Tag Archives: English

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.

Grace, Theatre and Performing Arts

Grace, an English Literature student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to gain an understanding of the auditioning process, increase her knowledge of the industry and receive guidance on how to improve her overall skillset. Through the scheme, Grace was matched with a Freelance Actor who has experience as a producer and actor. He has a vast portfolio of theatre work including multiple roles for the Cambridge Shakespeare Company, touring nationally with Ape Theatre and an award winning production by Illyria Theatre Company.

The opportunity to discuss my future with someone

Grace achieved all of her objectives, including receiving advice for applying to drama school as this is a very difficult and complicated process, ways to keep working when acting jobs are not always available, and increased knowledge in finding internships and work experience in this sector.

Grace her shared some of her experiences with us;

What were the highlights of the scheme?

Meeting with my mentor

What did you find most useful form the mentoring experience?

The opportunity to discuss my future with someone who had followed a similar path to the one I am now attempting to go down.

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

To do it, as any advice and guidance you can receive is helpful!

Asri, Education, Training and Research

Asri, a M.Ed TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to learning more about teaching and training strategies, experiences and methods. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Asri was matched with a self-employed Education Consultant and Freelance Musician. His previous job roles include National Coordinator of Applied Learning and Vocational Education Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Head of Applied Learning Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and Teacher Trainer for the Open University.

“I can share my dreams as well as learning from my mentor.”

Asri achieved all of her objectives including learning from the mentor’s experience about the field interest in, received work experience and job shadowing thereby increasing her knowledge of sector entry requirements.

What were the highlights of the scheme?

I could network in Exeter related to my job field. I had contact with teachers and some schools as well.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I got an idea of how the job that I want is implemented in UK, and I can share my dreams as well as learning from my mentor.

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

Students have to really sure that they have enough time to manage their mentoring program with their assignments, so that the program will work well.

Asri intends to stay in contact with her mentor beyond the scheme and would recommend the scheme to a friend.

Jessica, Advertising, Marketing and PR

Jessica, doing a degree in English, needed advice and guidance into the Advertising, Marketing and PR sector. She participated in the Career Mentor Scheme and her mentor was Head of Sales and Marketing at the University of Exeter.

At the time the mentor’s main responsibilities were to maximise income and profitability through effective utilisation of space and service when not in use by staff and students and to develop and deliver business strategy across the team, identifying new opportunities and co-ordinating with other services.

Jessica McKenzie

Here is how her mentor’s support was helpful to Jessica:

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

The scheme has helped me on a personal level; it has given me the confidence to apply and also interview for graduate positions, it has improved my knowledge of the marketing sector and has given me an idea of the career path I wish to take upon graduating. However, having a mentor has helped me on a very practical level; I was offered two weeks paid experience after my summer exams. Whilst this was not a reason for participating in the scheme, it enabled me to have a closer working relationship with my mentor. At the very least, I have made a valuable professional contact and it is these connections that will prove invaluable in my career.  

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

I have signed a contract to begin a two year graduate scheme with Tesco this September, after completing a two month internship last summer. The confidence my mentor instilled in me to apply to such internships was really beneficial. I was initially worried that being an English student would mean I did not have the numerical aptitude to compete with the Economics and Maths students. But my mentor assured me I had other, equally useful skills and it was these that I tried to implement in my assessment centre. Her knowledge of what employers look for in candidates was really useful and this definitely helped in my preparation for assessment centres/ interviews.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The two weeks paid work experience was obviously a highlight, but not only for monetary perspective (it paid over half of my accommodation for my summer internship). It was a great insight into her career and it was particularly fascinating to see how the commercial side of the University is run in tangent with the academic. Apart from this, my mentor’s advice and support was really useful. Last year, I went a bit crazy applying for internships and work experience and my April I had been offered four placements, all of which I planned to take. My mentor kept reminding me to make sure I had time to relax and that to ensure I did not split my time too thinly; with hindsight this was the most useful advice anyone could have given me!

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

In this competitive job market students really need to know what they want to do before graduation, so having a mentor is a fantastic way to gain insight into a sector you are interested in. Just having somebody to talk to and listen to is incredibly useful in gaining this insight and planning a career beyond graduation. Even a few meetings can go a long was in determining what you want to do with your future. This can give you a higher level of confidence and insight when applying to graduate schemes, which can ultimately be the difference in you being offered a position – it worked for me!

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.

 

Christina, Advertising, Marketing and PR

Christina, an English student, wanted to go into Advertising, Marketing and PR. By participating in the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a PR and Communications Manager at the Cass Business School, City University London. This mentor was leading a team looking after the PR and communications activities for Cass Business School in the UK and internationally.

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The partnership improved Christina’s confidence and enabled her to take an internship. It also helped her prepare for the next steps after graduation.

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

Through this mentoring process, I was able to undertake an internship in PR over the summer holidays, through my mentor’s contact. It was a fantastic experience that has definitely enhanced my employability. My mentor helped me work on my CV and go through Cover Letters I sent off to various employers. I really enjoyed this scheme, and I feel that my confidence has improved.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I cannot say what the most useful element of the experience was because everything was so helpful. I gained work experience, networked making new contacts, and understood the PR industry much better.

Why should students apply to have a mentor?

Everyone should apply. It is a fantastic way to learn about your respective industry , make the contacts and gain the confidence needed for the future.

 

Rebecca, Law and Legal Services

Rebecca, an undergraduate student studying English, was looking to gain some support and guidance into Law. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, she was assigned to a partner at Ropes & Gray LLP. Within this role he is focused on private equity, public and private M&A and innovative special situation deals.

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Following regular communication with her mentor, Rebecca told us about the most valuable aspects of the scheme for her. Rebecca met all of her objectives, including gaining a greater confidence for the application process and gaining a training contract.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Every time I spoke or met with my mentor, he always gave me a real confidence boost that helped me persevere through the gruelling application process to become a trainee solicitor. My main highlight was sharing the news of my job offers with my mentor at the end of the summer. He supported and guided me through the decision of which offer to take. My mentor’s advice was impartial and insightful, and I feel that he helped me make the best decision for me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

My mentor’s insight and advice were extremely useful, from application/cv proofreading to general advice about self-confidence and personal development. His help didn’t just help with an insight into the industry and finding a job, but with the whole process, including dealing with rejections, interview stress, and balancing my job hunt with academic work and personal life.

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

The Career Mentor Scheme is invaluable. In building a relationship with my mentor I received honest advice and a genuine insight into the legal profession. I feel that the scheme works best if you are well-prepared and hardworking; your mentor is not there to do the hard work for you, but to help refine your skills and direct your drive so you can achieve your maximum potential. I felt that my mentor genuinely cared about my development, and it was great to have someone in the profession to share both my difficulties and successes with.

Rebecca’s mentor also noted several highlights from the scheme:

“The highlight was Rebecca being awarded a first class degree and then going on to secure a training contract with Allen & Overy.”

 

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.

Beth, Creative Arts, Design and Crafts

Postgraduate student Beth was looking to gain an insight into the Creative Arts, Design and Crafts sector. The Career Mentor Scheme matched Beth with a freelance arts consultant. After completing an MA in Drama at Exeter, this mentor also got a Post-graduate Certificate of Education from Oxford University.

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Beth gained a lot from the Career Mentor Scheme, including improving her confidence and developing professional contacts. The scheme also helped Beth obtain job hunting resources and prepare for the next steps after graduation.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

-Meeting my mentor in person.
-Undertaking work experience at an arts festival in Bristol.
-Networking via phone with one of my mentor’s contacts.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

-Insight from someone with lengthy industry experience.
-Work experience off the back of their contacts.
-Insight into other ways of gaining relevant experience.

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

An invaluable chance to gain insight from industry professionals whilst still studying.