Hot Jobs in the New Electronic Media

From graphic designers and computer animators to virtual set designers, electronic media careers are the wave of the future.

No doubt about it. The rapid changes in technology over the past 10 years have created some new and exciting careers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the new world of electronic media People who can create Web sites, develop animated characters, and produce multimedia materials are in demand. And as technology advances, the demand for people with the right talent and training will continue to grow.

"The field is definitely growing," says Carol Pike Long, president of Common Sense Interactive Group, a company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, specializing in electronic media. "We have gone from three to nine employees in just the last 18 months, plus we use a handful of freelancers to assist us, especially with artwork."

Hottest of the Hot

Just what kind of jobs can be found in the growing area of electronic media? Here's a look at some of them:

* Graphic designers use artistic and computer technology skills to create graphic artwork. They produce charts and graphs used in CD-ROMs or educational television programs, layouts for Web-based publications, or traditional print-based illustrations.

Everywhere you look you can see the work of graphic designers--from the back of a cereal box to the commercials on TV. Designers develop printed illustrations, slides, computer presentations, and other materials.

The graphic designer functions as part of a team. A writer may develop the content of an article published in a Web-based magazine, for example, while a graphic designer creates the visual images. The same is true in producing complex multimedia presentations. Most graphic designers are skilled at drawing or other manual arts, but they enhance their abilities and the volume of work they do by using computer software.

* Computer animators use high-tech skills to create everything from cartoons to special effects for educational presentations. Using techniques such as desktop video production and 3-D modeling, they help develop video games, courtroom re-enactments, educational videos and enhanced CDs, and TV ads.

In the past, animators drew cartoons by hand. Now the field of animation includes such careers as game modelers, game animators, effects animators, and character animators. All are involved in producing lifelike effects for images created through drawings or computer-generated artwork.

* Virtual set designers use skills in electronic media to create sets for television and other visual media. Gone are the days when a TV news anchor sat in front of a static background and read the evening news. Today, viewers expect to see background visuals ranging from weather maps to panoramic views of a bustling city. The same is true for entertainment programming, such as sports talk shows and game shows. Virtual set designers use computers and other high-tech equipment to generate everything from virtual furniture to make-believe outdoor environments.

The need is growing for virtual set designers, particularly in cities with major media industries, such as New York and Los Angeles. Ideal candidates include those with training or experience in traditional set design or architecture as well as highly developed computer skills.

* Interactive media specialists. Today, the name of the game in many media applications is "interactive." This means viewers don't just watch, they participate. That already happens in video games and on-line, but it's also a growing trend in television and other media

Educational CD-ROMs is one area where this work is already in high demand. Content specialists often rely on others to help bring educational material to life. Some are writers, while others are specialists in software development or graphic design.

A related specialty is that of interactive television programmers, who work in the relatively new area of ITV (interactive television). This field has recently emerged, but promises to expand as more people become interested in the chance to change TV from a passive to an active experience.

* Webmasters, Web architects, and Web developers create, improve, or manage Web sites. Just a few years ago, most companies or organizations did not even have Web sites. Now almost everyone does. These Web sites have evolved from beginning efforts, which were often simple and somewhat crude, to sophisticated tools for advertising, marketing, and conducting electronic commerce (e-commerce). The trend is toward creating a stimulating interface for users, with exciting visuals and sound. Employers now know it is not enough to have a Web site; it must be effective or they will lose out to competitors. So they are willing and eager to pay talented specialists to design the best Web sites possible.

Specialists who work in this area perform a variety of tasks, some of which focus on programming. Computer programmers have been around for quite some time, writing, testing, and maintaining the detailed instructions used in computer operations and problem-solving. Now similar skills are being applied to Web site development by focusing on the unique needs of Web site design.

Other Web specialists focus on writing the content of Web sites, using the same writing and research skills demanded of journalists and technical writers. Others work as Web designers, applying graphics skills to an attractive on-line presence. Still others work as Webmasters, overseeing the everyday use of Web sites and keeping them up-to-date.

Necessary Nontechnical Skills

Whether working with Web sites, animating images, or performing other jobs in electronic media, certain non-technical skills are required. An analytical mind, creativity, and the ability to work as part of a team are all helpful. Also useful is a high degree of patience.

"You must enjoy sitting in front of a computer screen all day," Carol Pike Long notes. "You must be open to change and willing to learn new things all the time. It's imperative that you enjoy reading and be willing to try something without a lot of prior instruction. Also, be prepared to work long hours."

Getting Started

If a career in this area sounds promising, just how do you get started? A good first step, according to Long, is to focus on your own individual talents. "If you have art talent, pursue graphics. If you are more logic-oriented and very patient, study programming. If you are gifted verbally, consider technical writing, scriptwriting, or sales and management. You can waste a lot of time and money studying the wrong aspect of multimedia production. Build on your strengths."

At the same time, it's important to realize that people who work in digital media need to have a grasp of the field as a whole. Many jobs will require you to have skills in other areas besides your specialty. For instance, graphic designers might be called on to do some programming or Web design and creation. And, on the flip side, Java programmers must understand design as well. You need to be highly skilled in your specialty, but be prepared to branch out from there.

It's also important to realize that you will be working as a part of a team, and your skills will complement those of others. "Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can master all the tools required to produce multimedia materials yourself," Long says. "It's impossible because these tools are changing too fast and are so sophisticated that it takes months of regular use to really master any single package, let alone half a dozen or more."

Long and others predict that in the future, commerce conducted via the Internet will no longer be something handled by a special Web team. Instead it will be fully integrated into every aspect of an enterprise's operation, meaning even greater demand for employees with skills in electronic media.

Electronic Media

Want to invent the next big computer game? Create exciting effects and animation for Web pages? Try your hand at interactive television programming? Then you should check out the broad field of electronic media, where new career areas are springing up all the time. To find out more about the current hot careers, turn to page 29.

Job                  Responsibilities
Graphic designer     Creating computer-generated
                     artistic designs
Computer animator    Creating cartoons and special
                     effects through electronic means
Virtual set designer Developing virtual scenery
                     for use in television or other
                     media
Interactive media    Developing materials supporting
specialist           user or audience participation
Web developer        Writing scripts using Java, Perl,
                     or Hypertext Markup Language
                     (HTML), and creating interactive
                     content and animation
Job                  Education Needed          Salary [*]
Graphic designer     Associate's or            $25,000 to $75,000
                     bachelor's degree
Computer animator    Associate's or            $30,000 to $90,000
                     bachelor's degree
Virtual set designer College degree with       $50,000 to $100,000+
                     training in architecture,
                     set design, and/or
                     computing
Interactive media    Bachelor's degree in a    $40,000 to $100,000+
specialist           computer or media field,
                     or a degree in
                     instructional technology
Web developer        Two-or four-year          $48,750 to $71,250
                     college degree

(*.)Salaries vary depending on level of experience and place of employment.

Sources: "2000 Salary Guide," RHI Consulting, Menlo Park, CA; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Where the Jobs Are, [C] 2000, by Joyce Hadley Copeland; U.S. News & World Report, on-line edition; and the Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2000.

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