If you want to become a creative director, you're likely to need a senior level of experience that may be eight to ten years within an industry such as advertising or publishing. Many firms also prefer that their creative director hold a formal degree, although experience, reputation and achievement within a field may make up for higher levels of education depending on the company. Typically, creative directors are either established designers or copywriters.
While you may be able to be both a designer and a copywriter, having a proven track record in at least one of these careers is usually necessary to become a creative director. A senior copywriter and art director often report to creative directors while each leading their own team of writers or artists. In many cases, people who later achieved the position of creative director in marketing or media began in an entry-level position after college or art school. After several years, they were considered of mid-level experience and often were made supervisors or editors. Usually, the five-year mark establishes a copywriter or designer as being at the start of a senior level of expertise.
Once you reach this level in your career, it may take another five years or so before a creative director position could be likely for you. You'll definitely need to make an impact by having original, effective ideas and by being a capable team leader. Leadership skills are crucial if you hope to become a creative director, as the job requires overseeing the entire writing and art departments of an agency or publication. It's the creative director's vision that gets carried by all of the employees who work both directly and indirectly under him or her. It's a lot of responsibility and companies look for people with proven accomplishments as a creative, results-getting leader.
Although this can be one of the most competitive jobs due to the typically lucrative salary, if you really want to become a creative director and are willing to focus on achieving that goal, you shouldn't give up. If working as a creative director isn't really your passion though, it would probably be best if you chose something else. You'll likely need every bit of intelligence, creativity, stamina and leadership you have to get and excel at this position. Yet, passionately wanting to provide clients with the most profitable marketing materials or readers with the best magazine possible and having the ability to accomplish this while inspiring a team can be a worthwhile career.