After TMU - Mikael Melo

What program did you study and why did you choose to study at Ryerson University?

I studied RTA (Radio and Television Arts): Media Production at TMU and I graduated in 2018. I knew I wanted to work in the creative industries and RTA's legacy had been on my radar for a while. It’s a widely renowned media school, but most importantly who wouldn’t want to study in Downtown Toronto?! (Pre-pandemic obviously). TMU had such a welcoming community that the moment I did my campus tour, I just knew it was where I was meant to do my undergrad.

You wear multiple hats in your career. How did your education prepare you for freelance work?

I was a fairly involved student who would balance course work with campus jobs,  student clubs, and a social life. I’ve always been the type to fill up my plate and have multiple projects on the go. TMU really helped me learn the balancing act of that. 

What are the best parts of your work; what are the necessary evils?

I arrange my freelance work to give myself Fridays off. Granted, I work some really long weeknights. I do enjoy working towards the weekend and I work much better knowing I have a three-day weekend vs the regular two. The downside is learning how to manage all my different jobs to ensure they all get done in a timely manner.

In your experience, what are some attributes of individuals who are most successful in your field?

Determination, consistency, and resilience. All words that essentially mean the same thing. To succeed in this industry you need to never give up. Keep pushing through. Media jobs come and go (a lot are temporary and contract-based), but those of my peers who I’ve seen find great success are the ones who take every opportunity by storm and then jump onto the next. The work never stops essentially, but that’s the fun of this industry. 

Another key thing is BE NICE. Regardless of the industry, kindness will get you much farther in life than being mean. 

If you could start all over again, would you change your career path in any way? Why?

That’s a really good question. I think everywhere I’ve worked has taught me a really important lesson about what I like and don’t like in a job. I think my biggest learning or mistake in my career thus far was making my career my everything. I used to measure my success as a human being based on where I was employed, which is not a healthy tactic. 

I’ve worked at places such as etalk, iHeartRadio, The Cannes Film Festival, BuzzFeed, ScreenRant, and more! All wonderful places of employment, but if I could go back I would remind myself that although a career is important, don't make it your entire personality. 

How has COVID-19 impacted your career and how have you adapted to its challenges?

I essentially used to go from running all over the city from place to place to now sitting put at home, which is totally fine with me. I actually really enjoy it! It is a little interesting working as a reporter and having to set up and take down my own at-home studio every day (green screen, lighting, mic, etc). Once you get into the rhythm of it, it’s not as hard as it looks. I hope to one day be back in a studio space and not have to film every one of my videos from my bedroom. Ha! But for now, this is the safest option and I'm very lucky to be able to work remotely.

How has your use of social media platforms helped you gain exposure? Has it benefited your career?

I’ve always just tried to put myself out there on social media. Whether it was through comedy, world issues, pop culture, etc. Recently, I started gaining traction through a comedy sketch I created on TikTok, in which I criticized the government's handle on this pandemic. The sketch reached over 1.2 million views so I turned it into a series. It’s opened a lot of new doors for me career-wise, which is exciting and I’m super grateful.

What has been your favourite career achievement so far?

Ohhh, that’s so hard to say as I’ve been very privileged with the work experiences I’d had so far. I honestly can’t pinpoint one that truly tops them all, as I learned a lot from each. However, I think my favourite “career” achievement is this moment right now. 

I've forced myself to have a good work-life balance, I force myself to clock out at certain hours, go for my daily walk, plan virtual hangouts with friends, etc. What I learned in quarantine is that to further myself in my career, I have to grant myself space to also live life outside of work.

What advice would you provide a student or recent graduate who is interested in your career choice?

Know what you want and go for it! LinkedIn is a great tool to scout out people who you’d want to be your mentor or who are in a career position you’d love to find yourself in. Reach out to them, make good connections, and be nice to everyone. The industry is small and people will remember how you treat them (especially if you didn’t treat them kindly). 

Last of all, and I know I sound like a broken record, but make sure you have a work-life balance. Your career is obviously important, but try not to make it your everything. If the only interesting thing about you is how you make your paycheck, then you might need to reevaluate what's important in your life.