Careers Spotlight: Media

With Sky opening their first sound stage in Borehamwood within the next two weeks, Warner Brothers being in Leavesden and Sunset Studios planning on investing over £700 million in Broxbourne TV and film making is a growth industry in the local area.

When you talk about film and TV people always think about the stars in front of the camera, however there are a far greater number of people working behind the camera.  Jobs can vary from finance, design, set construction, location managers and special effects to mention just a few.  The link below will give your more information about the careers available in the film industry

Boosting your CV

So what is a CV?  CV is short for Curriculum Vitae and is a short document which summarises your unique skills, character, experience and achievements.  

For students it can feel difficult to know what to write as you haven't had the time to build up the experience that employers always seem to want.

In this section we will look at ways of making your CV stand out for future employers so you can get that dream job.  So far we have looked at  ideas such as attending after school clubs and work experience placements.  This month we consider professional and industry organisations

Professional organisations:

Most specialisations and industries have a professional body, normally an association or institute, which people with the appropriate background, experience or qualifications can join. What can you gain by joining such a body?  Is it worth the membership fee? Will it help your job search? Here are some of the potential benefits that membership can offer.

Professional Recognition

Most institutions have an assessment process that applicants must pass before they are granted membership. This means that, once you have demonstrated that you have the requisite experience, qualifications and skills, you may join the institution and add the appropriate letters to your CV and business card. Membership shows that you have reached a certain level of expertise in your profession, and adds to your credibility.  It also shows that you are serious about your career and professional development. But remember just being a card carrying member of an organization doesn’t mean that this will automatically produce results for you – and you need to analyse the different types of professional bodies or institutes and chose carefully – simply collecting post nominal accreditation when taken to extremes can work counter-productively too!!

Information and Advice

Many institutions have web sites offering members password protected access to industry news, surveys, reports, updates, career information, jobs, and details of events. Some, like the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), offer a comprehensive on-line research facility, with downloadable documents and publications, and a facility for answering questions you may have.

Networking Opportunities

Institutions may have regional networking and professional development events that you can attend, which can be useful for making new contacts and learning more about what’s happening in the sector. National expos and conferences also offer excellent networking and research opportunities. If you wish to raise your profile you can volunteer to join committees and help organise events.

As a recent school leaver you may be able to get a discount on joining these organisations.  Even if you do not join the organisation if you are able to refer to it in your application letter or interview it will show the interviewer that you care about the job and have researched the industry you want to work in, making you a more attractive candidate. 

The link below will help you put together your CV

Current Opportunities

This month there are opportunities from MDBA in Stevenage

MBDA Stevenage are hosting a careers open day on Saturday 23rd April. It would be a great opportunity to find out more about our early careers programmes and opportunities from current apprentices and graduates.