Media, Culture, Communication by LJMUCareers

Media, Culture, Communication CAREER INSIGHT

LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk

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Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

Introduction A degree in Media and Cultural Studies will provide you with a solid foundation of skills such as research, communication, problem solving, teamwork and independent working. You will gain a good understanding of contemporary society, new communication technologies and the media environment. It will prepare you for a career in the media, culture or communications industries, education, public and private sector organisations or lead to a range of postgraduate study options including vocational and academic programmes of study. Planning for your career and gaining experience throughout your course will benefit you when you graduate. Take advantage of work experience opportunities and networking events to develop your skills and help you decide what area you want to move into. Try and make links with people through your course and get involved with the wealth of creative activities in Liverpool and beyond to broaden your skillset and open up opportunities. You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn profile and follow relevant organisations through Twitter to keep up to date with opportunities and developments in the creative industries. Many employers use social media to post work experience opportunities so take advantage of using the sites to help you make links and find out more about what opportunities are out there.

Options with your degree Jobs directly related to your degree include:

Multimedia specialist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/multimedia_specialist_job_description.htm

Media planner http://www.prospects.ac.uk/media_planner_job_description.htm

Programme researcher http://www.prospects.ac.uk/programme_researcher_broadcasting_film_video_job_description.htm Public relations officer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_relations_officer_job_description.htm Runner: broadcasting/film/video http://www.prospects.ac.uk/runner_broadcasting_film_video_job_description.htm Television/film/video producer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/television_film_video_producer_job_description.htm

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Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

Jobs where your degree would be useful include: Advertising account executive http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advertising_account_executive_job_description.htm Broadcast journalist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/broadcast_journalist_job_description.htm Information Officer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/information_officer_job_description.htm Magazine journalist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/magazine_journalist_job_description.htm Market researcher http://www.prospects.ac.uk/market_researcher_job_description.htm Writer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/writer_job_description.htm

You may prefer to move away from the creative industries and look at roles in other sectors. Some that you could consider include:

Roles in marketing and PR: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_advertising_marketing_pr.htm http://www.getin2marketing.com/ http://www.cipr.co.uk/

Teaching: Options include teaching at primary, secondary, further or higher education level. Routes into teaching include the more traditional PGCE/PGDE university led programme, School Direct, SCITT or Teach First. Previous experience in a school setting is essential as well as a sound knowledge of the curriculum and education policies and issues. Further information on entry requirements, training and development can be found here: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/primary_school_teacher_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/secondary_school_teacher_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/further_education_lecturer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/higher_education_lecturer_job_description.htm

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Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

Entry requirements for Teach First are slightly higher: 

2:1 degree or above 300 UCAS points (or equivalent, excluding General Studies)

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A degree or A levels that satisfy the teaching subject requirements. More information on these can be found on the Teach First website: http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/recruitment/requirements/index.html.

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Grade C (or equivalent) in GCSE maths and English

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Flexibility to work anywhere within Teach First's seven regions

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Commitment for the duration of the two-year Leadership Development Programme

The suggestions listed here are by no means exhaustive so we would encourage you to consider other relevant options, e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area, e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Will you need to complete a postgraduate degree? Is any specific work experience required? We also recommend that you download our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careers website at http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. This includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning.

Main employers All occupational profiles listed on http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm include a section on typical employers and vacancy sources, so use these as a starting point to research potential employers within the career areas that interest you. However, previous students from this course have gone on to work for employers including Sky Sports, Liverpool Echo, Juice FM, The Everyman Theatre, National Museums and Galleries (Liverpool) and the BBC.

Useful links/websites:

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Media U.K: www.media.uk as it lists all newspapers, magazines, on line and broadcast media. Searchable by region.

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The Guardian: http://media.guardian.co.uk

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Your Creative Future: www.yourcreativefuture.org.uk Careers information aimed at students and graduates

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Careers Service Media Links: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitesmedia.htm Publishing, Journalism, Media and Music links.

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Department for Culture, Media and Sport: www.culture.gov.uk

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Creative Choices: www.creative-choices.co.uk information, advice and resources to help you build skills and find opportunities in the creative industries.

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Arts Hub: www.artshub.co.uk listing arts & creative jobs including internships/work experience.

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Regional Arts Boards of the Arts Council www.arts.org.uk

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© 2017. Liverpool John Moores University. The content of this document is copyright material of Liverpool John Moores University. No part of this document may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

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The North West Media Training Consortium: www.mtnw.co.uk

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Art, Culture, Media Jobs: www.artsculturemediajobs.com provides a general way of searching for agencies

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Indeed.co.uk: www.indeed.co.uk , search for creative jobs and location

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The Writers Guild of Great Britain: http://www.writersguild.org.uk/

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Periodical Training Council: www.ppa.co.uk/jobs-careers -and-training/the-periodicals-trainingcouncil-ptc/ provides advice and guidance on working in broadcast journalism

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The Book Seller: www.thebookseller.com includes a comprehensive job vacancy listing and links to other recruitment services

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The Publishers Association: www.publishers.org.uk the trade association provides information on the industry and job roles.

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Ideas Tap www.ideastap.com sign up to receive email updates on competitions, jobs and creative sector articles and insights.

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Prolific North www.prolificnorth.co.uk P.R & Media industry news and articles, job opportunities.

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Publishing News: www.publishingnews.co.uk the latest news and a job vacancy service

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The Looprevil Press: www.looprevilpress.co.uk if you want to get involved with student press and radio

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Transition traditions: www.transitiontradition.com Creative industries aimed at students and graduates.

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Creative times: www.creativetimes.co.uk/statics/about Creative Times is an on-line magazine for the creative community. Register to receive e-mail updates

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The Reader Organisation: http://www.thereader.org.uk/

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Broadcast Now (radio and television): www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Grapevine Jobs: www.grapevinejobs.com for jobs in broadcast, film and music.

General: 

LJMU Vacancy System – myjobsandplacements http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/

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Prospects – Careers information and graduate jobs – www.prospects.ac.uk

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TargetJobs - Careers information and graduate jobs – www.targetjobs.co.uk

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Online Directory of postgraduate courses in the UK: www.prospects.ac.uk/student/pgdir

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Milkround – graduate jobs, placements & internships - http://www.milkround.com/

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Get into Teaching: http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter: @LJMUCareers

@CreativeChoices

@mediavolt

@getintoteaching

@TeachFirst

Sources of work experience Gaining experience, whether it is through writing or in other areas of the creative industries, is really important. Networking is crucial and many contracts are filled through contacts and links with people who have worked together before. Download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at

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Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

University” from http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. LJMU has been managing a summer internship programme for Level 5 students in recent years, so keep an eye on your LJMU inbox for details of any opportunities.

Potential Work Experience Contacts list: Humanities and Social Sciences Students are sometimes unsure as to how to go about sourcing work experience opportunities. The Careers Team have put together an Arts Directory which contains a list of potential work experience contacts mainly in the Merseyside area. Another list of potential work experience positions, focusing on writing and journalism contacts and voluntary organisations offering community and social science experience, is available by contacting Careers Advisers Liz Harrison or Gary Douglas.

Liverpool Media Organisations A list of possible companies to approach for work based learning opportunities in Merseyside based production companies. The list should be viewed as a starting point and is not exhaustive. Please contact Liz Harrison or Gary Douglas for further details. Contacting media companies, publishers, schools, etc. directly at networking events, via email or through LinkedIn may lead to work experience. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the company and have spent some time finding what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in this industry, show the employer what you have to offer. Briefly outline the relevancy of your course. Look at the skills outlined above and try to discuss these in your CV, drawing on examples from your course and other work experience or extra-curricular activities to demonstrate these skills. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include http://www.do-it.org.uk/ and http://www.volunteeringliverpool.org.uk/. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer.

Recruitment schedules Creative writing positions come up as and when required. It is important that you network and engage with employers and utilise the websites and Twitter feeds above to find out about opportunities. Many other roles within the creative industries will be through small or medium sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of SMEs will recruit ‘as required’. They may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. Roles within public sector organisations, such as schools or museums, or creative organisations such as galleries, also recruit as required. However, it is more common to apply using an application form.

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Career Insight: Media Culture Communication

A comprehensive person specification is usually included in the advertisement. Each point in this has to be addressed within the personal statement section within the application form. If you decide to take a different path outside the creative industries you can look at graduate training schemes, many of which are open to graduates from any discipline. If you are interested in these roles you will need to be aware of the graduate recruitment cycle. Many recruiters begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final year students. Most closing dates are in November and December but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. Psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre will usually follow. You may also need to submit your CV. Always carefully read through the information in the ‘careers’ or ‘graduates’ section of the employer’s website. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser or you can attend workshops/webinar arranged by the Careers Team.

Key events and networking   

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Liverpool Careers Fair: usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for additional events Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/events/ for details Careers and Employability events at LJMU: Keep an eye on our events pages at https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/ for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks. You might be interested in the “Pursuing a career in clinical psychology” session we usually run once per semester. LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://ljmu.unioncloud.org/groups#club-society LinkedIn: You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account (http://www.linkedin.com/) to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry

Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship supports students and graduates who want to set up their own businesses. Whether you want to develop a new business idea, work as a freelancer or launch a product or service, the Centre for Entrepreneurship can help. To book a place at one of their free workshops or a confidential business advice session with one of their business advisers, call 0151 231 3300 or visit their website https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup/

CAREER ZONES Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages or call 0151 231 2048/3719.

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