You would
have thought that after getting a 2:1 degree classification from a three-year
journalism course in the summer, it would have been easy to get a paid
job.
Realistically,
that was never going to happen and so it is proving out to be the case. In an uncertain economic climate, the
graduate job market has serious pressures.
Nobody wants
to be unemployed especially as in my case; you have moved back home to live
with parents and are having to pay to stay there.
Although I am
doing some freelance work in my free time, the process has been frustrating to
go through. Even the retail industry
isn’t interested, which doesn’t help matters.
Shortly after
I finished my degree, I was lucky enough to get an online internship with Total
Football Magazine, initially during Euro 2012 and as a sub-editor and features
writer.
I impressed
the editor so much that I got promoted into the deputy editor role from the
beginning of this month, which has extra responsibility and has made life much
tougher for me.
Growing frustrations
The
challenges thrown at me have been immense and largely, I have enjoyed the
experience despite some growing frustrations along the way.
I am being
tutored by an editor who was masses amounts of experience in the media industry
and he knows what he is talking about.
Trust me,
stray commas, sentence structure and poor headlines have annoyed me too!
He changed my
covering letter from a dull and drab piece into a sharper, shorter piece.
While I
shouldn’t be using a template and won’t be from now on, his example to me was
invaluable for myself. I apologise now
to anyone who thinks I’m a boring old fart.
The only
disappointing thing is I’m not being paid and therefore, a long-term future is
unlikely.
I have
applied for countless paid jobs. Some of
them have been internships; others have been temporary contracts and some in
permanent positions.
Determined to make a breakthrough
I’m
determined to breakthrough into journalism.
I was put onto this planet to get into the media sector, not to be a
waiter, a bin man or to stack shelves on the supermarkets of ASDA every
weekend!
Most got back
to me with the term ‘high volume of applications.’ Some didn’t even bother to reply. I wish all employers did find the time to
reply in some form of way, it’s unprofessional otherwise.
I’ve even
tried to get back into retail. I had to
quit my job of six and a half years in June as I was leaving Northampton and
couldn’t get a transfer back to my local store due to the lack of desired
hours.
You could
actually earn more signing on than working a measly four hour Saturday shift
nowadays – I checked those figures a long time ago.
Has there
been any joy with retail? No. I’ve done eight applications, just one
interview and no job. With Christmas
around the corner, I need something fast or it will be slim pickings this year.
I have had a
bit more luck this week, with some unpaid article work for a student graduate
website which should be setup in the next few weeks.
An unlikely avenue
 |
| Radio and headphones with a microphone could be a new avenue |
Then, on
Friday – I got the go-ahead to start an online talk show for an online radio
company on a topic of my choice.
I have to
record three 15 minute auditions in October, before whether they decide to take
me on permanently in one hour slots.
Should I be
successful, I would be earning a little bit but nowhere near enough to survive
and please those closest to me.
The search
continues and as the temperature starts to drop rapidly outside, here’s hoping
for the big breakthrough in the graduate job market.
From my
experiences, I have felt downbeat on occasions and annoyed too when you get no
responses back to job adverts but I won’t give up.
Some advice
for those in a similar position, keep trying, keep applying because you just
don’t know what is around the corner.
If someone
had said radio was a potential career avenue last year, I would have laughed at
them. The news at the end of last week
shows to always expect the unexpected.
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