What hope is there really?

ultimatedingbat

I sympathise I'm currently waiting to go bck into education but because I have a degree I'm getting the you're over qualified for a lot of temp work including mac donalds and burger king!

Smidster

Person_one wrote: »

How do they feel about moving to Salford? There are a lot of opportunities at the new BBC Media City. Its competitive, but if he's as talented as you say he should stand a chance.

https://careers.bbc.co.uk/fe/tpl_bbc01.asp?s=IrTqWByLjAMrOoAjg&jobid=31386,5698544702&key=48631187&c=343425364822&pagestamp=seefojdhnhhhiqgrqd

If he wants to join an even longer line for a job!

I am among the 50,000 people who applied for the 500 jobs (http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/50000-applications-for-500-jobs-at-bbc-north-2011032310582/)

Person_one

Smidster wrote: »

If he wants to join an even longer line for a job!

I am among the 50,000 people who applied for the 500 jobs (http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/50000-applications-for-500-jobs-at-bbc-north-2011032310582/)

At least he'd be in the line for something in the right field! Somebody has to get those jobs, why give up before you've even tried?

A friend of mine made it through several stages of interview and just going through the process was really useful experience.

Those numbers add up to 100 people chasing every job, is that right or is my maths off? Well if it is right, over 200 people applied for my job, but I still got it!

GothicStirling

I've just graduated with a 2:1 also, guess where I started a job today. McDonald's. I really had to swallow my pride [I've been working in 5* hotels through Uni.] The thing is, no-one was surprised that I was a graduate, they get a lot. What I want is to get into Heritage, but I'll probably have to wait until next season now.

I was lucky, I was only on JSA for 3 weeks, and a full time, permanent job is pretty unheard of in the Stirling area right now.

teabelly

He should be making his own films and putting them on youtube and build up a following on there and facebook etc. Simon's cat bloke started by just doing a quick flash animation and he's now got books and does adverts and all sorts. Local college might have equipment he can use for free too. With a creative job sometimes it's just better to do it and see where the money comes from later. A lot of it comes from who you know and who spots you. Doing something and getting it out there is more likely to make him stand out from others that just leave uni and do nothing with what they've learnt.

If he's already been shown on Sky could he pitch an idea to a sky exec or another tv exec? Good quality original content that is made for youtube can cross over onto tv if it is good enough.

GothicStirling

teabelly wrote: »

He should be making his own films and putting them on youtube and build up a following on there and facebook etc.

Doesn't mean a thing. It's equivalent to self-publishing a novel or busking on the street to flog a CD. Anyone can upload to YouTube. What he needs to make it a credit is an industry backer and distributor.

It's a pity he missed Kevin McDonald's new film Day In A Life. That would have been a great credit.

SueC_2

jennyjelly wrote: »

This week he has been to 2 interviews. One turned out to be selling mobile phone contracts door to door on a commission only basis, and the other saw him competing against 50 other people for 4 hours a week at minimum wage in a cinema.

I'm intrigued by the way you have worded this... "turned out to be". Did he not realise they were the jobs he had applied for?

jennyjelly

The wording of the phone contract job was this:

Our office is growing and our clients want us to increase representation
to help them increase market share across the Cardiff area. We aim to expand into additional
markets in 2011, so advancement opportunities will be available!
Entry-Level Openings Involve:
* Customer Service & Client Relations (Field & Office Based)
* Marketing & Sales Presentations (Field Based)
* Developing Time Management Skills
* Internal and External Communications
Rapid Advancement Opportunities Involve:
* All Responsibilities & Skills Listed Above
* Team Leadership & On-site Training (Field & Office Based)
* Application Tracking & Reporting (Office Based)
* Recruitment & Educational Workshops (Office Based)
* Additional Daily Business Operations (Office Based)
Full product training is provided, so people with limited experience will be considered. All
applicants must be at least 18 years of age and able to work both independently and with a team.
Strong communications skills and a professional image are required.

Which doesn't give much of a clue to the truth of it so he didn't find out what it was until he got to the interview.

The cinema one was simply advertised as 'part time' - which could be any number of hours really.

Pupnik

teabelly wrote: »

He should be making his own films and putting them on youtube and build up a following on there and facebook etc. Simon's cat bloke started by just doing a quick flash animation and he's now got books and does adverts and all sorts. Local college might have equipment he can use for free too. With a creative job sometimes it's just better to do it and see where the money comes from later. A lot of it comes from who you know and who spots you. Doing something and getting it out there is more likely to make him stand out from others that just leave uni and do nothing with what they've learnt.

If he's already been shown on Sky could he pitch an idea to a sky exec or another tv exec? Good quality original content that is made for youtube can cross over onto tv if it is good enough.

Simon's Cat is done by a professional animator from a London studio which makes its money from doing commercials for big brands, it isn't really a good example of DIY filming as there is money behind it.

Most of the people I know in creative media field have either got there from plain luck (knowing the right people mainly!) or have relocated to Canada, Singapore, Dubai and other places which has large media businesses. There are large media companies in this country too, of course, but it is a very buddy buddy area with friends of friends getting jobs. I do know people working in the film industry in London but they tend to be in 'starter' roles such as working nights in render farms, all trying to get plucked out for something creative, and some of them have been there for years.

CFC

jennyjelly wrote: »

Sorry, didn't mean to sound prickly!

He's aiming at working in the TV/film/video industry, but it's a very oversubscribed field, we've always known that. He has loads of experience from working on things for other people while he was at uni, so hopefully that might help. He's also very good at web design (part of his degree course) so is looking at the possibility of getting some freelance work in that area. Something will come along in the end, he just has to keep applying.

The point of my OP though is the dreadful state of a job market where 50 people will queue up to compete for 4 hours on minimum wage. That's so sad.

Not being mean, but what was his 'realistic' aspiration for a career, rather than getting into TV or creating web sites?