Getting Your Dream Job #1: Banking

We thought it was about time someone remembered that there are millions of people out there that have managed to find their dream job.

So we have spoken to some of those people to find out how they got there, and how you can replicate if you are looking for your dream job.

Case Study One: Working for an investment bank.

(Yes, we know about the bad press bankers get, but would you say no to all that money? Thought not. Banking is a viable dream job for many).

What do you do?

I develop algorithmic trading systems for a major investment bank working closely with traders, sales and quant teams. My job involves development and project management.

What is the most important piece of advice you can give someone who wants to land their dream job?

The most important advice I could give is to be versatile. If you are still in education then try and make sure you get involved in something other than studies. Sports or any other competitive or organisational activity will give you just as many relevant skills as what you learn on the chalkboards. Once out of education try and break down what your dream job is based on and get experience in each of those areas. Often the highest jobs require the broadest knowledge base. So, you won’t always be able to land them straight away.

Be open minded to what you think your dream job is. It might not always be exactly what you think it will be. If you keep your eyes open on the way to getting there you might find something else that is a better fit.

Something to think about. Look out for part two coming soon. We’ll be speaking to a Club promoter and Radio Presenter.

10 Commandments for Good Social Media

Check out SENSE founder, Duane Melius and his word on Good Social Media here

It’s part of his effort to win The World’s Coolest Intern, and we wish him all the success in the world.

And in case you are wondering, SENSE will continue to spread word of interesting and empowering opportunities for young people who want to harness the power of media. Everywhere.

We’ve got plenty of vintage stuff for you too, so watch this space in coming weeks.

Good luck D!

Commissioned by the Commissioner

We worked with a team of 14 young people to create this film for the Children’s Commissioner for England.

Check out the interview with Semi, one of the stars of the film, to see what he made of the experience. You can find out more information about the Children’s Commissioner here.

It was a great experience, from meeting the Commissioner, filming at King’s Avenue and Norwood schools, working with the Met Police and Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the help and support we received from Envision (an excellent youth charity, check them out).

Ever the realists, we want to balance this post with a moan about something. Only problem is, there’s nothing to moan about! We had a great time making this film, and feel fighting fit for the next assignment. Bring it on!

Opportunities @ Channel 4

We’ve just got word from Channel Four about two current opportunities up for grabs.

Get on the case early because you know how hot the demand will be for these!

First up – a competition Channel 4 are promoting – it’s a chance for you to be a T4 presenter. Does it get any better than that on UK TV? Probably not. Here is the link that could change your life

Completing today’s exciting lineup is the info on C4’s Production Trainee Scheme which recently launched

It aims to bring new voices into the industry from diverse communities and has some great placements at the following production companies:

Big Talk  // Baby Cow // Hat Trick // The Comedy Unit // Zeppotron // Objective // Wall to Wall // Fresh One // Shed // Studio Lambert // Two Four // IMG // Sunset + Vine // Company // Six to Start // Illumina Digial // Creative North

Applicants should go to this link. Deadline for applications is 30 April.

Also there’s a scheme for you if you or anyone you know is a less-abled person who has ambitions to work in Media.

One last thing before you start!! Between you all we bet there are thousands of friends that would benefit from the type of opportunities we promote. Suggest our facebook page to a few of yours? (click here) There will be much more of this sort of info from us in times to come so you’ll be doing them a favour as well.

We thank you.

Quiet Blog, Busy SENSE.

We’ve been busy. Making media work.

More to the point, we’ve been making Media Works.

The Foyer Federation asked us, along with Community Builders and the award-winning TomTom Nation to help them design a pilot youth media project for 10 of the foyers within their network.

So… what have we been up to?

Well, consulting with and training young people and staff, installing lots of shiny new media equipment and developing a project brand and web platform! It’s a great chance for us – the legacy we leave behind will offer over 500 young people who are living in foyers a real chance to express themselves creatively, get skilled up and get employed in the creative industries.

So whether we’ve officially saved the world yet or not is still unconfirmed but we’ll let you know the details as soon as they emerge.

[Duane]

2morro Is Where It’s At

Our latest piece of work. Commissioned by the 2morro Festival.

Presenter: Leanne Butterfield. Cameraman One: Dwain Bowman. Cameraman Two: Liam Thomas. Production Assistant: Jerome Bucchan-Nelson. Production Manager: Angela Stavrou. Edited and Directed by Dwain Bowman.

Also, special mention goes out to the “Something Wacky” girls who won our DV Challenge for the excellent footage you see throught the film. Madhya Mehmood, Zainab Patel, Gabriella Belgrave and Sameera Patel – well done! Your work truly spiced things up. We’ll be in touch with your prizes. Also a big shout to Krishna Maroo, our DV Challenge Workshop Guru, who guided the young bright sparks on their path to action, lots of laughs, positive messages and ultimate glory.

Lastly thanks to Alicia Little for taking some amazing photos for our exhibition on the day and Lee Davies for his excellent assisting work.
Phew! What a roll call of names. We dedicate this blog post to you guys who helped make our 2morro experience one to remember. Think of it as a virtual monument. With it’s own movie.

I’ll be back with some brain-nourishing blog postage before long. You can bet your sandwiches on it.

[Duane]

Brain Food #4: True Romance.

Nope, they are not from the 60s, 70s or the 80s.

These guys played at our Christmas Party in 2007 and since then have gone on to sign a deal with XL recordings and win the Glastonbury Emerging Talent comp (to mention a couple of their achievements).

Find your flares and break out the instant sideburns. If this doesn’t put a smile on your face you might wanna check your pulse. Immediately.

[Duane]

Audition Your Frustration

We’ve all seen the mad scramble every time Big Brother has it’s yearly audition but when it’s not just for naked fame and glory, how many young people are interested in getting on TV and getting their voices heard?

Well, we are about to find out.

Enter studentvoice.tv. The English Secondary Students’ Association (ESSA) is collecting young people’s views on education for a Manifesto which they will present to the people in charge of education in the UK.

Young people aged 11-19 are invited to get their point across via the fresh and easy medium of YouTube.

And as if having a say in how the £62.2billion education budget is spent was not enough, the best of all vids will feature on Channel 4.

If you want to find out more then check out www.studentvoice.tv

[Duane]

OK, I know I’m pushing the BB reference but that logo looks so cool up there.

The End.

Brain Food #3: Storytelling by Ira Glass

More Brain Food (making up for lost time).

Ira Glass breaks down the storytelling methods used by Hollywood and gives us the recipe for their success.

Some real ah ha! moments in there.

[Duane]

Brain Food #2: Exploratree

It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you.

Without some brain food to step to.

Old-school Timbaland references aside, I wanna talk about SUCCESS.

Especially in this age, success has no skin colour. No sex, no age, no social background. On screen and in those annoying free papers that are shoved into our hands every day in London, we are seeing images of all kinds of people who have managed to make a lot more than just two pennies to rub together.

Success isn’t an outer form. It’s a mindset. So therefore tools that help us improve our mindset improve our chances of success, no?
Enter Exploratree, a collaboration between Futurelabs and Microsoft, that offers a wide array of thinking guides.

“Why would I need a guide to think” I hear you ask.

Well, nobody is saying that you do, but help from Futurelabs’ collective genius has got to be a powerful ally on the road to SUCCESS.

I thank you.

[Duane]

P.S. check out mindmapinspiration.com for more maps like the one above.