Recently, I edited my CV since I was applying for a student part-time job. When I looked at the final copy it made me realise that all of my previous work experience, my beginnings, internships, and projects could not happen without Digital Media. This is something my parents born in the Soviet Union still struggle to understand, how one can build a career online.
When I was 14, I became fascinated with digital photography. After getting my first camera, I spent hours learning all the basics: manual settings, composition, lighting, retouching, colour theory, core principles of posing, working with professional studio equipment, etc. I learned all these subfields of photography from the Internet – articles, video lectures, tutorials, and instructions I found in the digital environment. Consequently, I became interested in sharing my artistic and technological abilities with others, building a small community, and finding my first clients. Over time I achieved these goals by communicating and creating a personal brand in Social Media. I was able to network and meet new people.
Because of all the practical and theoretical knowledge I gained about Social Media Marketing a few years later, I found myself working full-time for a brand as a social media communication manager. This position was all about Digital Media as well. Firstly, I acquired more knowledge about this field online. Secondly, my day-to-day work involved using digital gadgets to plan, communicate, create content, and observe social media updates. Nonetheless, I worked remotely. Listing how much my function was centered around Digital Media makes me think that we, as humanity, have the ability to shape our lives and our environment without leaving the confines of our homes.
That actually happened last spring – I found a summer internship in my home country while staying in the Netherlands. The whole process of applications and interviews took place online. Moreover, my work processes have also remained entirely within the realm of Digital Media. I conducted online interviews with individuals in the cultural sector, wrote articles using digital tools, and published them in a virtual journal. I am certain this internship is crucial for the start of my career and future, and it seems surreal to think that without digital tools it would not happen. As someone who grew up during this technological paradigm shift, I can no longer imagine living in a world where the virtual does not exist.
Everything I have mentioned suggests that my achievements have been and will continue to be dependent on technology, from initial applications to communication, education, and work processes. It even impacts the physical environment – I am no longer dependent on one single location. Digital Media certainly offers benefits and is most effective when used correctly. My goal in writing this blog post is to inspire young people to actively and creatively use easily accessible virtual tools to enhance their career opportunities. For a bachelor’s student, this awareness of privileges and virtual assistance brings a sense of stability when thinking about the future. Nonetheless, I believe it’s important to be aware of the negative aspects of being online and using digital media, as there is still a world outside the digital realm. This broad topic, however, requires further analysis in a separate blog post.
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