Consider all of the different job titles that exist today in media-related fields. There is director of content development, multimedia writer, cable television production assistant, website designer, search engine optimization specialist, graphic designer, animator, search engine marketing specialist, radio producer, director of photography, music video director, television producer, journalist, web content writer, web editor, JavaScript programmer, video game developer, news analyst, broadcast technician, audio technician, cable program director, copywriter, public relations specialist, media buyer, market research executive, publicist, director of new media, telecommunications director, wireless network administrator, video editor, audio engineer, news analyst, photo imaging specialist, computer games developer, interactive media manager, and literally hundreds of others.
Many of these careers didn't even exist 50 years ago, and that's great news for creative types. But creative careers are also incredibly competitive, and it can be difficult to break into the field. Beyond getting a degree in your specialty, how do you make yourself more marketable, especially in a struggling economy?
There are certain things you can do:
1. Create a portfolio of your work.
Depending on the type of media you aspire to create or the area you want to work in, this may or may not be a traditional portfolio. It could be a DVD of a computer game you created or a music video you conceptualized and directed working with a local band. Whatever it is, it shows prospective employers several things: you've got raw talent, you're willing to take the initiative to create a body of work to showcase what you can do, and you're serious about your career plans.
2. Seek out creative projects, even if they aren't paying ones initially.
Most writers got started out writing free for non-profits or fledgling magazines. It's the same with photographers who began by taking photos of their relative's children and their friends' weddings. But there is great value in pursuing your creative endeavor even if you don't get paid at first. By volunteering your services to a local non-profit, you get the experience you need to put on your resume, learn important things about what it really means to work in the field, and can generate samples for your portfolio. It also shows your altruistic side, which is never a bad thing.
3. Study your field of choice with a passion.
If you want to be a music video director, study music videos with a determination to learn all that you can. Pay attention to all of the different elements like lighting, photography, choreography, video, etc.; take notes; watch music videos constantly in all musical genres; read books about the subject; buy DVDs you can watch about the making of a music video; and do anything else you can think of to learn, learn, learn. Jot down your own innovative ideas and make plans for what you could do with a similar project of your own.
Creative opportunities abound and will continue to grow as new media continue to be introduced and existing media evolve. It's the ''go getters'' out there who have the talent, passion, and determination to succeed who will get the dream jobs. One of them could be you, if you get as creative with your desire to get hired as you do with your particular creative genre.
