TBA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

[jimcross]

The following is PART of the adv. by TBA for this important position

It is essential that you have the following: Minimum 5 years experience with tertiary qualifications in either journalism or communication Demonstrated ability to secure media coverage Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with key media contacts and other stakeholders to maximise media coverage Willingness to work flexible hours, be contactable after hours and be prepared to travel Excellent written communication skills including preparing media releases Demonstrated experience in developing and managing social media Experience in coordinating, editing, design and production of electronic newsletters and print material Ability to build and manage key relationships Advanced skills in MS Office Suite of applications. Background in other software including MS publisher or similar to create flyers and posters is preferred An ability to work effectively unsupervised as well as part of team

Desirable Knowledge of the sport of tenpin bowling would be a distinct advantage

Why, oh why are we fixated on pieces of paper ??? If you have all the other requirements, why are " tertiary qualifications" essential, and Knowledge of the sport desirable ??

 

[Roysa]

Interesting point Jim but i tend to agree that this position would require the right qualifications. In an ideal world someone would have extensive knowledge of both the sport and journalism however this isnt always possible. There are quite a few key performance indicators that are listed that are required that if i was selecting the person id want them to be more than capable in that area, not just 'know bowling'.

Interested to hear others thoughts on this.

 

[jimcross]

Sorry - I failed to explain myself clearly. Forget, for the moment, the 'know bowling' bit that I highlighted, what I really mean is that if you read the whole ad. on the TBA site, and you have an applicant that meets ALL the requirements, 'cept he / she ain't been to Uni, - who cares - I certainly wouldn't, and in my view nobody should. Proven performance over certificate / diploma for me every time.

As far as the 'know bowling' bit is concerned, I just thought that if two applicants were otherwise equal, then I'd take the 'know bowling' in preference to the piece of paper.

 

[Roysa]

Sorry Jim now you have got me confused.... how would an applicant meet ALL of the requirements if one of the requirements is a tertiary qualification?

Alot of the requirements listed would only be able to be achieved thorugh completion of a high level qualification, they kind of go hand in hand.

 

[jimcross]

OK Roy, that's alright, i'll get back inside the square with everyone else. It's warm, cosy and non-controversial in here.

 

[Roysa]

Cmon Jim, dont be like that. Im the last person here that conforms to the norm.

I just feel that this kind of role would be better served with someone who is qualified, especially dealing with media outlets aswell as social media which is so important today. If we want the sport to be more professional we need professional people in positions that can give a positive outcome. We dont just need a bowler who knows how to use facebook and twitter. These days the best qualified person gets the job not the best person.

 

[phantomD]

Stuck in the past Jim?

 

[Phluff]

Like it or not, there are some fields where a University education is important. A field such as Media & Communications is one of those. However, you would probably find that if someone applied who had been working in media for the past 10+ years but didn't have a degree they would still be considered.

 

[JWhitty]

I agree to a point, I don't necessarily feel that tertiary qualification is important in many fields. I myself have applied and won jobs before with the same clause, and I didn't even finish high school. I've also seen ads stating an essential 3 years experience in technologies that are only 6 months old. Therefore I agree with Jim that it shouldn't actually be essential, but I have no problems with them putting it in the ad provided they're sensible and don't immediately disqualify any applicants without.

Personally I tend to put university graduates into the "maybe" pile when going through candidates, always preferring candidates with real world experience, however the reality of my industry is that the universities are too far behind. Only once have I hired a graduate, and then it was because she was obviously keen to learn and demonstrated an ability in a related discipline, her courses had no relevant bearing on our real world needs at all.

Of course, everything I just said is completely unqualified because I've never worked in the media industry, maybe qualifications ARE important over there.

 

[jimcross]

Interesting bit I was just reading on the net about the recent 'Finklestein Report" to the Fed. Govt.

Quote " What’s more, few journalism teachers have recent experience in the profession. Some are career academics who have never spent time in a working newsroom. These non-journalists have little understanding of, or sympathy for, the daily chaos that unfolds as reporters and editors race against the clock to try to cobble together coherent and accurate stories…

There are relatively few senior journalists teaching journalism in Australia because many of the best journalists do not have the higher degrees required to win senior jobs at universities and then progress through the academic system

Back to my box now. Apologies for questioning the 'status quo' - I'll try to conform better in the future.

 

[Roysa]

Jim just because people don't agree with you doesn't mean we are conforming to the norm. I have a different opinion. I respect you and yours so stop going on about being in your box. Seems by the quote at the end of every post you make you don't like anything about today's world.

 

[jimcross]

Reprimand duly received and noted. I will embrace the present, and hope that one day I will be young enough again to know everything.

I will write 100 times " Academia is always superior to experience." "Academia is always super........

 

[Geoff300]

Jim , I always enjoy reading your posts

I grew up the old world of the school of hard knocks was often better than those who had a degree
because they were mostly bofins with zero experience, just books

These days a combination of both is best, I think that is what TBA are looking for, with a slant
in either direction being okay

The media issues we, and most other business, faces today requires the qualification issues
to be understood as much as the practical you are keen to prefer

Cheers
Geoff

 

[jimcross]

Geoff and Roy -- enuff??? Roy, you were biting so well, I couldn't help myself - sorry - really.

Geoff, I know exactly where you're coming from: where you are both coming from. I know there is room and necessity under varying circumstances for formal qualifications. Really the only thing I actually objected to was that it was an absolute requirement, according to the letter of the wording of the adv. on the TBA site.

I've done a lot of employment over the years, including for some reasonably sized enterprises. You don't lock doors, or your mind, before you meet the people, if you want the best.

Jim

 

[RobbieB]

I thought Lynne Clay was the TBA media person?

 

[jimcross]

Rob,
I've been afraid to ask that question.

 

[steve jones]

Jim,

Whilst I am well removed from these sorts of things these days the explanation [and I stress "may" this is just a guess] may well be as follows.

Unless the TBA has welcomed on board recently someone or some entity with the miracle gift of financial wizardry it is probable that the funding to underwrite this position [I assume the remuneration will be commensurate with the job spec - which whilst not extensive would be - at the very least - worthwhile] has been sourced either in part or in full from the Federal Government via one of it's sporting agencies. Accordingly the position's parameters would need to be stipulated by that agency [he who has the gold maketh the rules - even if that level of gold is only in part - perhaps matched dollar for dollar with the TBA's own private funding].

Now all this "guessing" on my part of course is not to suggest for one minute that the TBA would not under it's own initiative create similar requirements of any candidate - but it certainly helps to clear up why there is such an emphasis on a piece of paper [God knows the government - very particularly THIS government couldn't function - if that's in fact what it's actually pretending to do - without pieces of paper]. And - may I add, having done this particular job for three years or so in the early 1990's [yes, yes I know - back in the dark ages when the ATBC had 120,000 plus members......they weren't SO dark actually] - I am the first to agree with you that in the scheme of things, of all the criteria required in the brief set by TBA, that the "piece of paper" is the least important of all.

 

[debbie]

c,mon jones put your hand up

rollo

 

[jimcross]

Steve, I think you've nailed it. In all probability it's a 'requirement'. Oh dear, oh dear- I wish sometimes that one of the earlier posts saying that I'm living in the past, was right. People shouldn't knock it, if they weren't around to try it !
Jim

 

[wchester]

A friend of mine worked for American Express as portfolio manager in charge of investing billions of dollars. He says that given comparable knowledge as recent university graduates, competive bowlers would be ideal candidates for a high pressure job because they've learned to deal with failure through their bowling experience. While recent graduates do not yet have the life skills acquired by facing and dealing with failure in their lives.