Careers handbook by Insanesanity

ION

Careers Handbook

Where to start Before you start out on the time consuming, frustrating and often expensive pathway into the Broadcast, Film and Video industry, you should ask yourself seriously: “What sort of job could I realistically hope to do?” “Why should anyone be convinced that I would be a good candidate for this sort of job?” Unfortunately, every year thousands of people apply for jobs that they have not researched properly, and for which they do not offer appropriate skills, experience, qualifications ‐ or personality. Inevitably, they are rejected by employers, without even being interviewed. How can you avoid this fate? If you are very well informed, extremely realistic, and knowledgeable about the work area that you decide to focus on it is far more likely that you will be able to persuade someone to give you a break. Consider your skills Before you start to think about individual jobs, or potential employers, you need to think about what you have to offer the industry. Remember, in these increasingly cost‐conscious times, employers are looking for people who can make a contribution from day one ‐ and not just people who would like to work in the industry 'because it looks interesting. Think about what you do well, and how you could present evidence of this effectively at an interview.

TASK 1 Make a list of the skills you would be able to take to a job at the moment, and think of three examples to support each one. Focus on your strengths and not your weaknesses. e.g., “I am well organised” “I manage my time in order to study and do a part‐time job” “I keep track of my personal finances” “I produced the Christmas Show successfully in High School”. 1. Independent

1. I have the ability to work by myself without the need of help 2. I have the ability not to rely on people when it comes to working independently 3.

2. Team Work

1. I have the ability to work in groups with people I don’t know 2. 3.

3. Dependant

1. Attendance, high attendance unless it is an authorised 2. 3.

4. Hard Working

1. I always try to the best of my ability 2. I have the ability to focus on one task 3.

5. Knowledge of Media Practice

1. I have knowledge of adobe premiere pro and can edit 2. I have Knowledge of cameras and framing 3. I am planning to make my own short movies

Skills and qualifications

When applying for new courses or jobs, you have to be sure that the information you provide is correct. When you think about all of those grades you have achieved, do you know what level they are? Do you know what UCAS is and how their point system works? Do you know how many hours a week you study? There are so many terms and acronyms thrown around that sometimes it gets very confusing; sometimes it is worth thinking about what you have actually achieved, what you hope to achieve and what on earth all of these terms mean. Task 2 Research, define and explain the following terms by relating them to yourself where necessary, e.g., Anne Example is currently studying A Level English, Law and P.E full time and has a part time job at TK Maxx. The courses at the college are level 3 and she needs BBB to get into her chosen university – that’s 300 UCAS points, etc., • Part time • Full time • GCSE • AS, A Level • Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 • Pass, Merit & Distinction in the BTEC Nationals • Vocational • Bachelor of, Master of • Graduate (Undergraduate, Postgraduate) Use the figure and branches below to ‘draw a picture’ of yourself as you are now (include your aspirations).

GCSE’s are a qualifications awarded in Specific subjects and are taken at ages 14-16 in secondary education. GCSE’s Are needed to take A Levels. This relates to me because I had to take some GCSE’s like Science, English and Maths. A part time job is a form of employment that has fewer hours than around 30 hours per week this is helpful for students like me because it would allow me to study while still earning money. This relates to me because I am currently searching for a part time job

A Levels are for students after they have completed their secondary education (GCSE’s) these relate to me as I currently studying for an A level, I am also studying for a BTEC National they have 3 levels at Higher education level 2, 3 and 4 the BTEC I am studying is media and it is a level 3 subsidiary diploma which is the equivalent of 2 A Levels

It’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about the information you give others; if you get interviewed, you want to make sure you can answer all of the interviewer’s questions and you don’t want to get caught out either. What job am I best suited to?

Now you have compiled a list of your skills, strengths and accomplishments it is time for you to look at the path you would like to take into the industry. Think of all those dreams and aspirations you had when you were younger and those which you may still have; what do you want to do? What do you aspire to be? TASK 3 List any 3 jobs mentioned in class or any you may have already been considering. What is the job role? What does it entail? Do you need any specialist training or skills? Is it freelance work or can you be a permanent member of staff? For example, you may want to consider specific roles in; • Management • Technical roles • Finance • Directorial • Creative roles • Editorial (Think of the credits at the end of a film or television programme, think how many people worked on it and look at one aspect, for example camera operators, how many worked in that one area). 1. Editor 2. Camera Operator 3. Avenues for recruitment In May 2012, there were a total of 55,900 people employed in the TV industry in the UK 1. There are lots of jobs out there; you just have to be confident, persistent and patient. When looking for a job or course for a new qualification, it can be difficult to know where to start; however, lots of avenues do exist. There are many publications that offer help and guidance in addition to job listings and the internet is an obvious and easily accessible tool when searching for development and career opportunities. It is also a very good idea to keep names and contact details for people you have met who could offer help somewhere down the line. Who will be recruited? If you are qualified and meet the requirements of a position, you have a good/equal chance of getting the job – just remember that a lot of people may have applied for it. It is illegal to discriminate against a person for reasons of gender, race, age, sexual orientation etc. However, the industry is still dominated by white males. Creative Skillset's latest research shows that: • Only 39% of Creative Media employees are women • Only 6% of employees are from minority ethnic groups • Employees with disabilities account for only 6% of the workforce 2

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http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ (May 2013) Employment Census 2009, Workforce Survey 2010 and ONS Labour Force Survey.

Task 4 Research, define and explain methods of recruitment in the creative media industries. Try to find examples, where relevant*. • National Press* - National press are newspapers that report on the events these are good at finding recruitments as it is a good way of companies spreading their jobs throughout the country rather than just local jobs. An example would be The Sun •

Trade Press* - Trade press are newspapers and magazines that are relevant to specific audiences within a sector, this would be helpful for finding a job in the creative media industries as you could find specific. An example would be media magazines like

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Internet* (for recruitment) - the internet can be used to find jobs there are several different websites that are dedicated to advertising job vacancies an example of this would be www.Jobs24.co.uk

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Trade Fairs* - Trade fairs are events that are usually set up by organisations in which employers will come to the fair and set up a stand of some sort and explain to people about jobs and possibly offer some form of a job or apprenticeship

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Word of Mouth – knowledge retained from other people without reading it somewhere

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Personal Contacts & Networking - Helplines you get through your personal or socialising instead of the ones provided by the work list

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Internal Promotion – is when there is a promotion within the company

Presentation materials and documentation Once you have decided that you are going to apply for a job, it is a good idea to consider every aspect of the following journey. To initiate the employment process, you may produce and submit a letter of application and/ or a CV; if lucky, this may lead to an interview. Developing a C.V. A CV is a portrait of you, at any moment in time. Depending on who will receive it, you can decide which aspects of your skills, abilities, personality and experience should be highlighted. It doesn't need to be very long ‐ one side of A4, well laid out is often the most effective size ‐ but it does need to be RELEVANT. Think about what an employer will be looking for ‐ for instance the skills and abilities often quoted by people who recruit runners include: • Common sense • Attention to detail • Pleasant personality • Knowing when to shut up • Good communication skills • Not afraid of getting their hands dirty • Sensitivity • Not too grand to make the sandwiches/wash up etc. • Lots of energy • A PASSION FOR THE INDUSTRY! • Curiosity There are no rules about CVs ‐ they are personal documents (in an industry that contains a wealth of talent, some of them are very individualistic indeed!) But the best share common factors. They are: • Concise • Well laid out • Relevant • They make the reader want to meet the person and find out more. • Clean and flat (not creased) Within the industry, video CVs are increasingly popular. They need to follow the same guidelines as described for written CVs. Once you've got a CV (maybe in two or three versions) you can either send it off to advertised vacancies if the company doesn't specify their own application form, or make direct approaches to people that you feel\hope may be interested in you. In both cases, you should also send a 'covering letter'. These need only be a simple, typed document (keyboard skills are a real advantage), giving information about where you saw/heard about the opportunity, and why you feel you would be particularly suited to it. In the covering letter (also referred to as a speculative letter or application letter), don't repeat information given on your CV, and make sure that your grammar, spelling etc., are all correct. Task 5 Option 1 In Word, create a CV and cover letter for a (media) job that you have found on the internet/in a media magazine. If you cannot find a suitable advert, create a speculative letter for an internship and attach a relevant CV focussing on your media knowledge OR Option 2 Produce a video CV for a (media) job found on the net or in a media magazine. (Upload the final version to your blog).

Presentation materials and documentation (cont’d.) There are several other ‘tools’ that can make you an attractive candidate such as presenting a showreel or website to show off your creative abilities or by presenting yourself in a professional and appropriate manner. Below are some key aspects which, combined, can lead to a success in job hunting. Task 6 Research, define and explain the following and relate them to yourselves and past experiences. You should also attempt to create the following if you complete the other tasks early. Portfolio/e-portfolio: A portfolio is a way of showing all of your work in a single space this can be on a personal website or some other medium but this is useful for presenting the best of your work to employers. I have not made a e-portfolio of my work but I will need to as it is useful for presenting my work to employers. Show reel: A way of showing a collection of your work in a single movie or file. This can be used to show of the best of your work to an employer. I have not used any show reels but I will need to make one in the future to show off my work to employers. Personal website: A website not made for purchasing or announcing company values but about yourself and can be used to show off your work. An example of this is an advanced Facebook page or blog dedicated to yourself. An example we have used is our Blogger website. (If you do not manage to create the above in class, have a go over the summer so you can use them when applying for university, other higher education opportunities and employment). At an interview Before answering any question, take time to think ‐ why are they asking this? How does it relate to the job? How can I get over all the important information about my skills and experience within the confines of this (sometimes very short) time. You may be desperate to tell them about your film/book/project, but it's best to sit on it, until asked. Take your chosen examples of work to the interview unless specifically asked to enclose them with your application. Remember that they are looking for someone to join a team, and the 'fitting in' factors are some of the most important things they're trying to assess. A dose of modesty at this stage (especially if you've won an award or the like) can be very refreshing. However much you think you know before you join the industry, don't push it around - it can be embarrassing to find out that you still have a lot to learn!

Task 7 Research the following presentation skills/methods and explain what you believe would be ‘good practice’ for each (a list of dos and don’ts would be a suggestion). • Interviewing skills: DO’S - speak clearly when in an interview with employers, Sell yourself to the employer Show confidence and have appropriate documentation. DON’TS – Do not fidget around. Do not look around the room. •

Presentation skills: DO’S – speak clearly, show confidence and remain eye contact with the audience. DON’TS – Do not overdo one point keep it quick and to the point. Do not Self‐presentation o Linguistic codes: Do speak proper English and pronounce words clearly and confidently. Do not use slang or stutter on your words. o Dress codes: Dress formally and smart. Do not wear jeans and scruffy clothing. o Interpersonal skills: Interpersonal skills are life skills that you use every days to communicate and interact with other people. These skills will help you in professional and personal life. Employers often look for these skills as they will want people who can work well in a team and be able to communicate easily.

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References: Make sure you have references, make sure they are trustworthy and know they are going to be your reference. Know their details like Email, Phone Number and Name Make sure the information Is up to date. Do not think of a reference on the spot. Do not use friends or family.

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Once you're in, you've crossed the threshold, and your chances of progressing from an entry level job are quite high. But before you get promoted, you will need to do that entry level job quite brilliantly and you may still need to spend free time gaining skills, knowledge and generally making yourself indispensable.

Continuing professional development and institutions

Once you are in employment, you may still be required to (or just want to) update your knowledge and understanding of specific practice and equipment. Even when you have your perfect job it never means that it is the end of the journey. When employed there are still plenty of opportunities for self‐development and learning new skills. Institutions also exist in order to ensure individuals continue to learn new skills. As always, it is useful to be aware of these aspects to aid in your own progression. For example, in order to deliver lessons on using subject specific software, Media teachers must keep up to date with the latest programs and must also know how to use certain ones that are installed in that institution. Similarly, professional editors would keep track of the latest and greatest programs and become proficient in using them in needed. Task 8 Research, define and explain the following terms. • Training on the job & continuing professional development: Training on the job and continuing professional development is about updating your professional knowledge and improvement of your ability to improve your abilities to do your job efficiently. They are usually planned •

Self‐training: ________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

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Sources of information o Trade unions: A trade union is an organisation of workers who work together to achieve the same goals, for example achieving higher pay. o Sector Skills Councils: Sector Skills Councils are independent employer led organisations who aim to develop high quality skills standards. o Careers services: Career Services are trained professionals usually in universities they are there to give you advice and information from your initial careers choice to pointing out opportunities for you. They will help you in the right direction on the path to your future career.

Transferable skills and the hidden curriculum Throughout your lives, you have all picked up skills and knowledge from a range of places and you have then applied those skills and that knowledge when needed. The hidden curriculum is the term given to ‘lessons’, skills and abilities that you learn in particular classes that are then useful in other classes and situations. For example, a presentation in English requires you to communicate information clearly, project your voice and possibly answer questions at the end – skills which would be vital in an interview. Aside from benefiting from the ‘hidden curriculum’ you are also being exposed to functional skills. “Functional skills are those core elements of English, mathematics and ICT that provide individuals with the skills and abilities they need to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life, their communities and work. The functional skills standards are embedded in the revised programmes of study for English, mathematics and ICT. However, functionality within the curriculum is not limited to these subjects. The curriculum opportunities in the programmes of study for all subjects encourage working beyond the school and making links with other subjects and many key processes have the potential for functional skills development”. 3 Task 9 Identify the opportunities you have had in the courses that you are currently studying for developing your functional skills (English, mathematics and ICT). Subject Opportunities for functional skills English Maths ICT 1. Media I needed English skills for number of essays and presentations.

I needed Maths skills for a number of statistics.

I needed ICT skills for the editing of our videos and written work on the computers

2. Computing I needed English skills for I needed maths skills understanding the for the problem solving coding. and converting Binary and Hexadecimal

I Needed computer skills for knowing how computers work and how to program.

A number of written analysis and evaluations

Needed computer skills for editing photographs

3. Photography

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk