LO2 2.2 (Part 2) What do prospective employers want?
DIGITAL MEDIA VACANCIES
8 Different digital media vacancies and their required skills/qualifications.
Source website link.
SOCIAL MARKETING (Promoting the product).
Vacancy and 3 skills required for each-
1. Web design
Web designers are responsible for designing every detail of a website, from the ground up, so they must have skill in creativity and have an artistic nature to them, in order to create and maintain an interactive website.
Here are the 3 key skills that a web designer should have and why-
In order for the product to be able to meet the brief and also stand out above the competition, the web designer must be an imaginative person in order to be able to think of new ideas.
The website must have extreme attention to detail, so that the user interface is (1) usable and (2) fit for purpose.
The web designer should have the knowledge to be able to analyse the sites usage by the audience, including traffic, ad preferences etc.
2. Public relations and communications
Workers in public relations and communications are responsible for maintaining the public image of their company and also are responsible for communicating with customers in order to keep this image. Here are some key requirements;
The employee needs to have good presentation skills, so that all the content and demonstrations they do ensure that the company has a good overall image.
- Communication skills (orally and writing)
The communication skills are essential so that customers remain happy and engaged with their provider - any company that has a large customer base needs a good relations team to keep everything under control.
In order to ensure that the customer experience is as professional and reliable as possible, the employee needs to have patience and initiative in order to handle a large number of customer inquiries.
3. Online content development
A developer working in online content needs to be very knowledgeable and also skilled in the practices required to excel in the field. They would need to;
- Know the basics of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO is a vital area of understanding when working in online content development - the employee needs to be able to perform this in order to ensure that as much internet traffic goes into the online content as possible.
- Understand the target audience
In order to appeal to the target audience, a good understanding of it is needed so that the content can be pushed to the target audience, which will be identified by the client upon the pitch.
- Know key writing practices
Language is very important in any visual content, which is why the developer needs to know key writing practices, such as using the correct form of language, including grammar, punctuation etc. as well as having the correct purpose in mind.
4. Visual journalist
Visual journalism is when meaning is created through imagery and other visual content, such as fonts etc. The journalist needs to have key skills, such as the following;
Journalism requires a good deal of confidence, so that you can get information from people, in a professional way - which requires confidence so that people will respect and interact with you.
As a journalist, as well as confidence, you will need to be able to communicate with people of different interests, views etc. as well as possible, meaning you need to be skilled in communication.
Journalism can be a lot of work, meaning that you need to be passionate and enthusiastic in order to not get unmotivated or loose interest, otherwise you would not be able to do your job properly.
PRODUCTIONS (Creating the product)-
5. Audio/Video editor
An editor needs to be able to have the personal attributes that are required to work with their employer co-cooperatively so that the best possible outcome is achieved in their project. Here are some requirements...
In order to be able to work with timescales when editing and also make sure that projects are met within the required time-frame, time-management is essential for being an audio/visual editor.
- The ability to concentrate
Concentration is key, as there is usually a huge workload of content to edit - the schedule must be met, otherwise the budget plans are thrown out of the window.
- Passionate interest in film and video editing
As you would expect, an editor needs to have a passionate interest in what they are doing - this is a key requirement so that the outcome is a good one.
6. Camera crew/operator
These people are responsible for maintaining, controlling and co-ordinating the camera shots/movements and all the recording, before it goes to the editors for production.
- Technical knowledge of cameras
Being a professional member of a camera crew requires a good knowledge of how to use the equipment correctly and also have to follow the tasks, which are identified in the script.
The camera crew member needs to be able to move around as well as move the camera(s) around and stay on top of things, which requires multi-tasking, especially in big productions.
The member must be able to work in a team in order to be part of the crew - all crew members must work together seamlessly so that everything goes according to plan.
7. Art director
Responsible for being in charge of the art-side of the production, an art director needs to have the following personal and professional attributes;
As an artist, creativity is the key attribute that the art director needs in order to be able to manage a team.
- Excellent computer skills, such as design software packages
You need to be able to work with both physical AND digital methods of visual art - packages can include Adobe Creative Cloud, ProCreate etc.
- A thorough understanding of techniques
You must be able to have a broad knowledge of the best techniques available for the given situation.
8. Wardrobe staff
Similar to a fashion designer or fashion merchandiser, wardrobe staff need to be both skilled and knowledgeable in fashion and creativity. Here are some key, required, attributes for wardrobe staff-
As expected, the wardrobe must be well organised and set out for the actor/client, which means that staff must also be well organised.
Multitasking is required, similar to a camera operator, so that clients can switch costumes whenever necessary, as a contingency plan or just for a different scene.
As well as organisational skills, the staff must have a keen attention to detail in what they are doing. Costumes/equipment can easily be altered or damaged, which is bad for the budget plans.
DIGITAL MEDIA APPRENCTICESHIPS
There are a variety of apprenticeships available in digital media. An apprenticeship is a paid, part-time placement in a real business - you will usually be required to also attend a place of education at the same time, within the UK, such as a College or Sixth Form. This placement allows you to earn work experience, whilst also getting a source of income from it - this is needed so that you can get a sense of what life would be like within a real workplace in the industry of your choice.
EXAMPLES OF APPRENTICESHIPS, WITHIN MEDIA-
- Advertising/digital marketing
- Broadcast media/editing
- Film production
- Journalism
- Publishing
ADVANTAGES OF AN APPRENTICESHIP-
- Gain independence and respect.
- Earn while you learn.
DISADVANTAGES OF AN APPRENTICESHIP-
- High competition with other potential apprentices.
- You cannot access certain careers, if you decide to change course.
After you've done your apprenticeship, you can then move onto bigger careers, with better pay, experience and also have better opportunities within certain career paths than if you graduated university.
Best cities in Britain for apprenticeships in digital media-
Manchester, England, UK.
As the second largest city in Britain, Manchester is a bustling hub for apprenticeship opportunities. Since it is the fastest growing city in the union, it also has some of the best facilities, due to investment - such as Media City UK, the northern headquarters for the ITV and BBC, and a rapidly growing city centre. Manchester offers the best, mainly, in the production of media products, especially broadcasting.
Liverpool, England, UK.
Liverpool is home to the Baltic Triangle, the UK's leading technology district, which is within a short distance of the world-renown waterfront and docklands, of which there are over a hundred docks. Liverpool is a city bursting with character and has the fastest growing city centre of any UK city - over the past ten years it has grown by over twice as much. Liverpool offers great opportunities in tech and is also home to the online retailer Very.co.uk as well as the major retailers of B&M and Home Bargains.
London, England, UK.
London is one of the most major cities in the world, and the largest in Europe after Moscow. London is home to many major companies, such as the HSBC and also has the Pinewood Studios, the so-called Hollywood/Burbank of England, which means that London offers the most in terms of career opportunities in the country. Greater London is made up of 32 boroughs and is home to 14 million people, in addition to this is has over 1 million companies, meaning there are a vast amount of opportunities available.
As the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh is home to many large companies, such as Rockstar North - the developer of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, the parent company of Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive are headquartered in New York City. In addition, Edinburgh is also a major city for tourism, which can be tied into the design side of digital media.
Similar to the position of Edinburgh, Cardiff is the capital of its country and the headquarters of the Welsh media institutions, such as S4C and Cyw, which are the leading channels in the country of Wales, other than the English channels, such as BBC and ITV. Cardiff is a great city to get involved in media, similar to Manchester in the sense that it has some of the most major studios in the United Kingdom.
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