How to Get Video Production Jobs in Kenya

There is nothing as fun as being in the industry that you love working in an environment that appeals to your sense of creativity. If you are in video production and love what you do, then you are going to have a lot of fun while working, even when you are applying, it is going to be fun despite the hustle for that stable ground. In Kenya, video production is a career that is booming especially in media houses and Film companies.

Getting a hold of that stable job may seem hard even after acquiring skill because let us face it unemployment in Kenya is the curse we choose to embrace. The tips below will however narrow down the ground you may want to cover in pursuit of that video production job in Kenya.

Analyze Your Present Position

Are you still a student of film or have you graduated? What skills have you garnered so far and how can they be applied in the real film industry away from class. Analyze what are your skills and your strength when it comes to the industry. Well some institutions in Kenya offer direct employment or association of their alumni students to the industry. But for the majority of the graduates we have to hustle our way up the ladder with the skills we learnt. The trick is, if you note a potential employer, impress then with what you can do. If it is editing or shooting, make your name as early as possible.

Stand out with your application

If you were applying for to be a chef, I will probably tell you to prepare the best of you stronghold dishes.  But if you want to nail that video production job interview, create a video content. Wow your employer by showing him your immense skills and how you will be an asset to the company or project even before you are asked.

Also, try and approach where you look into what your employer specializes I and from that you can make your own samples of the same. It could commercials, marketing, editing, shooting, whatever field, have something to show for it. Most Kenyan companies are looking for able employees with the most necessary hands on skills.

Use social media to sell your skills

If there is a crowd that is fond of social media, that will be Kenyans. Social media is the place you are allowed to make all the noises you want and sell your skills to whoever is in need of them or wants to listen. This is the stage you take after you have analyzed yourself and know what you are good at and what you can offer to your potential employer. Package yourself as a business, your work as the product and all the film and production companies as the potential clients. With that, choose to do what will make you not break you into pieces of career suicide.

Here is a cheat sheet of what can get you noticed on the broader specs of the social media.

Step 1:

Create a social media presence on all social networks. (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, etc.)

Step 2:

People need to associate what you say with a face, therefore have clean, professional photos that display who you are and what you look like. Don’t go all serious on this, the film industry is full of the creative.

Step 3:

Make sure all your social media profiles have bios that tell your professional story. Get creative in a way that lets potential employers know who the person that you are is.

Step 4:

See those creative videos that you stocked on your desktop, well, how about we show them to the world and sell that creative to the potential market. YouTube and vimeo are the best avenues for this. Ensure that the video are backed up with full description and your role on the work.

Step 5:

Add professionalism to your work by ensuring that they have custom thumbnails to all the videos to look as presentable as possible. You can organize it into playlists according to the targeted projects naming the roles you played in each video.

Step 7:

Come up with a website from a flexible. Otherwise you can shine your skills by creating a very attractive and engaging website and have your work posted. Let all the attention be focused on the work, in other words, try as much to be simple. Your front page should display your best video or demo reel.

Step 8:

All your contact information should be added on the page. This includes phone number, email and social media pages. Create an email account, adding a professional signature with your name, contact information, title, and social media accounts

Step 9:

You should also have a resume that quickly displays your relevant experience

Step 10:

Come up with a long list of various video production companies including the names of the hiring manager. This is how you find your possible clientele list. Have their email, website, and any other little notes you will be able to find about them like vacancies. The bigger the list, the better.

Emailing Hiring Managers

Have you looked at those companies and realized that they might need your skills and abilities in making what they are offering better. Good, now you can go ahead and email them ensuring that quality videos that match the skills that they need are part of the email. Make yourself look so good that they will be prompted to hire you.

Internships and mentorships

Are you finding it hard to land a real job? Try internships as this will help you to understand how the world actually works. There are some companies that pay their interns, but if it’s not the case and you intend in staying long in the industry and at the same time make it, an internship is a place where you create your base and expand that social network. If you are as good as they would love their employees. The contract may be coming your way real soon.

Those with mentorship that you can get to accompany as they do their thing, will be exposed to skills and social circle that will come in handy say if you want to venture into freelancing. Look for those people you think are great in what they do when it comes to video production. Study and learn everything you can from them. Reach out to them. Once you have them as mentors, they will be fountains of knowledge you can tap when you need them. Just don’t get too annoying about it.

Freelancing

This is an option if you have the much-needed skill and equipment. A freelance videographer works as an independent contractor on multiple projects. Besides that, you will need to be aggressive and a go-getter in finding the gigs and contracts that work for you.

Also, realize the importance and benefits of networking on a daily basis as a way of building a brand that is recognized by professionals and everyone alike. In Kenya, once you have a name that resounds on everyone’s professional lists, gigs will come your way. Keep yourself fresh in the market and keep your eyes open.