Kat Wong Advises Engineers on Transitioning to Creative Roles

In the latest installment of Creative Career Conundrums, a weekly advice column from If You Could Jobs, founder of career change platform Oh Yeah, Kat Wong, offers guidance to an engineer seeking to move into a creative field. Wong, whose 30-year career includes roles at Apple and BBC Radio, emphasizes that engineering and creativity are not mutually exclusive, and that collaborations between the two are essential in many industries. She suggests that engineers are inherently creative problem-solvers, albeit through a technical lens, and can bring innovative solutions that other creative sectors may not have considered. As a first step, Wong advises exploring internal opportunities, such as shadowing a UX or product design team, to gain understanding and identify what resonates. She also recommends offering an integrated approach to creative initiatives, reframing them through an engineering perspective. If internal routes are not viable, she suggests short, low-commitment experiments like informational interviews or volunteering with creative organizations to gain visibility and experience. Wong encourages the reader to enjoy experimenting and playing around with what resonates, as they build on their professional growth. The column also lists additional resources and current job opportunities from If You Could Jobs, including roles at Guardian News and Media and DeMellier London. The article is published on It's Nice That, which hosts the jobs board.