Over the last year New Media may have seen more dot.comedy than dot.competency, but says Tom Campbell, it’s still an exciting – and growing – industry to work in

The Internet may be last year’s favourite dinner party topic, and newspapers may be relishing its recent slump in fortune, but, away from the headlines, new media is still a viable and exciting business to move into. Prospective adventurers, however, need to be more cautious - and more aware of the skills that they have to offer.

But who or what are they offering them to? If you’re going to get into new media, you need to have a clear idea of what it actually is. Definitions are not easy, but think of it as emerging digital media products with which, to varying degrees, users can interact. It is these two features, digital and interactive, which are the defining qualities of new media.

New media is not solely about e-commerce, dot.coms or even the Web. These things are all important, but so are a range of other practices and platforms, including customer support and viral marketing, interactive TV and information kiosks. So you want to get in. Where do you start?

Rise to the challenge

Don’t feel intimidated about the range of technologies involved. New media is about new ways of communicating, rather than doing clever things with computers, and there are plenty of skills and talents not to mention general experience that you may have picked up from other jobs that can be relevant.

Hardly anyone in the industry actually started out in new media and very few people have more than four years’ specific experience in the business. Most new media designers and editors started out as print-based graphic designers and writers. Almost anyone with a background in marketing is likely to find adapting to new media an interesting rather than a daunting challenge.

Next page: forget the past – look to the future

Recent developments in the industry have meant that there are currently fewer ‘creative’ opportunities available than before. These days anyone can build a website, but actually making it work and making money out of it is the challenge. Last year, job sites and the Monday Guardian Media supplement were brimming with vacancies for animators, designers and web editors. Today the adverts you are most likely to see are for the kinds of positions found in more established industries, such as sales, marketing, commercial development, strategy and management. Above all what employers are looking for are not so much specific skills as a readiness to adapt, learn, work with colleagues and apply business know-how to a new environment.

Anney Wyner, senior consultant at digital media talent agency Prospect, has worked in new media from its earliest days. She says there are still plenty of opportunities, but they are changing. ‘The new media industry has grown up. These are serious businesses being run by serious people, and they are looking to recruit those with commercial experience and an understanding of how businesses work.’

One of the main drivers behind new media is technical skills - and they are still in great demand. Analysts IDC suggest Britain will lack 80,000 networking professionals by 2002. There’s a gap in the current job market, crying out to be filled. Everyone knows skills are important and increasingly people are developing themselves rather than waiting for employers to lead the way. But there is no point in skilling up unless you have a clear purpose in mind.

Numerous businesses and organisations offer training courses in new media software tools. But be warned: many of these courses are expensive, and might not equip you with the skills most appropriate for what you really want to do. ‘Learning Photoshop can take a lot of time and money, and won’t be much use unless you’ve already got the proven talent and desire to be a designer,’ says Stephen Whaley, director of industry body New Media Knowledge. ‘It’s important to focus on what you are already experienced and interested in, and then see how this can be brought to new media. People are constantly surprised at how appropriate many of their skills already are.’

Next page: planning it right

Before you move into any new career, it’s important to get a feel for the industry. The number of employment websites, online resources and networking events dedicated to UK new media industry are on the rise. Check them out if you’re serious. Attending events and talks is an extremely valuable way gaining an insight into the industry. From business seminars to late night drinking binges, it’s surprising how much this new industry relies on old-fashioned introductions and personal contacts for business deals and information sharing. And New Media isn’t just the preserve of men; there are many online and offline groups springing up that focus on women and their progression in the industry. Busygirl, the Phoenix Network and Webgrrls are definitely ones to watch.

She who dares

Anyone thinking about moving into new media needs to be aware of the risks: at the moment it certainly isn’t a business for the faint-hearted. How far the much-publicised US downturn will be repeated here remains to be seen. But already there have been scores of dot.com failures in the UK this year, and a large number of media companies have cut back heavily on their online activities. Big players like BT, Emap and Granada have all been hit. In this climate, redundancy is a real possibility and, however adventurous you may feel, losing a job suddenly can be a real blow to your confidence.

Simone Kerr, used to work for eCountries, an international online magazine. It closed down this year leaving staff shocked and shaken. ‘Everyone went down to the pub together and we drowned our sorrows. The next few days were really hard. It was just weeks before my wedding and I was unemployed and feeling low – my family were really concerned. It was tough to bounce back.’ Simone found a job she is happy with shortly afterwards, and says her new employers were impressed by her new media experiences.

Next page: hold your nerve and go for it

It’s a familiar story. The Internet is an important element of all business these days and traditional companies are eager to employ those who have worked on the front line of the digital economy. Despite the knock-back Simone is very positive about her experience. ‘I don’t regret my time in new media. It was an exhilarating, if short, period of my career that has broadened my options and taught me a great deal. Who knows, I might return someday.’ For many who have left new media, that’s still a possibility. Despite the recent setbacks, new media is still very much alive. The Web is becoming an everyday part of millions of people’s lives. There is a plethora of new platforms and devices just around the corner: interactive TV, next generation wireless devices and bluetooth technologies. All of these will provide creative and commercial opportunities over the next few years.

In the last 12 months, the industry has seen a flood of venture capital investment, paper millionaires, dozens of new business models, lay-offs and dot.com crashes. For Simone and many others, it’s been a hairy but ultimately worthwhile journey. It may not be the get-rich-quick scheme that people once hoped for, but if you can hold your nerve, it is still one of the UK’s most exciting and innovative industries to be involved in.

Useful websites

New Media Knowledge. Organisation providing analysis and support for new media professionals working in the UK.

The Phoenix Network. Network looking at women’s position and concerns in the UK new media industry.

Metro New Media. Highly regarded training company, which runs introductory courses in many of the most widely used new media software tools.

Revolution Magazine. Leading magazine for the UK new media industry, with up-to-date news and reports.

Internet Content. A good source of articles and analysis on the new media industry.

Chinwag. The industry’s most active email discussion lists – join these to get a flavour of the debates and issues concerning new media professionals.

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