What jobs are in the media industry?

Where is the best place (online or offline) to look for graduate jobs in Australia's media/design industry?

• Graduating at the end of this year, and have started to look at sits such as seek, jobs, monster etc. but all of the jobs there seem to require at least 1-3 years experience.

• Answer:

  This is a common question to which there is no simple answer. All job sites will typically require at least one year experience which tends to make people wonder how you're supposed to get any experience if everyone requires at least a year. As a design graduate you will need to get 'creative' with your approach. Before rushing into a career I would take a step back and question what you really want. Most people think they want a job after graduating because it feels like the logical next step. It doesn't have to be, and in fact, I don't believe it should be. Depending on the specific stream of media/design you would like to work in my advice would vary, but I will do my best to provide a general answer. There are several approaches to getting a job and 'bypassing' the experience requirement. Freelance for a year while developing your skills, folio and network. Start your own business (it doesn't have to be profitable) and once you have  established a brand that looks successful and developed your folio start applying for jobs as a 'business owner' not a graduate. The sad truth is that employers will not take graduates seriously, even if their work is good. The benefit of taking one of the above approaches is that you are able to develop yourself professionally while you establish some credibility in your field. You are also not limited to your own skill set in this set up, if you end up collaborating or outsourcing projects while managing them you are still able to include these in your folio and will be credited for the work. The above two paths also communicate to your potential employers that you are not just another designer as they allow you to demonstrate; Initiative Management skills Communication skills Networking skills Technical skills + a lot more business and professional skills that creative types generally don't have. As a graduate all you are really able to communicate are your technical skills and unfortunately, most graduate folios are not suitable for employment purposes. Not because the work isn't good but because it is inconsistent and generally doesn't communicate the ability to fulfil a real client brief. More often than not a graduating folio is a mismatch of experimentation and different techniques (not concepts) which is not inspiring for potential employers. Not being able to get a job after graduating was a blessing in disguise for me. Consider the below; If I had been able to get a job after graduating in the field of graphic design or web I would have started as a junior on between 24 - 30k. After two years I would be lucky to be on 38k and I still wouldn't have a much more exciting position (especially if I did my job as a technician well.) I would also be working 40+ hours a week doing uninspiring non-creative work. I wouldn't have the opportunity to explore or demonstrate any leadership qualities. I started my own business through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme which is a government program. They pay approximately 12k for your first year of business, put you through a short business course for free and provide you with a business mentor for a year. In my second year of business I was poached by an advertising agency and became the general manager and partner there for a period of time on a very high income. The relationship didn't suit me so I went back to running my own business. This meant less money for me in exchange for absolute freedom. I am able to travel and am currently running my business remotely from Stockholm, Sweden. I can get by on working less than 15 hours a week if I have to. Or I can work a lot more and receive rewards relative to my investment. I have unique goals that are driven by lifestyle and freedom, not money, but if I wanted a job and wanted more money I could apply for senior positions as successful business owner. If I had landed a job after graduating I wouldn't have that luxury. If the above sounds too complicated then I would suggest developing your folio and attending networking events. The more friends you make in the industry the more opportunities you have to demonstrate your expertise and credibility which would hopefully lead to a job. I realise that I haven't in fact answered your question at all, but I hope this helps. Mark Lipert