Marketing yourself to Media employers

Steve Perring, History Researcher, Horrible Histories Kate Copland, Careers Adviser

www.york.ac.uk/careers/inforesources

Aims:

• Recognise the value of “personal branding” in this job market

• Be able to identify your personal brand

• Know how to use a variety of methods to market yourself effectively

• Perfect your pitch!

Personal Branding

• Your unique selling point (USP)

• Identifies you as an individual and what you have to offer

• And/or identifies you as a representative of an organisation – you embody the company values / image

• Creates a specific impression to others (an impression that you can control and influence)

Examples:

Ant & Dec

• family values• entertainment • cheeky chappies

Russell Brand

• edgy • unpredictable• youth culture• unconventional

Importance of personal branding:

• Your image, what you do, who and what you associate yourself with all creates an impression.

• In order to market yourself effectively, your personal brand needs to relate to the company brand.

• So, you need to know two things:

1. What’s the company brand?2. What’s your personal brand?

Sector strategies

• What’s appropriate for the organisation?

• What does the company do?

• What’s the company’s image?

• What’s the company culture- how do people dress/behave?

= values = innovation

• Commercial awareness: http://

www.lawcareers.net/Information/Features/03072012-What-have-you-been-reading-Hello-Magazine

Resources:Know your sector and know your company!• www.york.ac.uk/careers/infosheets (Work experience in Media)• www.broadcastnow.co.uk (hard copy in Careers Centre) – Digital Spy• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/sectors.htm (Media & Publishing)• http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy (BBC Academy for all areas of Media)• http://www.theunitlist.com/ (Jobs advertised by also loads of help)• http://www.geitf.co.uk/thenetwork (Free intro in TV world)• Production company websites• York Graduate Profiles www.york.ac.uk/careers/profiles

• Professional Connect/ alumni events www.york.ac.uk/careers/events

• Primary research: Work experience!

Not sure what you want to do?• Employability Tutorial (in the VLE) www.york.ac.uk/careers/options

What’s your personal brand? or Who are you and what do you want?!

• Career goal or personal profile on CV?• Elevator pitch?

• What NOT to do!.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sszNdXF9Bs

2 minutes….• Skim read your CV or brain storm yourself• Note down key words/ themes/ impressions that stand out

Personal branding:

• What does this say about you?• Is this the impression you want to give?

Media Qualities

CreativityReliability

Skills related to History:

• Critical analysis and ability to condense large amounts of information

• Communication

• Ability to construct a logical and persuasive argument

• Problem solving

• Team work (group projects and seminars)

• Research – not just history!

• Self-management

• Time management and dealing with multiple workloads

• IT skills

• Creativity

• Numeracy (use of statistics)

Marketing approaches:

1. Online

2. Applications

3. Face to face

1. Online:

• Twitter- what are you saying? Who are you following? What does this say about you?

• Privacy settings?! Who are you accepting?

• Examples of your work: blogs/ website/ virtual portfolio/ YouTube• Is your online presence consistent in terms of quality and message?

(e.g. Want to work as a journalist, but write articles contradicting your opinions expressed in previous articles?!)

• You can showcase your skills and create a great impression before an employer has even met you!

STEVE:

Marketing approaches:

2. Applications:

• CV, cover letter, application forms, speculative approaches

• Are these well written? Free of spelling errors? Consistent and clear messages? Tailored to the company and the role? Is the role something you could do?

• If you have a clear understanding of your goal(s) and why your skills and experience are relevant, you will write a much stronger application!

3. Face to face:

• Interviews and assessment centres:1. Social interviews: pub/corridor/coffee. Very informal. Be

open to opportunities! Get way in.

2. Formal interviews/ assessment centres: situational questions, commercial awareness questions. You are expected to know about the industry, current affairs and what’s popular. Watch TV! Can you cope with stress and thinking on your feet?: “Pitch us an idea”…

• Networking: careers fairs/ industry events, work experience, volunteering, social events, personal interests (e.g. art exhibition, film festival..)

Networking nightmares!

Networking tips:

• Prepare! Who will be there? What do you want to find out?

• Bring a friend – pros/cons (Tag teams?!)

• Review the room – where are the people you would like to target? Name badges/ zones/stands? Even if a person isn’t necessarily useful still have a chat – you’ll never know where it might lead and if you’re rude then word spreads!

• Approach people on their own- make small talk? Build your confidence.

• Look for groups to break into, rather than people in pairs.

• What NOT to do…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THNPmhBl-8I

The graceful exit

• Think about the message you want to leave the person with• Thank the person• Introduce others, or ask for an introduction yourself• Follow up meeting/email/article/information• Reconnect at a later date• If you say it, mean it, and do it!

Escape routes:

• “Shall we check out the food?”• “It’s been great talking to you, but please excuse me I’ve just spotted

someone else I need to catch.”• Need the loo!• Time – need to head home.

Pitch us an idea!

Working in teams you will have 5 MINUTES to prepare an idea and then 2 MINUTES to pitch it to us.

What’s your idea

and why should

YOU be the ones to

produce it?

What makes it

unique/different?

Resources:York Award courses:• Your online brand • Networking for beginners https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/skills/york-award/ya-courses/

Careers sessions:• CV and application writing sessions www.york.ac.uk/careers/events • CV and application reviews www.york.ac.uk/careers/gateway

Online resources: • Successful networking (info sheet) www.york.ac.uk/careers/infosheets • CV Guide (in the VLE) vle.york.ac.uk• www.york.ac.uk/careers/applications

Who to follow

• @TheBBCAcademy – the BBC Academy (and @BBCCoP)• @Don_b_kong - runs the BBC Trainee Schemes and Pool (often posts advice)• @4TalentDays – Channel 4’s advice scheme• @ITVCareers – often old advice sessions and workshops• @tvtalentmanager and @theunitlist• @journalism_jobs - for newspapers and journalists• @GuardianCareers• @WIJ_UK  (Women in journalism)• @TheTVIndustry – for people specifically interested in TV• @RTS_Futures - Royal Television Society• @BAFTAGuru • @LondonLive – keep abreast of new areas of TV• And of course @UoYCareers!

• Plus anyone you meet networking – it’s a great informal way to stay in touch - @stevenperring

Help and Support:• Open Mon – Fri , 10am -5pm

• www.york.ac.uk/careers

• CV and application reviews

• One to one advice/ info appointments

• Careers Fairs and events

• Employability Tutorial, CV guide

• York Award, Volunteering, SIB

• E-guidance: careers@york.ac.uk

• LOCATION: campus central carpark, next to Vanbrugh and Market Square shops

www.york.ac.uk/careers/inforesources

www.york.ac.uk/careers/inforesources

To access this presentation and the Information Sheets:

• Getting work experience in Media• Considering Broadcasting• Successful networking