Work Experience - Creative Media

A phone call today may give you different results from a phone call tomorrow.

We live in a fast moving world and people's situations, moods and priorities change day-to-day. It's human, which means it is far from perfect.

Over the last five years, I have organised work experience opportunities with more than 30 students between the ages of 16 and 22. I am writing this article because this week I have been emailing several students about work experience. This is what I have been sharing with them ...

SWOT Analysis.

If you haven't heard of it, Google it. I ask students to share their SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) with me because it helps me understand them.

Strengths.

Start by offering value. Show me what you are really good at and what you can bring to the table. Link your strengths to my situation. That will require some research on your part but if you know that I produce corporate animations and your core skill is 2D animation, then that is a strength I want to discuss with you because it is relevant. If you were in my shoes, what would make me want to pick you to be on my team?

Strengths are a great way to get a foot in the door but remember talent only gets you in. It does not always keep you there. Make sure a good attitude is one of your strengths too. Don't drop the smile or the enthusiasm once you are inside. Be yourself but be your best self.

If you are wondering, 'Shouldn't I be getting paid for my strengths?' then you've hit a dilemma that all creatives reach. Self-worth and self-awareness.

Do you ask for the job or do you ask for the work experience? That's a toughy.

When you contact people about opportunities, they are going to assess you and decide whether to invite you in or keep you out. I have had people sniff at my student short films. I have had people tell me I am over qualified for a role. Some days you are going to feel very frustrated. Accept it and keep going. Don't start treating yourself as a victim. Be confident about what you are asking for and make a good case for yourself.

Entering a new company can sometimes rob people of their natural self. It is the feeling of being you vs. not being you.

I was a good footballer during the school lunch time kick arounds but when I got to Saturday games against other teams, I froze. To this day, I still feel gutted that I never performed as well as I knew I could. Don't be surprised if you feel like this on your first day at a new company. Some people have tons of self-confidence but most mortals get a little nervous. I try to let students play to their strengths on their first day and let them gain their confidence.

The reason I do this is because after the first task ... I throw them in the deep end.

Weaknesses.

Know your weaknesses and set goals for continued learning.

I am really proud of the way we accelerate student learning at Captive North. I find that universities shield students from the real working environment. They do this because students need to fail within the boundaries of a safe playground. Professional work environments are different because there is greater expectation, more responsibility and it can come as a shock to some students.

• Turnaround time. I meet lots of students who are used to having weeks or even months to produce a short piece of content. In some cases, they leave work unfinished because simply put, they can. That luxury doesn't exist in the working world. Review your processes and be open to faster approaches.
• Teamwork. If you are used to working on projects solo, you need to get used to working with others. The common pitfalls are not being open to feedback and not understanding your role within a team. Be accountable. Be a good communicator.
• Details. I spend a lot of time pointing out the little details. I don't mind doing this because if the individual pays attention, it means they learn something. What frustrates me is when they make that same mistake again, and again and again. It usually means they are not listening. I encourage students to write down feedback because if I give them 10 pieces of feedback to work and they try and remember it in their heads, chances are they will forget at least one thing.

Opportunities.

What's your plan and what opportunities are available to you?

'Rome wasn't built in a day.'

Set a goal and write a list of steps that are going to help you achieve it. Even if you don't know what job you want yet, set a goal, i.e. 'Discover what job I would like'. Your steps can be acquiring experience in various roles until you know what you want to pursue. Then set a new goal.

In addition to that, if I personally know what your goal is, I might be able to help you reach it. I will also know what is going to motivate you. So the lesson there is tell others what you want to achieve.

Try saying, 'YES'.

Let me put that into context. When opportunity comes knocking, don't allow small things to get in the way.

For example, I might say the following ...

• A last minute request. "Can you come into the office tomorrow?"
• An early start time. "I've got a shoot next week. It's a 6am call time. You up for it?"
• A new challenge. "Do you think you can create something like this?"

It is important to get out of your comfort zone and grasp opportunities with both hands. If you don't, somebody else will. It is not about demeaning yourself. You still need to recognise bad offers from good offers but good offers are rarely easy offers. You have to work for them.

Which brings me onto Threats.

Threats.

The most common threats are;

• Other people.
• Yourself.

It is simple as that. Out of those two, which do you have control over? The answer is you. Be aware of what is going on around you but don't focus too much on others. Reduce threats by focusing on your own development. Be inspired by your competition and allow them to positively motivate you. However, don't allow somebody else's success to intimidate you and have a negative impact on your behaviour.

Not being able to drive cost me a really good job when I was 21. Rather than mope, I went and got my license so that I was ready for the next opportunity.

If lack of time is a threat to you, learn to prioritise. Nobody has enough time but the most successful people use their time well.

If a lack focus is a threat to you, get a mentor or a coach. I've had a few mentors during my career.

I hope you find this article useful. Feel free to post your questions in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Tom Marshall

Creative Director, Captive North