job 5

Job title

Media Researcher

Expected working hours

Your working hours could be long and irregular, and may include evenings and weekends depending on the needs of the production.
You would work mainly in offices and studios, spending much of your time using the telephone and the internet. You may also need to make research trips, which can involve travel throughout the UK or even abroad.

Expected salary range

Freelance researchers are usually paid a fee for each contract, and there may be gaps between contracts.
Freelance rates can vary widely, and may be negotiated based on the type of production and your track record. Contact the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) for current pay guidelines.

Possible promotion opportunities

You would normally be employed on freelance contracts, by television broadcasters, independent production companies or in factual radio production. Competition for work is strong.
With experience, you could supervise a research team on larger productions, or you could move into an assistant producer role.
Some jobs are advertised in the industry press and websites. However, it is more common to get work by contacting companies yourself, networking, and listing yourself on a database of experienced media personnel.

Entry requirements/qualifications

You could become a researcher with a range of backgrounds and experience. For instance, you might be employed on a factual programme because you had expert knowledge or a degree in its subject. Alternatively, you could start as a TV runner or production assistant, and work your way up to researcher as you gained experience.

You could also move into programme research with a background in journalism or research in a non-media field such as social or political research.

Whatever your background, you will need to get practical experience of media production, and to develop a network of contacts in the industry. You can build experience through activities like:

student film or TV productions

work experience on local newspapers or student publications

hospital or community radio

unpaid work placements on TV or radio productions

work in film archives or picture libraries.

You may find it helpful to take a course in media production, as the most useful ones include work placements and the chance to gain practical skills. See Skillset’s website for details of industry-endorsed courses.

The work you would be expected to carry out

As a researcher, you would support producers by finding the information, people and places needed for television or radio programmes.

You might be responsible for anything from researching factual information for documentaries, to finding studio audiences and guests for entertainment shows. In some jobs you might also develop and research ideas for new programmes.

Your tasks would vary depending on the type of programme you were working on, but might include:

discussing programme ideas and research needs with producers

finding and checking information, using sources such as the internet, libraries and museums

searching media libraries and archives for music, photographs and film footage

writing briefs for presenters, or briefing scriptwriters

checking copyright and arranging permission to use archive material

finding studio audiences and programme contributors

scouting for locations

keeping detailed records

researching and writing content for websites linked to TV programmes and films.

In some cases (mainly if working on a small team for a factual programme), you may also operate digital video (DV) cameras or editing equipment

Person specification including skills and knowledge

You will need

good written and spoken communication skills

excellent research skills

good organizational and administrative skills

a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail

the ability to work well on your own and also as part of a team

creativity and initiative

patience and determination

multi-tasking ability and a flexible approach to work

the ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines

thanks to nextstep.direct.gov.uk fot the information
an example of this job is at

http://www.creativejobscentral.co.uk/advertising-jobs/list/london/senior-research-executive-media-research-broadcast-663031.html

job 4

Job title

Web Designer

Expected working hours

The number of hours you work each week will depend on the type of investigation, the timescale and how complex it is. In some cases you may have to work overtime.

The majority of your work would be office-based, but you would also attend meetings with colleagues and other agencies working on the case. You may also have to attend court to give evidence.

Expected salary range

Starting salaries can be between £15,000 and £20,000 a year.

Experienced designers can earn up to £30,000.

Senior designers, and those with specialist skills, can earn over £40,000.

Self-employed web designers set their own rates.

Possible promotion opportunities

You could work for web design companies, in the IT departments of large public and private organisations, or as a freelance designer.
If you work for a company, you could progress in your career by moving into design team management, or by expanding your skills to become a web content manager. See the related job profiles below for more details about these roles.
With experience, you could set up your own web design business

Entry requirements/qualifications

You do not usually need qualifications to become a web designer. However, most designers have experience in other design fields, or have taken training in web design, either through college or by teaching themselves.

You will need a good working knowledge of HTML, and experience in writing web pages in a combination of codes. Having a working knowledge of the following could be useful:

Dreamweaver

Photoshop

Flash and Fireworks

CSS

Javascript

.Net

Colleges offer courses on these programs, and you can also find many online tutorials, which are often free to use.

You could take one of the following qualifications, which provide a good grounding in web design, interactivity and internet technology:

BTEC Interactive use of Media levels 1 to 3

OCR ITQ levels 1 to 3

OCR Creative iMedia levels 1 to 3

City & Guilds E-Quals IT Users awards (7266) – Level 2 (Diploma) and Level 3 (Advanced Diploma).

You could also take a higher level course, for example a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND or degree in a design or multimedia subject. Relevant subjects include:

web design and development

multimedia design

digital media development

interactive computing.

The work you would be expected to carry out

Web designers use both creative and technical skills to build or revamp websites. They must be able to picture how a site will look (at the 'front end'), and also understand how it will work (at the 'back end').

As a web designer, you could work on anything from an interactive educational resource, to an online shopping site. Your main duties would include:

meeting the client to discuss what they want their site to do and who it is aimed at

preparing a design plan, showing the site structure and how the different parts link together

deciding which text, colours and backgrounds to use

laying out pages, positioning buttons, links and pictures, using design software

adding multimedia features like sound, animation and video

testing and refining the design and site features until everything works as planned

uploading the site to a server for publication online.

Depending on the project, you may be contracted to maintain your client's website once it is up and running.

Person specification including skills and knowledge

You will need

an understanding of internet programming and scripting languages

a good working knowledge of the main web design applications

strong creative skills

good problem-solving skills, together with a logical approach to work

the ability to explain technical matters clearly to people who may have little knowledge of IT

an ability to work to deadlines

an understanding of legislation and guidelines for website accessibility

a willingness to keep up to date with changes in technology and software

a working knowledge of equipment such as scanners, and digital photo, video and audio equipment.

You will need good business management and negotiating skills if self-employed.

 thanks to nextstep.direct.gov.uk fot the information
an example of this job is at

http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/detailjob.aspx?sessionid=15ee9dd2-c408-4e13-bb05-e9e0efbd9b02&pid=1&j=DRL/20050

job 3

Job title

Forensic Computer Analyst

Expected working hours

The number of hours you work each week will depend on the type of investigation, the timescale and how complex it is. In some cases you may have to work overtime.

The majority of your work would be office-based, but you would also attend meetings with colleagues and other agencies working on the case. You may also have to attend court to give evidence.

Expected salary range

Trainees can earn around £20,000 a year.

Salaries for analysts with 12 month's experience can be between £25,000 and £35,000.

With four to five years' experience, this can rise to between £40,000 and £60,000.

Possible promotion opportunities

Some public employers and larger commercial organisations, like banks, are now employing forensic computer analysts, often as part of their IT or information departments.

With experience, you could progress to senior analyst, head of security or security consultant.

Entry requirements/qualifications

To work as a forensic analyst you will need a background in IT. Employers may also ask for a degree, a postgraduate qualification or industry certification (for more details, see the training and development section).

You could also take a forensic computing qualification at university before looking for work.

Employers recommend that you find courses with industry placements that would enable you to gain valuable work experience.

One particular tip from analysts is to look at the way different operating systems work and how they can be exploited. It suggests downloading and practising on a free open-source system like Linux to get an idea about some of the technical skills involved.

The work you would be expected to carry out

In recent years there has been a huge expansion of digital technology both in business and at home. This growth has been followed by a similar rise in computer-based crime. It is the job of a forensic computer analyst to investigate this type of crime and gather evidence to help build a case against suspected individuals or criminal networks.

As a forensic computer analyst, you could be involved in a range of investigations, such as:

hacking, online scams and fraud

political, industrial and commercial espionage

terrorist communications

possession of illegal pornography

Theft of sensitive company information by employees.

On a typical project, one of your first tasks would be to secure the IT system or hardware, so that it could not be tampered with. You would then use various forensic methods and specialist computer programs to:

find, recover and copy data from disks which may have been hidden, encrypted or damaged

reveal (unlock) digital images that have been altered to mask the identity of a place or person

analyse mobile phone records to trace devices to a particular location (or to rule them out)

follow electronic data trails to uncover links between individuals or groups

carefully document each stage of your investigation

present technical findings to managers, law enforcement organisations and clients

act as a technical or expert witness in court cases.

You could work for the police or security services, a bank, or for an IT firm that specialises in computer security. You might also work in a broader security role, for example, testing the security of a company's information systems.

Person specification including skills and knowledge

You will need

a creative approach to solving problems

attention to detail

excellent IT skills

the ability to spot trends and patterns in large amounts of data

a well organised and methodical approach to work

knowledge of information security standards and legislation

excellent communication and presentation skills

the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines

the ability to remain objective.

You would need a keen interest in this field to keep pace with fast-changing technology, investigative tools and increasingly sophisticated criminal methods

thanks to nextstep.direct.gov.uk fot the information
an example of this job is at
http://www.theitjobboard.co.uk/IT-Job/COMPUTER-FORENSIC-ANALYST-LONDON-25000-35000/8145034/en/?xc=63&utm_source=Feed&utm_medium=Aggregator&utm_campaign=Trovit&utm_source=Aggregator&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Trovit

JOB 2

Job title

Computer Games Tester

Expected working hours

You would often work long and unsocial hours in order to meet deadlines, particularly in the run-up to a game’s release. Games testing can be repetitive, hectic and stressful at times.

The work is office-based and you would spend most of your time at a computer.

Expected salary range

Starting salaries can be between £12,000 and £18,000 a year.

With experience, earnings could reach £25,000.

Possible promotion opportunities

As a QA team leader, salaries could reach £30,000 a year

Jobs may be advertised on games websites and by specialist online recruitment agencies. You could also find work by approaching companies directly, and by developing contacts in the industry.

From QA tester you could progress to lead tester and QA management, or move into level design, production management or marketing. To move into more specialist areas you would need further skills such as programming or 3-D modelling.

Entry requirements/qualifications

You do not need formal qualifications to become a tester, as your playing skills and knowledge of the games market will be more important to employers. However, it will be useful to have basic knowledge of programming, and experience of using spreadsheets and database packages.

Employers will want to see proof of your knowledge and enthusiasm for the games industry. Attending games festivals and keeping yourself up to date with gaming magazines and websites can help you in this.

Experience in games retail is another way of developing useful background knowledge and an awareness of audience needs.

Although not essential, having a foundation degree, BTEC HND or degree in games design, games development or computing can be helpful, especially if you want to progress into programming, design or producing.

The work you would be expected to carry out

As a computer games tester or quality assurance (QA) technician, it would be your job to play games over and over again in order to spot any bugs and mistakes that need to be fixed before the game reaches the market.

Testing is a vital part of the production process. As well as finding and documenting programming bugs, you would act as the game’s first audience, reporting on its playability and recommending improvements

As part of a team of QA testers, you would:

play games systematically and in as many ways as possible

test different levels and versions of a game

analyse its performance against what the designer intended

compare the game against others on the market

identify problems and suggest improvements

try to work out what is causing a problem

check for spelling mistakes and copyright issues such as logos

check the text on packaging and in instruction manuals

document each 'bug report' into a software quality management system

prioritise the most serious issues

work to strict deadlines.

You would work closely with programmers, artists and designers before a game’s release, and with customer support teams after its launch.

Person specification including skills and knowledge

excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

a passion for games playing, with the ability to play at high levels

good written and spoken communication skills

the ability to work well as part of a team

a tactful manner

good negotiation skills

the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

patience and persistence, for repetitive work

a methodical and disciplined approach

excellent attention to detail

a good knowledge of the games market

good office computer skills.

Foreign language skills are also useful for testing games aimed at overseas regions (known as ‘localisation testing’).

thanks to nextstep.direct.gov.uk fot the information
an example of this job is at
http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/04/74433604.html

job 1

Job title

Computer Games Developer

Expected working hours

Working hours in the computer games industry can vary.

Expected salary range

Starting salaries for artists and programmers are usually around £20,000 a year but it goes up to £50,000 per year.

Possible promotion opportunities

The computer games industry is fast-moving one, with skills in animation, camera, lighting; mobile technology and scriptwriting are particularly in demand. Freelance contracts are common.

Entry requirements/qualifications

You could also get into the industry with relevant degrees in subjects like:

computer science or software engineering

games design or development.

animation, graphic design, fine art or illustration

interactive media

maths or physics

multimedia design.

The work you would be expected to carry out

Computer games developers produce games for PCs, games consoles, the internet and mobile phones. The work could involve developing new games or updating existing titles.

Person specification including skills and knowledge

excellent computer skills

a wide knowledge and understanding of computer games

creativity and imagination

a logical approach to problem-solving

good teamworking and communication skills

flexibility and adaptability

the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

patience and attention to detail

Willingness to keep up with industry developments and learn new skills.

Thanks to nextstep.direct.gov.uk for the information

and example of this job is at

 http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/detailjob.aspx?sessionid=15ee9dd2-c408-4e13-bb05-e9e0efbd9b02&pid=1&j=ROI/77420

Characteristics

To work in the ICT industry, there are certain Characteristics needed to be successful.

Interpersonal skills

It is vital that you can talk to people in a professional and cooperative manner. As well as being able to listen to clients and other staff. This will make it possible to receive constructive feedback and identify problems when they occur

Planning

It is essential to plan ahead. It is good practice to make to-do lists, buy a diary or use a PIM (Personal Information Manager) such as Microsoft Outlook.

Organisation

This can be achieved by good planning. Printing a to-do list to tick off, preparing tasks before they are needed and ensuring you have the correct equipment are some ways to aid good planning and organisation.

Time management skills

Looking at a task and knowing how long you should take on it is essential. It may be a good idea to split a task into bite size chunks, to aid with your time management. If you are on a strict time limit, the majority of phones or laptops have alarms on them.

Team Working

Being a team player is a vital skill in the ICT industry. Being free-thinking and independent is important, being able to work and communicate as part of a team is of equal importance.

Numerical Skills

When working with binary code, hexadecimal numbers and working out cost and value of new computer components and systems, numerical skills are a must. You may be required to set I.P addresses and work with numbers a great deal of the time.

Problem Solving

In the ICT industry, problems are expected to occur on a regular basis. You need to be able to think logically and have a good knowledge of the system you are using to solve the problems that arise.

Creativity
Sometimes to solve a problem you need to solve a problem by being relative and thinking outside the box.