Work Experience-To make tea or not to make tea, that is the question

I am in my second year of university and next June we have to have a mandatory three weeks of work experience in the field of journalism.

So I applied to a magazine (more! magazine) that I've read for a long time and enjoy for work experience and was really pleased to get a reply saying "yes".

However I received my information pack today and looking at what I'm actually going to be doing it's not exactly what I was expecting.

I know with most work experience you have to expect to be answering phones and making cups of tea and stuff. But I am at a point now where my work experience and my study has got me to the point where I am capable of subbing, writing my own editorials, writing features etc and I think that if I take the work placement here and do the stuff that I am going to do. Sure I will have the work experience to put on my CV but I won't get the experience i want.

I've done lots of work experience before at places like thesite.org and News International. Both places where even at the age of 14 and 17 I was able to write my own editorials and got stuff published.

Should I continue my search for work experience that will actually get me to use my skills in subbing, editorial writing or stuff. Or should I keep it and make tea, answer phones and generally just get the experience for my CV.

Reply 1

Super-Star

write around see if you can get something better (more will never know) if you do thats great, if you dont just make the tea, but look at what the other people do so that when you go to interview etc you can make out that you actually did the stuff you observed other staff doing (if that makes sense!) Thats what i always do!.

Reply 2

The Fluff

Yeah it sounds like a plan. I've also applied to the Features desk at Cosmo, that almost definetly will be a tea and phones role. But the very fact that it's Cosmo I'm willing to take that plunge. More is a good well read magazine but I dunno if I'm going to work for something less prestiguous than say Vogue, Cosmo etc I'd at least like to be able to contribute something to my portfolio at the same time.

I've also met the team that work at More and a friend of mine has done work experience there and there are certain people I got a bit weird "vibes" from.

Reply 3

Howard

The Fluff

I made the tea and cleaned the bogs for years.

I'll still make the tea if need be (though I don't do the bogs anymore!) and run out for coffee and donuts from time to time. I'm fairly senior and earn well over 100k a year but I'm not too proud to make the secretary a cup of tea and take a turn doing the **** jobs. Grow with it.

Reply 4

Super-Star

Ive done work experience at another magazine in the nat. mags company (cosmo is owned by nat mags.) You will NOT be making tea on any of thier work experience schemes. They are very organised and structured (and you get expenses!)

Reply 5

The Fluff

Super-Star

OOOOH expenses!

I really hope I get the Cosmo one. It was a bit cheeky because they only "technically" offer work experience for the Fashion and Beauty bit (not erm exactly my forte's). So I scrolled down on the automatic reply e-mail and there was the features editor's address for submissions from freelancers. So I took a shot and e-mailed her. I'll wait a week and if I hear nothing I'll talk to my tutor there are a few alumini there.

Was dead chuffed to find that the editor of Kerrang! went to my university and did my course and has offered me work experience whenever I want it from September 2006 and said to add them into my contacts book.
--------------

Howard

I don't mind doing that stuff I just want the chance to get to use some of the skills I've been working on. If I don't get to use them sure I have the thing on my CV and I have got the experience but my portfolio is no bigger and stuff. Ya know?

Reply 6

Super-Star

i rung the magazine direct that i wanted to do work exp in. I always find it more effective than an e-mails. They have a habit of getting lost.

Reply 7

The Fluff

Super-Star

i rung the magazine direct that i wanted to do work exp in. I always find it more effective than an e-mails. They have a habit of getting lost.

Sounds like a plan :smile:

Reply 8

Zurich

I work for Haymarket and should be able to point you in the direction of who to call/email if you're interested in work experience at any of their magazines.

I know that work experience people on the mags here aren't left making tea. There's so much to be done that any extra set of hands is usually worked to the bone from the second they walk in the door :biggrin:

I doubt you'd be interested in the motorsport ones, which is all I know about, but we have girly mags and stuff too if you know of any of them :biggrin:

Reply 9

Icantbelieveit

Just a thought, where are you hoping to work when you finish uni? Do you aim to write for magazines etc? Maybe think where you'd like to have a proper career when you leave and apply for work experience there. Surely it would help to get to know the pople working there, them get to know you etc when you come to applying for a job? If you've worked with them before, then it's probably easier to get work with them as they'll know you personally not just through a CV.

Good Luck!

Reply 10

black_mamba

The Fluff

So I applied to a magazine (more! magazine) that I've read for a long time and enjoy for work experience and was really pleased to get a reply saying "yes".

However I received my information pack today and looking at what I'm actually going to be doing it's not exactly what I was expecting.

I'm suprised you're apprehensive about this, maybe its just your industry, but I've found it very difficult finding work experience relevant to my subject area. Since you've secured your work experience why not try it out (no harm in that right?) you may meet someone who will point you towards a better role further down the line, or even help land you a graduate job. Making contacts like that is invaluable, its great that you've also made one with the Kerrang editor.

But yeah I totally understand your concerns that you won't actually be handed the responsibility you deserve, maybe they're saving that for the full timers. *shrugs*

I'm dead jealous though, some people just manage to make contacts out of thin air. :wink: