Careers in media are some of the most attractive, interesting and competitive. The list of job profile related to media is very diverse and so are the requirements and specifications for those jobs. Still the five points given below hold true for most if not all media jobs and you will do well to keep them in mind if you are considering making a career in media job.
- Experience
Most if not all good media related jobs require experience. In the beginning of your career you will, mostly likely, only get jobs with low pay and long hours. In the phase of your career your primary objective should be to gain experience in your chosen field. Do not hesitate to take jobs with low pay scale if there is opportunity to gain experience and new skills. Once you have some experience and exposure in the field, your chances of getting a good job would increase significantly.
- Education
The careers related to media are highly competitive and having a good education and preferably a degree from a well recognized college or university will stand you good instead when searching for media jobs. For success in a media career you should plan ahead and find out about the reputed colleges and courses that are right for the media job you are considering pursuing.
- Practice
To excel in your chosen career you should practice and keep your skills sharp. This is true in for most careers in general but especially in case of media careers where the competition is usually very tough. If you are interested in print journalism you should write daily. What you write is less important than the fact that you write. Also read what you have written and see how you can improve your writing.
If you are in TV/Radio or some other form of multimedia, you can practice and record your performance and review it later. See what you like in your performance and the things that can use some improvement. It's always better to get second opinion and invite a friend or colleague to criticize your performance. You should always be open to and welcome constructive criticism.
- Persistence
To be successful in a media job is not an easy task. This requires hard work and persistence. Also the rewards, at least in the beginning are relatively low. To be successful you must be persistent and never give up. Keep improving your knowledge base and learn new things. Take whatever opportunities are available to you and keep looking for new and better opportunities.
Also, most media jobs require knowledge of a number of fields. You cannot focus on a single field and expect to be successful in a media job. You should develop a habit of reading daily and improve your knowledge of different fields.
- Focus on a Job
Media is a very diverse field that encompasses a number of job profiles. For a successful career in media job you should decide early and focus on a particular job profile. The job profiles related to media include copy writers, graphic designers, public relation officer, Radio / TV producer, Web editor etc. A lot of them need different sets of skills and knowledge. Choosing a job profile early will allow you extra time to develop the skills specific to a particular job.
The five career advices listed above can provide important guidance in the beginning of your media career, and would be useful later in your career as well.
