If I had to pick the coolest jobs out of careers in communications, the dreamer in me immediately thinks of television. Let’s face it, don’t we all secretly or not so secretly fantasize about somehow being involved in the glamour and magic of television? After all, that is why reality television is so popular — it plays on our collective hope that any average joe can be on television… and maybe one day that average joe will be me.

But what about the jobs in television production that take place behind the camera? What do they do? How do they get there? Here are 3 cool careers in television communications to give you a better idea of just how glamorous a job in TV is or isn’t, and what it takes to get there:

1. Photojournalist

Do you want in on the action? A photojournalist is the one with the camera, skillfully capturing “the action” on film. It is the photojournalist’s responsibility to shoot and edit the videotape, then work alone or with a team of reporting, production, and writing colleagues to prepare the story for the air. Technical knowledge — from the equipment, editing processes and microwave feeds — is necessary to succeed as a TV photojournalist. It’s also important to be able to work on strict deadlines and at all hours of the day or night, including holidays and weekends. (Think of photojournalism as a 24/7 communications career.)

Jobs in photojournalism don’t usually require a specific degree, but art schools and vocational-technical schools offer programs that can help you focus on knowledge and skills an employer will value, giving you the edge in this competitive job market. Better work opportunities require a few years’ experience, which can be gained by assisting other photojournalists or through internships.

2. Sales Manager

No lights, no cameras, but (still) plenty of action. You might not think of sales management as a career in communications, but commercials are a television station’s bread and butter, and sales managers oversee an intense ad-selling operation. To handle the various responsibilities of a sales manager, strong leadership skills are a must. For starters, sales managers recruit and train talented sales staff, brainstorm with the marketing team, identify the best advertisers for the company’s market, persuade clients they won’t need to advertise anywhere else, and keep everyone on target for increasing the company’s revenue. TV ad time is a hot commodity. In sales management, the job headlines are: sweet-talking, multi-tasking, deal-making, miss-nothing, know-everything, chat-about-anything game on.

Television sales managers often have a bachelor’s degree in communications, broadcast journalism or production, or business management — or some combination of the three. Sales experience is essential, since most sales management positions require at least 5 years on the front lines. Entry-level sales associate positions combined with a degree or professional diploma in broadcast production may be a good start for these communications careers.

3. Television Producer

The title “television producer” has such a prestigious ring to it. Truth is, the prestige is usually well-deserved. The TV producer role is vital because it oversees the entire execution of a television program. Television producers have both the privilege and the pressure of choosing the material that gets aired, so the job comes with tremendous responsibility and requires strong leadership and communication skills. Television producers train, supervise, edit, and write. They contribute their creative ideas on a daily basis and coordinate communication between the various production and engineering crews. They organize, keep track of big and small details, and restore all the corners (but not always the scenes) that other people have cut. Producers are known to work many hours, often on strict deadlines and under great stress. The TV producer career is probably pretty cool when it pays off in a hit show, but it probably has its share of grunt work, too.

As far as careers in communications are concerned, a television producer is someone with ambition and the guts to climb the ranks. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications-related subjects such as arts management or broadcast journalism may help aspiring producers work their way up the ladder or skip it altogether. Television producers come from all kinds of backgrounds, and experience is highly valued and necessary for success.

I’m not sure how glamorous these careers in television communications are, but they definitely seem like a good fit for creative, driven people with excellent communication skills and an aversion to the 9-to-5 cubicle day!