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Learning new skills for any job function can be unnerving and the media industry is no exception. Fortunately for media hopefuls there are basic skills that apply consistently across the divide, although certain additional skills may be desirable depending on the type of media job being targeted. Thanks to the expansion and diversification that technology has brought, the field is now easier to break into than ever before for entry-level candidates and for those transitioning into a new career.
 
Expertise in technology is gold, as so-called “new media” skills like blogging, podcasting, online videographing, and other Web 2.0 trends are changing the face of the industry. On-the-job experience is invaluable, but by utilizing tech skills picked up in college classes or internships, a job candidate will be able to hit the ground running and even gain an edge over the competition.

“Hopefully, they’re making the time to dabble,” said Alan J. Kirkpatrick, an internship director for the University of Colorado at Boulder. “A student, who in the past may have been happy with writing experience and working his way up the ladder, might now spend some time in front of the microphone or maybe do a little work in public relations as well as news.”

At the very least, entry-level media professionals should demonstrate that they have a propensity for embracing technology, even if they lack real-world job experience using it. It may be as simple as maintaining a respectable online presence by creating Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Believe it or not, recruiters and hiring managers are mining these web networking sites for standout job candidates, according to Pam Claughton, senior-level marketing and technology recruiter for Custom Search Group, Inc.

“Have contact information easily accessible and a dedicated e-mail that is used for all job search communication,” Claughton said, adding that the best e-mail option is for job seekers to use their full name at the e-mail services of Google, Yahoo, or any large well-know provider. “This is professional and easy to track,” she said.

Skills typically associated with most media jobs include research, fact-checking, communicating, interviewing, proofreading, and editing. While these aptitude measurements will always be extremely relevant, they can be developed over time. Few people expect entry-level professionals to perform as well as seasoned industry veterans, and most employers will grant a learning curve. Of course, this is where internships can help a person get a head start – not only in developing proficiency and skillfulness, but in gathering real-world information to supplant potentially outdated classroom notions about a rapidly changing industry.  

“They’re there to give students with different abilities different ways to become competent,” Kirkpatrick said of internship opportunities. “Young communications professionals tend to be very limited in terms of what they’ve experienced and seen.

“Part of it is making yourself become more knowledgeable about the profession, so you are then more knowledgeable about the jobs in the profession, so then you learn how to get those jobs, and then you get motivated,” he said.

And motivation is a key factor. Both Claughton and Kirkpatrick agree that entry-level media job candidates must be proactive. Networking, cold-calling, and job shadowing all show initiative and get a person’s face and name in front of the right people. Furthermore, all three can lead to real-world experience that is resume-worthy – even if it’s not exactly prestigious. Claughton, whose first media job involved typing up obituaries and wedding announcements at a newspaper, has placed countless entry-level candidates into positions like editorial assistant.

“The saying, ‘Cream rises to the top,’ is very true,” she said. “I’ve seen it over and over again. People who come in with a humble attitude, a willingness to work hard, come in early, stay late, take on work that no one else wants and do it with a smile – these are the people who move up in companies. Someone who is enthusiastic and hard-working, who is personable and promotable and has a ‘get it done’ attitude – this is what an employer wants.”  

So perhaps the most important media jobs skills have nothing at all to do with the written or spoken word. Entry-level candidates can travel far with a strong work ethic, a humble awareness of personal limitations and a knack for working around those weaknesses.

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