Any BAS Communications Managers on the forum

[territt]

Hi guys,

This is my first post on the forum but hopfully not my last My name is Richard, I am 25 and for a number of years now I have thought about applying to BAS to be a Communications Manager. i have been doing a lot of research which lead me to this forum, i have been working in IT for about 4 years now, and antarctica is a dream I really want to go for while I still can, so I was really looking for advice on applying and what BAS look for,

so i was woundering if any here has done that role before? any advice?


anyways hope to get to know you all soon,

Richard

[territt]

no one use these forums at all? :-(

[flighter]

Only a few visit this place on a daily basis (myself included), but not too many things are happening. Maybe if the forum is about celebrity nonsense, it would be overcrowded, lol...

Anyway, before others greet you, stay around and enjoy

[Paul Ward]

It's an unusual role and there aren't many of them, so there may only be 5-10 people who have done that job on that base. When I was in Antarctica 20 years ago the job didn't exist, but the job I did has existed for over 50 years at multiple bases perfomed by multiple people at once.

If you are interested then apply, they will send you lots of information about the role, come up with specific questions and then ask here.

Your specific job on base will have a significant effect on your experience of Antarctica. I would guess that this job will not take you off base as part of your normal duties. Remember the base is where you live work and spend much of your spare time.

There are 2 aspects to being in Antarctica, the physical environment and the "mental environment" inside your head. If you're ok with these then apply for the job.

[flighter]

Paul, could you elaborate a bit on that mental environment stuff, assuming that you have time for that?

[Paul Ward]

It's a difficult one to explain flighter, I think if you have wintered in Antarctica it's obvious but if you haven't it's not.

You need to feel comfortable in your own skin and not need others to validate you. Antarctica is not a place for the emotionally "needy" or those who expect others to "reflect" themselves back.

You will make some very close relationships with people who you work with who normally you wouldn't spend time with outside of the work environment and so could compartmentalize out of your private life. There are few or no boundaries, if you find this difficult then Antarctica is not for you.

(when I say "you" I mean anyone - not you personally).

[flighter]

That was my impression from the day one, when I got interested in the whole thing.

[drummy]

Flighter,

It is, of course, a bit different for summer-only field staff. In that case you just have make sure you can get on with the person(s) you are travelling with. Believe me, it's much more difficult to cope with disagreements or personality clashes in a 7' x 7' tent than it is on base. I have first hand experience of this and it isn't much fun.

With overwintering staff on a non-travelling base compatibility and stability are much more significant factors.

Regards.

Drummond

[flighter]

I guess recruiters then do a lot of psychological porfiling before actually hiring people for missions... Otherwise, we would read about it in newspapers, if you know what I mean

[territt]

thanks for all the replys guys, im just waiting for BAS to start advertising again, reading as much as i can for now and working on getting fit,