The Struggle Is Real - Your Guide To Working In Media
- Satema Tarawally
- Jan 30, 2016
- 4 min read
The struggle is real
I have always wanted to be a TV presenter then whilst I was at university I developed a passion for production. I finished university and I was ready! My lecturers had told me numerous times they would hire me in a heartbeat, so obviously I was ready to get straight into work! But the work never came. After three months of aggressively applying for TV and Radio jobs I decided I would extend my search to retail and catering because unemployment was getting a little too real.
One year, three months, one graduation, four jobs, and one radio show later I got my first paid job in TV. PRAISE THE LORD!!! Now although I am still far from achieving my goals as being the next Oprah, I think it’s important to share my advice (Learning from experience) with you people who aren’t luckily enough to know someone in the industry or to walk straight out of education and have a job waiting for you.
Be prepared to work!
Since finding my dream job didn’t quite happen as quickly as I hoped (and asking your parents for money at 22 can be embarrassing) I had to get myself a job, Most of these jobs were pretty soul destroying, no one really takes seriously and worst of all they made my feet hurt, my ankles hurt, and my head hurt. I made a conscious decision to not get a full time job, this wasn’t because I had a great part time job that that paid loads trust me I was broke, kind of miserable and often tired BUT what it did do was give me time to do things that would actually HELP me in the industry that I knew I wanted to be a part of. That brings me to my next point...
2. Be prepared to work for free
In the year I wasn’t working I became a regular face and voice at a radio station although it didn’t pay it gave me a wealth of experience, a chance to meet and befriend other people in the industry and gain numerous job opportunities. I had to spend a lot of time at the radio station to make the most of it. There are lots of great places like this that will offer you work experience or unpaid work or media training TAKE IT! It may be hard doing so much work for free but it’s great for your CV and you never know they may even start paying you. Having experience is a great way to impress someone reading your cv and volunteering and charity work is even better it shows you are willing to work hard so don’t let the making no part put you off.
3. There’s no shame in asking
I can only speak on the TV industry but nepotism is real, everyone has heard the phrase’ it’s not what you know it’s WHO you know’ well its true a lot of people started their careers because they knew someone who put a word in for them, I’m not saying this is bad thing if I knew anyone who worked in the media please believe I would have gone to them. This means if you don’t know anyone in the creative industries you need to get to know them. How? NETWORK! Your friend mentions in passing that her uncle works for a company you love? ASK if you can send him an email and meet for a coffee! One chat can start your whole career. Networking events are also a great way to start your career look out for things happening that will have people in the industry attending, this could be your chance to have a conversation to change your life! Get their numbers and their emails! People are always willing to give you advice and guidance and you should always be willing to take it.
In between you working and volunteering it’s easy to forget that you’ve not reached your goals yet. DO NOT STOP APPLYING! Keep your CV updated, email all those people who asked or casually mentioned to you that they may know something great for you if you are still searching for a job. Some companies run year long internships that are always searching applicants. Trust me I know it can be disheartening constantly being rejected or even worse being completely ignored. Being a creative is difficult- super difficult. So don’t let the rejections of the complete silence get you down, just keep trying be positive, smile, get up every day, keep busy remember one day someone will see all the potential you see in yourself. (But remember they will only see it if YOU see it!)
To parahrase Robert De Niro being a creative menas
“You’re opening a door to a lifetime of rejection… Your path is clear, you have to keep working.”
Here is the rest of Robert’s speech he speaks more sense than me.
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