After a preliminary inspection of local talents in remote areas of the country and even urban settlements, the absence of employable candidates was the reason behind the commencement of the newly established writing contest, which will be conducted by the media staff of Times of Pakistan at different locations across the country.
According to local surveys and interviews, the company’s data showed that only 2% of the candidates interviewed for different positions at Times of Pakistan were considered for final callbacks. The rest of the applicants failed miserably during the hiring process. They had a scarce working knowledge of media operations, rendering them incapable of further consideration after initial contact with the Human Resources department at the media agency’s headquarters in Jhelum and Multan.
The results were concerning, meaning that only a few people had access to any measurable social media posting information and traditional reporting styles regarding creativity and overall general capacity for writing. In addition, the candidates’ educational backgrounds did not meet the standards for entering a competitive information field such as media coverage. The data acquired by Times of Pakistan also showed that the country’s media communications students were unfamiliar with using modern tools for effective content generation.
The media company has led many successful campaigns regarding familiar issues. However, this time, the educational context of the entire enterprise provides an increased incentive for the entering and competing candidates. The successful participants will have a chance to work with Times of Pakistan and seek out a possible future within the media agency for an extended period after a preliminary internship in which they will be offered excellent learning prospects from professional experts in the field working across the country and internationally.
The company wishes that the fertile compost of this acquired knowledge will put fresh minds on the national and global map for representing the most eligible media outlets that serve honourable job opportunities to all skilled journalists.
While the general purpose of the contest is to bring competent phantoms into the spotlight, the backhand aim of the exercise is to engage a large following of Times of Pakistan amassed over more than 20 functioning years since the media agency began its journey. The company’s executives have yet to confirm the details of the writing contest. However, the expected date for the contest is estimated to be around the middle of 2024.
A considerable amount will also be allocated for the top performers, who will have the opportunity to work with Times of Pakistan at its headquarters. To enhance the chances for young people interested in media communications and journalism, the community contest will be open to all graduate-level students with no previous service record at known media agencies.
When unveiling the locations of the writing contests, the primary consideration will be to target moderately populated cities where the local news agencies can contact and arrange venues for such large numbers of people. The contest will be held with the cooperation of the local news outlets. Once the parent company has selected the most suitable performers, top candidates can join these local media houses.
The contest’s aim in such locations is to move the existing body of news agencies in major cities of the country and create a more robust basic framework for educated and sophisticated journalists. The contest is expected to generate results through which more talented young minds will be incorporated into various news agencies to pursue careers in journalism.
