This update has been a long time coming, but I have on a more positive note been concentrating on my amazing first job in journalism so I think I’ll let myself off.
My first long-term job in journalism was as a News Assistant and I can’t think of a better introduction to live TV! You get a complete overview of everything that goes on in a newsroom, you can get involved with all areas of production and all the steps needed to make news happen! You get loads of responsibility AND you learn LOADS of new SKILLS!!
How do I think I got the job?
- I managed to get work experience with STV back when I was at university
So I suppose it’s important to know how I got the work experience?
- Someone from STV came to my university to do a Q&A about working in media. I was a member of GUST the Glasgow Uni Student TV and we were organising NaSTA (National Student TV Awards) a couple of months later. I went up to talk to him about the awards. I did not directly approach him asking for work experience.
- After exchanging a couple of emails he helped me find people to judge an award or two, and I then asked about work experience. He put me on to someone in the newsroom.
- I then emailed and called that person and convinced them to let me come in for a week of work experience.
Try to forge a relationship with people in the media; don’t only ask for work experience. You don’t have to be organising a big event to go chat to people, be yourself, ask people in the media questions, and try not to just bombard people with requests for work experience. A great way to do this is to ask people for coffee. Tell them what you’re really interested in, and ask if you could have a chat to them about it, how did they get into the media, tell them your ideas, if you can ask them for some advice etc…
Once I got the work experience placement:
- GET IN EARLY – morning meetings are where you find out the news agenda for the day! After my first day I came in early every day so I knew which reporters were going out on which stories. I then asked them if I could tag along!
- BE INTERESTED – This is your chance, pick peoples brains! Ask all your questions! Going out with reporters is a brilliant opportunity to really get to know them; how did they got to where they are, advice etc…
- BE PROACTIVE – Ask for things to do! Never expect to just be given something to do!
- THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF IT- set yourself goals like I’d really like to speak to X many people today, I’d really like to have a bash at writing an article for online or a headline. Then ask people to look at it, you might not get anything published but they will probably see your enthusiasm and give you some tips on what you’re doing right and wrong!
- ASK QUESTIONS & CHAT - If there was nothing for me to do I would ask people if they had 5 mins to chat- don’t just ask the reporters and presenters either, everyone in a newsroom has a vital role to play and it’s important to understand these different roles! In a week I chatted to as MANY people as possible !! From producers to graphics to online writers and directors.
BE USEFUL- Ask if anyone needs help- a tape from the library, research, calls made or that’s right CUPPA !
RESULTS -
- I got great advice
- I learned loads- how a newsroom works-the roles in a newsroom-deadlines-how shows come together
- I achieved some of my own goals- chatting to people from all areas of production-writing some articles for online-assisting with interviews-helping reporters with research and contacts etc..
- I made sure people knew I was enthusiastic, passionate and was dedicated to getting a job in journalism
- I tried to ensure people would remember me (not just because I bribed them to talk to me with chocolate biscuits either !!
Now to getting the job…
KEEP IN CONTACT !! Every single time I was up in Scotland I made sure I got in touch with contacts I’d made while on work experience. I would update them on any experience I had gained since then and I would ask if they have anything big coming up, would they need help, could I come in for a couple more days??
Did it work? YES
Eventually the elections rolled around and I had been in contact with STV not long before. I managed to get in for 2 weeks of work experience and a paid day as a field producer on election night.
UP YOUR GAME !
Don’t be happy just to get the work done. DO MORE. I made spreadsheets of all the less known candidates at my constituency ballot. This meant that my reporter and me were the only ones with a full list of candidates AND their pictures! This put us ahead of other journalists and media outlets. I contacted the media reps for candidates and chatted to the people running the announcements to make sure we would know all the latest news asap. This helped us get the results asap and we managed to get all the main interviewees before BBC even though they had 3 more people on their team than us!
If you get a chance to show you can do something, SHOW THEM!
–> 2 months later I got a call from the news editor offering me a job as a news assistant.
This won’t all be great advice, but it might help give someone a little push in the right direction!
