WHAT SOFT SKILLS ARE NEEDED TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL MEDIA PERSON

Media personalities, the successful ones more so, have a distinct aura about them. They operate at a certain wavelength that has clear-cut characteristics of its own. Along with the skills set they need for their work, they have an abundance of soft skills that resonate with their own frequency. For one, they have communication skills par excellence. They manage to put forth their point of view so that is simple to understand, lucid to read, and has clarity of expression. Thereby no discrepancies arise of what they are trying to put across. Those that are starting out in this profession may be a bit shy or reserved. However, with time and tide, they develop the confidence to speak up even in a crowd. Those that work in the media have an air of self-esteem about them. One will not catch them being pushovers or getting cornered in any situation. They exude warmth, no doubt, and radiate positive vibes. Conversing with them is usually a delight. As they say, being a ‘people’s person’ is a gift for anyone to have.

For those that work in media, this is not a gift but a necessity. Striking up the wrong side of people does no good for them especially speaking. Plus, they should be good at keeping secrets. Learning trades and tactics that are not out for grabs will give them the ‘salt and meat’ for writing and making new stories.

Media means being up-to-date with the current news, the topics in discussion in the present times, and keeping an eye and an ear open on what is hot, what is not, in politics, education, industry, agriculture, fashion, entertainment, food, culture, economy, trade, movies, dance, art, music, and the works. If one is unaware of the very latest in the circuit, especially in the ‘beat’ one is covering, you are sure to flounder in your work regime. Fortunately, this one task is interesting. After all, expanding one’s knowledge horizons is always a pleasure. Thus, journalists are a lucky lot in this context. Media persons need to know the brass-tacks of technology to keep themselves privy to the news and views taking rounds. Thus, be in the know of how to use the cell phone correctly and be well-versant with its multitude features, the internet and its plethora of proffering must be on your fingertips, et al. The world of media is inundated with who is first with the latest discovery on the block. Thereby, the soft skill of gathering data and information at the drop of a hat serves good purpose.

Good reading habits are a boon for media persons. If one is awkward around books and papers, one has to develop a liking for them. It is rather odd that you are in profession, the very bane of which is flicking through pages of anything that has words on it. So also, it is a must to be able to coherently put down one’s thoughts and ideas on paper. For this, good writing skills are necessary. Then again, to be able to identify a story in any bit of information floating around is helpful in establishing one’s domain in this field. This is not as difficult as it sounds. Pursue your interest and your passion is the trick to getting this one feat right. For instance, if glamour is what makes your world go round, run through the magazines and columns offering such trivia. Automatically, you will develop a love of knowing about such literature and will simply adore plotting a program or an article down anything that catches your interest here. In this respect, as touched upon before, media people are blessed. They can make a living out of doing something they already have a soft corner for. What else does one want? Know about your passion, write or talk about it, and earn your monies too! As they say, if you like what you do you have not worked for a single day in your entire life…………………..this is what the media world proffers you ………..a magical potion to make your life and times all hunky-dory. Provided, you get your Ps and Qs very correct in the relevant spheres.