Can you do everything? Then MTV will pay you the medium bucks
Dr Mumbo’s attention has been drawn to a job ad posted by MTV Australia on The Loop website which seems to be asking for quite a lot.
While the job ad asks for a ‘mid level’ producer, the skills required appear to be those of a producer/director/videographer/editor/motion graphics artist/web developer and tea fetcher.
The ad asks “Are you a Producer who can direct, self-shoot and edit?” before listing the following requirements to get your foot in the door:
This has an Oatmeal cartoon written all over it….
There seriously needs to be a clamp down on this sort of exploitation. I don’t see this scope of needs for Head of Marketing for instance. Basically people need to bullshit their way into a job so management can slap itself on the back and fondly remember the days of slave labour and the coal mines.
Scarily, with the exception of OFLC accreditation, I can safely tick all the boxes, and I’ve even worked on MTV for Channel Nine back in the day.
Sadly for them (and me) I’m nudging 50…
A Degree in Medicine, an ability to juggle and fluency in at least three languages are preferred but not essential.
Sadly there are so many of these positions now. Business want the skills and energy of 5 people but are only prepared to pay for one.
I’m surprised that it’s not “there is no pay involved but It’s great experience and will look great on your CV”
But think of the exposure!
Young professionals nowadays have multiple skill sets and have mastered most. There’s free and top class tutorials all over the internet and softwares are cheaper. Mumbrella sounds old for complaining about this job posting. Get a grip. And update your website design too. Feels like it’s 1999 here.
While I agree with ‘Empty Bee’ I think it’s going a bit far to expect all those creative skills plus the web dev side, PLUS project management. They’re jobs in and of themselves.
It’s happening everywhere.
In radio they are paying kids peanuts and expecting them to do everything.
No wonder there is “burnout”.
Could be worse, it could be a 12 month contract.
Or ‘salary based on experience’.
I see so many jobs promising incredible (new meaning) roles, but an incredible (old meaning) salary (if one is stated), that are further undermined by a fixed term contract.
You want to poach someone already in a well paid role, earned through experience, by offering an unrealistic salary and provide no long-term commitment or career progression? Right then.
The only people that will apply will be the wrong people. Unemployed and unemployable. Inexperienced and inept.
And then you’ll complain at the quality of candidates and berate that no one wants a great job.
Well MTV et al, I can tell you, ‘you get the team you deserve.’
Unfortunately this is the norm these days. Most businesses are loading mid-level managers and below up to the eyeballs with responsibility and expecting that they’ll get it done in a weeks work.
This is fine but generally you will find they will not be strong in all skill sets..
I’ve seen lists like this for unpaid interns in Sydney. Create a shame file Mumbrella. .
As an old fart, I empathise with the previous comments.
HOWEVER… young folks today DO have these skills.
It’s a new world.
Actually, AS an old fart, I think it exciting that filmmakers have such a range of tools at their fingertips. The fact people USE them is inevitable.
The same thing is happening in many disciplines: Journalists are expected to do much more than the old skool journos.
C’est la vie.
THE DIFFERENCE IS that the “young uns” haven’t yet learned how to extract decent wages for their skills.
SO the point here is not the ad asking for a range of skills, the difficulty is the offering of a low wage.
BTW in 1988 we paid top Film Editors $2,500 a week. EXACTLY the same as they are paid today!!!
What’s next? Cars that drive and park themselves? Equal pay for women?