7.

4 Know about employment opportunities and job roles in the

media sector.
Chosen media sector Id like to pursue would be something within
journalism, writing magazines in relevance to fashion, travel, preferably
both multitasking and working freelance to obtain a better opportunity to
succeed in this sort of work.

Task 1 Employment Opportunities

Freelance
Freelance A freelance worker is a term used for a person who is selfemployed and is not committed to a particular employer long term.
Freelancers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary
agency resells freelance labor to clients. Most work independently or use
professional associations or websites to find work.
Freelancing in the media is important, as it is a big advantage because of
the freedom it gives. They arent bound to a desk or have an allocated
time schedule everyday. In media a freelancer can do many different
projects that you may not be able to receive on staff full-time. The work
they do often differs and they have the ability to travel and sped more
time on projects.
The main advantages of being a freelancer are financial benefits; they can
receive double or triple that of a full time employee, they are paid higher
rates due to the flexible nature of the relationship and the projects
received can be relatively short-term, or contracts/assignments can last
for years. Depending on individual skills and the state of industry (market
chosen) you can command very high rates of pay. Freelancers can also
work for multiple clients at the same time, on many different projects,
which can also increase pay.
Flexibility is also a main advantage as a freelancer as in effect, you are
your own boss, and they have the ability to be far more independent than
full time employees. Freelancers have the freedom to work when and
where they choose (depending on available projects). The companies
freelancers work for are not employers but instead are clients which a
whole different relationship, it will be a more equal relationship rather than
less as a member of staff.
Skill developments as a freelancer means that the work in different roles
and different companies will help build a unique range of skills and
experience, it also gives the ability to build up a wide-ranging CV and
establish an extensive list of reference contacts. Freelancing also gives the
opportunity to test out other industry sectors to widen the experience.
Freelancers also tend to gain a really good insight into different company
cultures, processes, operations and structures. A good freelancer will then
be known within their own field for their work and services become
sought-after, rather than having to pitch for new projects and contracts all
the time.
No commute in freelancing means working from home eliminates daily
commute to and from the office, saving hours in travel time and the

expenses of parking, fuel and car maintenance. Finding a remote office

away from home also eliminates costs as you can choose a location that is
convenient and close to home.
Alongside all the advantages there are also many disadvantages to
working as a freelancer in media, this include things such as;
No steady or reliable workloads which means that the work and income
gained and done are unstable and inconsistent, there isnt a dependency
on a regular project, client or profit, whereas if working a job that has set
hours. This also means that you could have a period of time where you
continuously have clients and jobs to work on but there will also be times
it will die out but resume again or die out all together.
As you are your own boss distinguishing between work and personal time
can also be a struggle, as youre working from home or chosen place of
work it can be difficult to distinguish between work time and personal
interests/life. A lot of long hours could be solely spent on work never
making time or personal commitments or it can be the other way round
and too much time is spent on your personal interests rather than finishing
a job off. Isolation can also be a big part of working on your own, as a
freelancer means without employees, there is not interaction with
management, staff or other employees. Although networking involvement
in professional and social media and associations can relive the isolation.
A lot of legwork is required as you are now in charge of finding all your
own clients and projects, you must learn to manage variable workloads
and balance multiple competing priorities and deadlines. Whereas working
a normal full time job where projects are handed to you, its is now your
responsibility to find jobs for you which is a lot of legwork on your part.
Multitasking might be involved to get you started; including marketing,
advertising and sales.
Payment is also a big risk in freelancing; workload and income can vary
month to month and can be difficult to predict, particular in early stages of
business, large swings in income can make budgeting difficult. Risk of not
getting paid is also fairly common in the freelance world. This causes you
to have more workload if a client doesnt succeed in paying you, which
results in you being a debt collector. There are ways to stop non-paying
clients but sometimes you wont realize until its too late.
No employer benefits are given as a freelancer, health benefits are
expensive and depending on your current health, switching to a freelance
lifestyle might not be in your best interest. Freelancing also means there
are no longer sick days or vacation time to use, every day you choose not
to work is another day you dont get paid and malpractice or professional
liability insurance can be costly.
Ethical considerations in freelancing must also be sought out as
freelancing in the legal industry carries practical and ethical implications.
Unauthorized practice of law, client disclosure and consent, confidentiality
and data security issues and the need to perform thorough conflict checks
must be done.
Freelancing in my chosen media sector could easily be done, as I chose
journalism starting a business on my own would be hard but not
impossible. Knowing experienced freelancers that have worked on their

own for a few years would be beneficial and an investment to talk to them
for their insight and experience. Joining email discussion groups for
freelance journalism is also a great way of receiving useful tips but posting
questions about how to get work or names of independent commissioning
editors would get me nowhere.
Journalism.co.uk runs a freelance database with over 300 members and
perks such as a branded email address
yourname@freelancejournalism.com - and freelancejournalism.com group
that have over 2,000 subscribers.
Training courses can also be taken through journalism.co.uk, which cover
all areas of journalism.
Already having a website/personal portfolio, which I currently have, is also
very beneficial as it shows the world around me what I can do and what
Ive learnt. It gets my name around and is a small step towards being a
freelancer in journalism. Albeit it is solely down to whom you know, getting
everyone Id personally know to spread the word could also lead into
someone knowing someone who is experienced.

Multi-skilling
The use of multi-skilling in media is important as it gives a single
employee multiple skill-sets; this promotes workers who have a range of
skills or knowledge for working on several different projects, this increases
productivity and cuts the bottom line for companys which dont have to
hire additional personnel to do other jobs another employee has been
trained or is skilled to do. An example of this would be if you were skilled
in sound but also video editing, youd have an advantage in film making
as you could edit the film footage and add the sound as you have both
skills required, this equals more pay but also more work at the same time.
In my chosen media sector, journalism, there are many uses of multiskilling. Nowadays journalism students are being taught to record, edit and
write up their own interviews, for broadcast or online. As a media student I
havent specifically studied journalism but I have done many projects
during my course that is similar to ones required for journalism and skills
that require me to multi-skill especially in journalism. Examples of this
would be the video/editing skills I have acquired alongside my radio/sound
knowledge, which would allow me to edit anything Id like to broadcast.

Voluntary
In my chosen media sector, journalism, there are many ways of
volunteering; this is a useful way to gain more experience which can be
added on to my CV for future references. An example would be going to a
local charity and making a website for them which would explain the
charity and what their goals are and what they achieve. This would most
likely be at no cost but will give a step forward to a section of journalism.
This can also lead into bigger jobs etc, if the work produced meet beyond
expectations.

Recruitment
http://www.transcend-marketing.co.uk/ - One of the many websites in my
area that offer a chance to go into my chosen sector, journalism. Its based

on digital marketing that offer a range of services to help business make a

digital impact.

http://www.e-creation.co.uk/ - Another website that is another recruitment

website in my area that offers a chance in my chosen media sector. Again
based on Digital design, offering clever design for digital marketing.
http://ascesismedia.com/about/ - Last website that is a recruitment site
around my area specializing in social media marketing. It gives the
opportunity of going into many different aspects of media. Examples of
this are; Graphic design, animation, digital art, print media etc.

Networking

Networking in the media is very important; especially in a generation

where technology has evolved so much it surrounds us. Networking opens
up so many opportunities to get your name across the web, to be heard
about and to promote what you have to offer. Media is essentially driven
by the use of technology, benefits of this is that the development of internetworking has allowed greater political, social comment and discussion
globally.
Marketing is more powerful if a business can keep their name in front of an
audience on a regular basis and social networking, such as Facebook and
Twitter is an effective marketing tool to do so.
Networking can be done through many different social networking sites.
These include the most obvious like having a Facebook Page for the
business which many individuals will have access to no matter what age.
Twitter is another social network that would promote the business or
anything that you wish more people would see globally.
Other less obvious ways are to make simple websites promoting the
business or to make a portfolio etc, and create chat sites so that people
can get involved and speak their minds, which usually create good
conversation or controversy.
Networking doesnt always mean socially, talking to people and building
relationships is also a form of networking. University/College is a way of
networking through lecturers, tutors and pupils around; you never know
who people know which could help later on. Attending events through
University and College such as exhibitions are a way of networking and
expanding contacts. Family Friends will know people that know people etc.
Mainly now and in the future networking will be more popular through
social networking sites because its a form of networking all ages know
how to use and nowadays its easier to do so because like I said its
everywhere.

Social Media Presence

A strong media presence for companies is more important now than ever,
this is because it keeps them in contact with demands of what customers
are looking for and what they say about the business or product. It gives
them a competitive edge when they have a strong relationship between
the business and customers which helps drive their growth. It also
connects other companies with each other, social media has gone much
further than just connecting friends and almost any information wanted
can be gained, including information about competitors.
Social media is a growing revolution, a new way of establishing
relationships and getting products for the world to see.
Facebook Over 890 million daily active users, with these numbers
Facebook is the third largest population (behind China and India.) Ignoring
social networks can be a costly mistake to businesses especially when
72% of consumers are engaged with brands because of Facebook. Social
media such as Facebook is a key element in assisting consumers in their
decision making process.

Twitter - 271 million active users, 600 million daily searches and 10 billion
tweets, establishing itself as a critical element to any business. Twitter
allows any company to stay in the loop with what people are saying
whether directly or indirectly. Link building is commonly needed as the
more the company/website etc is mentioned the higher the page rank and
presence will be with major search engines, and when a tweet goes viral
you receive many links and unique page views.
Youtube 3 billion video views per day, 70% of its traffic originates outside
the USA making it more global, an excellent place for marketers to find
consumers. Companies can host their own channel for their business
allowing centralization of all online location for any related videos related
to the product or service.
Instagram 300 million worldwide user base, marketers got excited when
first studies indicated that the audience used Instagram for shopping,
users shared product photos with friends, commenting, liking and getting
opinions.
LinkedIn 101 million members including executives from every fortune
500 company. Creating LinkedIn Answers builds presence and credibility in
their field, also finding experts and develop relationships.

Task 2 Job Roles in your chosen media sector.

Fashion Journalism this consists of published fashion media, fashion
writers, critics and reporters, featured in magazines or newspapers and
may include books about fashion and any related reports on TV or online
websites and blogs.
Work in fashion journalism is quite varied; typical jobs would be writing or
editing articles. Most time is spent researching and conducting interviews
and knowing good contacts with people in the fashion industry is essential
including photographers, designers and public relations specialists. Most
fashion journalists are either employed full-time by a publication or are
freelancers.

Routes into fashion journalism would be completing an internship that

could turn into a professional position or if not successful can become
freelance. Other options include a cover letter, professional CV and several
clips sent to a contact person at each publication of interest.

Magazine Journalist research and the writing of news articles and

features for a wide variety of publications. It can cover a range of skills
such as writing, interviewing, sub-editing and designing.
Freelance journalists spend time networking and building up relationships
with publications and their staff. Self-employed freelancers also need to
negotiate their own rates, bookkeep and be self-motivated. They must
pitch ideas to interested publications and constantly secure new work.

Routes into magazine journalism is very high, large magazine publishing

houses are mainly based in London and South east but there are also
many specialist magazines all over the country.
Freelance basis is also an option with the experience, to progression can
be to an editing position or moving into another area such as newspaper
journalism.
Useful links for vacancies were;
http://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/publishing/ https://www.journalism.co.uk/
http://www.ppajobs.co.uk/

Task 3 Professional Development

University Courses I can undertake to help build my experience and gain
more insight and leverage in my chosen media sector, journalism are;
Bournemouth University Multimedia Journalism BA (Hons)
The course offers me multi-disciplinary training in TV, radio, newspaper,
magazine and online journalism. Theyre enhanced by the traditional
benefits of an academic education and the course has close contact with
leading journalists, editors and professional training bodies.
Practical work is project based with students writing newspaper and
magazine copy and producing radio and television bulletins and packages
to industry standard and deadlines.
The course produces imaginative graduates able to produce
news and features for TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and online
publications. Recent graduates are now journalists on magazines,
newspapers, radio and television including national
newspapers, CNN and the BBC.

For 2015 & 2016 entry: 300 to 320 tariff points, from 3 A-levels including
120 points from one specified A-level (determined by our academic and
admissions team, from the A-levels you are studying), or equivalent
qualifications. BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM. Relevant subjects needed
are English Language and English Literature. The course doesnt accept Alevel General Studies, and requires a minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent at
grades
A*
to C
including
Maths
and
English
or

equivalent qualifications.

University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion -A further away

University specializing in Fashion Journalism.
The course offers me a unique cultural theory within fashion journalism. It
is multidisciplinary framework for independent study that leads to an
original body of written and/or visual work. The course aims to develop
highly articulate and aware fashion commentators who have sound
research ability and strong written and visual communication skills.
Entry requirements are an honors degree at 2.1 or above in a related
discipline. Applicants with a degree in another subject may be considered,
depending on the strength of the application or Equivalent qualifications or
Relevant and quantitative industrial experience for a minimum of three
years. Selection for interview will be made on the basis of your application,

including the personal statement, the reference, and the supporting

written statement
Enhancing Degree/job prospects;
CV- A CV is something to send prospective employers, advertising
yourself, it contains personal details as well as previous work experience,
education and qualifications and key skills. These all enhance degree/job
prospects as the more interesting the CV is the more employers and
people are going to notice.
Personal Website Opposite to a resume, a personal website is a way of
creating a place to advertise and differentiate yourself. Its dynamic and
always changing, the moment youve accomplished something new it can
be added to the website. It gives you leverage as you are more findable
once you start getting your name out.
Portfolio Portfolios are said to be your identity whether created online or
traditionally (hardcopy). Its a way of showing employers or the World
Wide Web what skills you have and what youve put them in use of, it
shows the work created and what you can and have achieved.
Blog - In the digital age, its easier than ever to get opinions in front of a
wider audience. Whatever your interests, setting up and maintaining a
successful blog dedicated to them takes commitment, and admissions
tutors and employers recognize that. Running a blog devoted to a subject
youre passionate about is also an excellent way of demonstrating your
enthusiasm and actively partaking in discourse on that subject.
Social Media Presence Having different forms of social networks creates
and builds web pages and contacts to share content and communicate. It
gives the opportunity to get your name across and get insight anything in
relation to your interests etc.
ICT - Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) education the
teaching of current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills
around computing and communications devices, software that operates
them, applications that run on them and systems that are built with them,
especially in an era were technology is always growing and expanding. In
virtually all modern businesses and industries and in modern society in
general, ICT has key strategic roles. It is strategically important to develop
citizens and workers who can competently and efficiently operate and add
value in these systems and environments.
Maths - Maths is a universal part of human culture. It is the tool and
language of engineering and other sciences physics, computing, biology
etc. It helps us recognise patterns and to understand the world around us.
Maths plays a vital, often unseen, role in many aspects of modern life, for
example, Safeguarding credit card details on the internet, Business
decision making etc. As society becomes more technically dependent,
there will be an increasing requirement for people with a high level of
mathematical training.

English - English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it
is the official language in a large number of countries. It is the dominant
business language and it has become almost a necessity for people to
speak English if they are to enter a global workforce, research from all
over the world shows that cross-border business communication is most
often conducted in English. Its importance in the global market place
therefore cannot be understated.

Task 4 Professional Behavior

Reliability 8, examples of this undertaken through my course would be
when there have been group projects and Ive been assigned something
only I will do, my other group members are relying on me to get that done
and Ive always gone through and never let them down.
Attendance and Punctuality 9, I have barely missed college days only
taking a couple of days off one term due to being very ill, last term I was
one of the only people to still have 100% attendance.
Commitment 7, if I enjoy a project or am encouraged to do it I will be
very committed to completing the work
Efficiency 6, not always have I been efficient in work undertaken or work
consecutively handed in
Contribution to team projects 8, I have always contributed in any team
project undertaken
Time Management 4, awful use of time management resulting in late
submissions of work
Personal Responsibilities 6, I have always taken care of my personal
responsibilities
Communication 9, I have no problem communicating with fellow peers or
lectures, I listen when Im needed to and can write fluently.
For both Ambers it mainly comes down to the red highlighted area which is
time management in which I will have to seriously improve on by being
more organized and essentially planning out my time of day and making
sure that any work will be done before deadline and make it a priority.