Building a career in the media industry can be satisfying and rewarding. It can also be an enduring option in an age where other areas of the job market are impacted by a lot of uncertainty.
However, this is also an incredibly competitive field. You need to go above and beyond if you want to stand out from the crowd and climb the ladder to a more prominent position.
With that in mind, here are a few tips that you can follow if you want to help your media career flourish faster.
Work with the right employers
When looking for a full-time position, get to know as much as you can about each of your prospects. Ask about their company culture and how they support employees. Dig into their answers to find out how they help employees achieve their career goals and the training opportunities they provide.
You should also be on the lookout for employers that equip their team members with success resources, rather than them them to putting it in your own hands. That might mean using media planning tools to make sure that projects run smoothly, or giving you access to the IT hardware, software and infrastructure necessary to fulfill your responsibilities.
Network, network, network
Working in media may be a disheartening reality, but who you know matters more than most elements of your personal profile. If you want to excel, you need to become a networking master, especially if you do not have a network through your family or education.
Thankfully, networking has never been easier thanks to the proliferation of social media. Even if you aren’t a LinkedIn master or an effective Instagram or Twitter user, you can still use these services to get your name out there. You can also use these platforms to connect with people who are in a position to further your career goals.
Listen to feedback and accept rejection
Being confident in your abilities is obviously important, but it is also necessary to not overestimate what you can achieve. It’s important that you are willing to listen to feedback from colleagues, clients and senior team members.
This also feeds into the essential truth that comes with a career in the media; rejection is part and parcel of the job. You need to learn to accept that critique and constructive criticism is inevitable. If you can learn to take away something positive, you will go further in your career.
Build your skills
If you feel like your career is stagnating or you’ve hit a plateau, be proactive and make positive changes. Don’t blame outside factors for the reason you’re not where you want to be.
Developing new skills, whether as part of your existing role or through media training workshops and education, will make you more attractive to current and prospective employers. It could also unlock your own creativity and even set you off down an entirely different career path.
The media is diverse. You can expand your understanding of the latest marketing technologies and tactics. You can also investigate the possibilities provided by anything from visual effects to app development. These skills will serve you well going forwards.
Ultimately, you should focus on what works best for you for enhancing your media career and making you satisfied.
