Category: Job

Professional Nursing: My Vision of Myself over the Next 5 Years

There are a lot of characteristics that are involved in the profession of nursing. There is not one nurse who is the same. It takes a lot of different people to make up the profession of nursing, however, there are some characteristics that almost every nurse has. The three characteristics that are found in the profession of nursing are prevention, coordination of care, and patient advocacy. Each of these characteristics is essential to nursing, and the patients having successful outcomes.

Prevention is a huge part of nursing. It is not only important in education for patients/public to prevent falls, health problems, disease, etc., but we also prevent medication errors and many other incidents. According to Marshall, Dall’Oglio, Davis, Verret, & Jones, “nurses have the power to shape their care environment”(2015). Nurses have the power to not only teach their patients but also have opportunities to teach the communities they reside in. The populations nurses treat, no matter what unit they work on, the prevention starts at home. It is vital to healthy patients.

There are many members of the health care team. There are nurses, doctors, physical therapists, dietary aids, pharmacists, and many others. It is so important that as a healthcare team, the goal is the same. The focus of the goal should be the patient. Care coordination is a way this is achieved. Scholz & Minuado state, “care coordination is the deliberate organization of patient care activities between two or more participants (including the patient) involved in a patient’s care to facilitate the appropriate delivery of healthcare services”(2015). Care coordination is a link in the chain to make sure the patient receives the care they deserve and need to hopefully facilitate a healthy recovery.

Lastly, as a nurse, you become the patients’ advocate. The patient deserves and needs someone who will be in their corner. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an advocate is “one who pleads the cause of another” (2018). That is exactly what a nurse does, pleads for their patients’ case. The patients and their nurses often build a bond over the course of their stay. This bond will not only help the patient be comfortable with the nurse, but it will also help the nurse be a better patient advocate. We will know our patients more, and they will become people. When patients become people, the job becomes who you are. This is important. This is not only vital in how well the patient receives the care, but also how much the patient believes they will recover. Nurses help the patients build up their own motivation in themselves.

There are some barriers to nursing, however. One of the barriers to nursing is patient education and information for follow-ups. We as nurses do our best to explain follow-up care, and prescriptions, and give discharge paperwork. However, sometimes patients get confused, or they just don’t do their follow-ups. Patients don’t always understand their prescriptions either. An article from American Nurse Today, states, that nurses are to present information at a fifth-grade reading level (2017). This would not only simplify information but would also allow patients to use the readback method more easily.

Nurses run into the barrier of being limited in their scope of practice. There are certain things that a registered nurse cannot do. This can impede patient care if there is a waiting period for someone who has the credentials to do a particular procedure. Patients have become more complicated in their healthcare, medicine has changed and grown. Nurses have adapted to the broadening field of medicine by increasing their skill set and gaining more complex knowledge (IOM, 2011).

Lastly, another barrier nurses see is overcrowding and the nurse/patient ratio. Hospitals are filled with patients, no matter what department they work in. Often there are times when nurses are juggling 4+ patients in a shift. This nurse-to-patient ratio can have some consequences. Nurses can experience burnout, patients can be more at risk for unsafe practices, and medical errors can occur. This can be solved with better staffing ratios. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. When this is not possible, there can be mandatory breaks for nurses, and an opportunity to leave the unit for 15 minutes to regroup.

In 2011, the Institute of Medicine put out a report which took a closer look at the future of medicine. There were two recommendations that will transform our future as nurses. One of these recommendations was to implement nurse residency programs. This would not only help nurses develop their skills, and transition more easily to the professional world, it would help the retention of nurses. In the long run, this would help patients. They would be getting the best care, from qualified nurses who understand their department, and have been fully trained. This would help the future of medicine immensely.

Another recommendation that was in the IOM report is to make sure nurses engage in lifelong learning. This is vital to the nurses’ progression. Medicine is always progressing. Patients are becoming more complex, procedures are always changing. If the nurses aren’t progressing with those changes, then the patients are going to be in dangerous situations. This is vital to the nurse being able to be the best provider they can be. Special pieces of training and in-services help to develop skills, and procedures for nurses. This should be implemented in every hospital in the nation.

The recommendations in the IOM report are important because they will help move forward in the world of medicine, and patients will have better outcomes. Nurses take an oath to do no harm to their patients, without engaging in lifelong learning and being trained properly(in residency programs, if available), they are unable to fulfill that oath. Nursing takes work, it isn’t supposed to be easy. It is supposed to stretch the nurse, and help them become the best nurse they can be.

Personally, I have been a nurse for a little over a year, in the Emergency Department (ED). I have learned so much in the last year. Some of the things I have learned, I learned in school, but most of it was training that was specialized to my department. The things I have learned have been necessary to be a registered nurse in the ED. I need to be a safe nurse, who has the skill set to handle those traumatic situations and without being exposed and trained, I would never have been able to gain those skills needed. I believe that throughout my career, regardless of the department I am working in, I will always be learning. I mentioned before, nursing is always growing, medicine is always advancing, and I need to always be growing.

My vision of myself over the next 5 years is very simple. I want to become the best nurse that I can be. I want to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree (BSN). I want to hopefully one day become a charge nurse in the ED. The organization I work for requires a BSN to be able to be a charge nurse. As I work towards my degree, I hope that my skill set can become more solidified, and I can become better at my critical thinking. These two things are important for the charge nurse. I know that these things are going to take work.

I want to be able to help my patients see their potential, and teach them how they can achieve it. I hope to potentially go on to earn my Master’s degree. I would like to become a Nurse Practitioner. I have always been drawn to oncology, so being an oncology nurse practitioner is what I am hoping to earn.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be a nurse, it has taught me so much about others. I have loved the last year, and the team I work with. We have become a family.

Abstract

This essay analyzes the cause of the rising population of male nurses, synthesizing a few sources to argue that the increase is because of the benefits and sense of fulfillment in relation to the career as well as the declining social stigma, gender stereotypes, and bias against them. The current paper investigates the key constraining factors keeping males from involving in the healthcare industry as nurses as well as specifies the advantages to join the nursing profession.

Historical Background

For ages, nursing has been considered by many to be a job for women. Feminization of the profession is rooted in the history of nursing with Florence Nightingale as a figurehead for modern nursing. In the middle of the 19th century, Florence Nightingale officially established the first nursing institution. Originally, nursing education was introduced predominantly to women. From the very beginning of this humanitarian profession, males were deprived of special education and even enrollment, despite men acting as nurses, during both war and peace, throughout post-classical history.

Dating back to the third century, in ancient Rome men mastered the nursing profession for the first time in human history. During that period, the outbreak of the great plague raged in Alexandria, and a group of men were ought to establish an organization providing medical care for sick and dying people. The association of male doctors called themselves “Parabolani Brotherhood”. Later, as the number of plague sufferers had been continuously growing, the medical men also established a special hospital to provide uninterrupted medical help and nursing care.

Within the years of the civil war in the USA, lots of males mastered to serve as battlefield nurses in the Union army as well as in the Confederate. Moreover, “The Confederate Army assigned 30 men in each regiment to take care of the injured soldiers” (Gadget, 2019). Therefore, the burst of plague in Alexandria and the US civil war is believed to be the key turning point in the history of male nursing. Providing medical treatment and nursing care for both plague sufferers and injured soldiers significantly influenced the social stereotype of female nursing.

Historically, the nursing profession has always been female, whereas male nursing statistics show a significant increase in recent years. Considering the changing public stigma about males in this humanitarian profession, lots of men have joined the number of nurses throughout the world. The decay of social stigma and gender stereotypes against males in the nursing profession, the benefits of the career, and personal fulfillment are causing the population of male nurses to rise (Buerhaus, 2013). Due to their infinite commitment to their job, St. Camillus de Lellis, Luther Christman, Edward Lyon, Joe Hogan, and James Derham have gained fame as the most memorable people in the history of male nursing. Though the profession is heavily dominated by women, the belief that nursing is a job solely for women is diminishing as men provide their own diverse skill-sets and value to hospitals.

Addressing a male nurse

Nowadays, males throughout the world are widely introduced in the healthcare industry. However, providing medical care by a male nurse might confuse the patients and hospital visitors with how exactly to call such a masculine nurse. As a rule, people in any civilized society address males of this profession as just a ‘Nurse’ beyond the gender gap. However, there are some exceptions like sometimes ‘Murse’ in the USA or ‘Brother’ in India (Gadget, 2019).

On the other hand, whereas the social stereotype of femininity in nursing still remains, some male nurses may face uncomfortable moments at work: “I love being a male nurse. I have nothing wrong with that. I hate when people say, murse, or male nurse.” (YouTube, 2019).

The key constraining factors

There’s no denying the fact that the healthcare sector is by far the most inevitable and fast-growing industry nowadays. Despite the financial and social benefits of this profession, the nursing career still remains for many males not so promising. According to multiple research, the number of males in nursing keeps growing since the 1970th. Nevertheless, recent statistics highlight the key factors still keeping males from involving in medicare.

Surprisingly, the majority of men still find the nursing profession to be awkward for a virile man. Indeed, when it comes to caregiving, most people draw a scratch of a gentlewoman in their mind. And in case patients need a nurse to be provided with medical treatment and looked after, most sufferers expect a woman nurse. Being based on taking care and predominantly on touch, most men stay ashamed of joining the nursing profession. Since men still constitute the minority of the nursing staff, male nurses might feel social isolation and an essential lack of peer support in the workplace (Sherrod, 2005). Not willing to face such kinds of confusing situations, men are not eager to involve in the nursing profession. From this perspective, traditional society is not yet ready for a male nurse.

Though the social benefits of a nursing career are rather obvious, the question of financial advantages remains controversial. Originally, a male is the main caretaker and cash-earner of the family. Thus, he is being put under more expectations, and the main breadwinner in the family is considered to earn more, respectively. Despite the that nursing wages are rather competitive, males tend to consider this money insufficient to earn a living. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data, surprisingly, male nurses earn more than females.

Reasons to join the nursing profession

Since the nursing profession is still female-dominated, young males shy away from involving in the nursing sector of medicine. Despite this reason remains relevant, the male nurse population is continuously increasing from year to year (Harding, 2009).

Undoubtedly, gender biasedness is among the common misunderstandings between patients and hospital staff. Sometimes misunderstandings occur since male nurses as well as female ones might be rejected by patients due to cultural considerations or personal requests. For instance, someone might be confused to discuss health problems or being taken care of by a nurse of the opposite gender. In contrast, most male patients are eager to discuss injuries and medical conditions personally with male nurses who will understand them from the same perspective. As a rule, patients accept male nurses with all due respect, in spite of mistaking them for doctors sometimes. A male nurse should be wise enough not to take it personally.

It’s not a secret that sufferers throughout the world tend to be rather complaint and nagging, whereas some of them are constant yammers. In this case, male nurses are invaluable assistants as they are more patient and confident compared to female nurses. Besides, a male nurse is physically stronger to lift heavy patients, for instance.

Anyway, awkward moments in the nursing profession are inevitable. In turn, the primary objective in healthcare is to overcome such difficulties as a highly qualified specialist. Dealing with different people and helping them to feel better with due professionalism is nursing’s top priority.

Attractive advantages for male nurses

Since healthcare services is an emerging industry and the demand for qualified nurses keeps growing, job prospects, as well as payment benefits, are rather promising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2018 a registered nurse’s median annual wage comprised $71,730 with a fee of $34,48 per hour. Taking into consideration the BLS forecasts, “employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).

According to the recruitment research of 2016, the nursing pay gap comprised 14% in favor of men. Not only do male nurses earn more than females, but also manage to be promoted much quicker in the workplace (Dean, 2018). As mentioned above, male nurses tend to earn more than females since they are more eager to work at inpatient facilities as well as in urban healthcare institutions with significantly higher wages, as a rule. Moreover, being more resilient, male nurses tend to take more on-call, night, and high-differential shifts for wage bonuses and premium rates. Thus, with more overtime hours worked out, male nurses gain quicker promotion and more money paid, respectively. Nevertheless, the majority of male nurses claim that social stigma and personal stereotypes still comprise the greatest challenge in engaging in the nursing career.

Concluding remarks

Private organizations pursue the expansion of the male nurse population by uprooting stereotypes against men and nurses, working with governmental bodies to address the lack of men in nursing, and breaking the barriers that cause men to discount becoming registered nurses. The benefits of being a male nurse allow for a well-payed job with job security, travel opportunities, and a statistically faster growth rate for men which may also contribute to the increase of male nurses. Working together as a team with the doctor and the whole medical staff for the sake of saving lives is the key point a male nurse should be proud of. The final reasons one may pursue a nursing career are the desire to help others and a sense of personal fulfillment that comes from the achievements of accomplishing this goal.

The Great Depression started on the day of October 29, 1929, when everything came crashing down. The panicking investors sold more than 16 million shares in one day and often just a penny a share. The prices of stock were driven up by Americans who doesn’t want the good time to end, and thus were pointing towards the fortune made on the stock market. Citizens with little money to spare wanted in on the action as well, so the stockbrokers readily agreed to sell shares thin on margins and even lend money to these citizens to buy stocks. The investors figured that the constantly rising price of the stock will allow ten times the return. The high unemployment rate was caused by high tariffs imposed by the American government to keep American business owners happy as it kept foreign-made products out of America. However, on the downside, it meant that the European nation was unable and/or increasingly unwilling to buy American-made products. And the Hawley-Smoot Tariff act in 1930 made matters even worse as the goal of the act was to protect American farmers and manufacturers. However, the high price of the tariff made it impossible to sell the farmed and manufactured goods overseas, which also resulted in that other nations imposing tariffs of their own as a sign of retaliation. And in the film The Great Depression it was said that the noon traffic stood still as people waits for the news for the return on their investment. The market collapse was so bad that some investors committed suicide rather than face financial ruin. And banks invested heavily in the stock markets as well, and they watched helplessly as the money just simply vanished into thin air. As American citizens started to realize the shape of the economy, many panicked and rushed to withdraw their savings from the banks. Many banks simply could not produce the amount of cash demanded by the citizens and they simply shut the doors leaving them empty-handed. In the end, over 9 million savings account was wiped out, 659 banks closed by 1929 and by 1933 over a quarter of America’s banks failed. And the high unemployment rate did not help the stock market crash in the film The Great Depression stated that one in four Americans was jobless, and over 13 million people were unemployed. The unemployment got so bad that eventually the jobless became the homeless and the homeless started up “shantytowns” where a makeshift community made from wooden crates, tar paper, and cardboard, popped up. “Disillusioned citizens called them Hoovervilles, after the president, and the newspapers they slept under, Hoover blankets.”(The Great Depression) The others went to different cities in hopes of finding jobs, however as they are too poor to afford a train ticket, they often hitched onto the back of train carts hoping they wouldn’t get caught and hoping for a job.

The labor union is very important to the workers because it prevents unfair labor practices. The second new deal passed the Wagner Act which reformed labor laws, the right to strike, and supports the workers’ rights to form unions and prevent unfair labor practices. The Great Depression stated that the number of union workers rose from 3 million to 8 million. The Mexican and Mexican Americans joined the labor unions as the unions provided better working conditions, hours, wages, and most of all the end to racial and employment discrimination. Luisa Moreno was an important figure for the union community as she was the first woman and Latina to be elected as a member of the California Congress of Industrial Organizations. She also was an international representative of UCAPAWA(United Cannery Agricultural Packing, and Allied Workers of America). Emma Tenayuca started to organize strikes at 16 years of age, leading many strikes including the Pecan Shellers’ Strike of San Antonio in 1938. She was arrested many times and “I never thought in terms of fear. I thought in terms of justice.” (Palacios, 10)

The relationship between Mexicans and their citizenship in the United States of America is complicated, to say the least. According to the Naturalization act of 1790 and the revision of it in 1870, the act only deems people who were black or white could become an American citizens. However, Mexican’s eligibility for U.S. citizenship was nullified by their classification as “non-white” Also it wasn’t just Mexican’s naturalization cases that were fought, but also their immigration policies as well. Up until the 1910s Mexicans crossed the border with ease however in 1917 the Literacy Act was passed and thus increasing the number of requirements to enter the U.S. The role Mexicans played for their role in the development of the U.S. Southwest was that America was looking for a source of cheap labor, at first “Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Punjabi Sikhs, and Mexicans.”(Empire of Dreams)

The importance of immigrant labor/guest workers is that it eliminated undocumented migration for a period of time. In the early 1900s, the United States called the Mexican government in order to supplant the dwindling number of Asian and European immigrant workers. And thus starting a relationship between the United States and Mexico entering the Bracero program. The purpose of the program was to explain how the Braceros program came to exist, how it benefited both countries, and how you can still see it today. Both countries entered the Braceros program because it benefited them both greatly. The United States needed laborers as “The agriculture and railroad industries’ need for Mexican workers, preferably men, worsened after Congress began to limit the entry of Asian immigrants to the United States” (Gamboa, 270) And Mexico entered the Braceros program because it allowed their citizens to enter “United States freely, barring a few unenforced restrictions.”(Gamboa, 270) “Los Angeles Times noted the routine departure of five to six trains per week filled with Mexican men traveling from Laredo, Texas, to locations distant from the international border.”(Gamboa, 270) Mexican citizens were pulled into America as the perception of employment and economic opportunity excited them, as after World War II there was a major labor shortage as the growth of corporations and agriculture saw the need to expand and maintain the existing railroad system which again need low-paying workers. So both countries benefited from this agreement greatly as the Americans got their laborers, and Mexicans can enter the United States freely. However often the problems lie within the border crossing itself, as the bracero came to enter the United States they were horribly treated as the film Harvest of Loneliness stated that all bracero have to pass through Empalme where they have to wait up to 3 months to be sent to the US. Meanwhile, they faced starvation as they arrived at Empalme with only the bus ticket and a few pesos, unable to acquire food that bracero suffered from starvation. After their waiting period was up and arrived in Mexicali they were to be stripped naked and herded to chambered to be sprayed with DDT a pesticide.

The Bracero program recruited Mexican male workers to work in agriculture and on railroads. The program started from 1942 to 1947, and over 220,000 braceros were imported from Mexico between those years. Some of the jobs that Mexican men performed in the United States were to perform tasks in sugar beet fields, various railroad-company yards, or at Alaskan fish canneries. The working conditions were rather poor as the rules stipulate that “employers withheld a percentage of each person’s wages until the completion of the work period In the event that a worker violates the contract, the employer notified the Immigration Bureau to revoke the worker’s legal status to remain in the United States” (Gamboa, 272) So the workers had to complete their work or they can face deportation back to Mexico. Also that it was set up to favor the employer rather than the employee. Another point that was important was the importance of food. As the “companies realized that poor meals brought serious morale problems and searched for Mexican American cooks able to prepare more traditional meals.” (Gamboa, 281) The amount and the quality of food available to the railroad workers are all dependent on the contract agreement, as they could either buy or bring their own meals, or pay a portion to eat at an employer-operated kitchen. However, since the food is not suited to them and the Mexican food products these men were used to are simply not available in the Pacific Northwest. Companies hired Chinese Mexican cooks however that did not improve as “braceros had difficulty accepting and appreciating their chino cooks. In some instances, the Chinese Mexican cooks simply walked away to avoid the constant ethnic ridicule or scolding for not preparing a particular dish.”(Gamboa, 281)

The Mexican labor built the rail system in Mexico and the newly constructed and the expansion of the western railroads combined both nation’s economies, and “with the invention of the refrigerated boxcar, and the construction of an intricate network of privately and publicly financed irrigation projects”(Gutierrez, 195) allowed the “western entrepreneurs to transport and market their goods in unprecedented quantities…… By 1909 nearly 14 million acres were under irrigation in the Southwest”(Gutierrez, 195) And in California, the effect of the new railroad and the irrigation project is dramatic as by the 1930s California alone was accounted for one-third of “United States’ fresh fruit, one-fourth of its vegetable, eight-tenths of its wine, and nearly the entire American output of almonds, artichokes, figs, nectarines, olives, dates, and lemons.”(Gutierrez, 195)

The United States and Mexico border is a revolving door because there is a constant stream of “people” going in and coming out. And the “people” Mexican laborers in the United States have a need for low-paying labor. The United States created the border patrol as a result of the Literacy Act of 1917. The act imposed a head tax for each crossing. So in order to skin the tax many immigrants looked for other ways to pass the border without paying it. “Moreover, stereotypes of Mexicans as carriers of disease who threatened both the health of the nation and its charity system resulted in humiliating medical inspections at the border-crossing stations”(Molina, 224) So no only that you have to pay ahead tax in order to cross into the United States you are also subjected to a humiliating medical inspection that is punishing. So immigrants were finding ways to cross into the US without having to be troubled. So the creation of the border patrol defined Mexicans as outsiders. “Congress increased funding to the border patrol, adding to both its real and symbolic power. The combination of decreased visa, increased penalties, and tighter patrolling” (Molina, 224) That quote was from the 1930s however if we looked at today the same basic principle still applies as the US border patrol have massive power and is not afraid to use their power and forces against people. The border patrol has been in the news for their abuse of power and treatment of immigrants. And our sitting president has declared a national emergency to build a wall between the border of the United States and Mexico.

In 1909 the United States and Mexico entered a binational labor agreement to allow workers to enter the U.S., and in 1917 the temporary admissions program is created in order to have guest workers for the railroad and agriculture. However, during the great depression, a Mexican national was seemingly the target of nativism and thus was scapegoated for the cause of the depression. And the result of that targeting was over 500,000 migrants were deported back to Mexico. United States immigration policy towards Mexico is rather one-sided and they treat it as more or less disposable laborers. When the United States needs laborers they ask the Mexican government for help, and thus the Mexican government asks its citizens. Mexican citizen is pulled into America as the perception of employment and economic opportunity excited them, and when the goal is completed there are deportations in order such as the deportations during the Great Depression, and during Operation Wetback where 500,000 workers were deported while allowing the Braceros program to continue. Again Operation Wetback was the result of nativism as Mexicans were the blame for health epidemics, crime, unemployment, and the low wages for the US citizens. However, Operation Wetback was done in agreement with the Mexican government. Operation Wetback involved a military-style deportation campaign, which used military tactics to sweep the farms, factories, and other buildings. Overall greater than 500,000 Mexican immigrants were deported back to Mexico.

Violet Gosset is a young American female who just graduated training school for nurses and writes a diary of her experiences. Not knowing what to do, she signs up to become a nurse for World War I with her best friend Julia Stimson. The day they are leaving for France, Violet’s brother gets sent to the front. As soon as Violet and Julia reach France, they are put straight to work and throughout their time there, they come across many problems and difficulties. As soon as there is news of the war being over, Violet leaves to go find her brother to see if he’s still alive. On her many adventures, she meets many fantastic people who have done many great things and also accomplished many great things during the war.

Today was a splendid day. I graduated from The School of Nursing with Julia Stimson, my best friend. During our time there, we learned many things however, we’re not sure when we’ll be able to use our knowledge. Later that day, I came up with an idea to become a nurse in the war and go to France at the front. This way, I can help my country and also spend my time learning even more. I then asked Julia how she felt about becoming a nurse in the war and she was more than happy to join with me.

I contacted Red Cross and got a reply 10 days later. The letter said that they will be sending about 100 more nurses to the front on July 9. If we wanted to be one of the 100, I would need to be a female, unmarried, between 25-35 years of age, Caucasian, and graduates of nursing school (Vine and Marble). If we qualified, then we could register and then they would send us a letter back telling us we got in. We would then leave on a ship going from New Jersey to France and we would be put straight to work.

I know that it can be very scary to be a nurse during the war and work near the front but I want to help my country so I chose to become a nurse. Although my family is very scared about sending me near the front, they know that it will make a great learning experience. As I am waiting, I am becoming more and more eager to help the men who are serving our country.

I got accepted by Red Cross to volunteer and go to France. At this time, I am on board a large ship that is sailing to the war front with Julia. As we are waiting to get off the fatiguing ship, I am caught up in my thoughts thinking about how life will be like living as a nurse. Even though I am excited, I am truly scared of losing my life to save to save the lives of others.

The day I was leaving home, my brother, Humphrey, pulled me aside and told that he was drafted and would be leaving in two weeks. In shock of the news, I left quickly and didn’t even get to bid my farewell. Now that I think about it, what if that was the last time I would be able to say anything to him, and all I said was nothing.

As Julia runs outside, I follow her and I am able to see a large strip of land. Seeing that we are almost there, I get my things ready and wait for the ship to stop. Just as the boat came to a halt, Julia and I get off and are confronted by Edith Cavell. She tells us that she is a matron of a Red Cross hospital in Brussels (Hatt, 30) and has come here to greet us and take us some of us to volunteer there. Before we could even get a word in, another lady says that we are to report to the large blue and white bus and that we will be leaving in five minutes.

I obtained my first job when I was 18 years old and it was at a fast food restaurant called Taco Bell.

I still remember my first day. I was put in the fryer to fry French fries, chalupas, cinnamon delights, etc. It got very hot and boring, but since I did not know yet how to do other things, they had to keep me there at first. At the end of that shift, I had to clean the bathrooms. It was the worse, they were super dirty and I was seriously exhausted. I worked a total of 5 hours that day, even though it seems little, working in a restaurant is a very fast-paced environment. I was not sure if after that day I wanted to come back, but I decided to give it another chance. This day was not going to determine the rest of my days there. I knew that once I got to know and learn all the procedures, I would like it even more and get better at it.

In general, I am a person who does not like to give up. I am very stubborn, and this is another reason that kept me in this job. I needed money, and without experience and being too young, it was difficult for me to get a job. I knew that I was going to stay there for a while, therefore I put my best attitude into it.

My goal for working in this job was to save up money. It was necessary to pay for my studies, as well as to help my mom. I was just saving, not spending, until I came up with an amount that I was satisfied with.

Things that motivated me while working apart from money being the number one reason were my coworkers. I met incredible people there that helped me a lot and I shared a lot of happy memories with them. I got close with them and I still can call them my friends even after I no longer work there. It was a very exhausting job, but at the same time, we all related and motivated each other to make the job more pleasurable.

In total, I stayed there for 7 months. Working at this fast food restaurant taught me many things. I gained valuable work experience and skills that I still use in my current job.

There is a wide variety of jobs available in the games industry following a degree in game development such as game developer, game programmer, UI and graphic programmer. There is also the ability to go into sound, animation and design making the industry large with multiple jobs available. This paper aims to compare and explore possible jobs in the industry and what each role contains and how to obtain them.

One job role obtainable within the game industry is a user interface programmer. A UI programmer is involved in the production of the interface used in the game. This is done by producing code that will enable navigation around the game’s menu with the player in mind. The UI programmer will have to work with multiple departments like sound and art to apply different features in the game. An example would be the resolution setting allowing the player to adjust the resolution to different sizes (Get in Media, 2020). There are multiple types of UI, such as diegetic, non-diegetic, spatial and meta. A diegetic UI exists in the game world where the characters in the game are aware of it. It enables the characters to interact with maps and inventories during gameplay (Packt, n.d.). A non-diegetic UI is purely for the player to view and the characters within the game are not aware of its presence. Non-diegetic is implemented in nearly every game with an example being the character’s health or ammo (Andrews, n.d.). A spatial UI element is presented in the games 3D space with or without being an entity of the game world (Andrews, n.d.). An example of a spatial UI is the arrows that appear above the head of the enemies in Zelda which indicate which enemy Zelda will attack (Packt, n.d.). A meta UI is an interface that the game character is aware of but is not physically displayed within the scene. This interface can allow the character to interact with items in the game such as a cell phone (Packt, n.d.). To get a UI job within the industry the applicant will have to meet the company’s set out requirements. Splash Damage (2020) is currently advertising a UI programmer job that requires the applicant to have a good knowledge of C++ with previous professional experience. The applicant will also need good communication and organization skills so they can present ideas confidently and clearly to the audience of all experience levels. They must have a can to do attitude and a love of collaborating with other team members to implement systems. The applicant must also have solid time management and organizational skills this will help the applicant to get the job done without close supervision. And finally, the applicant should have a real passion for UI and playing games as well as a desire to learn and grow within the role. Whereas for a job with OPM Recruitment the applicant will need a more leadership set of skills. However, the roles are quite similar, the applicant must be knowledgeable in C++ and scripts, have had experience working on shipped titles. Both roles require the applicant to have good communication skills as the jobs require talking to other team members and different departments. OPM Recruitment are advertising a lead/ senior UI programmer. This will require the applicant to have provided leadership, support and add direction to a UI programming team. The applicant will have had to work closely with the UI artists and designers to implement, modify and debug UI features both in C++ and scripts. In addition, the applicant will have had hands-on experience with profiling and optimizing UI performance and troubleshoot UI issues. Some other required skills would be having experience with multi-platforms and have worked on a minimum of 3 shipped titles.

Another job in the industry is a game developer. They are involved in the creation and production of games on different consoles for example PC, mobile and consoles. Some skills required to get into a game developer job is having a range of programming skills and have experience working with multiple software. Another skill required is to be able to deliver and develop systems to a high standard while using programming codes such as C++ or C# (Prospects, 2020). Bossa Studios (2020) are advertising a senior game developer on their website. For the applicant to obtain this job they will have to meet the requirements but also have had some experience within the game industry. The applicant must be able to improve through honest feedback from peers and the community as well as believe that the best way is not written in stone and that better change is welcomed. Also, the applicant should have experience with delivering code for games, having shipped multiple complete titles. They must be focused but be adaptable and flexible to change within a fast-paced environment. Finally, the applicant should have experience using C# in Unity to make games and have proven expertise in multiple game development areas like gameplay, animation, and optimization. The job on Bossa Studios (2020) is different from the job on Ubisoft (2020). The main difference between these jobs for the applicant to take note of it that they use different programming languages. There are more requirements for the applicant to pass when applying for the Ubisoft (2020) job. The Bossa Studios (2020) job requires the applicant to have worked longer in the game industry meaning they will have obtained more experience. Ubisoft (2020) are advertising a C++ game developer job on their website. When the applicant applies for this job, they will have more requirements to meet. The applicant should have advanced C++ programming knowledge as well as being able to write optimized code with the ability to program on multiple platforms. They must have experience writing code in a multi-CPU environment with the ability to analyze complex code and find solutions. Finally, the applicant should have a high attention to detail and have a desire to get things done.

The last job I will talk about is an AI (artificial intelligence) programmer. The AI programmer is responsible for creating code that allows non-player characters (NPC) to move around or interact with the player. To do this the programmer will create algorithms that allow the NPCs to path find their way around the level or to the player. The programmer will also use a state machine to tell the NPC what its next step will be. They are responsible for how the NPCs behavior. Rockstar (2020) are advertising an AI programming job on their website. The applicant should have a degree in computer science or equivalent as well as have at least 3 years of games programming experience. In those 3 years of experience, the applicant should have worked with animation and animation trees. They must have a solid C++ understanding combined with a strong mathematical knowledge of vectors, matrices, and linear algebra. Finally, they must have worked with different departments to deliver features on schedule. Both the jobs are the same, just that Rockstar (2020) is more demanding in the experience and academic background. They both require the applicant to have good communication skills and strong math skills. They both require the applicant to have the ability to work in a team and with other departments. Sega (2020) are advertising an AI programming job on their website. The applicants who apply for this job must be able to collaborate with coders, designers, and QA testers. They must have a strong academic background with the ability to focus on the work at hand independently but also be comfortable collaborating with other team members. Finally, the applicant should have good creative problem-solving skills combined with good communication skills.

A good start for the applicant to begin applying for jobs is by creating documents like a CV, resume and cover letter. These documents will allow the recruiter to get an understanding of the applicant’s skill level and what programs and languages you have previously programmed. The cover letter will give them an insight into why the applicant chose the company, what they want from it and previous experience (Reed, 2020). Both resume and CV documents are similar by both containing professional history, education, skills, and achievements. A resume is a short form of document that provides an overview of your previous roles and skills. The CV is usually a longer document that focuses largely on academic coursework and research (The Muse, 2020). The CV is submitted in conjunction with a cover letter to a job via a form or application process. These documents both allow the recruiter to judge the applicant in line with their person specification and the company needs to see if the applicant would be a good fit in the team. If the applicant meets the requirement, they will move onto the next process which would be a face-to-face interview or phone interview followed by a test. A CV is used to apply for jobs in the game industry. The first thing on a CV page should be the applicant’s contact information so the recruiter knows who they are looking at. The contact information can also display websites, portfolios, and LinkedIn accounts. The education history of the applicant should also be included with the most two recent being displayed. This should be followed by work experience obtained and the hobbies and interests of the participant. Hobbies can give the recruiter something to break the ice during an interview and help them to get to know the applicant better (Cheary, n.d.). The skills of the applicant should be displayed on a CV to suit the job role they are applying to (Indeed, 2020). This will show the recruiter what the applicant knows and what their strengths and weakness are. The skills should display both soft and hard skills. Soft skills are traits such as good team leader, good time management whereas hard skills are skills that are teachable and measurable abilities such as reading, writing, math, or the ability to use computer programs (Gerencer, 2020). A key part of creating a CV is the previous job experience the applicant has held. For this the applicant should write the company name, job title and a description of the jobs they undertook while working at the company (Indeed, 2020). It must be the most recent job the applicant has had, and this can help the recruiter to understand if they are suited to the role they have applied to.

In conclusion, there are many skills required for a game industry job, some examples would be working within a team, good communication skills, a good knowledge of programming languages within different software. By having an understanding of the different job types, it has enabled me to reflect on my current position where I have worked in different teams at university to do projects, I have communicated with different people, especially using online communication methods such as teams. I have also created a portfolio to apply for placements and I have sent my CV and resume to different companies where I have then obtained interviews during my placement applications. Creating these documents has given me the experience of how the application process works for when I graduate and has also shown me that I need further experience working with programs to increase my knowledge for when I graduate. By having a further understanding of each job role through research I have concluded that I would like to obtain the job of game developer as I believe I have some of the skills required although I need to further develop my experiences before I can obtain this job through placement in the near future. Research has also enabled me to critically reflect on my CV and to understand the difference between both a resume and a CV so I can understand exactly what the company wants from me.

This informative essay will outline five varied job roles in the marketing sector, covering a range of job roles with a focus on entry to mid-level positions. This essay will discuss each job role in detail and outline the description of the job, the average salary and finally an in-depth analysis of the skills and qualities needed to hold the position successfully. The prevalence of e-marketing has grown massively in recent years with more and more jobs in this sector emerging, this growth has changed the fundamentals of marketing and now businesses must take a global approach. Howard found that on average “a typical employee will change careers from 3 to 7 times during their lifetime” (2000 in McCorkle et al., 2003). The length of time an employee will stay in their position has shrunk and a culture of job-hopping has emerged, this is great for the employee as they can learn new skills whilst not so great for the employer as it leads to more frequent recruitment and training, this is why employers value the skill of commitment so highly. This essay will discuss some e-marketing roles at a graduate level and the opportunities these roles offer. The range of job types in the marketing industry is huge and ever-expanding, fresh ideas are always sought, and marketing attempts must be suited to the modern and everchanging consumer.

Marketing Coordinator

The role of a marketing coordinator is a common position in the marketing industry, it is an entry-level position usually used by graduates to gain experience in a range of areas as this job role is highly varied day to day, this experience may help a graduates decide on a specialist route to take further in their career. The average salary for a marketing coordinator is around £22,000 per year (Payscale, 2021).

The role of a marketing coordinator is varied, it can include responsibilities such as: carrying out market research, creating marketing strategies, preparing reports, coordinating different departments and planning events and marketing conferences. There are also opportunities to create content for the company this could be in print, social media or direct mail, this is a chance for a graduate to show their worth and be considered for promotion as they take on more responsibility. A huge part of this job is to arrange discussions and meeting between a company and its clients as well as organize communication inside of the company. Further to the above, a marketing director will evaluate current trends, providing reports on this information to be given to their superior, as well as this a marketing director will analyze target audiences to offer suggestions on tailored experiences and marketing campaigns.

The requirements for this job role typically include a degree in a business-related subject, as well as experience in the digital marketing industry, skills in report writing, are expected as well as experience in market segmentation and market research. This role is an entry-level position and a good starting point for a business graduate, it will improve many skills that students typically lack, there is a focus on problem-solving. Korn suggested the demand for skills such as problem-solving, decision making and operationalization has increased dramatically (2014 in Nonis et al., 2018). Many students cannot critically think, this issue can be overcome by expanding a student’s knowledge and gaining further qualifications and work experience, this also improves a graduate’s chances when applying for a role (Chonko and Roberts, 1996). A level of knowledge of search engine optimization is expected, this is the ability to increase traffic to a webpage by increasing the ranking of the website using keywords. This job role offers many opportunities for personal growth as it can be challenging, the skill set of a person entering this job role is guaranteed to be expanded throughout the tenure

Partnership Marketing Manager

A partnership marketing manager is another common job role in the marketing sector, with a focus on collaboration between companies to form successful business ventures. The average salary for a partnership marketing manager is around £50,000 per year (glassdoor.co.uk, 2021).

The job role can involve talking directly to influencers to create a marketing campaign on social media. This job role can also include business to business transactions, historically brand partnerships have been very successful. Another element of this role involves recruiting companies to sell their products for them, the two or more companies will align their goals to create a profitable campaign. A recent example of a brand partnership is the Walkers and KFC campaign in which Walkers have released KFC flavored crisps with voucher codes to use in the chicken restaurant. This job focuses on increasing consumer traffic both in person and to their social media pages, with a focus on expanding the reach of the businesses. A partnership marketing manager will research possible companies that could be worked with as well as being the person who communicates with the chosen business to work on a partnership proposal. Often research into consumer behavior is shared between the businesses and deadlines are arranged to fulfil the proposal. During the campaign, a partnership marketing manager may be involved in the social media campaign as well as a range of promotional activities such as creating joint websites.

The requirements for this job role involve communication skills, team working, problem-solving skills, as this is a mid-level position many years of experience are expected as well as a degree. Candidates with degrees in non-business related subjects can also turn to marketing, it has been suggested that there is a crossover in the skills learnt in non-business related degrees that can be applied to a career in marketing, for example, a language student will have skills in communication, presenting and researching, all of which can be applied to a marketing career (Conick, 2019) Therefore a person with a non-business degree could still apply as long as they have experience in management as well as a general understanding of marketing concepts. Candidates will be expected to provide examples of previously successful business to business transactions they have been a part of as well as times they have managed projects successfully. Many of these skills are only learnt through experience, many graduates lack critical thinking skills, global and cultural awareness and team-based decision making (Chonko and Roberts, 1996).

Brand Manager

A brand manager is a mid-level position common in the marketing industry, the focus of a brand manager will be the maintenance of the brand of the company they are employed by, ensuring all marketing approaches are consistent with the message of the company. The average salary for a brand manager is around £45,000 per year (reed.co.uk, 2021).

A brand manager has the responsibility of ensuring a company’s brand is consistent across all platforms of communication to increase the strength overall of the brand, consistency is important in appealing to the consumer. they can work for both consultancies as well as in-house depending on the size of the company. The job role involves carrying out research into current trends in society and overseeing marketing campaigns to ensure they are in the best interest of the brand. This job role involves liaising with the entire marketing department to ensure a consistent approach, this job often involves overseeing projects. This job role can involve travelling globally to meet with branches of the company as well as to attend product launches and conferences. When it comes to advertising typically a brand manager will oversee the production of the television campaigns etc. to ensure the brand message is being followed. To become a brand manager a certain level of education and experience in the marketing industry is expected. Typically, a degree in a marketing business related subject is preferred and several years of experience in related job roles are expected with management experience, for more senior roles a postgraduate degree is useful. It is suggested that to increase a candidate’s marketability they should accumulate additional credentials, this could be a leadership course for example or a new certification (Conick, 2019). Personal qualities include leadership abilities as well as a great understanding of the marketing mix and other key elements involved in marketing, they must be committed and focused on getting results from those they are overseeing. Attention to detail and multitasking skills are required, critical thinking and time management are also important. A key understanding of branding is expected as well as leadership ability. Bloom found that the number one skill sought by business executives when hiring is the ability to think of new strategies, this is particularly important for a brand manager after this skill was the skill to find new ways of carrying out old strategies, it is important to maintain successful campaigns but rehash them for a modern audience who have a preference for e-marketing campaigns (1987 in Chonko and Roberts, 1996).

Social Media Marketer

A social media marketer is a new and growing job role in the marketing sector, businesses of all sizes are now searching for social media marketers. This job role has emerged in recent years as social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have gained popularity. The average salary for a social media marketer is around £24,000 (payscale.com, 2021).

Social media campaigns have proven to be highly fruitful in recent years, Apple’s Shot on iPhone campaign implored users of Instagram to post their photos taken on their iPhone to the social media platform, this user-generated content worked as free advertising for the company as it showcased the quality of the phone’s camera.

The main job role of a social media marketeer is to establish a strong presence for the company they are representing on several social media platforms, to increase customer engagement and attract new customers. Businesses of varying sizes will employ a social media marketeer to grow the reach of the company, this work can also be used to improve the reputation of a company or challenge presumptions of the consumer. The type of social media used depends on the company, for example, a flower company may utilize Instagram to post photos of their arrangements whilst a life insurance company may use Facebook in which a link can be embedded to the website, most of the time a company will use a combination of social networks to maximize their exposure. The job role could include publishing posts on social media websites representing the company, it could also involve contacting influencers with the opportunity for collaboration or analyzing interaction with posts and providing reports to help guide future marketing efforts.

This job is an entry-level position open to graduates with business-related degrees, in lieu of a degree typically one to three years of relevant experience in this industry can be accepted, potential candidates should have experience using editing software as well as experience with multitasking as they may be asked to manage multiple campaigns at once, communication skills are also highly sought after. Arora and Stoner suggest a hierarchy in the relative importance of skills taken from a sample of 50 mid-level marketing managers when looking at potential hires, at the top of the list was the ability to communicate (1992 in McCorkle et al., 2003). In this job role communication is particularly important as the day-to-day responsibilities could involve responding to customers queries as well as handling complaints, often these responses will be visible to the general public.

Public Relations Officer

The role of a public relations officer is essential in the marketing sector, companies are desperate to control how their business is seen by consumers so jobs in this industry are commonplace with endless possibilities for promotion. The average salary for a public relations officer is around £18,000 to £25,000 (prospects.ac.uk, 2021).

The main responsibility of a PR officer is to maintain or change the reputation of a company using a range of strategies, typically as part of a team. This role is to change perceptions and defend the company in times of crisis. PR is often called earned media rather than paid media as the practice of PR is typically free as it is about building relationships for example through direct mail, print or social media. A PR officer can work in-house, as part of the company’s marketing department, or independently brought into a company at a time of need from a PR consultancy. This job role involves creating a strategy to change the perspective of potential consumers, negative PR can destroy a company if the right approach isn’t taken, this strategizing is a key role of a PR officer. A PR officer can be responsible for drafting and publishing press releases, these are used to promote new product releases or discuss the expansion of the company, this could involve discussing opening new stores or breaking into new markets. A PR officer can also be responsible for drafting media lists which are a list of contacts related to the industry the company is in, these are often categorized further into contacts by region or by the industry they are a part of, this is so press releases and other mass communicative methods can be tailored to the correct audience.

A skill required for a potential candidate is to be computer savvy, often the most effective PR is circulated on the internet. It has been suggested that those who get marketing jobs are ‘highly digital’ with their strongest skill in analytics and social media (Conick, 2019). A PR officer must be quick thinking as often they are responsible for drafting responses to comments and bad press regarding the company, they should also be highly skilled in critical thinking and problem-solving. It is suggested that a key way to teach critical thinking skills in graduates is through the experience of experiential learning such as problem-solving (2007 in Nonis et al., 2019).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the marketing industry is highly varied when it comes to job roles and the responsibilities involved. In recent years a new type of marketing has arisen: e-marketing. This new way of marketing has expanded the job pool for graduates specifically, with the opportunity to put skills learnt organically to use such as social media prowess. This rise of e-marketing has marked a decline in traditional marketing such as print media, however, this type of marketing still has a substantial effect on consumers, just less than it had before the rise of e-marketing. This essay has explored a range of job roles and analyzed the qualities and skills needed to complete the job successfully and hopefully offered an insight to graduates on how varied their marketing career could be. There are certain skills that graduates can lack when entering the job market. One very important skill that applies to all marketing graduates looking for employment is the art of handling rejection. Half suggests that “students must be taught that even rejection may contain opportunities” and encourages the practice of asking for feedback from unsuccessful applications to discover areas for improvement for future reference (1996 in McCorkle et al., 2003). This is a skill graduates can sometimes lack and can take time to learn as rejection is often demoralizing. Once a graduate has developed a range of skills including commitment, time-keeping, teamwork and multitasking they are ready to enter the marketing industry and begin their career in this highly varied and evolving sector.

There are many jobs in the performing arts ranging from acting and dancing to producing plays, teaching and handling finances. Jobs in the performing arts can have good pay and depends on what you do. Jobs within the performing arts industry are split up into 3 categories: performers, production and administrative. Job roles within the performance sector consist of dancers, singers, actors, musicians, acrobats, magicians, comedians and many more. Roles in the production sector are choreographers, script writers and technicians. The job roles in the administrative team are producers, directors, front of house, agents, finance and there are many others. Depending on the size of the company, they will have smaller or bigger casts and the amount of job roles there are will vary, for example a large-scale company would have one or two people for each role, where as a small-scale company may have someone doing two roles rather than many people doing one. The three jobs that I have chosen to focus on is a dancer for the performance role, a choreographer for the production role and theatre director for the administrative job role. For each job role there is an explanation of how to become either a dancer, choreographer or theatre director, the day-to-day jobs/tasks that each role entails, the salary of each role and the positives and negatives of pursuing a career in these roles. When covering the salary of each role, I mention Equity. Equity is the UK trade union that represents people working in the performing arts and entertainment industry. Equity campaigns on behalf of people working for the performing arts and entertainment industry and brings issues to the UK parliament and government. Equity also protects your rights when you are looking for work, applying for work, and working in the industry. In the private sector of the industry, if you are being treated unfairly, or the pay is unreasonable, Equity is the place you need to get in contact with and they are the ones that can help.

Professional Dancer

How to Become a Professional Dancer

To become a professional, a dancer must be able to entertain through their performances. As a dancer, having the ability to self-promote, determination and talent is crucial. Dancers use movement and gesture to sometimes tell stories and show different emotions and characters through dance. Typically, this involves performing work that has been choreographed by a choreographer, it may also include the dancer’s own movement through improvisation. Many dancers, in their career, will often dance then maybe go on to do teaching, being a choreographer or administrative work in a company in the performing arts.

How a Dancer Can Get There

To become a professional, most dancers go to a vocational dance school with either a one-year postgraduate course or a three-year diploma in professional dance. To get onto these courses they may need to have five GCSEs A-C and at least two A-levels. Postgraduate or vocational study isn’t most important, but once they have a few years’ experience in the dance industry, it can help further their career. Training to be a dancer typically begins at a young age, especially for ballet, but for other styles of dance, training can begin in the teenage years or even in university. To be a professional dancer, it is important to have a strength in at least one style of dance for example this could be in, African or Asian dance, ballet, street dance, modern or contemporary.

Day-to-Day Jobs/Tasks for a Professional Dancer and What to Expect

As a professional, dancers will need to attend auditions and casting sessions, so that they have work and so that they can earn money. Dancers will have to keep fit and healthy so that they have higher chances of being employed and so that they can reduce risk of injury while dancing. As well as looking after themselves they may have to take care of the health and safety of others, as well as using the rehearsal space and equipment/ set safely. They may also be asked to study, learn, create, or interpret choreography in pieces of work. Professional dancers may need to learn to do other skills such as acting and singing, to be able to perform in different roles. Depending on what the dancer is interested in doing, they may do some other things, for example, run workshops in their local community. They may also work towards enabling and encouraging people mainly children, to become involved in dance. Many jobs are London based but you can be part of a regional company or a touring company which means that there are more opportunities. As a professional dancer you can expect your career to be short because typically a dancer’s career doesn’t last beyond the age of 40. You should also expect to be needed to travel to different venues, these venues can be in the United Kingdom or international.

The Salary of a Professional Dancer

The salary of a dancer depends on what they are doing, for example if they are dancing for music videos or in the theatre. The trade union for performing arts, Equity, has agreed with the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) about minimum weekly pay rates. If you are working in the theatre you can expect to earn £360 to £487.50 a week depending on where you work. For performances on stage, for example in the west end, you can expect to earn £568.60 to £694.67 also depending on where and how many people the venue can hold. If you want to be a dancer in films you can expect to earn around £828 per week, rising to £2,097.60, depending on the budget for the film. The cost of necessities and accommodation are included in Equity contracts. The payment and working conditions for non-Equity work can be lower and some employers may try and contract dancers for no payment.

Pros and Cons of Becoming a Professional Dancer

One of the main advantages of becoming a professional dancer is that their job is something that they enjoy and love to do and they get to share their passion with others. Another advantage of being a professional dancer is that they can make a difference in people’s lives, as a dancer they may not realize it, but they are an inspiration for a lot of people, especially children. Another advantage of becoming a professional dancer is that they get a lot of different and creative opportunities that they would not otherwise get if they didn’t work in this profession. Another advantage is that as being a dancer typically isn’t a very long career with the experience that you have gained you can move up to other job roles in the performing arts industry, for example a choreographer, producer or director.

One disadvantage of becoming a professional dancer is the mental and physical toll that it can take on the dancer’s mind and body. Another disadvantage of becoming a professional dancer is that work is hard to find and to begin with, the pay isn’t very good, although the pay can increase with experience and where you work. Another disadvantage is that rehearsals, performances, and filming, depending on what you are doing can take up a lot of time, so that you will not have a lot of spare time and normally the hours that you will be working are unsociable hours.

Professional Choreographer

A choreographer is someone who designs and directs routines, they work with individual dancers or groups. As they teach dance moves and routines, they also provide encouragement and guidance to the dancers. Even though dances and performances may only be a few minutes long they can take weeks or even months and a lot of hard work to choreograph and perfect. Choreographers aren’t just for dancers, they can choreograph routines for a wide variety of other professions, including gymnastics, cheerleading, synchronized swimming, diving and ice skating.

How to Become a Professional Choreographer

To become a professional choreographer, the first thing they need to do is gain dance experience. Most chorographers start of as dancers, though this they have been able to develop the skills they need to be a choreographer. Chorographers must have a wide knowledge of dance movements, dance terminology, and they must be creative, they would have gained these skills when dancing.

The next step to becoming a professional choreographer is that they need to gain an education, from gaining an education they would have a better insight of the role. Even though to be a choreographer you don’t always need a formal education, but if you do have a strong postsecondary education, then that will set you apart from other competing choreographers. Many collages/university’s offer master’s degrees and/or bachelor’s degrees in dance, these will give you an insight on the process of coaching dancers. Also, another benefit of having a degree is that you will have experience and knowledge in a wide range of dance styles which enables you to work with and train a variety of dancers.

The most common way people get from being dancers to professional choreographers is to become a dance teacher first. Even though choreography is mainly about creating routines, they need the ability to instruct dancers on movements for the routines to work. Basic dance teaching experience will give them the confidence and abilities to be able to choreograph a routine.

Day-to-Day Jobs/ Tasks of a Choreographer

When employed, professional choreographers have various jobs and tasks to do. Leading up to a show or performance, they will need to create new choreography based on what the directors want and teach it to the cast members. While choreographing they will need to watch the show for inspiration and will have to experiment with different styles of dance to see what style creates the right intention of the piece. Choreographers will also have to work with other people such as set, costume, makeup and lighting designers. Choreographers also need to work very closely with the dancers to make sure that they are aware of any problems or injuries so that they can make changes to the choreography if needed. Chorographers may also be asked to attend auditions to teach choreography.

When unemployed, choreographers will make sure that they keep fit and healthy, they will also keep taking lessons in different styles of dance to make themselves as experienced as possible. To still earn money, they will either find other jobs to do why waiting/looking for work or they will find teaching opportunities it may be at a Saturday school or a dance school, this will give them more experience.

The Salary of a Professional Choreographer

The average salary for a choreographer in the United Kingdom is £30,000, with the entry level salary being around £16,000 and at experience level can reach up to £51,000. A professional choreographers salary depends on what work they are doing and who they are working for as different companies may pay differently. It may also depend on the amount of experience the choreographer has. The trade union for performing arts, Equity, has agreed with the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) about minimum weekly pay rates and for a choreographer the minimum weekly salary is £483. Equity also covers pay for commuting, accommodation if needed and meals.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Becoming a Professional Choreographer

One advantage of becoming a professional choreographer is that they get to use their creativity and passion to create dance moves, steps and combinations for dancers. Choreographers get to maintain and develop their skill through teaching others. Another advantage of becoming a professional choreographer is that their physical fitness will improve as they must remain in good physical condition to show and teach routines and instruct dancers. Choreographers will also need to remain flexible and maintain strength in their legs and core to be able to demonstrate dance choreography. Another advantage is that after all their hard work, choreographers can sit back and watch as their vision comes to life on stage. Most choreographers were originally professional dancers so by becoming a professional choreographer, they can turn their background and passion into another career.

One disadvantage of becoming a choreographer is that they will be asked to work unsociable hours and they may be asked to work far from where they live so it can be quite a long day with the amount of hors that they work, and travel included. Sometimes they may even be asked to work abroad so they will be away from home for long periods of time. Another disadvantage is that they must be extremely dedicated to the job because if they don’t prepare choreography before they have a session with the dancers then that isn’t very professional or time effective. Another disadvantage is that the choreographer cannot miss a session as they are the only one who knows the dance and if they are absent then the dancers cannot learn the choreography.

Theatre Director

A theatre director oversees the creative vision of a theatre production. Their job is to tell the story of the play in such a way that it is compelling and compliments the performers. A theatre director also makes the decision on costume, set and design along with other people.

How to Become a Theatre Director

To become a theatre director the skills you need to show is; the ability to inspire and motivate others, self-motivation, creativity, the ability to work as part of a team, time and management skills, understanding of how a theatre works, the ability to creatively solve problems, dedication, organizational skills, knowledge of health and safety.

To become a theatre director, you should have some experience in the industry, mainly practical experience in acting, directing and/or stage management in amateur theatre. To gain experience you can try to get work as an assistant and try to see as many productions as you can and reading plays and novels can help to widen your knowledge.

To be a theatre director you don’t need a degree or HND and you may be able to move up to the role after gaining experience in other jobs for example as a designer, writer, actor or stage manager. Although a relevant degree or HND may be helpful, this could be in performing arts, English literature, languages, and humanities-based subjects. You don’t have to have a post graduate course if you have a certain amount of experience or a relevant degree.

Day-to-Day Jobs/ Tasks of a Theatre Director

As a theatre director, depending on the amount of staff you will have to take on different rolls and work with different people. Common things you will be asked to do could be: programming and budgeting for shows, translating and interpreting scripts, holding auditions, managing time and people and space, organizing rehearsals, working with play writers, attending preview performances, help to publicize the production and attending production meetings with set designers.

Salary of a Theatre Director

The salary of a theatre director depends on the length and type of contract for example, touring, freelance or repertory. The Independent Theatre Council and UK Theatre have agreed pay with entertainment unions on behalf of their members about what the minimum rates of pay should be. For an assistant director the weekly pay is around £480. A theatre director who is directing a full-length play should get a preparatory fee of £1,579 and weekly payments of £483 for rehearsals. Freelance directors in a commercial reparatory theatre can receive a minimum of around £2,734, with a weekly payment of around £500-£600. Your pay also depends on how experienced you are and how long you have been doing the job for. As part of Equity, commuting costs, relocation costs, accommodation costs (if needed), costs for meals and touring allowances are covered for a certain amount.

Pros and Cons on Being a Theatre Director

• Positives: the positives to becoming theatre director are that it is a rewarding job, and when you complete a play you get a sense of achievement, the job is quite good pay depending on what company you work for and the scale of the company, and if the play is successful, you can get the opportunity to make a lot of money. Another positive to becoming a theatre director is that you have a lot of creative freedom so you have the opportunity to express your creativity and personality, also the job is in a very social environment and many of the people there will have very similar dreams and aspirations to you so you get the chance to meet very like-minded people.
• Negatives: the negatives to becoming a theatre director are that unless you are very experienced and successful the job can have unpredictable employment that is not very helpful when you are trying to have a career, there is also a lot of responsibility placed on the director as generally they are in charge and responsible for everything so that can lead to a lot of stress. Another negative to becoming a theatre director is that it is a competitive industry so it is tough to get started, also the people you work with, e.g., the performers and managers may be hard people to work with. The job can also be very time consuming as it is typically a 9 am to 5 pm job and rehearsals can take up extra time so finding a balance between work and private life can be difficult.

Conclusion

Throughout my essay, I have outlined key elements of three jobs within the performing arts industry. We have seen for example how the jobs within this industry are interlinked and all have an important part within a production. A production would not be possible without performers, production and administrative team. Some examples of how the 3 jobs interlink is that when a dancer retires from dancing the can move on and become a choreographer with the experience would have gained and/or become a director or producer with further experience. In the industry all three of these job roles will have to work closely to get a production done, in particular the choreographer and director as they may work together. All job roles within the performing art and entertainment industry are supported by the same trade union, Equity.

I feel the main link between the outlined roles is that you have to have a love and an understanding of the industry to be able to carry the roles out to their full potential. I feel this is not an industry to get into if it’s a high paid job you are looking for, it is one that I feel enables you to do a job that you feel passionate about and earn a wage whilst you are doing it and work may not be continuous and other avenues may have to be looked into between jobs.

In the fast-paced technological workplace of today, there are several key skills one should develop and hone to be successful. In this essay, I will focus on the ones I feel will best benefit the person and the institution or business. These are not specific trade skills or the capability to work on equipment or with special instruments. These are general skills that no matter the job or workplace can be applied in order to produce results.

Listening is an overlooked skill one must learn to practice. If you only hear what someone is saying, you are not listening. When you truly listen, you not only hear what the other person is saying to you, but you retain and think about the information they have provided. I am sure you have heard the phrase, “You hear, but you don’t listen”. Listening includes hearing and being attentive to what someone is saying. This is a key skill that saves everyone time in the workplace. If you listen the first time someone tells you something, it is less likely you will have to ask about it again. This means it is also less like the other person will have to spend additional time repeating it. This makes the workplace run with increased efficiency.

Two valuable skills are critical thinking and problem-solving. These are two separate skills that go hand in hand. If a person is not a critical thinker, they will not be a good problem solver. To understand complex problems and even simple problems, one must think to be able to come up with a possible solution. The more critical someone thinks about a problem, the more likely the solution they develop and decide on will work. This reduces the trial and error time period to overcome the problem and back on schedule or to production.

The next job skill necessary for success is work ethic. One could argue this is not a skill, but I truly believe it is a learned skill from the time you are a child through adulthood. Diligence and focus are key attributes of a work ethic that both take effort and practice. Having a good work ethic will show your employer, colleagues, and customers that you care about your job and how well it is done. This can lead to consistent and high-quality outputs in the workplace.

And the final skill I will discuss is leadership. There are many references that state to be a good leader you must first learn to be a good follower. Aristotle put it this way: “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader”. Having leadership can be as simple as supporting those in charge during difficult or complex times. Additionally, leadership is the ability to teach, coach, and mentor those equal, below, and above you. The trick is approaching problems as discussed in the previous paragraph and presenting them with tact. Make the solution a team solution, get everyone’s buy-in, and then be the first to drive in. This will develop trust in the way forward and get everyone working towards the same goal or outcome. To be productive and successful, it is a must in the workplace. Having good followers that can become or take on leadership responsibilities is very important in today’s workforce.

In conclusion, these are developed and practiced skills that are not technical in nature and applicable to the total workforce. By listening you can think critically about problems, develop solutions, apply diligence and focus on them, and get everyone to work together towards the desired outcome. If you can master these five skills and apply them effectively in today’s workforce you will be successful.

We live in the world there everyone has a more freedom of choices weather it’s friend, food, sports, music, work place, or job. Therefore, we should choose what’s best for us. The purpose of this essay is to compare the job I had and the job I’m doing these days. I was a civil engineer for an architecture company, while I was in India. I’m a table game dealer in the USA. I loved both jobs, the only difference is that one was my passion and the other was for survival.

Both jobs were different then each other. In some society if you have a respectable job, then you’re a good influencer for, that society otherwise you’re harmful for society, or you’re a nuisance. Both jobs have different work ethics, work environment, chances of your growth.

First, one big difference among these workplaces is chance to succeed in future. Mostly, it depends on what kind of industries you work with, and the competition or monopoly of that industries. On the other side, if you work with entertainment industries, more chances you get for growing, but it’s skilled based job. You can’t learn anything. You just doing same thing repeatedly over and over entire your life. Vice versa, the other job you get less chance of growing, but you can challenge yourself and every day you learned something new from your senior. Maybe in skill-based job you even can’t afford retirement. On the contrary, if you work as a designer in some company. They’re not only designers. We must grow our selves and always ready to work on different task outside of our comfort zone. If you start as an engineer in some company, you will be an engineer for long time, because there’s less chances you get for promotion.

Let’s talk about similarities, work ethics. I strongly believe that what job you choose from at least one common in all is client, or customer satisfaction, and if your employee has little plus over there then company will definitely grow. Every company should have work ethics. The worked as designer should not pressurized their work. The guy worked at casino shouldn’t insult their customer, it’s called work ethics.

Companies, and casino industries differ in future opportunities to succeed, fun working environment, and different kind of atmosphere. Working in casino industries gives you experience and the possibility of ownership. Moreover, working for companies gives you their perk, shares you can pursue your dream.