Long gone are the days when just a university degree was enough to get a decent job. In today’s society however, no network, no job. Simple as that. If you have not established a good network around you, you’re degree is not as valuable, unfortunately. Especially within New Media.
Megan Hauslers sure gave me a reality check. The New Media world is without a doubt a competitive workplace. The claws need to come out in order to survive and networking is incredibly important in order to climb high in the media world. Suddenly your degree is only the skeleton of your ability to be successful, but your social skills becomes essential in order to build a strong network around you that will enhance your career. Who wouldn’t hire you if you knew Mark Zuckerberg, had done a project with Steve Jobs or if your previous job was with Google. You might even have gotten the job without a degree in media. Hard facts, but it is true.
This makes me realise I have to start building a network for future jobs and opportunities. As Gill (2007, 6) states, networking is as a way of distributing work opportunities. University is a part of your career path, but it is who you are acquainted with within your field of expertise that will take you far. That is why “operation networking” starts now.
References:
All about Steve Jobs.com. N.d. Accessed April 28, 2011. http://www.allaboutstevejobs.com/
Google. N.d. Accessed April 28, 2011. www.google.com.au
All about Steve Jobs.com. N.d. Accessed April 28, 2011. http://www.allaboutstevejobs.com/
Google. N.d. Accessed April 28, 2011. www.google.com.au
Gill, R. (2007). Informality is the New Black. In Technobohemians or the new Cybertariat? New Media work in Amsterdam a decade after the web. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures: 24-30 & 38-43.
Grossman, L. “Person of the year 2010. Mark Zuckerberg.” Accessed April 28, 2011. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2036683_2037183_ 203718 5,00.html
Hausler, M 2011. "Lifes a pitch, then you die." http://kcb206meganhausler.blogspot.com/ Retrieved April 28, 2011.
Nextgenwoman. 2010. “On Getting a Career Coach”. Image. Accessed April 28, 2011. http://nextgenwomen.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/your-career.jpg
I think you make a really interesting point that currently our degrees are merely the skeleton, but social skills and networking will really help us succeed. If only there was a Networking 101 course at uni too, as we are currently not taught the practical "real world" skills we need!
ReplyDeleteI agree that reading Megan Hauslers blog was very eye opening. What you say about networking is so true. It is going to be such a vital part of our futures if we want to get a new media job.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point Rosie, within the Creative Industry factulty, they should have a unit called "Networking" in order for students to know how actually networking "in the real world" works. It seems like it's assumed that we allready have an understanding of how its done, but in fact we don't really know how to netowork on a proffesional level.
ReplyDeleteI agree that sometimes it can be hard to know how to properly network in the real world, but at the same time a lot of the "Networking Event's" that the University put on feel so contrived.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a personal thing, do you think it could be taught in a subject?