The media industry is one of the most exciting and fastest growing industries in recent years due to a little thing called the Internet taking over our lives. Smartphones and social media has also meant that we encounter products of advertising and media on a constant basis – but what are the all the pieces involved in creating them? There are media and creative agencies, PR companies, publishers, and sometimes even the communications teams of client companies themselves. They coordinate and create the written and visual content that influences our decisions to buy certain products and change our behaviour.

WILL IT SUIT ME?

A sociable personality, a good knowledge of pop culture and a solid grasp of language are good requisites for getting into advertising, media and PR. While this industry generally demands a 9-to-5 schedule and the kind of lifestyle that comes along with it, there are an increasing number of opportunities for freelance and casual workers. This industry can be really fun and a little bit glamorous, but it certainly comes with demanding workloads and tight deadlines too. But, if you regularly engage with various forms of media and popular entertainment, you’re already halfway there.

HOW CAN I GET THERE?

There a bunch of different education pathways into advertising, marketing and PR through universities, TAFEs and registered training organisations (RTOs). However, formal qualifications aren’t necessarily required to get a job in these spaces. It’s becoming more common to just jump straight into an internship and learn the skills on the job, or to take a short course and get trained in something specific, such as videography, web design or copywriting. While formal training will provide a more comprehensive introduction to these industries, working in the field will require a bit more self-motivation and networking. So the option is yours!

WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

The industry will teach you to:

• Effectively work in a team.
• Pitch ideas confidently.
• Problem solve.
• Manage and meet deadlines.
• Critically think about unique ideas.

Working in these industries is likely to get you invited to exclusive events, where you can meet and network with interesting people, and if you’re lucky, enjoy some free booze and canapés. You might find yourself working from a co-working space or a hip, open plan office with a whole crew of driven young people. But as they say, it’s not all beer and skittles. There are tight deadlines, demanding clients and targets to strive for. It’s the sort of industry where you work hard to collaborate with your team, then go out for drinks with them after work.