Assignment 3 - Task 2a

Job role research-

Magazine Journalist- 

The daily roles of being a magazine journalist consist of :

• researching a subject and story;
• writing and editing news stories and features in the publication’s house style;
• ensuring work is well written, accurate and submitted to deadline;
• conducting interviews, either in person, over the phone or via email;
• attending seminars, conferences and fairs (some magazine publishers hold exhibitions and events to allow advertisers to meet their readership);
• generating ideas for stories;
• sourcing images to accompany written pieces;
• meeting with colleagues to plan the content of the issue and the character of the publication;
• keeping up to date with trends and developments relating to the magazine’s subject matter.

Responsibilities of this job role are covering the topic also able for online journalism form as most magazines have a website. Online journalism has to be written in a different style to the published content. 

There are no strict entry requirements. However, most new magazine journalists have a degree or HND. With fierce competition a degree is recommended but with hard work and determination it is possible to work your way up from a local newspaper or magazine with a background in writing ready to work up to specialist magazine journalism.   

Starting this job the salary would begin at £15,000-£26,00 however some may be as low as £12,00 depending on the company. Many graduates have to work unpaid to get into the business however senior and experienced magazine journalists can earn from £18,000 to £36,000 a year. If working with a big company and become editor in chief of a magazine you can earn anything from £22,000 to £65,000+. 

Graphic Designer-

The daily roles of being a graphic designer are:

• meeting clients or account managers to discuss the business objectives and requirements of the job;
• interpreting the client's business needs and developing a concept to suit their purpose;
• estimating the time required to complete the work and providing quotes for clients;
• developing design briefs by gathering information and data through research;
• thinking creatively to produce new ideas and concepts;
• using innovation to redefine a design brief within the constraints of cost and time;
• presenting finalised ideas and concepts to clients or account managers;
• working with a wide range of media, including photography and computer-aided design (CAD);
• proofreading to produce accurate and high-quality work;
• contributing ideas and design artwork to the overall brief;
• demonstrating illustrative skills with rough sketches;
• working on layouts and artworking pages ready for print;
• keeping abreast of emerging technologies in new media, particularly design programs such as QuarkXPress, FreeHand, Illustrator, Photoshop, 3ds Max, Acrobat, Director, Dreamweaver and Flash;
• developing interactive design;
• commissioning illustrators and photographers;
• working as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, other designers, account executives, web developers and marketing specialists.

This job requires all graphic designers to be very creative and individual with their designs, up to date knowledge with the software used when designing. Also a professional approach to projects and keeping dates and deadlines are part of the job criteria. 

A degree of HND is not essential as some graphic designers have got their work by building up a port folio of work and designs demonstrating all their skills. Competition is fierce in this industry.

Entry to a course at university to obtain a degree or HND is unlikely without a BTEC in a design related topic. 

Salaries for this job range from fairly low to very high depending on experience and qualifications. Typically the range is from £14,00 and £25,00 however it can reach up to £45,000 if a senior designer. A creative director can earn up to £65,000. If you are experienced then working free lance can gain you up to £40 per hour. So starting at £14,000 with hard work it is possible to promote to 65K. 

Back up plan-

With these two job roles and the type of industry they're in there are key advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind. Competition can be harsh in this industry making it very hard to get a job. Lack of skill means that it is less likely that you obtain the desired job role when compared to someone with lots of experience in the industry. Location is also a key disadvantage as most jobs going in these roles will be in London or the north e.g Manchester or Birmingham. Technology can cause redundancy if there becomes a time that a machine can replace your job role. 

Because of these issues I have devised a back up plan which will also meet my interests and I feel I will find fun. However the money opportunities are not as high as those in the media sector. But there is always a demand for this job role and when leaving university there is a much higher chance of getting a job and that job being local as it will always be in demand. The reason this is a sensible back up is if I want a family and to live local. It is more practical and realistic.

Primary school Teacher

The day to day roles will include: 

• teaching all areas of the primary curriculum;
• taking responsibility for the progress of a class of primary-age pupils;
• organising the classroom and learning resources and creating displays to encourage a positive learning environment;
• planning, preparing and presenting lessons that cater for the needs of the whole ability range within their class; 
• motivating pupils with enthusiastic, imaginative presentation;
• maintaining discipline;
• preparing and marking work to facilitate positive pupil development;
• meeting requirements for the assessment and recording of pupils' development;
• providing feedback to parents and carers on a pupil's progress at parents' evenings and other meetings;
• coordinating activities and resources within a specific area of the curriculum, and supporting colleagues in the delivery of this specialist area;
• working with others to plan and coordinate work;
• keeping up to date with changes and developments in the structure of the curriculum;
• organising and taking part in school events, outings and activities which may take place at weekends or in the evening;
• liaising with colleagues and working flexibly, particularly in smaller schools;
• working with parents and school governors (in England, Northern Ireland and Wales) or School Boards (in Scotland) to maximise their involvement in the school and the development of resources for the school;
• meeting with other professionals such as education welfare officers and educational psychologists, if required