Audio is a diverse and fascinating industry, and if you’re just starting out in your audio career it can be hard to know about all the job possibilities and different fields that exist. This chart outlines some of the main industries and jobs in audio, to help give you an idea of the career options today. Many people combine several of these jobs and skill sets into a satisfying career or change jobs or industries mid-career. This is by no means an exhaustive list of audio-based jobs or industries, and if you’re interested in a particular field of audio, it’s a good idea to do further research into the kinds of roles that exist and to speak to people who work in that field. And as time goes on, new types of audio jobs are constantly being created with the development of technology and changes in the industry and society.
Here are some questions to consider when thinking about an audio career path:
- Do I have a passion for music, visual media, radio and podcasts, games, technically-oriented work, or development and research?
- Would I prefer a job that allows me to focus on one particular activity or one that requires me to use many different skill sets?
- Would I prefer a job that is more creative, more technical, or a combination of both?
- Do I want to be employed by a company or organisation, do I prefer to be a freelancer, or would I like to run my own company and eventually employ others?
- Do I prefer working fixed daytime hours, or do I enjoy working varied hours including weekends and nights?
- Would I like a job that has a fixed location, one that enables me to travel to different places, or one that allows me to work remotely online?
- Am I looking for a fixed, regular income, or could I manage with a project or contract-based income that fluctuates, but allows me more time flexibility?
