Unit 1. Creative Media Sector Employment

1.1-1.3
 The creative media industry is a large work sector, filled with jobs that range from teaching music to photography, to simply working front-of-house. Within these roles are varying degrees of flexibility and status, these are the differences of employment that govern the nature of the roles and work provided, and I will give examples on what I have learnt thus far.

Employment:-

Employment is a common form of status, usually when contracted to work on specific jobs. The employer them selves sort out and pay the employee's taxes, his salary, and his holidays. Typically setting there own times for breaks, adhering to common work-place law.

(Source: Sound Technician, full time employment for a digital editing company.)

An example of the terms of reliability and varying roles regarding employment in Creative Media.

Self-Employment:-

Working hours, breaks, holidays are self-chosen, though no sick pay is given, nor is holiday pay. You are also expected to pay your own taxes and expenses, less rights than regular employment, but similar to it.

(Source: Self employed Camera Operators, working on a production for a university.)

Often considered as having less rights, a wide degree of jobs in the creative media sector are self employed titles, usually for years at a time, or shorter periods.

Freelance:-

Freelance workers are expected to pay their own taxes, work on demand client based hours, set their own wages, and most importantly find the work on their own through various means, using high profile jobs to promote their work.

(Source: Freelance Landscaping photographer, working on behalf of customer request.)

The majority of creative media workers end up freelance, more often than not. This is because the demands for the specialist skills gained are catered towards finding the specific role/work on their own

Volunteers:-

Volunteers are considered free labour. The benefits of such are free experience on the job and communication with people who can give references and possible employment. No taxation, and there are few to no holidays at all. Usually these positions are for people who have no trouble affording and having the time for volunteering for free.

A lot of people start out as volunteers, as its a good hands on approach at a job that's usually filled with demands. Prospective employers often choose the person who can afford to be there, and afford to do the job without pay.

(Source: Volunteer social workers.)

Apprentices:-

Learning experience in the working environment, basic employment, set amount of holidays, varying flexible time.

(Source: Digital Media apprentices, working with camera/audio equipment.)

These roles are varying and flexible, much like employment in terms of legislation, taxation, and holidays, the only difference being the pay usually being beneath national minimum wages. These come with their own pro's very similar to volunteering, though with pay, and rights.



(Source:Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.)

2. Understanding The Creative Media Employment Market.

2.1-2.2

Many Industries cover varying degrees of products within Creative Media. The holders of current television companies, who hold their own channels/broadcast centres employ a variety of people, from men and women working with cameras, to sound, to editing. This is similar across the industry, A freelance photographer could just as easily be brought in to work for a company as big as say, ITV, and still be just as relevant and needed as a full time, fully employed editor for their television guides.

(Source: ITV - Employment and Careers.)







Identifying your own skills, quality's and ethics play a major role in how you your self pursue employment, and who with. If you've spent the majority of your years gaining insight to sound computers, then finding a company or employer who specialises in sound equipment would be ideal. Furthermore, determining what the employer is looking for, I.E, if you are based around an office environment, then showing up casually isn't a good idea. On the opposite side of things, if you are a child's entertainer, and you visited the respected place of work fully tailored in a suit, they may think you are to tense, to serious. All in all, I have learnt that understanding who you are, and what your abilities are is the most important thing, appealing interested, enthusiastic, and willing to pull your own weight will go a long way.

(Source: Clown business-man.)

3. Being Able To Promote Your Self.

3.1-.3.2

The picture above is a copy of my own personal Curriculum Vitae (C.V for short.) In it describes my own personal outlook towards work and working with others, a heading with personal profile to distinguish this is purely for self driven ambitions and to give a lead into my personality. I have several copies tailored to I.T industries, bar and restaurant work, and sound and music.

The above picture is an enhanced portion of the C.V detailing work history and what was learnt during. I have had a fairly flexible work history, dated from top to bottom, working from nightclubs to retail. This shows I am not only eager to learn and work with new people, but that I am capable of working in a customer based environment, with varying type of equipment and situations. Bringing these basic skills to creative media and making them relevant in a wide range of work places, examples being able to work as a team on a creative product, and having past experience in solving issues with others quickly and efficiently, be it working on music technology (I.E Radio, sound recording, maintenance.) Or front of house, with customers. 

The enhanced image above shows what I personally view my skills as. On a basic level these include working well with others, or solo, on set tasks. Being able to communicate punctually, making my situations aware to my superiors and fellow employees, as to best tackle problems. Having the ability to organise my self to best tackle these issues/deadlines, and being adaptable to the work given by my employer.