Unit 1 - 3.1 Create and present a professional standard CV, with examples of own work, relevant to a specific job application.

3.1 Create and present a professional standard CV, with examples of own work, relevant to a specific job application

3.2 Discuss strengths and weaknesses in relation to own work and a specific job application

I have listed my specialties and the software packages I use, as well as my level of expertise in each, which gives a good outline of my skill level and proficiency with particular programs. However, I could have put more detail into my hobbies and interests.

Unit 1 - 2.1 Describe a range of prospective employers and the profiles of these employers & 2.2 Explain how to choose an employer in terms of own personal interest, knowledge, skills and job requirements.

Being the (somewhat) creative person that I am, when it comes to selecting prospective employers it is important for me that creativity is involved in one way or another. I like to think I have left my options open by picking up knowledge in a variety of creative avenues from Web Design to 3D rendering, with a sprinkle of Photography and Video Editing, but my underlying passion is Digital Art, particularly involving Photoshop and Graphic Design. Below is a list of prospective (more like far-fetched) employers that center around these various skills :

Employer: Pearl Fisher

About: Pearl Fisher are a multi award-winning design company founded in 1992, with studios in both London and New York. Their work includes all forms of branding and identity, from logo design to packaging and architecture. Their philosophy and ethic revolves around the passion and expression of design, and ultimately the commercial results that an effective design can result in.

While this would be 'jumping in the deep end' for me as a designer, a company like this would give me the opportunity to not only let the creative juices flow, as they say, and produce work for some of the biggest and most iconic brands in the world. If that wouldn't inflate your ego, I don't know what will. But not only that, Pearl Fisher states they are passionate about nurturing the stars of tomorrow, so the opportunity to grow as a designer would be phenomenal... but also hard work...a lot of hard work.


Employer: Agency Republic

About: Another award-winning company (5 times digital agency of the year!), Agency Republic are a Digital Agency situated in London and were founded in 2001. They too have worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the world, and are similar to Pearl Fisher in the line of work that they do, yet they have a very distinguishable, quirky 'personality' of their own.

Again, being from a creative digital background, a Digital Agency would be the right kind of place for me. I not only have a knack for it, but I enjoy being creative, which is particularly important when working for an agency, as things can sometimes get repetitive or stressful if you don't have a passion for expressing your creative side.

These companies are just a selection from some of the best design companies and agencies in the world, and there are many more ranging from small businesses to global agencies. In an age where technology and digital industries are only getting bigger and bigger, it can be a fair guess to say that someone like myself if spoiled for choice for prospective employers right now, but what's to say the particular skills I have learned now will be in demand in the years to come, or whether the same set of prospective employers will be relevant in five, ten, fifteen years time?

Unit 1 - 2.2 Explain how to choose an employer in terms of personal interests, knowledge, skills and job requirements.

 When it comes to choosing an employer, there are a number of factors (money aside!) that are important to consider. It's not all about landing a job for the sake of it, and it's not always about the employer either (here's hoping my boss doesn't see that). To be successful yourself, and to bring success to your employer, its important to have a role and a business that mutually suits both parties.

Experience. It is an classic discussion - which is more important, experience or a qualification? In an ideal world, an employer would love to have both, but young up and comers usually have one or the other. While we would all love to jump in to a senior role and earn some big bucks, everybody has to start somewhere. Many job descriptions state that experience is a must, while others are geared toward fresh talent that can grow with the role. So keep in mind, depending on your employment history, whether you really do have the experience under your belt to go for a particular job, or whether you need to approach a role that is more tailored to someone looking to gain experience and skills in a particular field.

Personal Interests.It can be extremely fulfilling if you have a passion about the job, role or employer that you will be approaching. For instance, I chose the employers above because I have a strong interest in creative design, and therefore I would enjoy my work, which, in theory, would lead to a good working environment and dedication.
 

Unit 1 - 1.3 Explain the main implications of each employment status in relation to jobs security, flexibility and working patterns.

There are a variety of "advantages" and "disadvantages" to the employment statuses explained in 1.1, which I will outline below, with regards to flexibility, job security and working patterns. There is not necessarily a superior employment status, as each have certain perks that contrast to the others, and while I will describe the "disadvantages" they are not necessarily downsides, but are perhaps weaker in comparison to another status. If you are looking for bias, you won't find it here!

Employed (full-time/part-time)

 

In comparison to the other forms of employment status, being a full-time or part-time employee tends to have the strongest job security, particularly when a contract of employment has been signed. Stick within the rules, work hard and your employment is secure (assuming your company doesn't sink like a tonne of bricks, but lets have a bit of optimism, people!). A major advantage of being in full-time employment, is that you don't necessarily have to worry about sourcing projects yourself to keep funds running, as this is down to your employer and the company as a whole. You don't have to worry about where your "next paycheck" is coming from, and you are legally entitled to National Minimum Wage!

When it comes to flexibility, full-time employment probably isn't the contortionist of the employment status world. In terms of working patterns, you are expected to work around 40 hours a week, generally from 9 - 5, though this depends on your contract, and it is not uncommon for an employer to expect you to work a few more hours on certain days or during busy periods. That being said, you are entitled to annual leave, but many employers will require that you book these days in advance, and may even deny certain dates if it is a busy period or if there are too many members of staff an leave at one given time. Some employers also offer sick pay to full-time employees, while others do not, it all comes down to your employer and the contents your contract.

Contracted

While you are still bound to the security of a contract, this is usually only for a set period of time (for example 12 months) after which your employment ends. Therefore you would have to source more contracted employment, with no guarantee of securing a new contract (much like self-employment / freelancing). Also, it is important to note that a contracted employee generally has a set amount of time to finish a certain project, if said project isn't completed in that time, there are implications.

While in your contract period, flexibility and working patterns are very  much the same as being a full-time employee, in the sense that holidays and working hours will be decided by your employer and agreed in your contract.  One notable flexibility perk of being a contracted employee, is that once your contract is over, you have as much free time as you want (not that those bills are going to pay themselves, though...) until you find a new contract.

Self-Employed / Freelance

A self-employed individual has both positive and negative factors affecting job security. While you are essentially your own boss and therefore can't exactly fire yourself! your "job" is however secure as you want it to be in terms of longevity, it also means it is solely down to you to source projects, and there is no guarantee that you will find a continuous stream of projects you keep you financially stable.

But if it's flexibility that you're after, freelance redeems itself! As long as you manage your projects accordingly, you can mould your working schedule around your music gigs and rounds of golf, or work from home (wearing your pajamas!). Whichever way you look at it, your working patterns are down to you.

Unit 1 - 1.2 Describe the key legal and taxation differences between main types of employment status.

Expanding upon the differences of the various employment statuses (see 1.1) I will explain the most notable legalities and taxation processes involved, in easily digestible chunks of course:

Employed (full-time/part-time)

Being employed, either working full or part time, requires that you pay income tax which is (as GOV.uk kindly explains) tax on your income (who would have guessed?). The amount of income tax you pay depends on your annual earnings, and is deducted by your employer. Paying income tax is only applicable to you once your annual earnings are over and above a certain figure. There are different tax rates and bands that are used to calculate the amount of tax you pay. See below:

Income Tax rates 2012-13 by tax band and type of income

Income Tax band	Income Tax rate on non savings income	Income Tax rate on savings	Income Tax rate on dividends
£0 to £2,710 Starting rate for savings	Not available	10%	Not applicable - see basic rate band
£0 to £34,370 Basic rate	20%	20%	10%
£34,371 to £150,000 Higher rate	40%	40%	32.5%
Over £150,000 Additional rate	50%	50%	42.5%

(ref: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/basics.htm#6)

Self-Employed / Freelance

Being self-employed, you are still required to pay income tax, however you must calculate and handle this yourself rather than having your employer do this for you. Unlucky. Aside from this, you will generally follow the same rates and bands as an employed individual, the major difference being that there is a little more work on top for you to do in documenting your earnings and calculating your Tax and National Insurance contributions. It is not uncommon for someone who is self-employed to hire an accountant, and therefore let the responsibility lie with someone else. Delegation is a beautiful thing (albeit expensive in this case).

Unpaid / Voluntary

Voluntary workers or unpaid interns are exempt from paying Tax and National Insurance, as they are getting no income from your employer.

Apprenticeships

In the case of Apprenticeships, where you are usually earning under the minimum amount of earnings required to start paying tax, you are also exempt from taxes. If the circumstance arises that your pay is increased enough that you are within a tax bracket, you will then be required to pay tax and national insurance, though this will be calculated and handled by your employer.

Unit 1 - 1.1 Describe the main types of employment status within the Creative Media sector.

There are three main types of employment status within the creative media sector, as follows:

Firstly there is employed, which can be further divided into full-time and part-time employees. Within the creative media sector, as with most industries/sectors, there are many roles that can be filled by both full-time and part-time employees, the notable difference being simply the hours per week the employee works. Although not formally defined in the UK, the minimum hours for a full-time employee is usually around 40 hours per week, although this is ultimately determined by the employer.


Another sector is contracted employees, who are employed for a set amount of time, which is generally written into their contract at the time of employment. It is quite common for the contracted employee to have a set project to work on until completion of their contract, for example in film production an employee could have been contracted only until the production is complete, after which their employment has finished or in some cases they could be further contracted for other projects or even offered a full-time position.


Freelancing, which can also be described as self-employed, is another employment status. Rather than being under contract with an employer, you are essentially your "own boss". Freelancing is a popular choice in the design industry, for example in web design, where a project doesn't necessarily require an entire team of people to complete, and can instead be undertaken by an individual who is self-employed. It is also not uncommon to work both part-time while also working freelance where available.


While the three I have already covered are considered as the "main" types of employment status, there are others too that are common. For example, unpaid employment, such as working as a volunteer for a charity, is commonly practiced. Another example is working as an intern, usually for a set, fairly short period of time, where the intern gains unpaid "hands on" experience in the workplace, much like a work-experience placement.

Apprenticeships, another status of employment, also falls out of the three main statuses. Being an apprentice allows for a mixture of working for an employer while also studying for a qualification generally suited to that career path. Apprenticeships often lead to full-time employment, as the employee has gained set skills and knowledge for that particular job, both from gaining work experience and also a formal qualification.