When I decided to investigate "new media," I had no idea how difficult it would be to nail down those two little words. Nearly every pundit, business analyst, Internet journalist and tech recruiter has used the term at one time or another -- but I'd bet a pile of stock options that they all meant something slightly different. Back in the early Nineties, the term didn't even exist. Today, you can't go online or read a business magazine without seeing it. Dozens of publications cover new media trends, there are new media recruiters and whole organizations are dedicated to advancing "new media." But seasoned industry people are sick of the term because, as Bonnie Halper, a leading New York-based recruiter, puts it, "new media is no longer new." And newcomers who use the term interchangeably with dotcom and ebusiness obviously have different ideas about what it means.

For the purposes of this article, however, I'm defining new media as the digital side of traditional media such as Viacom's ET Online (www.etonline.com) and Time Warner's CNN Interactive (www.cnn.com). So how is digital media affecting "old" media? For starters, most large, traditional media companies now either have divisions dedicated to multi- and online media, or separate entities focused entirely on bringing their business (or a version of it) to the Web. For example, newspapers such as The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com), LA Times (www.latimes.com), and New York Times (www.nyt.com) have a substantial Web properties, NBC has spawned CNBC.com and MSNBC.com, and nearly every consumer magazine (Newsweek.com, Elle.com, FastCompany.com, People.com, etc.) has a Web site as well.

Media behemoth Time Warner created a digital division in the summer of 1999. And according to the company, its online properties (including such diverse sites as DCComics.com and Columbia House online) log approximately 12 to 13 million unique visitors a month. Now think of that in terms of new job opportunities: Web site producers, designers, online business analysts, programmers, marketing staff and systems analysts. Get the picture?

Rather than being detrimental to old-line media, new technology -- so-called convergence -- and cross-fertilization across media are actually helping the dinosaurs re-invent themselves. Chris Miller, executive vice president for marketing at the Magazine Publishers of America told The New York Times, "The reports of our [traditional media] demise are premature. Nobody is going to kill anybody. The media are all being married to each other." These "marriages," alliances and partnerships all add up to one thing: more money, more jobs and more opportunity for savvy job seekers who are willing to move quickly, adopt new skills and take the occasional risk.

Just like the business world in general, the technological changes taking place in the media will open many doors for job seekers. The key is to figure out how you can take your old skills and parlay them into new opportunities. For example, if you're in marketing, teach yourself the basics of Web marketing. Learn what CPM and click through are (see next month's feature "Belly Up to the Buzzword Buffet"). Figure out how email can be used as a PR tool. Get a clue about streaming media.

Another example of a hybrid career? Let's say you want to write for a major newspaper. In addition to beginning your career as an editorial assistant or in the mailroom, you might be able to get your foot in the door if you can help the editorial staff code its Web pages. You do the coding, they teach you investigative reporting -- everybody wins. If you understand how to write for different media and the basic constructs of Web page layout, you won't just be a writer, you'll be a new media journalist who has leveraged your technical and writing skills into more opportunity and a better salary.

Technical expertise and Web-savvy can lead to all types of traditionally nontechnical media careers, from business development to marketing to design. Think outside the you know what, dear job seeker, and you just may be able to craft yourself a new and more marketable career. Just use common sense and follow this advice:

• Pay attention to the trends by spending time online and reading industry publications. For big-picture analysis and breaking news, read the San Jose Mercury News, Wall Street Journal and New York Times on- and/or offline at least a couple times every week.

• Read about the key players in your segment of the industry (for example, if you want to be a Web designer, learn who is the best in the biz, look at their sites and read a couple popular Web design books to stay current).

• Understand the buzzwords but don't overuse them.*

• Be able to explain what it is you want to do in the industry. Don't just walk into a recruiter's office and say, "Hi, I'd like to work in new media." Instead, figure out if you want to work in business, creative, programming or marketing. If you really don't know, consider making an appointment with a career counselor.
• Research job titles online (start with Monster and check out industry publications such as Business 2.0, The Red Herring, Upside and The Industry Standard)
• Interview the people who are doing what you'd like to do.
• Join a professional association or two. (See "Networking for Techies".
• Attend major industry events such as Internet World, COMDEX, and PC World and smaller seminars. (go to ZDNet and click on the "Events" section for more info).
• Learn the basics of HTML and Web design (check out HTML Goodies, ZDNet's DevHead and Wired's Webmonkey). You don't need to become a master programmer or designer, but understanding how the medium works is important.

If you're looking for stability or a linear career path, digital media is probably not your best bet. But if you're up for a challenging, exciting and unpredictable adventure, this could be your calling.