Uppers & Downers of Show Biz Jobs
If you have ever wondered the pros and cons of entertainment careers, take a look at these observations by industry analysts.
Uppers
Working in media and entertainment is challenging and exciting. Media and entertainment workers are the first to learn the news and have the opportunity to help disseminate it to the public.
Many of the jobs give media and entertainment workers the chance to meet and/or work with top celebrities and newsmakers. Even receptionists and office workers can encounter celebrities during their workdays.
Being passionate about your job and the field is welcome here. Many people in the film, television, and radio business have a lifelong interest in movies, TV, and radio/music/talk shows. They love creating and producing shows that entertain, enlighten, and educate people.
Some media and entertainment jobs offer opportunities to travel for assignments. Broadcasters, reporters, writers, editors, broadcast technicians, and others involved in film, TV, and radio programming may need to travel regionally or internationally to cover events or news.
There can be flexibility to work in other media and entertainment fields. Some skills and knowledge are transferable from one industry to the next. For example, broadcasters can work in radio, television, cable, and Internet. Writers, editors, reporters, producers, directors can apply their knowledge to the publishing field, radio, TV, film, as well as the Internet.
Downers
Entry-level pay for media and entertainment jobs is usually low. Tons of people consider this a glamorous field—everyone wants to work here so there are far more job candidates than there are jobs to fill. On the positive side, with increased skill and experience comes more responsibility and higher wages.
The work hours will be long, very long, especially for those new to the industry. The “pay your dues” attitude prevails. Everyone has to put their time in to make it in the business. It’s going to be challenging but if you can be patient and maintain a positive and helpful attitude, people will want to work with you and you’ll have more opportunities for job growth.
Some jobs, particularly in TV and radio broadcasting, have late-night, middle-of-the-night, and early-morning shifts. Workers must be prepared to adjust sleep schedules and their lives to accommodate work.
Competition is fierce. If you can’t accept the work conditions, countless candidates are in the wings ready to step in and do your job…and they’ll do it with great enthusiasm. It’s a buyer’s market for media and entertainment companies.
There’s little opportunity to settle down and get comfortable in your work because the jobs in media and entertainment are constantly evolving and being redefined. For instance, journalists no longer simply report the facts—many are now expected to post on Twitter and Facebook, and newspaper reporters often double as cameramen, shooting videos for Web sites. No matter what level they are at in their careers, media and entertainment workers need to constantly hone their skills by taking classes and knowing how to use the latest technology.
Souce: Vault.com
Proceed at your own risk :-)
