Is it worth going to university or going straight into work?
“I think that going to both is a good idea. Each will benefit you no matter what. If you go to university you get more education but less experience and if you forget about university and go on to working you might get more experience but less education so I say its best to do both at the same time like I did. When I was studying at university I didn’t even want to really work into the media. I was studying history as a major and I worked as a waitress in a café and I had been doing a work experience at a natural history museum. So it is very important that you go university but it’s also important to get experience as well.”
Journalist for Guardian
For my second talk I decided I wanted to go see a journalist that works for one of my favourite news papers the Guardian. This will help get a better understanding of what it’s like being a journalist and what should I do to become a journalist.
Before Sara became a full time journalist for the Guardian she had to do a lot of freelance work for other news papers and magazines such as Independent Newspaper and the American magazines BITCH. She said that “It’s always important to keep building up your portfolio of articles you wrote before. Even if it’s for a football report or just a paragraph it’s always important to show that you have done some journalist work and that you do have experience as well”.
What qualifications do you need to become a journalist?
“To become a journalist I believe you must have; a lively interest in people, places and events an ability to write in a style which is easy to understand. It’s very important as well that you have; good spelling, grammar and punctuation, but the most important factor to become a journalist is to be able to work under pressure to meet deadlines and to work late at night.
How do you get your own primary research done?
“To get my own primary research I usually have interviews depending on the situation such as I had to write a review on a new realised book called “The islamist” written by Ed Husain whose real name is Mohammed Mahbub Hussain. The book is a biography about the life of Mohammed and how rejected fundamentalist teaching and returned to normal life after much emotional turmoil. To start my primary research I first had to read the book to help me decide what kind of questions I should ask for the interview. Then to finish my primary research I had to do the interview with Mohammed Mahbub.”
Which target audience do you most prefer to write for?
Nearly all my career in media I’ve always wrote for the adult audience. All my articles and reviews had been targeted to the adult audience so I guess I could say that the most preferred audience I prefer to write for would be the adult audience.
My Mock Interview
After having my first talk for the day I then had to go for an interview for a job opening at B3 Media. The interviewer was Dom Oliver which benefited me a lot because she knew me and knows what I’m aiming for as well.
1. What makes you stand out form the other candidates?
I think what makes me so different from the other candidates is that I can work as a team and also work as a team leader. I’m very hard working and very reliable. I can use a wide range of software such as all the Microsoft office software, photo shop, in design and final cut pro.
2. How is your organisation skill?
I’m very much organised due to me being in the army for three years so I had to be well organised to get my uniform clean, revise or any coming exams, be on time for first and second parades and hand in any deadlines for school works.
3. Has there ever been a time that health and safety was an issue?
Yes there was a time at the ACT when I had to take care of five new recruits holding custom made rifles for cadet use only. It was very nerve racking that there are five recruits never held a gun before and could well possibly hurt themselves or make a mistakes that could lead me being well in trouble. But I managed very well and no one got hurt or made any mistakes.
Strength and weaknesses in the interview
1. What makes you stand out from the other candidates?
“It was very interesting how you straight away said that you’re more organised, you meet deadlines which is a very important in working the magazines publisher and not only that but in the media world, your passion is to write which is a big thumbs up and you topped it off by saying it drives you to getting your deadlines in and most importantly you never feel to hand in low standard work. This is really good way to make yourself stand out and you saying you use to be in the ACT really show me you’re serious about the job offer.”
2. How is your organisation skill?
“It was very good that you talked about how you use to be in a the ACT and that it helped you become more organised in your working school life and also even in your social life so it shows that you are very organised.”
3. Has there ever been a time that health and safety was an issue?
“Health and safety questions likes these will always come up in any interview and giving that answer to this question makes you really stand out making you look like you’re up for any job that the publisher frows at you making you look capable and also reliable for this job offer.”