I remember over ten years ago that advice given to new graduates was to get into the computer and technology industries as they were the future growth sectors. That was good advice then and still is today. As the internet and other digital applications become more and more sophisticated we are now seeing new technologies affect almost everyway that business is done in the modern world. Following this, traditional ad agencies are now beginning to shift their attention towards ‘new media’ advertising and therefore several of the positions I am now working are in this exciting field. So what is ‘new media’ and how can you prepare your self for the changes ahead?

The term ‘new media’ refers to a variety of media which has been born out of the digital age and may include web sites and blogs, social networking sites such as Mixi and Facebook, virtual worlds including Second Life, video games and almost any type of information that is provided on mobile phones.
These days more and more people are using their mobile phones for searching the web, social networking, blogging and even reading novels, and advertisers are taking note with data from Dentsu showing that mobile based advertising expenditure has risen over 60% in the last year!

For someone with many years of experience and a broad knowledge in the traditional advertising mediums, the shift to web and mobile based platforms can be a little scary as it threatens their future job opportunities. However, there is no reason why this has to be the case and for many people simply updating their technical skills and knowledge could add that extra dimension to your resume and make you a more valuable employee in the digital work place. Unless you’re around 60 years old then you still have many working years ahead of you and so it is definitely worth taking the time to consider the future direction of your industry (next 5 – 10 years) and then determine where your interest lies and what niche you can carve for yourself.

Once you discover your career options, you may also realize that you need to update your skills and knowledge to remain competitive in the work place. Take for example mobile phone technology and applications. If you currently work in traditional media such as magazine advertising, it may be time to start learning about mobile advertising etc. One way you could do this would be to attend some of the many mobile industry events that are held around Tokyo. One regular networking event that I attend is called Mobile Mondays (MoMo) http://www.mobilemonday.jp/. MoMo is held once a month and features presentations about the internet and mobile industry from individuals and major companies, including Microsoft, KDDI and MTV and it can be a great way to catch up on what’s going on and also meet interesting people in the industry. Perhaps I will see you there!