Dr Jason Sternberg
Lecturer, Media and Communication , Queensland University of Technology
Written by Ainsley Windress on 2011-10-24
Dr Sternberg lectures on Media and Communication at QUT as well as coordinating a number of media units. He is a published author and has been named as belonging to a new generation of public intellectuals ‘who have emerged over the past decade with a determination to help set Australian political and cultural agendas’.
Do you offer internships / work-experience?
Not personally, but I started the first internship program at QUT in 2000 specifically for Media and Communications students.
What do you find is the most common mistakes a graduate can make?
Working too much whilst being a student and beginning a career plan too late. Students need to start their career plan as soon as they begin their degree, they need to start looking at the kind of jobs that are available in the industry to get a sense of what opportunities are out there. Students need to start early to find out as much as they can and get their name out into the industry through work experience, volunteering and studying hard.
Although the money in the media industry may not be the best when starting out, knowledge can improve the chances of securing a job, it is a competitive industry and not as glamorous as some graduates may think.
What are some misconceptions about hiring graduates? How important are GPA’s?
A GPA is an important, tangible indicator of many things – time management, enthusiasm for learning and knowledge – however it is not the only thing employers look for.
Employers look for people who are willing to learn, give things a go and who understand and take criticism and respond to feedback.
Having a degree allows graduates to look for a job in that profession but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will work within that industry. Graduates should understand that they need to not only have the degree but also an education.
If someone could have given you one piece of advice at the beginning of your career, what should it have been?
I actually listened to all the advice given to me! But if you want to do something, go out and do something about it. A degree does not have the ability to replicate what happens in the real world, and never could, my first experience at The Toowoomba Chronicle was a real eye opener.
When I was younger, I saw John Birmingham (writer of the book He Died With A Falafel In His Hand) at the National Young Writers Festival. Someone in the audience asked him how to start a career as a writer. He replied “Man just write. Then you get published and then you’re an author”. I thought this was one of the greatest pieces of advice, very simple and true.
What are the significant steps you took in creating the career you have today?
I followed my instincts. I always wanted to be a journalist, but had a crisis of confidence in high school and started and psychology degree. I wasn’t suited to that, and journalism kept calling so that’s where I went. I’ve never actually been a journalist, apart from internships and freelance work, but what I do now is pretty close.
I listened to people who knew more than me and asked lots of questions, and did work experience.
My first degree is a BA in psychiatry, literature and communication and cultural studies. I did that because I wanted to find out how the world worked and be exposed to interesting ideas. I did a graduate masters degree in Journalism after that. In a perfect higher education system, everyone would do a general degree first and then worry about their professional qualifications.
What are the best steps a graduate can take in securing a future career?
Graduates need to have an understating of what goes on behind the senses of the industry; this will give a sense of what the industry is all about. Graduates need to look behind the glamour and get as much practical experience as possible.
If you want to write, write. There are so many options out there to get published – make a blog, it’s very simple. The earlier you do this the better.
You need to get yourself out there as someone who is enthusiastic and willing to show this.
Given the rapid changes in the media industry, what advice can you give graduates about preparing themselves for these shifts?
Always be prepared to learn. The thing about what you learn at university is that it is mostly redundant when you get into the industry. It does have its place but what you must retain is how to learn and how to think. This you can develop on and apply in the industry, adapting skills and knowledge along the way.