Steal This Job Blog

Dos and Don'ts

Here are a couple of resources for things you should and shouldn't do in the job hunt.

Check out Globe and Mail's Career Section for helpful information on resume writing, nailing the interview, getting most out of internships, and networking.

For something entirely different, Not Hired has some unbelievable stories about the crazy things that people do in the job hunt. How about the aspiring model who needs some assistance in "like, some plastic surgery, a personal trainer, a publicist and a very strong, strong agent"? Not very sellable.

Multimedia whiz taking on the media industry

Nick Scott shooting in Patagonia.

 

Name: Nick Scott
Age: 22
Occupation: Videographer/Multimedia Producer
Place of Residence: Atlanta, GA
Employer: The Mother Nature Network (www.mnn.com)
Interests: Music, concerts, documentaries, sports, anything outdoors, reading, techie/nerdie stuff
Favourite Quote: "A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having." - From V for Vendetta

What training was useful in getting your job?

The current media environment can seem like a shrinking one. But there are new opportunities arising in the altered landscape that combine new media with old school journalism. Nick Scott took note of the changes to the media industry, and has managed to find a niche for his skill set.

 

With a father who worked as a newspaper reporter for 30 years, Scott knew that he wanted to be in media. Sensing that newspapers were a dying breed, he found his calling when a multimedia professor recruited him in his sophomore year of college. “He talked about going on these incredible international trips,” says Scott. “And he talked about doing geeky stuff.  Sold and sold.”

 

As a result, Scott started training for his role as part director, part techie and part Edward R. Murrow style green reporter while in school at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. “I had a chance to learn skills that most journalists simply do not have, high video shooting and editing, as well as advanced Flash programming,” says Scott. “Through this program, I travelled internationally, to Costa Rica, China, Chile and Argentina, while working with top multimedia professionals from the likes of the Washington Post, the New York Times and Media Storm.  Needless to say, these experiences did more than any classroom setting in terms of getting me ready for professional life.”

Scott is now the videographer and multimedia producer at the start-up Mother Nature Network, described as “environmental news and information that makes sense.” The website aims to make science, earth and climate news accessible to a wide audience in articles, blogs, videos, how-to guides and programs.

 

What is your typical workday?
Scott often spends days shooting in Atlanta, where he is based. He also sets off to other locations in Georgia like Savannah or Athens, and takes trips to New York City, Milwaukee, Denver, or wherever the news takes him. “If I'm not shooting, I am in the office editing video on my awesome dual screen HD MAC or doing other various multimedia tasks, such as designing in Photoshop or programming in Flash,” he says. “And of course, keeping up with geeky, techy, multimedia blogs, trying to stay up with the times.”

What is your job?

Being the in-house techie for a small staff, Scott often has a lot of questions and tasks thrown his way including website design. But shooting and editing video is his main responsibility. And, like a true techie, he taught himself how to create animated intros and extros to videos on the site. He works mainly under a managing editor, but the CEO is also closely involved in the process which creates an open work environment. “The great thing about working here, is that if I have an idea, it will at least be heard, if not green-lit,” says Scott.

 

What is the best part of your job?
“The fact that I am right out of school and doing almost exactly what I want to be doing, and using all of the skills I learned in school to their fullest,” says Scott. Not to mention that he gets to talk with some of the celebrities who have made their way over to the green movement, like Jane Fonda, Ted Turner, Ludacris, and Chevy Chase. Now, there’s the making of a great dinner party (minus the awkward tension between Fonda and Turner).

 

Is there something that makes you stand out in your position? What does it take to be good at what you do?
“It takes incredible attention to detail and patience to both work with video and be a programmer,” says Scott. “Since I'm a little of both, I guess I have a lot of each.  And I work my butt off.” His advice for prospective multimedia whizzes is to network as much as possible. “In school, I was able to work with professionals and show them what I could do, something that helped me get my job now, and will continue to help me,” he says.

 

Any more advice?

“Work hard. Really hard.”

 

Where would you like to go from here?
Scott is still closely watching trends in the industry and sees a market for “short form, meaningful” documentary making for online audiences. This is something that he worked with in school and would like to continue to pursue.

For more information on multimedia journalism and job listings, check out:
Innovative Interactivity
Interactive Narratives
Multimedia Shooter

Honey bees and science reporters disappearing

Along with the honey bees, science reporters nationwide have been having a rough year. As the Columbia Journalism Review reports, CNN cut all its staff of science reporters to much criticism. But there's hope (at least for the science reporters). Independent voices on science, technology and the environment are acquiring readership bases.

Started in 1998, E&E Publishing that publishes ClimateWire, has a full-time staff of 40 and a readership of 40,000. Mother Nature Network, with full-time staff of around 20, bills itself as “environmental news and information that makes sense.”

Next post: an interview with Nick Scott, videographer and multimedia producer with Mother Nature Network.

The best job in the world

Calling everyone who likes sun and surf, I just found out about this website where you can apply for "the best job in the world," a caretaker for the Great Barrier Reef. Here's some more info:

The Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is a newly created position. There are a few minor tasks that need to be taken care of, but the most important duty is to report back to Tourism Queensland (and the world) and let us know what’s taking place on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Green jobs....are they out there??

There is much talk going around about a mythical creature called a green job and a growing class of workers under the “green collar economy.” Are those green jobs really out there or are they just vague political promises coming from Barack Obama and the United Nations? Apparently, there out there and will be invading soon.

From the Worldwatch Institute:
The Global Wind Energy Council says 400,000 people are directly employed in the wind industry worldwide. The total may soon reach into the millions.

There have been other sightings of green jobs. The LA Times reported on its Greenspace blog:
 AeroVironment Inc., the publicly held engineering firm best known for spy planes, solar cars and developing the unfortunately named prototype for the Chevrolet EV1, the GM Impact, was handing out job applications at (if you can believe it) a job and hiring fair Thursday at a Doubletree hotel near company headquarters in Monrovia.

There are quite a few new job sites dedicated to green jobs, if you’re willing to take a look. Here are a couple I found:

http://jobs.treehugger.com/

http://jobs.greenbiz.com/

What is perhaps most interesting about these green jobs, is the green collar economy that is meant to emerge from them. This presumably will include everyone from engineers to electricians, architects to builders, tenured professors to adobe bricklayers. There are places where these people do come together. I have been to the Greenbuild Conference several times. If you are a student or looking to enter the green building field its a good place to network with a diverse crowd.

Hi, my name is Caroline and I am a networker

Admitting you network is the first step
You hear it time and time again. Networking is the best way to get hired, but can serve other purposes when times are tough. In Charlotte, North Carolina, some people are also using networking as a means to get support and build self-esteem. Job losses in the region have been higher than the national average.

Not sure where to start networking? Try Meet Up to see if there might be any groups who meet for professional development in your field of interest.

What are your 25 Random Job Skills? The question to watch for in your next interview
You can also try online social networking like Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook has been getting buzz for everything from its stock price to its number of possible roaming sexual predators. But if the phenom of "25 Random Things" proves anything, it's that the tool can spread messages worldwide at astounding speed. If only it could do that for your resume....

But, as ABC News comments, maybe it's best to imitate the means but not the format of this trend in your job search:
What's next, a 25 Random Reasons Why You Should Hire Me cover letter sent to a potential employer? I'm sure this one has already been tried, along with a text message follow up.

LinkedIn working for you?
From The Examiner.com:
LinkedIn is without question the most powerful tool for online job seeking and networking.  There are literally hundreds of creative ways to network, promote yourself and look for job opportunities.

Anyone out there with major success stories from LinkedIn? Did connecting with old colleagues/friends/acquaintances help you to score a job? I would love to hear your story…

Directing change for women

Name: Jenn Rogers
Age: 31
Occupation: Programs and Policy Director
Place of Residence: Washington, DC
Employer: Reproductive Health Technologies Project
www.rhtp.org
Interests: Reading, dancing, watching movies, cooking, drinking wine, politics
Favorite Quote: "I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time." ~Anna Freud

1. How did you get your job?

For Rogers, gaining a master’s of public health (with a concentration in maternal and child health, specifically reproductive health and rights) was the first step towards starting a fulfilling career. She also actively cultivated real world experience while still in an academic setting by advocating for more reproductive education and access to emergency contraception, analyzing data and publishing articles.

“Reproductive health, rights, and justice have been a passion of mine and I’ve tried to get the education necessary to turn that passion into a paid career,” says Rogers. “I am grateful every day that someone pays me to do what I love.”

2. What is your typical work day like?

Roger’s very busy day involves handling internal and external communications, management, leadership and other projects as they come along. She also is regularly checking in with individual staff members and allies in the field, and following up with lobbyists, accountants and consultants.

Rogers usually starts with reading email, the newspaper and blogs to stay informed on major issues in her field. Then she will start a writing project, such as grant proposal, report, presentation, article, or meeting proposal. There might be a flurry of emails to coalition partners, board and staff. After her morning meetings, she usually hits the 3 p.m. panic point: “WHAT, it’s already 3 p.m.? I have so much still to do….Does anyone have any sweets/snacks office in their office?” This is followed by a 4 p.m. webinar or conference call on any upcoming or current special projects, finishing up any writing tasks, and then, finally, heading home after a 9-hour day.

3. What's your job?

As a director, Rogers gets to have some “creative freedom” in what she does. Staff are encouraged to share their own ideas for projects and initiatives. Being a director mainly involves both short and long term strategic planning for the Reproductive Health Technologies Project (RHTP). “Basically, that means I try to execute our President’s vision by putting work plans into place and making sure the work gets complete,” she says. “It’s important for me to strive to also create an inclusive, fun, and supporting work environment.”

5. What is the best part of your job?
 
“The great thing about my job is that no two days are the same,” says Rogers. “We work on the cutting edge of the reproductive health field so we’re always looking to tackle the emerging issue of the day/week/year.”

Other rewarding aspects of being in the director’s chair include being quoted as a representative of the organization. In the process, Rogers has become her own best public relations person. “I’ve grown so much in terms of refining my messages, being prepared and always having three talking points or messages to focus on for each interview,” she says.

It also ain’t so bad that she gets to rub elbows with people like actress Ashley Judd, First Lady Michelle Obama and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick at fundraising events.

8. What does it take to be good at what you do?

“I think I’m a good listener,” says Rogers. “I think it’s so important both in terms of working with staff at different levels within the organization and for working with external partners.”

And procrastinators need not apply. Being in charge also means getting things “d-o-n-e."

9. How can someone get this job?

From here, Rogers sees herself perhaps running her own organization one day. Or she may consider having her own consultancy business. For those trying to get into this position get good at network. “I would suggest first trying to intern or volunteer at a reproductive health, rights or justice organization.”

Other tactics: “set up informational interviews, introduce yourself to folks you admire, go to events that interest you and meet the speakers and conveners, make connections, get an entry level job and work your way up!”

More info about a career in public health:

"A vast assortment of job opportunities are available to the Public Health graduate. Employment settings range from professionals wearing lab coats and safety goggles to those wearing business attire or nursing uniforms. Some current job titles in the field include, but are not limited to: Epidemiologist, Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Specialist, Occupational Health Nurse, Vital Statistics Director, and Air Pollution Engineer. Becoming a member of this exciting field enables an individual to facilitate improved positive conditions within families and communities."

Earning an MPH:

Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins

UCLA School of Public Health

NYU Master's Program in Global Public Health

McMaster University Health Studies Programme