Carrie Soom , a 2006 SUNY Geneseo Alumnui, is the owner and producer of Inklings.tv, a music website for up-and-coming musical artists. At Geneseo, Carrie majored in Communication & Theater. After graduation she began working on various shows for the music cable channels, MTV and Fuse. It is here where Carrie worked as a Production Assistant (PA) on various shows like No. 1 Countdown and The Sauce. Carrie is currently the owner and producer of a music television website of her own called Inklings.tv, which she runs with her friend and colleague, Naomi Ollis.
Getting a Job in the Television Industry
The 3 Keys to Success
Since a lot of Communication majors at SUNY Geneseo are looking toward a job in television, whether it be broadcast news or the producer of a TV show, Carrie had some great advice on how to get there.
First of all, work hard, try to be good at what you do, and you’ll reap the benefits. Secondly, apply for internships that coincide with your field of interest. After Carrie’s internships at Fuse and MTV2, she was able get a job as a production assistant through her previous two producers recommendations. In fact, Carrie said that, “pretty much all jobs in TV come to you by knowing people who are willing to recommend you to other people.” So, obviously, the last important way to work in the television industry is to network.
Networking
Carrie believes networking is the key to getting an entry-level position in the television industry. She says, “You’ve got to know someone. Either through family, friends, school, or interning.”
Important Attributes
Knowledge of the industry, usually acquired through experience interning, and the willingness to work, even the during the most menial tasks, are the two basic qualities that get people hired in the television industry.
Some more important attributes are being trustworthy, responsible, and efficient. She elaborates her argument with some advice, “If someone asks you to do something, saying ‘I’ll make it happen,’ is much better than a response of ‘I’ll try’ or ‘I don’t know.’”
Gaining Experience at Geneseo
GSTV
When I asked Carrie what classes at Geneseo provided her with the most experience for her current career, she stressed the fact that her internship and working at the Geneseo television station, GSTV, helped her most of all.
As a Geneseo student, Carrie produced and created a music television show for Geneseo's campus television station, GSTV. Here she gained the experience for her current career as the owner and producer of a music website, which frequently features video interviews. She believes GSTV taught her how to effectively communicate and work in a team, how to edit and shoot video, and the basics of working in a television station-setting. Without her internship and experience at GSTV, Carrie says it would have been a lot more difficult to get to where she is today, maybe even impossible.
Get Involved
By explaining her involvment in these programs, Carrie believes that getting involved at school is extremely important. She says, "If there are clubs or programs that have the potential to help your professional life, or give you practical information for the future, you should take advantage of them while you still can."
But what if you're a senior? "Don't worry!" she says, "it's never too late to gain experience."
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.