4 Tools to Achieve Career Independence as Media Talent
Going it alone can be scary as a multimedia journalist. If you don't get sucked up in the thinking an agent is a status symbol you need to advance, you can save $50,000 or more over the course of your career but it will require grit, perseverance, and hard work. Yet, nothing worthwhile is easy, so here's the story of how I gained career independence by being forced to face my biggest fear.
"Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest fears”.
It was two weeks before Christmas and I was out on the street, job eliminated, two small kids, and a huge mortgage. What was my greatest fear turned out to be a gift. I was introduced to a great coach who prepared me for the rest of my career.
I learned then that there are 4 things that should always be in your career toolkit because prep and timing can be critical to landing on your feet.
1. RESUME
The language you use in your resume needs to reflect a forward-looking looking view instead of a rehash of your career to date. Some important elements are summary, competencies, experiences.
2. DEMO REEL
Media professionals should have a 3-5 minute demo reel with a strong slate and striking images that best reflect the career of their dreams. The demo should be available on accessible and shareable video platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo. Avoid using platforms that require passwords or downloads.
3. ELEVATOR PITCH
Being able to deliver an elevator pitch at a moment's notice is an essential tool for your career. The pitch can be composed of 3 simple parts; who you are, what you've done, where you are heading. It should include 4 or 5 well-constructed sentences of "Your Career; The Movie".
4. UPDATED LINKEDIN PROFILE
A complete LinkedIn profile consists of the following:
- Professional headshot (no one else in the picture beside you)
- Title bar with SEO-optimized keywords
- Solid summary (you can use the same elevator pitch)
Build a strong toolkit and the greatest fear in your career could lead you to your strengths and greatest opportunity. Here at TalentBlvd.com we look forward to helping talented media professionals achieve career independence by providing exposure to hiring managers and agents actively looking for talent.
Learn more about the benefits of TalentBlvd.com’s subscription to our platform where you can get a free profile and premium membership for only $5 bucks a month! Join us at: TalentBlvd.com
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Founder/CEO, TalentBlvd.com
Mike McNamara has led sales and operations organizations of 1,500 associates with P&L responsibility exceeding $500M. Dedicated to giving back, Mike formed The MBAR Group in 2009 to provide career and business consulting services to underserved markets. In 2017 he launched the talent management company TalentBlvd and today he coaches a number of high-profile media personalities as well as holding advisory board positions guiding multimedia and small business startups.