Getting in to Creative and Digital Technology Careers and Employability Centre

This session will cover Top tips from Sussex alumni Careers in Creative and Digital Technologies Building relevant experience Growing your network Finding vacancies Writing a CV Your next steps ….

What do you know already? What do you know about the sector? Did you attend the Make it Happen Event for Creative and Digital Technologies What did you learn at the ‘Make it happen!’ event? Discuss in pairs/ groups……. 10 mins- On flip charts- list & discuss

Key points from MiH Importance of skills Employers are very interested in the skills you’ve developed at university. However many people re-train into this sector from non specific degrees, many people learn the relevant technology for the job whilst working. e.g. Specific Software / New Technologies Work experience/placements/volunteering are important Clubs societies and what you do in you spare time e.g. cultural community and extra coding creative activities are a common stepping stone.– There are many opportunities in the local area Perseverance To gain experience, can you create you own ideas and opportunities? Don’t give up – use each experience to gain a different perspective and take opportunities as they arise (flexibility!). Be willing to learn the skills you need Creating and showing your work, eg. examples of things your have produced media or code etc. Networking With peers, contacts in industry, Sussex alumni etc. Get your LinkedIn profile updated; do you need an online portfolio?

A growing Economy Sometimes a blurring between Creative and Digital Technologies as to what was traditional Media and what some may see as Computing / Informatics / IT Brighton is one of the second highest density of Digital business’s after Reading & Bracknell

Employment in Creative Media Generally a picture of growth in the Media sector in recent years with some exceptions e.g. Radio

Potential Roles in Tradtional Creative Media Production Media Support Roles Sales / Business Support Publishing Marketing / PR Television / Radio/ Film / Animation Find ways to start building your CV – every year counts! Music Arts / Community Teaching via further training (PGCE)

Growing Roles in Digital Tech Media Production Media Support Roles e.g. VFX / Animation / Web Digital Marketing Apps and Mobile Games Design Find ways to start building your CV – every year counts! Data Analytics SEO / UI E-Commerce / Sales Teaching via further training (PGCE)

Digital Sector Breakdown For Detailed national and Local breakdowns on the tech sector see Tech Nation 2016 report https://www.swipe.to/9057ct TECH NATION 2016 REPORT

Types of Degree in Creative and Digital Tech Different roles in this sector show differing patterns of First Degree with many employees not having specific Media or Technology Degrees.

Skills Needed in Industry Different sectors within the Creative and Digital Tech Sector may need particular skills. Some of these might include: -Craft and technical -Software -Leadership and management -Business -Sales and marketing So WHAT SKILLS ARE THESE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR?

Skills Wanted in Creative and Digital Tech Different Tech industries need a variety of Software and the ability and willingness to re-train to use new software and technology is central to these industries.

What next? What could your next steps be?

What next for you? -Reflect on your skills and interests -Research the sector & your options -Network -Build your experience -Search for vacancies -Write a CV

Reflect on your skills and interests We have tools on our website, hand outs and worksheets in the centre to help with this process www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices Online careers interests tools can help: ‘Profiling for success’ Prospects Career Planner What skills do you think you’re gaining through your degree?

Skills from your degree For example: written communication research skills presentation skills planning and organisation skills time management skills IT and technology skills Use our Using your degree guides to review specific skills from your degree.

Researching careers – sector guides Use the researching part of our website to research the sector of industry that interests you Here are the resources specifically for neuroscientists

Networking – be creative! Contacts you already have Contacts from past work experience, vacation work Friends, family, friends of friends Academics Contacts you can find Vacancies advertised - Use contact details from advert. Names in journals, magazines, reports, the press, on twitter etc The web and specialist directories Linked in – Search facility, Sussex alumni LinkedIn – social media, good spaces to be

Build your experience Volunteer to gain experience, eg. in Arts / Media / Community / Technology Get involved while you are at Sussex: societies, student reps, student ambassadors etc Work shadowing, work experience, internships, placements, junior research associates Paid work- entry level positions, part time jobs Create your own experience – blogs etc

Apply for vacancies Check for vacancies on a variety of levels and resources Wide national focused Careerhub – Guardian Jobs http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/jobs/all/marketing/ Specialist e.g. http://jobs.gamesindustry.biz/ Specialist / Regional e.g. Wired Sussex http://www.wiredsussex.com/jobs/jobsearch.asp Our Researching Careers pages have many resources and links to vacancy sources Also Research companies’ individual websites Link with them using Social Media Consider Speculative applications

Write your CV Tailor your CV to each specific job you apply for. What skills is the employer looking for? Good way to: reflect on your skills and experiences! identify what other skills and experience you could gain to help your career development Some creative sectors may want 1 page skill focused CVs You may want to highlight the level of technical and software skills that you have

Take action! How are you going to move forward now? Fill in the action plan …….. 10 mins- Fill in individually

Get support – Careers and Employability Centre Workshops – daily events, weekly programme Short interview with a careers adviser Mon – Fri from 10 am to 5pm Vacancies on CareerHub– part time, work experience, internships, graduate jobs Online information and resources with links to key websites etc Resources in the Careers and Employability Centre