SEARCHLIGHT AT RTS FUTURES!

Searchlight were lucky enough to partner in a great RTS Futures event last week, a panel session with the aim of providing CV advice to those looking to make their way into the media industry.

The Royal Television Society is an educational charity which encourages and celebrates work in television and its related fields, and their events regularly feature highly respected individuals who are able to provide an insight into the inner workings of the industry.

Their RTS Futures events are specifically aimed at graduates and those in the early stages of their career, and are set up to give them guidance and advice as they make their way into the television sector.

Our senior consultant Audrey Cairo was the host for this session, and the panel consisted of a number of other industry professionals:

• Alex Lawrence, founder of Clearhead Digital

• Susie Worster, head of creative talent at Shed Media

• Amy Osterley, senior consultant here at Searchlight

• Sasha Breslau, head of acquired series at ITV

• Paul McGettigan, head of comedy entertainment, 12 Yard Productions

During the session there was advice given from a TV production point of view from Alex, Paul and Susie which provided useful insight into their opinion on initial applications. Sasha provided the point of view of a hiring manager whilst Amy and Audrey were approaching the discussion from an agency mind-set, and whilst there was a great deal of agreement it was also evident that disparity can arise in how your CV is regarded by those in differing parts of the industry. Overall it was suggested that tailoring your CV and considering exactly where and who it is being sent to is highly beneficial.

A useful aspect of the event was the fact that the audience had the opportunity to ask questions during and after the session, meaning the discussion evolved organically in the direction most useful to those in attendance.

Overall it was a successful and enjoyable evening, and as always we were very happy to participate. By working with the RTS we feel we are supporting a great cause, using our expertise to assist with the work they do whilst also maintaining a valuable understanding of current thinking within the television landscape.

If you would like any more information regarding CV and application tips you can download our brochure on the subject here!