Review of SkillsNet Website
Cameron Ahmadi & Olivia Aschwald
MMNet Summer Interns, 1999

Industry Guide
The Industry Guide shows you what the Digital Media and Visual Effects industries are all about. One of the biggest areas for Digital Media and Visual Effects is Northern California, where there are lots of successful firms. The industry's segments are also well-established throughout the different regions of the United States. You can surf the links that interest you, or follow the "Next" buttons to get the whole tour.

This guide goes in depth to say how movies have gone digital, with movies like Jurassic Park and Independence Day among the top grossing films in history. It shows that technology is pushing the boundaries of science and history, and that all the images, sound, and text--almost the whole experience--can be contained in one little computer. In this guide, you can choose other places to explore, such as Industry Segmentation or Animation and Visial Effects in Television. Then, if you want to learn more about how the industry runs, you can find out about the Job Market Outlook, Company Culture, Firm Size, the labor Market, and Labor Unions.

Occupation Guide
By using the Occupation Guide you can find more information about jobs and about the right career path. You may also find out what skills are needed and see what it would be like to do certain jobs.

In the Career Paths section you can read stories of people who have been successful by working hard and finding the right opportunities to get the job they wanted. In the Core Compenencies section you can find what creative and technical abilities are needed. There is a list of jobs which are more specific for either "right- or left-brained" people. You can click on various jobs to find out more about the job to help you think about whether you would enjoy working in that field

Training Guide
In the Training Guide you can learn about the opportunities for gaining job skills, and which are correct and which are not correct. There are listings of programs and schools which help to give awareness of what is available in the difference fields.

Many firms invest in their own recruiting programs to further their company and find people who have the right skills. This also helps schools and industries work together, keeping everyone updated on the ever-changing needs of the industry.

Jobseekers Guide
The Jobseekers Guide helps you to prepare the best types of resumes and portfolios needed to get a job in Animation and the Interactive Digital Media Industries. For example, this guide suggests that you not get too fancy when writing your resume or preparing your portfolio. Instead, be concise in your resume, and use specific files to make your portfolio stand out above the rest. There are links to sites to visit for resume writing hints and resume writing services.

There are also general guidelines to follow when applying for a job in Digital Media or a career in Animation. You can find out how to keep a portfolio uo-to-date and how to keep it safe in case you leave it after a meeting by labeling it. The Jobseekers Guide also shows how content should be put into categories, such as Finished Samples, Development Work, and Personal Expression, to make your portfolio more creative.