“Your Career Advisor” is responding this week to:

• How can I become a professional photographer ?

• How can I work from home ?

• What are the job responsibilities of a PR & Communication Manager ?

All reasonable questions related to careers, skill development or employment related issues – sent to advisor@skill-link.com - would be addressed in this section every week.

Q1:How can I become a professional photographer ?

First of all I would like to thank you for your great effort you are doing to answer and provide us with useful information.

I am fan about photography, and I wish one day if I have the courage to change my career, and work as a photographer, I tried hard to search for any institute or organization teaching courses in professional photography, but all my efforts had gone with the winds.

I'll be very grateful if you could provide me with information regarding any institute or organizations that provide such courses in Egypt and abroad , and is there any kind of academic education to become a professional photographer

M. S. (Alexandria)

Replying:

Dear Mr. S.

Thank you for your thoughtful words of appreciation, we try our best.

Photography is a nice art and hobby. It could also be a rewarding business. Maybe not in Alexandria, but rather in Cairo. This is if you get in the field of corporate photography, required by companies and advertising agencies for brochures, catalogues, advertisements, websites etc.. or even in the Media, with publications such as Business Today (BT), Business Monthly and others.

Like many things in Egypt and the Arab world in general, people get in many professions by observing and learning from others. In most advanced countries there are university courses addressing photography and institutes providing certificates. We wrote a few months ago about new university courses in the US providing degrees in mortuary sciences (for undertakers ‘hanouty’) and in electronic games !

An Egyptian, with similar interests to you is promoting his services online (http://www.ie-eg.com/photolife/#a ) ; check it out.

There is an international association for photographic art, for those who enjoy this hobby around the world (www.FIAP.net) – to access the English version scroll down on the home screen and click on the British flag - , the FIAP has local chapters in many countries, Egypt does not seem to be one of them.

Supposedly, there is an Egyptian Photographic Society. If you can find out where they are located, they may have some relevant activities.

The American University in Cairo, offers as part of its Bachelor of Arts the following courses:

• Intro to Photography
• Advanced Photography

If you are really interested, you could inquire abut enrollments without credit (ie. Just attend classes). Obviously living in Alexandria, would make things more difficult.

We assume, you are addressing ‘still’ photography. However you may be interested to know that at the American University in Cairo, The Adham Center for Television Journalism has an intensive Professional Certificate Video Editing Course. Enrollment is open to anyone with basic English. This is a professional certificate course; it is not an Academic course for credit. At the Adham Center you learn how to edit narrative video, which provides you with all the basic and most universal skills-whether your future lies in advertising, TV news, video clip production, documentaries or TV feature films. The course duration is for six weeks.

There are of course a number of online courses in the field of photography, available from Western countries, specially the US. For a sample, you may check out www.schoolofphotography.com or the following link for another training provider:

http://www.betterphoto.com/online-photography-courses.asp

We hope the above was of some use to you.

Good Luck

Q2: How can I work from home ?

I e-mailed you before and told you about my skills and abilities and asked you to tell me if I can find home based jobs, but you didn't reply to me.

I am currently a first year student at a Faculty of Pharmacy.

Can you tell me how can I work from home? I know English, French and some German, Italian and Spanish. Additionally, I have an excellent experience in using a number of computer programs and the internet.

Can guide me to the right direction ?

N. Y. (Alexandria)

Replying:

Dear Ms. Y.

Thank you for sending your enquiry to "Your Career Advisor", it is strange we never received any previous messages from you. Our apologies.

The concept of working from home or tele-working exists, it is more common in the USA then in Egypt or the Arab region in general. There are some jobs that are more suitable for others to be performed from home. Among them you will find translation, graphics design, editing and content writing, small systems’ application development etc… A less corporate oriented one is catering, ladies cooking dishes for others who have certain occasions or events to celebrate.

As a first year student in a Faculty of Pharmacy, some of the options state above may be more relevant, for example translation (if your English or French are really fluent). Alternatively, you may develop your graphics design skills and work in this field. The two challenges you face would be: 1. what sort of skill do you have or you can offer, and, 2. how to find clients (or employers). For instance, if you are fluent in languages, you can let translation offices know of your availability. Same would apply to graphics design.

You may also consider private tutoring for young students/pupils, helping them with their studies in Languages, Sciences etc... the question is do you like to teach young ones ? and if you have access to a potential 'client' base.

Your alternative route to working from home, may be part time work. At least you will not have to be away from home for very long hours. Some places may need a part time secretary or an administrative officer on a part time basis, others (such as Citibank, require afternoon telesales agents). Or, as a student of Pharmacy, specially in you later years at university, you may want to get closer to your field and work part time in a Pharmacy, which we are sure you have already considered.

Our apologies for not being of more help.

Good Luck

Q3: What are the job responsibilities of a PR & Communication Manager ?

Could you please provide me with a job description for a Public Relations & Communications Manager in a service organization ? We are introducing this position for the first time.

A. F. (Giza)

Replying:

Dear Mr. F.

The holder of this position will plan, execute and coordinate activities and events that would promote and enhance the corporate image and public perception within the local, regional and international communities. Additionally, he / she will ensure adequate communication channels are established with all relevant external parties.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develop and maintain the company’s identity standards (logo, colors, signs, correspondence, cards…) and monitor abidance by these standards. Developing correspondence and other communication standards (i.e. memo format, fonts, letters, answering phones…).

Oversee the development and content update of brochure(s), flier(s) and web site.

Draft press releases and organize media coverage in association with key events for the company.

Receive (and coordinate with concerned parties) media inquiries and interview requests with key executives within the company.

Follow up and circulate internally media / press reporting concerning the company and topics of interest. This may trigger drafting responses as the need may be.

Maintain close relationships with the media and press to ensure favorable coverage of the company and clear understanding of its role and decisions.

Coordinate various public functions, visits and events (eg. conferences, business associations gatherings etc.) in which company executives are (or should be ) involved.

Assist senior executives in drafting speeches, preparing presentations and article contributions.

Propose and administer social / educational activities for the company, such as arranging meetings and visits of social associations / students / foreign business delegations / diplomatic corps.

We hope the above was of some use to you.

Good Luck

Note from the editor: 
Employer names and inquiry sender names were withheld for confidentiality

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