Safro says it requires determination, persistence and a strong sense of career direction to ensure aspirants are in the right place at the right time. Often, getting a job requires building contacts within the industry and being available to work erratic hours at short notice. Safro warns that production assistants can be permanently on call during filming, only to find themselves out of work when a project ends. But the rewards are the excitement of working in a glamorous industry and knowing they have played a key part in the finished product. These include working for airlines, cruise companies, tour companies, and in car hire, organising accommodation, and brochure design, all of which have jobs ranging from entry-level receptionist up to international and regional management, with salaries to match.
Human resources is another growth area where organisational skills are highly prized.
Robyn Morisset, the chief executive of the Australian Human Resources Institute, says successful human resources staff need to combine communication and people skills with a sound knowledge of the individual needs of the company they work for. TAFE and some private colleges offer courses in human resources but Morisset says graduates in business or commerce are in high demand, especially if their degrees include studies in employee and industrial relations. Accountants are also increasingly finding themselves at the forefront of business and management, utilising their organisational skills and financial understanding to go into a wide range of areas from risk management to marketing. And they may be senior consultants in business, so an accountants salary can be very high. Given that accounting skills are generally well regarded in other aspects of business, it means that opportunities open up in other areas of management.