional creatives and high-value commissions and projects are hard to come by. Whether you want to work as a graphic designer or a creative brand specialist, knowing the ins and outs of the industry will give you a better shot at success. Want to get started in this competitive industry? Consider these tips before diving in:

1. Start with an online portfolio

You already have the skills, so all you need to do is to show these to potential clients. You can start by gathering your best work and setting up an online portfolio. If you are a visual artist or illustrator, the best (and most cost-effective) place to showcase your work is on Behance. For written pieces, you can set up a professional blog on platforms like Medium, Muck Rack, or a website builder like Squarespace.

2. Nurture your skills

To survive the cutthroat world of the creative economy, you need to look for opportunities to update your skills and develop new ones that will make you marketable. Fortunately, professional creatives are using learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare to find courses for enriching their repertoire of skills. Although you may have to pay to gain access to most of these courses, investing in creative education can help you compete better for projects and clients.

3. Develop networks with fellow creatives

Most of the time, you are not competing with fellow artists in your industry. In fact, you will find it just as necessary to share insights and ideas with your competitors. Everyone is trying to find their big break, so it's important to acknowledge the same level of passion that everyone else has. Consider joining social media groups and local organizations. The friends you make along the way may turn out to be your biggest advocates, so it helps to be open and kind.

4. Set up shop

As you start accepting more projects and working with corporate-level clients, you might want to consider building your own agency or design firm from the ground up. This requires careful planning since you will need to invest larger amounts of resources. You can always start out small by renting out affordable office space from workspace providers such as Novel Coworking. Moreover, you can start with a modest workforce consisting of close friends or college buddies so you can save on recruitment costs.

5. Use the right tools to achieve better productivity

Whether you are working alone as a freelancer or with a team by your side, you can achieve more by using apps like Notion or Slack. You should also need to stay current on the latest technology, including those that can help promote your services.

As a creative, you shouldn't always settle in the fact that your skills are your only capital. You also need to know how to size up the market and develop enough knowledge to make yourself stand out.