Table 1Transition record

boom operatortosound mastering engineer

A boom operator already meets 26% of what the sound mastering engineer role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.

From boom operator

26%

Overlap1

To sound mastering engineer

5 Skills carried over

9 Required, not held

65 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 65

This move: 65 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the sound mastering engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the boom operator profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 5 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sound mastering engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a boom operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held assess sound quality constructing
already held manage sound quality constructing
already held operate an audio mixing console working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held audiovisual equipment arts and humanities
already held edit recorded sound working with computers

All 5 carried skills, including the 3 the sound mastering engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 13 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 arts and humanities 4 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held audio mastering required
required, not held audiovisual products required
required, not held audio technology required
required, not held types of audiovisual formats required

optional, not held audio post-production optional
optional, not held musical instruments optional
optional, not held musical theory optional
optional, not held musical genres optional

02 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 required

required, not held coordinate audio system programmes required
required, not held operate audio-signal processors required

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required

required, not held adapt to artists' creative demands required

04 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required

required, not held audio editing software required

05 working with computers 1 required

required, not held convert different audiovisual formats required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sound mastering engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 5 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held assess sound quality skill
already held edit recorded sound skill
already held manage sound quality skill
already held audiovisual equipment knowledge
already held operate an audio mixing console skill

4 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held audio post-production optional
optional, not held musical instruments optional
optional, not held musical theory optional
optional, not held musical genres optional

22 held skills the sound mastering engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role acoustics knowledge
not needed by the target role adapt artistic plan to location skill
not needed by the target role adapt to type of media skill
not needed by the target role analyse a script skill
not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
not needed by the target role assess power needs skill
not needed by the target role consult with sound editor skill
not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
not needed by the target role follow directions of the artistic director skill
not needed by the target role follow work schedule skill
not needed by the target role health and safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain sound equipment skill
not needed by the target role perform soundchecks skill
not needed by the target role program sound cues skill
not needed by the target role set up sound equipment skill
not needed by the target role study media sources skill
not needed by the target role supervise sound production skill
not needed by the target role technically design a sound system skill
not needed by the target role tune up wireless audio systems skill
not needed by the target role use audio reproduction software skill
not needed by the target role use technical documentation skill
not needed by the target role work ergonomically skill

9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held audio mastering required
required, not held audiovisual products required
required, not held audio editing software required
required, not held audio technology required
required, not held types of audiovisual formats required
optional, not held audio post-production optional
optional, not held musical instruments optional
optional, not held musical theory optional
optional, not held musical genres optional

Index

Other moves recorded from boom operator

Full index of moves from boom operator

Note

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.