Netflix announced today that the company is looking for a tagger to join its U.K. division. What is a tagger, you ask? These are the people who categorize the content on the streaming service so that it interacts with the recommendation engine that is part of Netflix's software. It's how your love of strange science fiction leads Netflix to suggest films like "Dark City" or a TV show like "Doctor Who."
The Netflix job page describes this sweet gig like this:
"Applicants will be responsible for watching and analyzing films and TV programmes that will be streaming on Netflix in the future. The tagger will deconstruct the films and programmes and describe them using objective tags. This 'tagging process' is the first stage of the Netflix recommendation system and works in concert with advanced algorithms that generate highly personalized suggestions for every one of Netflix's nearly 50 million members, offering them an individualized set of titles matching their tastes."
The company even created a tongue-in-cheek video to promote the availability of this position to job seekers. The video shows, via animated graphics, how a normal viewer can become a Netflix superhero, making the streaming service a better place for all.
Unfortunately, the position isn't all about binging on a variety of films and television series. The page for the job states there are actual requirements:
"Core skills and qualities of this role will include: Movie and TV content expert; Great organizational skills; Tenacious about follow-through and follow-up on a project; Detail-oriented. Preferred technical skills: Experience with Content or Asset Management Systems; Excel. Background: 1-2 years website/media/new media company experience; Movie or TV editorial experience a plus."
Netflix does not offer any quantification of what makes a "Movie and TV content expert," but an unhealthy knowledge of different genres and an all-encompassing obsession with the moving picture is probably a good place to start.
And if the spelling of the word "programmes" isn't enough of an indication, the site lists that the tagger job is located in London, England. American fans of Netflix will have to be satisfied with the normal arrangement of being the ones that pay Netflix to watch TV shows and films.
