Jobs? and Future? and Learning? Oh my!

I’m going to University because I think this is the way to get a job. The idea of not getting a job is liking walking into a dark forest without seeing the clearing on the otherside, and that forest is filled with a number of unknown things.

Yet, after much discussion with Elliot, I understand this is not a transaction where I put in the study time to be rewarded with a career at the end; this is opportunity is going to make me more employable because I have the tools to know how and to know why.

The media industry is always growing, whilst decaying, broadening and expanding in direct correlation with engineering of technology. So whilst I’m anxious about whether I’ll be able to find a suitable job at the end of this that will ultimately become my career, the job that is more suitable might not even exist yet. With that in mind, we need to take on the skills we learn in University throughout our career, human-beings are an ever-evolving, creative entity, history supports this, heck just look at the past 40 years and how much has changed!

With the development of digital technology and the Internet, I looked into ways people have been making money/careers by utilising this rapid advancement. First thing I didn’t expect? Vloggers, particularly YouTube vloggers. Do you think someone sitting in University, studying media in 2004 would have any idea that you could make money out of posting videos of yourself on a video-sharing website?

I’m not ashamed to admit that I do enjoy watching the odd beauty guru, prank or funny rant on YouTube to bypass time or to procrastinate, they seem like normal everyday people to me, yet a lot of them have turned a hobby into a money-making career.

Ever heard of Jenna Marbles? The crazy dog loving, outspoken, American girl? She gets millions and millions on her videos and channel every week, her demand is so great on YouTube, she gets paid for it. One good ol’ trusty google search later and I’ve discovered this, turns out there is a lot of people are making money from “vlogging” on YouTube.

At this weeks “unlecture” there was debate on whether the content you post on the internet can only be validated if it is viewed/consumed by others. There could be two answers to this question. Jasmine made a very good point in that yes, if you treat it as a therapy or catharsis, a personal diary if you will, then it can totally be validated because whether it’s viewed or consumed by others it was beneficial for your own well-being.  If you broadcast your content with the sole intent of getting a response from people, and you don’t, obviously there’s something requiring fixing and better luck next time.

I ask this though, why post content to the Internet, which it’s sole purpose is to connect people from across the globe, if you don’t want people it to be viewed or consumed by those people? I want people to look at this blog, use it to get to know me (the personal and informal voice I take on as I write), enjoy it (the variety of posts and media I use) and maybe learn something while they’re here. If Jenna Marbles didn’t want people to keep watching her videos, would she spend as much time and effort into coming up with a weekly concept, filming it, editing it and posting it if she didn’t want people to view it?

Jenna Marbles most viewed video on YouTube:

My high school (and favourite) psychology teacher told me that “The more you know, the less you know”. Sounds a bit contradictory, ey? My understanding is that it is incentive. Incentive to consistently face the day with the determination to learn something new, and then learn something more. You may think you know everything there is to know about a subject or topic, just to be presented with new information a second later.

I may think I know all possible career options I have post-uni now, but tomorrow a new job could be created and the day after that. So I guess my piece of advice for anyone studying media who is in the same position. Create it to be consumed, and don’t ever stop creating because you think you’ve reached that limit, that limit won’t be there tomorrow.