|
By James Toney, Managing Editor
IT'S difficult to break into journalism without the right qualification. It's impossible without some work experience.
SPOT THE WORKIE: Indeed you'll struggle to spot any staff in this photo of the Daily Telegraph's integrated newsroom in Victoria (Flickr)
Many reporters and editors will look back on the first time they stepped into a newsroom with fondness and just a little embarrassment.
They will recall the mixture of excitement and fear they felt and the exhilaration if, at the end of the week, they got their name on a story - even if their original effort had been gutted and rewritten by the unfortunate sub-editor who had to deal with it.
Editors want to see a commitment to the industry in the people they hire.
A CV with a good slate of experience always rises to the top, which is why our NCTJ trainees spend one day a week of their time with us working at a newspaper, magazine or agency, such as our own news service.
But finding placements is not easy - an email to info@thenewspaper.co.uk won't cut it. Research the title you are applying to, the sort of stories they run, their house style.
And find out the name of the person responsible for organising work experience - emails to me titled Dear Sir/Madam, get immediately deleted.
There are also many do's and don'ts when you actually get past the surly guy/girl on the phone and earn your chance.
You will soon learn that asking a journalist 'how are you?' gets the default response 'busy'.
My best tip is to strike the balance between keen and pushy and seize any opportunity that arises to accompany your colleagues to the pub - I'm sure it was my ability to get a round in, rather than sparkling intros and tenacious reporting skills, that landed my first job.
And don't worry if the air turns blue. Have you seen that scene in The Wire in which an editor is chastised for cursing in front of his staff? In my experience newsdesks can be like Gordon Ramsay's kitchen - intense and exciting but with worse language.
Journalist Alison Gow, the Executive Editor at the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post, makes some interesting observations in this blog post. It's a recommended read for all those looking for their first placement.
Post new comment