Category Archives: Media Publishing and Journalism

Juliet, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Juliet, English student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to begin networking and learning about the work life balance of the industry and profession. Through the scheme, Juliet was matched with  a Global Rights and Permissions Manager for Cambridge University Press. This mentor’s main responsibilities in this role include operations management and overseeing permissions clearance.

“Extremely inspiring and motivating”

Juliet achieved all of her objectives including improved cover letter writing skills, increased knowledge of effective interview techniques in this sector and help with her CV.

Juliet shared her experience with us:

What were your highlights of the scheme?

One of my highlights was work experience. I found entering an organisation with an established contact easier for networking. My mentor set me up with other departments, allowing me to gain a varied experience of publishing.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Work experience and further insight into the profession from someone who had completed the same course as I am currently on.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Learning from someone else who has been in the same position that you are currently in is extremely inspiring and motivating, making you think: I can get my ‘dream’ career.

Annie, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Annie, an English student, was interested in a career in TV Broadcasting and wanted to use the scheme to answer questions she had regarding the industry and learn how to create an extensive professional network that would open up further employment opportunities. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Annie was matched with the Home Affairs Correspondent for BBC South West. This role involves researching, preparing, writing and presenting new stories for three channels of media: radio, television and online. This mentor has also worked as Deputy News Editor for BBC South West, News Reporter for ITV and as a Radio Newsreader and Presenter.

“An unparalleled insight”

Annie achieved all of her objectives including widening her contacts and professional network, receiving help to improve her CV and knowledge of application forms to increase her chance of gaining internships and graduate roles.

Annie shared her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

Finding out the type of person my mentor’s company would be looking to employ, successfully gaining a job with the invaluable help from my mentor

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Just getting more information about the industry and company from someone so experienced

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Do it because you will gain an unparalleled insight into the working life of someone within your chosen industry.

Yasmin, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Yasmin, an English student, was interested in pursuing a career in publishing. She wanted to learn more about the typical day in this industry, tasks an editor would complete and how to be successful in such as competitive industry. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Yasmin was matched with a Content Executive for Lyst. This role involves writing and researching daily online fashion content, social media management and attending events such as Fashion Week. This mentor has also worked for M&S Press Office, ASOS, Sunday Times Style Magazine, Vogue and InStyle.

“Planning for the future is invaluable”

Yasmin achieved all of her objectives including receiving general support with getting into this area of work, increased her knowledge of sector entry requirements and improved her knowledge of further educational and professional courses related to the sector.

Yasmin shared some insight into her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

Just having a contact is invaluable

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight/contact

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Insight is invaluable. Contacts are invaluable. Planning for the future is invaluable. You never know where life might take you.

Alice, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Alice, a Biological Sciences student, knew that she wanted to pursue a career with the BBC and so applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to improve her applications and learn more about working there. Through the scheme, Alice was paired with the Assistant Editor for BBC Radio Cornwall. Her responsibilities include the day to day running of the BBC Radio Cornwall, overseeing staffing and campaigns, and programming.

This is an opportunity not to be missed

Alice achieved all of her objectives including received advice on application forms for work experience, increased knowledge of sector entry requirements and received work experience within the media sector.

Alice talked about her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

Receiving feedback on my CV face to face was invaluable. The advice was directed towards the work experience I was trying to gain from somebody who knew what the application process was like.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

CV advice and job shadowing

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Do it! If you know what you want to achieve (i.e. job or work experience) and there is a mentor that suits you then this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Phoebe, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Phoebe, a French and Spanish student, was interested in a career in the Publishing sector but wanted to learned more about distinguishing herself from other graduates, begin networking and growing her confidence. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Phoebe was matched with a Digital Feature Editor for GQ Plus and a Freelance Writer for the Times, Glamour, Brides, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce magazines. This mentor has also worked as a Senior Writer for Top Gear Magazine and written for The Observer and the Telegraph.

The ideal opportunity to delve deeper into a particular sector

Phoebe achieved many objectives including insight into possible master qualifications in Journalism, increased knowledge of sector entry requirements and received help in improving her CV..

Phoebe discussed her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

The ability to have an honest opinion from somebody already working in the sector I intend to enter after graduation.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

  • Further insight into advantages and disadvantages of career
  • How to progress after graduation in terms of finding internships and applying for jobs

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The scheme provides the ideal opportunity to delve deeper into a particular sector/insight into the working world.

Florence, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Florence was doing an English degree, but wanted to pursue a different career path – one in the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector. In order to get support she applied for the Career Mentor Scheme and her mentor was a freelance Sports Journalist.

Florence Christie

Florence shared more with us about the scheme.

How do you feel the career mentor scheme has helped you overall?

One way in which the Career Mentor Scheme has helped me is that it has raised my confidence about the skills that I have gathered during my time at university and how to apply them to the world of employment. I now feel as though I have the tools to gain employment in a job that I would like to pursue making it not feel like a distant pipedream but closer to reality. Similarly, the mentorship also helped me to hone in on the type of journalism that I would like to pursue in the future helping me to focus my interests and opening up different possibilities that I had not considered before.

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

It has enhanced my employability tremendously. The help that I received for my CV was invaluable. It sounds silly now but before I did the scheme, I didn’t realise that there were completely different ways of structuring your CV so that it would fit the criteria of a journalist. I had always been told to follow a specific brief, but after speaking with Tim, I realised that there were things that I could include on my CV that would showcase that I had some journalistic skills in my tool kit- such as adding my Twitter handle to my contact information and writing ‘Media Experience’ rather than ‘Relevant Experience’- small things like that go a long way.

Similarly, through asking me questions that I would encounter in interviews which as I have learnt involve informal chats, such as “what would I change about my favourite magazine?”, or “Who is your favourite journalist? I was able to think through these questions and hence be able to understand the process of getting a journalist job more clearly.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

It was great to speak to somebody who had gone through the experience before. At our first meeting we had a long conversation about the best ways into the magazine industry and he told me all about the different entries into the industry which I had never thought about before. Straight away he helped me improve my CV and also told me the realities of working in journalism would be. When I was searching for internships, my mentor was always on hand to read my applications letters and offer support. In fact, I managed to secure an internship at a content marketing firm through a connection of his which resulted in being commissioned to write an article that went onto publication for the company. At this internship I was able to meet other professionals who also offered great advice and support and recommended other companies to approach in terms of work experience. Tim also encouraged me to develop some skills that I was missing such as InDesign skills and over time I have had the opportunity to do so.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

As I said earlier it is really helpful to be able to speak to someone who has gone through what you have gone through before. It is great to speak to friends and family but it was nice to have a conversation with somebody who shared the same interests as you and could help you to understand the industry more clearly. My mentor gave me the confidence to believe that I was good enough to become a journalist and I really appreciate all the help that he gave me.

 

Alexandra, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Alexandra, doing a degree in Sociology, was passionate about the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector. She applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was matched with a Producer/Account Manager at BeViacom (MTV International). This mentor’s main responsibilities at the times included producing and managing the creation of sponsorship and Co-Branded Commercial Idents for Sony Pictures and distributing to over 28 markets worldwide.

Alexandra Childs

Alexandra benefited from the scheme in a number of ways.

How do you feel the career mentor scheme has helped you overall?

  • Helped me prepare for my next steps – graduate level employment / further study
  • Professional experience to put on my CV
  • Gained work experience / internship
  • Made a friend / future professional contact in my mentor

How do you feel the mentoring process has enhanced your employability?

It gave me a chance to gain some relevant work experience, and understand what is required of me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The opportunity to speak to someone in the industry and who was in a position to advise me on future steps to take.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

It is an incredible opportunity to network and understand the industry you want to go into.

The highlight for Alex’s mentor was:

“I was pleased to give Alex the opportunity to do work experience as I think this is vital for everyone.”

Jack, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Jack, a second year Politics student, interested in Media, Publishing and Journalism was assigned a mentor who is the Home Affairs Correspondent for BBC South West, based in Exeter.

This mentor graduated with a Natural Sciences degree in 1990 and went onto do a Postgraduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism. Previous to his current position at the BBC he was a Deputy News Editor and before that he worked as an ITV news reporter.

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Jack said that he felt he’d achieved his objectives through the Career Mentor Scheme. The following are a few that he mentioned:

  • It improved my confidence to seek graduate level employment and helped to prepare me for my next steps after graduation
  • It improved my personal skills needed for graduate employment
  • The scheme developed my professional contacts and networking opportunities as well as making a professional contact with my mentor
  • I gained an insight into the profession/sector as well as receiving advice and tips for applications and CVs
  • Gained academic support from mentor for degree programme

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

Meeting with my mentor was both enjoyable and insightful. Having him as my mentor was a huge highlight in itself!

When we asked Jack for his feedback he said he’d like to stay in contact with his mentor after the scheme had finished and would recommend the Career Mentor Scheme to a friend.

We spoke to Jack’s mentor who said that some of the highlight of the scheme for him was:

“Meeting and getting to know an excellent, highly motivated young man who wanted to do his best in the world and being able to help in that.”

 

Flora, Media, Publishing and Journalism

In the beginning of her second year Flora successfully applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was as a result matched with a Features Editor at GQ. After graduating from a Sociology degree at the University of Exeter, this mentor was first a freelance journalist, writing for the Telegraph, the Observer, Classic Cars and Autocar. Between 2011 and 2014 he was a Senior Writer at BBC’s Top Gear Magazine.

Guardian Profile Picture

The mentoring partnership was really helpful to Flora. She received help from her mentor with application forms, learned more about the next steps after graduation and developed her networking opportunities. This mentor also managed to arrange some work experience for her at GQ.

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

My main highlight  – work experience at GQ – is yet to take place. I will be working with my mentor for those 2 weeks during August.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I’ve gained an insight into journalism, and my mentor has been particularly keen to help me prepare for my application to do an  MA in Journalism.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

It’s an excellent way of gaining an insight into your chosen sector.

Holly, Media, Publishing and Journalism

Holly was studying History and Politics and was looking for guidance into the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector. She applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was matched with a Rights Administrator at Warner Bros. This mentor’s main responsibilities include managing the pre and post-sales administration of deals including output and volume agreements.negative-1531346

Holly had an amazing experience being mentored. She achieved every single objectives she had set at the beginning of their partnership, including gaining professional experience to put on her CV and obtaining help with application forms.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

My highlights from this scheme was the work experience that my mentor helped me to get at Lionsgate. I spent the week helping various departments and also shadowing my mentor.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

My mentor’s insight into the TV and Film industry was one of the most helpful parts of the scheme for me. However, the work experience I did at Lionsgate where he works was really interesting and helpful. The CV and application advice was also very helpful.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

This is the best opportunity to get a real-life insight into the career you’re interested in.

The highlight for the mentor was:

“Having my mentee to do some work experience with my company was great – especially as she proved herself to be friendly and hardworking.”