Audio describer to presenter
An audio describer already meets 24% of what the presenter role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.
75.9/ 100
1 How much of what a presenter is expected to do is already part of an audio describer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the presenter role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A presenter role treats 5 of its required skills as things an audio describer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- audiovisual equipment
- breathing techniques
- perform improvisation
- pronunciation techniques
- vocal techniques
What stands in the way is 14 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A presenter role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an audio describer background worth leading with.
- already held work with a voice coach communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held perform improvisation communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held present during live broadcasts communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held use audio reproduction software working with computers
- already held breathing techniques arts and humanities
- already held audiovisual equipment arts and humanities
All 9 carried skills, including the 5 the presenter role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 31 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn adapt to type of media required
- still to learn follow time cues required
- still to learn memorise lines required
- still to learn read pre-drafted texts required
- still to learn develop professional network required
- still to learn follow directions of the artistic director required
- still to learn rehearse role required
- optional, not held adopt a relaxed posture optional
- optional, not held compose playlist optional
- optional, not held consult with production director optional
- optional, not held develop program ideas optional
- optional, not held interview people optional
- optional, not held moderate a debate optional
- optional, not held practice humour optional
- optional, not held prepare broadcasts optional
- optional, not held select music optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held proofread text optional
- still to learn gather information on theme of the show required
- still to learn follow the news required
- still to learn consult information sources required
- still to learn meet expectations of target audience required
- optional, not held check correctness of information optional
- optional, not held perform market research optional
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn spelling required
- optional, not held lighting techniques optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- still to learn copyright legislation required
- optional, not held press law optional
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a presenter role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 gather information on theme of the show practise this
- 02 adapt to type of media practise this
- 03 follow the news practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 9 skills that carry over
- already held audiovisual equipment knowledge
- already held breathing techniques knowledge
- already held perform improvisation skill
- already held pronunciation techniques knowledge
- already held vocal techniques knowledge
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held present during live broadcasts skill
- already held use audio reproduction software skill
- already held work with a voice coach skill
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held adopt a relaxed posture optional
- optional, not held check correctness of information optional
- optional, not held compose playlist optional
- optional, not held consult with production director optional
- optional, not held develop program ideas optional
- optional, not held interview people optional
- optional, not held moderate a debate optional
- optional, not held practice humour optional
- optional, not held prepare broadcasts optional
- optional, not held select music optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
- optional, not held lighting techniques optional
- optional, not held perform market research optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- optional, not held press law optional
- optional, not held proofread text optional
26 held skills the presenter role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt voice register to the audio material skill
- not needed by the target role add elocution techniques to recording audio materials skill
- not needed by the target role attend read-through skill
- not needed by the target role audiovisual products knowledge
- not needed by the target role communication related to hearing impairment knowledge
- not needed by the target role cooperate with colleagues skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate activities in audio recording studio skill
- not needed by the target role integrate content into output media skill
- not needed by the target role listen actively skill
- not needed by the target role manage a good diction skill
- not needed by the target role multimedia systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role operate audio equipment skill
- not needed by the target role plan audiovisual recording skill
- not needed by the target role record audio materials skill
- not needed by the target role report live online skill
- not needed by the target role screen reader knowledge
- not needed by the target role study media sources skill
- not needed by the target role study roles from scripts skill
- not needed by the target role support people with hearing impairment skill
- not needed by the target role synchronise with mouth movements skill
- not needed by the target role types of media knowledge
- not needed by the target role use microphone skill
- not needed by the target role use office systems skill
- not needed by the target role write in conversational tone skill
- not needed by the target role write voice-overs skill
- not needed by the target role write work-related reports skill
7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn copyright legislation required
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn spelling required
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
- optional, not held lighting techniques optional
- optional, not held photography optional
- optional, not held press law optional
Common questions about this move
Can an audio describer become a presenter?
Yes, and it is a career change move. An audio describer already covers 24% of what a presenter is expected to do: 9 skills carry over, 5 of which the presenter role treats as required.
What skills does an audio describer need to become a presenter?
14 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is gather information on theme of the show.
How hard is the move from audio describer to presenter?
Its learning distance is 75.9 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.