Archive for The Big Job Hunt
November 10, 2009 at 01:14 ·
Filed under BBC, BBC Northern Ireland, BBC Switch, The Big Job Hunt
So, as the title suggests, I shall be leaving London at the end of the month. Well, for a little bit anyway. I’ve been offered a 6 month attachment with BBC Northern Ireland as a Future Media Developer in Belfast, w00t!
What, you may ask, is a Future Media Developer? It’s basically a mix of what I currently do at BBC Switch as Client Side Developer and some project management. This is because BBC NI work with alot of independant digital agencies such as Front and Being Online, as oposed to undertaking any big projects inhouse end-to-end like we do at Switch.
Incidentally, my current job title also changed to ‘Web Developer’ about a month ago as no-one outside the BBC had a clue what the hell a CSD was.
However, BBC NI and BBC Switch are similar in alot of ways as they are both truly multi-platform content portals with daily content being transmitted across web, TV & radio, so I hope I can bring some of my experience working with Switch to NI.
Anyway, I’m throughly looking forward to getting stuck in and I guess I’ll know alot more about the job role, it’s challenges and it’s opportunites once I get settled.
On a personal note, it’ll be a bit of a wrench to leave London. To the outsider it might not always seem like it, but it’s a truly enchanting city once you are caught in it’s grasp, and it’s hard not to feel like you are taking a step down in pace & lifestyle by leaving, for however short a time period. However, the current plan is to return in 6 short months and I’ll not miss it’s price tag in that time.
I’m also incredibly excited to be moving ‘home’ for a while. I say ‘home’ because home is actually Armagh, but it’s only a mere hour away. One hour car journeys seem merely frivilous to me now. I lived in Belfast for four years while at Uni and loved every bit of it and I’m sure I will again, except this time I’ll not be living in some student pit, win!
“Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.” Robert C. Gallagher
July 2, 2007 at 12:06 ·
Filed under The Big Job Hunt
I am now officially a Client Side Coder for the BBC, working next to television centre in London!
I applied for the position about three months ago after attending a presentation in the art college in Belfast. I was then shortlisted and asked to send examples of my work. Following that I was called to an interview which was three weeks ago today…
It was a very informal interview asking about my media habits, my team skills, my motivation and finally, some technical questions. At the end of the interview, I was offered the job on the spot…to say I was stunned was something of an understatement!
However, I knew straight away that this was an opportunity I can’t turn down so I start next Monday, the 9th July. I’m very much looking forward to it as I shall be part of a team of 18-20 graduates ranging from content writers to grapic designers to AV editors. I think there will be alot of scope for my personal and professional development, not to mention many of the perks working for such a large organisation has to offer….
I’m also pleased to say that my starting salary is double what I was offered in my first job interview in Belfast, although I am aware of the higher cost of living in London. However, its all new…and really quite exciting!
I’ll keep you posted..
May 13, 2007 at 17:23 ·
Filed under The Big Job Hunt
I had my first web design job interview on Friday past. It went quite well although I wouldn’t hold my breath. This is not because I didn’t perform well at interview, moreso because despite being advertised as a Multimedia Designer position, it became clear early in the interview that they were looking for a candidate with a strong skillset in 3d modelling. Although I have dabbled with 3d modelling to make quite the realistic model of myself in second year of my degree, I am by no means an expert and made this clear to the interviewer.
However, I did impress on the interviewer that I am very willing to learn and believe that starting any new job will involve a learning curve to an extent and that I think that I am more than capable of picking up any multimedia application and becoming quite competent in quite a short space of time. This is something that my degree course has always required me to do as, with the exception of Dreamweaver, I’ve had to adapt to using a range of software throughout my four years from sound editing packages to software integrated development environments.
Towards the end of the interview, the conversation was steered towards the ever sticky situation of money. When asked what my expectations were, I replied that I estimated a starting salary of £18-20,000 p/a. This was met with what can only be described as a look of disbelief and a swift dismissal, informing me that I should be expecting more in the range of £12-13,000. It was then explained to me that this may be more of a feasible salary in mainland UK but certainly not in Northern Ireland.
I had already realised that NI was behind the times in terms of the importance placed on the online marketplace, but hadn’t expected a starting salary to be quite as poor. Its certainly disappointing, especially as when speaking to a friend afterwards, was told that he started on a graduate salary of £11,000 in 1994 in software engineering. However, its not out of the realms of possibility that the interviewer, also the director of said company, was also being frugal in using shrewd business skills to try and entice a graduate whilst offering peanuts….
The search continues…
March 29, 2007 at 17:49 ·
Filed under Graphic Design, The Big Job Hunt, Web Design
Really started to put the nose to the grindstone whilst keeping my ear to the ground these past few weeks…time is absolutely flying by and I’m starting to think about what the future holds for little old me…
After being told for four years that web/graphic design jobs were as scarce as hens teeth, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount of jobs I’ve seen advertised and more importantly, jobs I’d deem myself eligible for…now its just all about getting my foot in the door for an interview so I can prove how fantastic I am and what an asset I would be to a company!!
February 19, 2007 at 01:17 ·
Filed under The Big Job Hunt
I’ve just spent the last four hours of my evening tweaking my CV once more and consequently uploading to every reputable recruitment agency known to Google. It can be quite a monotonous process, I can now type my address with my eyes closed and my foot in my mouth, but hopefully one that shall prove fruitful nonetheless…
It seems that web design jobs are like hens teeth in Northern Ireland but there are quite alot of lucrative opportunities across the water with one ad boasting daily rates of £180+…I thought that day was long gone! Or maybe its a little too good to be true…
Anyway, my CV is now out there, just waiting to be consumed by hungry headhunters so I’m pretty sure all I have to do….
(….optimisim people, optimisim!!)
February 18, 2007 at 16:32 ·
Filed under The Big Job Hunt
I’ve been trying to sign up to as many job finder agencies as possible in recent weeks to keep ahead of the game as early bird catches in the worm and all that…or in my case, 90+ grads scrabble to get lone job come June. Anyway, I’ve not had much feedback from any of them except what can only be described as self-praising spam. As much as I’m mpressed that they have found so many thousand people jobs in 2006, thats not going to pay my gas bill, now is it?
So, I ask of you dear reader, can you recomend me any decent online job agencies within the UK?
