Look closely at your professional history… you likely have skills that could demonstrate an area of expertise. As a SME, or “smee� you are defining yourself as an expert to solve problems or bring very specific credentials to a team. A Subject Matter Expert is an individual who can lead a group in their understanding of a specific area, and answer questions about it in a supportive capacity. It’s what employers are looking for, and candidates should take the time to emphasize in their portfolio materials.

As stated in our first post everything starts with your goals, which help articulate who you are and what you want. The notable skill list and profile statements on your CV summarize the unique credentials you possess to meet your professional goals. When you are building your portfolio it goes like this: notable skill (becomes) / functional specialty (becomes) / subject matter expertise.

For example, say you are a producer who has worked their way up through the ranks with small series experience under your belt. You have the know-how to back up the notable skills required to work in production. Your functional specialty is production. Your role is producer. If you build on that by taking seminars in program development and create a successful series, you’re now a producer with expertise in pre-production and content development. You may bring an area of expertise through knowledge and credentials outside of your current profession. For example, you could be a producer with considerable expertise in professional sports, or the music industry, or early childhood education. You can build on that with surrounding knowledge areas that support your SME. For example, you may be an accredited bookkeeper (your Subject Matter Expertise) with professional development or experience in small business management or business affairs to support your SME.

When revising your CV, careful thought needs to be put into identifying your Subject Matter Expertise. What are the common skills, areas of production or business that pop up throughout your work history? What unique credentials or experience do you bring to the table? What are you good at? Look for very specific areas of Subject Matter Expertise in order to better identify the exceptional qualifications you bring to each job opportunity.

Even if you’re just coming out of school, and you have limited media experience, you have spent time and money training for your profession. Don’t think of it as a lack of credentials. Own your experiences, and build on them for a solid body of work around the Subject Matter Expertise that matches your career goals.

Once you have established your Subject Matter Expertise, then continue to take part in professional development and industry events to maintain your qualifications, and build surrounding knowledge areas to support your SME.

Have fun determining your Subject Matter Expertise! As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are here to help you.

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Managing your career through professional development opportunities will help you stay on the right track. Cultivating your knowledge increases your confidence, maintains your marketability, and can support job security. With our industry in a constant state of change, it’s critical to develop professional skills to build the bench strength needed to sustain your career goals… even in the stormiest economic times.

Be proactive about your own professional development. Don’t rely on your current employer to provide on-going training. There are many industry specific opportunities to keep your career moving forward.

If you have completed the goals exercise (see our WELCOME post) then you have a vision of where you see yourself in the next five or ten years. This is an important step because determining your career goals helps avoid becoming so enveloped in your day-to-day activities you lose sight of the big career picture. Utilize that vision to choose opportunities that build your accreditation and education, both formally and informally, to achieve your own goals.

Formal accreditation can be obtained through certificate and degree courses, seminars and workshops. This often requires a substantial amount of time and resources. Once you have researched a course you are interested in pursuing, consider drafting a timeline to best prepare and plan for that critical development opportunity. You may need to plan monthly, yearly, or even longer time frames to accomplish your chosen formal accreditation, but a broad outline on the steps needed to achieve this will ensure success.

Informal accreditation comes from participation in industry boards, public service, committees, as well as internet research/training. You may also find opportunities within your current work situation that can help build your experience and broaden your skill base. Look around you… is there an opportunity for you to support an area or department in need? Can you offer your services on special projects?

The best strategy for professional development is to commit to life long learning. Make a concerted effort to stay abreast of new industry developments. Look in to what the professional and trade associations are doing and keep up-to-date by reading industry specific publications.

Media professionals are increasingly taking ownership of their careers by proactively driving their own professional development. With a little bit of planning and investment in yourself, you will be able to achieve your career goals and objectives. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are here to help you.

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Lawren Harris to Emily Carr
Isaac Asimov to Gene Roddenberry
Irving Layton to Leonard Cohen
Aaron Spelling to Darren Star

All of the above relationships were based on encouragement, openness, mutual trust, respect, and a willingness to learn and share… mentorship. A mentor is a motivator and an advocate. It makes good career sense to participate in mentorship programs to strengthen our industry by supporting emerging talent.

What a mentor does…

A mentor can support long-term career objectives by helping new talent understand the culture of this business, and provide advice about strategies for the best way to accomplish their goals. In the short-term, mentors can recommend learning opportunities through networking or professional development. More importantly a mentor who shares their knowledge in effective communication, responsibility, and teamwork is giving valuable information on the soft skills necessary to succeed.

Benefits to the mentor….

This is an opportunity for you to contribute meaningfully to your industry by developing relationships with up-and-coming talent. As a result you will likely cultivate your own leadership skills. Sharing your knowledge and experiences will encourage you to reflect on your own career so far, and working with promising talent may help you discover new ways of thinking.

Benefits to the mentored…

This is an opportunity to increase your knowledge and awareness of your chosen industry. Take the wisdom, advice, encouragement, and constructive feedback from mentors as a learning tool to help you critically think about your career options. Working with your mentor will help you establish your own career markers or goals, and nurture new networking opportunities.

Benefits to the industry…

As a whole we benefit from a better informed and more skilled talent pool to meet the changing needs of the Canadian cultural industry. We also benefit from increased communication and shared values among all levels of expertise. Consider supporting the success and advancement of your career through mentorship opportunities.

Stay tuned for our next post on professional development strategies. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

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Cold calling is an effective way to dig for job opportunities in the hidden market. A job posting can receive hundreds of applicants, but a cold call at the right time can tap into an opening before a position is advertised. This exponentially increases your chances of securing an interview.

You know which companies you want to work for. If you have built a job search database through research, like reading the trades, (see How To Build Your Job Search Database post) you will have a list of the names of those who may require someone with your skills and attributes or who may be able to give you valuable information. If you have been networking you may even have a referral, which is a great way to start a conversation and gives you an immediate connection to the organization.

Before you call, review what you know about the company and the person you will be speaking with. Know why you will be making the call… you may be seeking a specific position, or requesting an information meeting, or you may be looking for a mentor.

When you make the call keep your conversation short and to the point and take the lead of the person you are speaking with. Make sure to take notes during your conversation in order to follow up appropriately, and always send a thank you note or email.

If you have to leave a message be short but detailed and leave not only your number but suggest times when you can be reached.

If you have left a message and don’t get a call back, then try again and suggest scheduling a phone appointment at their convenience. Many industry professionals will take the time to speak with you, even if they have to tell you they can’t help you. However, if you don’t get a reply after repeated calls then the person you have been contacting is either not interested, or they don’t have time to return calls. Keep in mind that in the calling process you are getting information and cues about the company as well.

Cold calling is not easy, and it doesn’t really get easier after you have done it a few times, but it can produce amazing results. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

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You have a professional portfolio. You know what the next step in your career is, and you have identified the skills and attributes you posses to succeed in that new role. Ok… let’s get the word out. Let’s brand and market your portfolio.

Understand that you are a product, and you are taking your skills and experience to a given market. Personal branding is essential because it helps define who you are, and what sets you apart from others. It’s your reputation with supporting results. Look at the profile statement at the top of your CV (see How To Write a Great CV post) and consider that statement your professional brand. Don’t just let your actions speak for themselves, be pro-active and build a name for yourself by marketing your brand and letting others know what value you bring to a position. You have likely already established a consistent look or design layout for your portfolio materials – CV, bio, cover letters and even business cards. Perhaps you have even researched appropriate networking opportunities – professional associations and public service opportunities - related to your chosen career path. Don’t stop there. Consider harnessing the power of online social networks to market your skills and experience.

Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate, and millions of people use them regularly. They are a more sophisticated networking tool than e-mail listserves. Do your homework and find social networks that are relevant to your needs because each networking site targets a slightly different set of users.

LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com focus on work-related networking to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. You can connect with past and present colleagues, and seek advice from industry specific experts. If you already participate in social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Twitter or Tribe, you can use them to the same effect. Consider updating your profile to match your professional brand and portfolio. Ask yourself, “What can an employer find out about me on my profile and online posts�? Make sure your online profile stays active and is consistant with your professional brand because colleagues and employers may google to find information about you.

Viral marketing uses online social networks to get the word out. Viral marketing happens when one person tells a friend a message online, and they tell two friends online, and they tell two friends online, and so on, and so on…(remember the old shampoo commercial?). The results are often rapid and can be staggering in numbers. Rememeber dancing Matt, whose popular Youtube videos enticed a gum company to sponsor two fully paid trips around the world? (wherethehellismatt.com) This is an example of very successful career minded viral marketing.

You don’t have to make goofy videos to get the word out about your skills and attributes, but you can ask your social network what you can do for them. Find out how you can help pass on their message - and then do it. Once you pro-actively participate in their network, they will likely start being part of yours.

Anything you do to cultivate your career brand and market your portfolio will result in a more successful job search. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

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A professional biography is the “wow� factor in your portfolio. When you have a bio you have a professional story to tell, and you will use it for a variety of networking and marketing purposes. A professional bio is not a CV or resume, it’s an overview of your background, experience and expertise.

A bio should be professionally written. A benefit to having someone else construct this for you is that it may help you see yourself in a new light.

Bios are written in third person, and should be branded with the same layout and look as the other materials in your job search portfolio. Keep your bio to one page and let your personality come through. You may choose to include a photo in your bio. If you have been attending industry events, and networking well at those events, a photo will help people remember you better when your bio crosses their desk. It’s good personal branding.

Bios should open with your current title and a description of the principal services, or skills you offer. Follow this with the special experiences, niches, or other factors that make you stand out in your area of expertise. Make sure to include an account of your work history, along with your professional memberships, associations, and public service experiences. If your bio is a compelling account of the story of your career to date, and positively reflects your personality, it will secure the readers interest.

A professional bio is an often-overlooked marketing tool and should be revised, or kept up-to-date annually. You may use your bio for a range of purposes: as a part of your job search portfolio; for your website; summarizing your expertise for speaking introductions; or attaching to articles you have written. It can make the difference in how others perceive you, which may result in securing a great job. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

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With any job posting a company will likely get hundreds of applicants of which maybe 25 end up in the yes pile, while possibly 8-10 have all the required hard skills to secure an interview. After that, it’s about finding the candidate with the right “fit�. This is where soft skills can become a big part of your job search.

Soft skills usually come from experience, are transferable from many aspects of our lives, and we continue to refine them throughout our career.

Career Management Soft Skills…

These are the hallmark soft skills, which may include: communication, initiative, flexibility, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, time management and enthusiasm. You have probably been asked behavioral questions in an interview that address some or all of these skills, “Tell me about an experience when you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline?� The most important part of the answer to that question is not in the details of your experience, but in how you managed the situation. Which of the above-mentioned soft skills did you draw upon to effectively deal with your experience? You might be asked to speculate on how you would handle future work place problems. For example, “What would you do if in the middle of a project you had to change direction or focus?� We use our soft skills to demonstrate our employability when answering those questions. These skills overlap, and as a result developing one helps us learn more about others. For instance, if there is a communication problem in your work environment and you find a way to both address it and make the situation better you will build you problem solving, team work, initiative and leadership skills.

Life Soft Skills…

These highly individual skills are reflected in our personality: stress management, self-esteem, resilience, etiquette, critical thinking, empathy, and cooperation. Every time we plan or organize something, make good use of our personal resources, set personal goals, volunteer in the community, or nurture and care for each other, we employ our life soft skills and develop our personality. To build a solid working team involves attracting candidates with complimentary life soft skills. Have you ever participated in an office colour-personality workshop? Whether you believe in the theory or not, the goal is to harness a team’s life soft skills to help understand each other and work together more effectively.

Corporate Soft Skills…

At an executive level these soft skills are a part of the language as much as the landscape. For example: strategic awareness, information management, political sensitivity, public relations, leading change, team building, and understanding funding streams. Even if you are not working at the executive level, familiarity with these skills will put you in a good position to work with upper management towards a common goal.

The soft skills you bring to work or a job interview help you stand out, and increase your employability at every stage of your career. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

Watch for our next post: Why you need a BIO!

One way to take control of your job search is to collect meaningful information to support your pursuit. The more you know about the role you want, the better you will be able to find a job opportunity and make a strong case for your candidacy.

The Research…

Think about joining professional associations that fit in with the culture of the job you want, and look for networking opportunities. (See “Networking� post) After an industry event, go through your collected business cards and set up an information interview with one or two of your new contacts. If you are clear about the information you are looking for, most industry professionals will agree to answer your questions over coffee or a phone call, or they will re-direct you to someone who can better address your request. Another way to collect valuable information is to job shadow someone. Spending an afternoon or a day in the work environment you want to be a part of will give you the opportunity to soak up macro knowledge that may help give you confidence and experience to support your candidacy. Try to read postings of similar jobs and catalogue the required skills for that position. Upon review you may identify a skill you need to upgrade.

Another approach can be found through volunteering. Public service shows your humanity, your commitment to the industry, and provides additional opportunities to gain meaningful knowledge in your area of interest. Participate professionally in your industry through volunteer opportunities at festivals, conferences, and associated social responsibility events. Always keep up to date by watching market trends. There have been dramatic recent changes in media ownership that are changing the way content gets made and distributed. Read industry trades (Playback, CAB website, Broadcast Dialogue, cartt.ca, natpe.org, nab.org, etc.), track the companies that interest you, and create a database of those companies for future use. In your database, list the company, its full coordinates, and the names and titles of its decision makers. Include your networking contacts, the results of your information interviews, and notes from your job shadowing experience. Make sure to maintain your database with trend and mandate updates collected from reading the trades.

Collecting and tracking this industry information prepares you for success by helping you anticipate where and when job opportunities will come up, and by building the authenticity of your position as a candidate. Staying connected with your industry ensures you will bring something new to the table for each interaction whether that’s a networking opportunity that may lead to a job, or if you have taken the next step and are sitting in a job interview. As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you.

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Does someone you work with drive you crazy? Do you feel like giving them a piece of your mind? Think about it first! Your ability to manage conflict can make or break your career.

We work in a creative medium with big personalities. On top of that there are many different ways to accomplish the same task, or different ways to interpret the same project, and it leaves a great deal of room for misunderstanding and conflict. How you manage that conflict may follow you from contract to contract throughout your career.

Avoid these common mistakes…

Don’t take things too personally. You know the saying, “Its only business�! In many cases constructive feedback can be misinterpreted as personal criticism. If someone’s critique of your work is less than complimentary, try to extract what you can do to improve the quality of your work, or better tailor it to the needs of your deliverable.

If you feel that a co-worker or manager has not treated you fairly, for whatever reason, you may want to make that person accountable for your troubles. Seriously sit back and look at the big picture. What will you personally achieve by drawing attention to this, and what happens if the co-worker or manager does not see the situation the same way you do? Instead, try to think of different ways to approach this person in the future to get the fair working relationship you want.

Don’t give negative labels to co-workers like useless, or stupid. Those names tend to stick around for a long time! People are more complex and in most cases deserve the benefit of the doubt. Bad-mouthing former managers or co-workers in a professional environment reveals that you are not a team player.

If you feel compelled to address an issue, before confronting your co-worker about a problem ask yourself, “Does the issue that drives you crazy affect your ability to do your job?� If it doesn’t affect your work why not let it go? If the issue does affect you work try to deal with it before it escalates to a blow up.

How to confront someone without putting them on the defensive…

Avoid attacking or criticizing. Once you acknowledge there is a job related problem with a co-worker, stay focused on how to improve the work situation instead of identifying a list of each others faults. It keeps the conversation on the path to results instead of escalating hurt feelings. Try as best as you can to stay calm and respectful, and listen to your co-workers concerns about the problem too. Not every conflict has a happy ending, and keeping a cool head keeps your foot out of your mouth and everyone’s dignity in tact.

What can you learn from conflict…

Most people we find challenging to work with have more insight about us than we care to admit. Sometimes we accelerate the situation more than we think, so remember that you can learn from them about your mistakes, blind spots, or hot buttons.

No matter what happened in that last meeting, or what someone may or may not have said about you the other day, everyone comes to work because they have something to offer. Try to start fresh every day. Your ability to manage conflict will ensure you leave a project or contract with the door open to successfully come back again some day.

You are in control of your career. You can choose to “go with the flow� and react by making decisions about things as they happen, or you can be strategic and thoughtful about the next step on your career path. If you have completed the Goal Statement exercise you are now in a position to create a career road map to reach your professional goals.

Choices…

There are many routes to success in the Canadian media market. If you ask ten people who currently hold a position you aspire to how they got their job, you will likely hear ten very different career path stories. Some went the formal education route, or secured a powerful mentor, or volunteered/interned, or sought industry professional development through accredited organizations, or networked well at industry festivals… If you do your homework you will have a choice of avenues to take on your career path. Consider the outcome of each. Relate those choices to your personal values and priorities. Know your own time-financial-physical limitations and compare. Once you have carefully decided on a path to your professional goal, take it one step at a time.

Self-Assessment…

Determine the knowledge, skills, and experience you may need to acquire in order to achieve your goals. Consider this an investment in yourself! Check the landscape. How well do you know the professional environment or sector you want to be a part of? Who are the major players and competitors? It’s your area of interest, so be a sponge for the information necessary to stay on course with your chosen career path.

Check your social capital, or, how well do you do with real time data mining and reciprocity? Analyze and absorb the landscape you want to be a part of with trusted and respected colleagues and mentors, and reciprocate appropriately for their efforts.

Attaining your short and long term career goals may call for a longer investment of time than anticipated. The return may not be instant, and sometimes the results are not exactly as planned. Check your resources. Do you have the time, motivation, and emotional resilience to take on what may be required to achieve your goal? Make sure to choose a career path that fit’s your priorities.

Without a proactive approach to the steps required to attain your professional goals, you likely won’t know where you’re going, and you’ll never be certain when you’ve achieved them. It’s your career. Don’t give up! As always, the friendly experts at mediaintelligence are available to help you. mediaintelligence.ca

Our next post… Workplace Conflict Resolution