What are top media brands seeking in potential candidates?
It's passion and tenacity, according to Mediabistro CEO Miles Jennings, who's our expert guest in today's interview.
Miles sheds light on the required skillsets in the media world, emphasizing the importance of in-depth experience in the digital sector and proficiency with AI-powered tools.
Stick until the end to learn which skills will still be in high demand in 2024!
Who Is Miles Jennings?
Miles Jennings is an accomplished entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in various sectors, including professional services, employment and finance. As the founder of Recruiter.com Group, he has successfully transformed the startup into a Nasdaq-listed company, achieving $25 million in revenue in 2022. Jennings has expanded the company's reach by integrating AI into recruiting processes and educational courses, alongside strategic acquisitions and partnerships in the HR and recruiting industries.
DesignRush: Can you share insights into what renowned media brands look for when scouting for talent through your platform?
Miles: Many employers mention passion and tenacity as key traits.
In creative professions, having a true passion is incredibly important — be it a passion for words, art or video production. You must have a burning desire to create and get satisfaction from the job.
Tenacity is often neglected as a fundamental aspect of creative careers.
When looking at experienced candidates, our employers want people who can be consistent and productive in their creative endeavors. They want to see passion that can be kept up over time.
What qualities make candidates stand out to top employers like the ones you work with?
In media, be it publishing, broadcasting or web production, creatives often have an extensive portfolio, which is important for evaluation.
However, we source for a diverse range of functions in media, including non-creatives, such as revenue production.
Candidates who are passionate about the creative and media content projects they played a part in are critical. They stand out by being able to discuss the creative projects they’ve worked on fluidly and with depth of knowledge.
What skills are currently trending in the job market, especially in the media and creative sectors?
Media is adapting to the particularly rapid changes in technology.
Experience with interactive and immersive forms of digital media is a highly sought-after skill, as many companies view this as the future of media.
At the same time, a solid working knowledge of using AI-powered tools is more of a must-have now than a plus, whether for graphic design or creating content.
Which skills do you foresee will be in high demand in 2024?
I see media offering increasingly sophisticated technology-led experiences, so work in AR and VR or complex, immersive web projects should be in demand.
Think of media tech as leveling up - the stakes are raised, for example, in web design and marketing content.
Employers will look for agile, positive minds that can use new tools to create breakthrough experiences.
On the flip side, consumers will also increasingly seek to escape into traditional media, so exceptional writing skills will continue to be a game-changer.
How has Mediabistro adapted its services to meet the challenges of the remote and hybrid work era?
Mediabistro helps connect brands with writers and content marketers, an area that lends itself to remote work.
We’ve seen more demand for remote content positions, and I believe this trend will continue. This can offer freelancers and employees a way to be more productive and some real advantages for family and home life.
Still, I recommend people working from home try to stay top-of-mind with these employers and try to impact the business daily.
How have you seen the demands of the media and creative industries evolve in recent years with the expansion of social media?
Media has always been about telling stories, but that process has become more participatory in the past few years. Many of our jobs now involve social media engagement, audience outreach or content personalization.
Knowing your audience has always been good advice, but now it’s possible at scale.
A differentiating factor for candidates is how deeply they connect with and know the people consuming content. Media brands want people who can help them engage audience members on new personal and intimate levels.
What are the latest employment trends in the media sector that would surprise our readers?
This year has been a tough job market for media professionals, with the most job cuts on record, mostly due to declines in ad budgets and corporations given a chance to reset their cost structures.
However, when I see all the insecurity around AI-produced media, I have to feel that there are tremendous opportunities in media now, especially for creatives.
We’re in a period of adaptation, and smart creatives will take advantage of new tools and use them to create exceptional projects.
CONTINUE READING: How To Customize Your CV for Success?
