No job blues... advice sought!
Okay, it's getting to look like crunch time on the job front. Any longer and I'll be forced to leave my shared flat in Hitchin and go live with my Dad in Letchworth which, much as I love the old guy, will suck with immense proportions.
I'm looking for a media job, preferably London/Brighton. I've been very fussy about what I apply for and it looks like prospective employers are being just as fussy about who they employ. So I'm trying different angles, repositioning my sights, lowering and raising expectations. Hell, I even told an agency I'd be willing to work at GE Life (ARRRRRRGH!) again so you can see my desperation.
I would really like to know how one gets started in magazine/online journalism and editorial work. I know I've always wanted to get into this line of work but coming out of North Herts, it's not as though there are that many opportunities on my doorstep. Is freelancing the way to go while I sustain myself with a dayjob? If so, how does one get a freelancing gig in the first place? Is it better to apply to be a sub or editorial assistant? Those are the kind of jobs I've been searching for but it feels like most of them require having worked in a similar role already, Catch 22 indeed. How can I convince someone to look at my work or meet for an interview? The other tack is to go for a sales or administrative role at a magazine in the hope of making contacts through that, but it's not guaranteed. At least it would help pay the bills and I'd be working for a mag.
Elsewhere I'd be keen just to copyedit or proofread for someone, as I think that's something I'd be good at (discount the errors in this post, the computer is on dead reckoning this evening). I was a company trainer in my last role, and I was good at it but I fear being pigeonholed. That's unless of course I got to do a role such as this for a music company or something interesting like that. As long as it's not electrical installations for shops like my last job. Seriously, that was dull.
On the plus side, RogueMag is going very well and we seem to be accumulating a readership. I am yet to transcribe an interview with Dead Dog In Black Bag who are these two crazy electro chicks with a daft sense of humour. Before that though, my good friend Linden has submitted a fairly lengthy piece about Radiohead and the impact they're making on the music industry with "In Rainbows". I have to sub it before it becomes irrelevant (we live in a fast paced world, eh?).
As for careers though, does anyone on LJ have any advice, anything at all?
Big shouts to everyone :-)
(PS apologies for all the typos - for some reason this PC doesn't respond well to typing in subscreens)
I'm looking for a media job, preferably London/Brighton. I've been very fussy about what I apply for and it looks like prospective employers are being just as fussy about who they employ. So I'm trying different angles, repositioning my sights, lowering and raising expectations. Hell, I even told an agency I'd be willing to work at GE Life (ARRRRRRGH!) again so you can see my desperation.
I would really like to know how one gets started in magazine/online journalism and editorial work. I know I've always wanted to get into this line of work but coming out of North Herts, it's not as though there are that many opportunities on my doorstep. Is freelancing the way to go while I sustain myself with a dayjob? If so, how does one get a freelancing gig in the first place? Is it better to apply to be a sub or editorial assistant? Those are the kind of jobs I've been searching for but it feels like most of them require having worked in a similar role already, Catch 22 indeed. How can I convince someone to look at my work or meet for an interview? The other tack is to go for a sales or administrative role at a magazine in the hope of making contacts through that, but it's not guaranteed. At least it would help pay the bills and I'd be working for a mag.
Elsewhere I'd be keen just to copyedit or proofread for someone, as I think that's something I'd be good at (discount the errors in this post, the computer is on dead reckoning this evening). I was a company trainer in my last role, and I was good at it but I fear being pigeonholed. That's unless of course I got to do a role such as this for a music company or something interesting like that. As long as it's not electrical installations for shops like my last job. Seriously, that was dull.
On the plus side, RogueMag is going very well and we seem to be accumulating a readership. I am yet to transcribe an interview with Dead Dog In Black Bag who are these two crazy electro chicks with a daft sense of humour. Before that though, my good friend Linden has submitted a fairly lengthy piece about Radiohead and the impact they're making on the music industry with "In Rainbows". I have to sub it before it becomes irrelevant (we live in a fast paced world, eh?).
As for careers though, does anyone on LJ have any advice, anything at all?
Big shouts to everyone :-)
(PS apologies for all the typos - for some reason this PC doesn't respond well to typing in subscreens)