birddog

Birdjob

With the country unsteadily emerging from the worst recession in 80 years, businesses in every sector cutting personnel and increasing volumes of skilled graduates entering the saturated job market, there have been better times to choose to leave a job and relocate to a different city in order to find something new.

Particularly in the media job market: where a temporary PA role advertised on popular jobsite Reed attracted 305 applications in two weeks; where new graduates passionate about their skills and their industry are desperate and cutthroat to get their foot in the door; while thousands of professionals and freelancers with years – decades – of experience jostle for interviews in an ever-diminishing pool of vacancies.

But the thing about the media industry is that it has a unique draw. It’s reactive, innovative, it overarches and influences social, cultural and political areas, and it attracts a certain type of person. Someone who can’t help but pursue a media career like a moth’s quest for a flame. People like me.

It doesn’t necessarily run on numbers and figures, qualifications and experience. In finance, accountancy, law: you either do the math or you don’t get considered, and your CV needs to read like a top 10 list of desirable accreditations.  Brilliance is defined by certificates and spreadsheets, and opportunity is a rigidly round hole for rigidly round pegs.

In a world where passion and creativity win you opportunities, however, eventually a combination of talent and determination can tempt a slice of luck.

The opportunity to come to Birddog was not exactly ‘round hole’.  One unassuming weekday browsing Twitter, in a long summer of unassuming weekdays browsing Twitter, I happened to spot an RT (that’s a ‘re-tweet’ message as opposed to a Radio Times) advertising a job vacancy. One further message and an email later, my CV was in front of interested eyes.

The message wasn’t for me; I saw it by chance. Someone I’ve never met face to face passed on a message from someone else I’d never met face to face. Through the power of social media, however, this chance connection became opportunity. And quite incredibly, chance manifested itself into employment.

It was for exactly this sort of event that during my two and half months unemployed, it never crossed my mind that I hade made a wrong decision. Leaving a job without another to go to – a challenge. Moving back in with the folks for the first time in six years – just a stop-gap.  The draw of the media industry still attracts a certain type of person, and even in this current climate, it’s great to know that determination, a bit of creativity and a slice of luck can still get you started.

I’m looking forward to making it count.

Tim Miller

Content Editor