Gemma Styles: Looking For Your Big Break?

Taking a leap is a scary thing. A bit more extreme than ‘a step in the right direction’ it implies more of a throwing-yourself-into-the-unknown situation, where you can’t be certain of a successful outcome. Whether it’s a literal leap, bungee jump, skydive etc., or a metaphorical one, I think we can all agree that career leaps in particular can be pretty nerve wracking. Advances in your personal life are one thing, and can of course be devastating if they don’t work, but jumps in your job? If that goes wrong then there’s a whole lot of other stuff you’re going to have to worry about… For instance, will your landlord accept a lively show tune in lieu of actual money?

If you’re looking to make your own your own big leap then you might want to head to mtvbreaks.tv! The MTV Breaks team is highlighting famous faces to celebrate the act of taking a leap in their F**k It Friday features; so far we’ve heard celebrity stories from Iggy Azalea to Alfie Deyes all about how they gave fear the finger and made brave moves to get where they are today. As well as checking out the tales of people who’ve already become successful, MTV Breaks are giving you the chance to start your own story, by offering opportunities to get involved in some really cool creative projects and jobs.

I’m passionate about everyone having a chance. There are so many inequalities in the workplace, from gender to location to race to social background, and most of these differences can cause disadvantages for people when they’re looking for work. A thoroughly documented disadvantage is that which comes with being a woman; earlier this year I started working with some friends on a website called La Femme Collective, which shares personal stories from working women about how they got to where they are and what advice they can now share. Similarly to F**k It Fridays, we wanted to show what real people have accomplished, in order to inspire other people around the world to overcome their own barriers. We don’t know where this will go yet – but we’ve taken our own leap in putting ourselves out there and offering up a mission.

Sometimes seeing what somebody else has managed to do is enough to show you that great things are possible for you too. If you have big ambitions or even just one little idea, it can be really daunting to put yourself out there and pursue it – reading about others who’ve been in the same position and made it happen could be just the push you need to get you going.

One of the hardest things about breaking into a creative or competitive industry is the cycle of experience. There are plenty of jobs and assisting opportunities that come up, but most seem to be looking for X amount of months or years prior work – so how can you get a foot in the door when even work experience requires work experience? The usual answer – work really bloody hard and persevere. But as a twist on the usual, MTV Breaks are also giving young people the opportunity to take part in some massive events; from DJing to directing and graphic designing to grooming, you could get real experience working on award shows, festivals and more – now there’s one for the CV.

If you’ve got your heart set on a career in the creative and music industries then keep an eye out for the next MTV Breaks openings. One of them might just be the start of your story...

- Gemma Styles