Need help with all things Journalism?
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valeryblack
MA means master?
Yes, that's right.
ssoooooooo nice...excelent 
idiots
idiots
This is wonderful advice, thankyou.
Two questions.. 1) what a-levels did you take? and 2) what's the youngest age you'd advise looking for work experience? I'm wishing to go into journalism (have since I was about 14) and I'm now 16.. about to leave school, have 3 months of free time ahead of me and considering looking for some work experience but I'm not sure if I'd be too young or not.
Two questions.. 1) what a-levels did you take? and 2) what's the youngest age you'd advise looking for work experience? I'm wishing to go into journalism (have since I was about 14) and I'm now 16.. about to leave school, have 3 months of free time ahead of me and considering looking for some work experience but I'm not sure if I'd be too young or not.
never too young to look for experience, go for it.
as for A levsls, i took english lit, history and geography. to be fair choose your A levels based on what you enjoy,are good at, because at the end of the day, it is your NCTJ and uni degree which are most important.
as for A levsls, i took english lit, history and geography. to be fair choose your A levels based on what you enjoy,are good at, because at the end of the day, it is your NCTJ and uni degree which are most important.
Thanks Soul Rebel! I'm hoping it goes well as well.
I've met a few journalists who have claimed that they don't think it's necessary and rely on tapes etc. However, in my own (work) experience, I've done interviews and barely transcribed it all in time- and this was with me 'inventing' my own shorthand and writing very fast, so 'experience' became 'ex' etc. I know it will make things much easier for me, and personally, when so many jobs specify it, even some magazine ones, I think it is very necesary. Also, yes, it is 2 hours a day, but with that much time on it, it isn't a waste because you WILL pick it up, while something like 30 mins a day may still cause you to struggle and then that would be a waste of time.
Originally posted by Not a Lawyer Yup, it's true. There are 12 places for the 36 of us, but I can't say that I'm bothered. Shorthand doesn't seem worthwhile considering the amount of time that has to be invested into it.
I've met a few journalists who have claimed that they don't think it's necessary and rely on tapes etc. However, in my own (work) experience, I've done interviews and barely transcribed it all in time- and this was with me 'inventing' my own shorthand and writing very fast, so 'experience' became 'ex' etc. I know it will make things much easier for me, and personally, when so many jobs specify it, even some magazine ones, I think it is very necesary. Also, yes, it is 2 hours a day, but with that much time on it, it isn't a waste because you WILL pick it up, while something like 30 mins a day may still cause you to struggle and then that would be a waste of time.
her-own-wings, you'd need to get ringing places now, because it may be too late for you to get work experience this summer. Most places (there are a few exceptions where they might not be as popular or have cancellations so it's always worth enquiring) have a system where you would need to book 3-5 months in advance. You may get lucky at the very end of the summer, but many students are doing the same thing at the same time. I attempted to book experience for late May/early June last year and submitted my application on March 1st. It was already booked up then and the earliest they offered me was mid July. Granted, it was in a large city (more demand for places from uni students, as well as people 'commuting' in form surrounding areas) and they preferred people to do 2 weeks if possible, but even so.
What ever you do, don't be afraid to harrass. The aforementioned place did not get back to me for about a month so I kept ringing up and emailing. They said in the end that it had been because they'd used new computers and lost internet files. If that was the case, then they still left it to me to resolve, and spent 2 weeks not responding to my latest emails!
What ever you do, don't be afraid to harrass. The aforementioned place did not get back to me for about a month so I kept ringing up and emailing. They said in the end that it had been because they'd used new computers and lost internet files. If that was the case, then they still left it to me to resolve, and spent 2 weeks not responding to my latest emails!
Pink Lady
her-own-wings, you'd need to get ringing places now, because it may be too late for you to get work experience this summer. Most places (there are a few exceptions where they might not be as popular or have cancellations so it's always worth enquiring) have a system where you would need to book 3-5 months in advance. You may get lucky at the very end of the summer, but many students are doing the same thing at the same time. I attempted to book experience for late May/early June last year and submitted my application on March 1st. It was already booked up then and the earliest they offered me was mid July. Granted, it was in a large city (more demand for places from uni students, as well as people 'commuting' in form surrounding areas) and they preferred people to do 2 weeks if possible, but even so.
What ever you do, don't be afraid to harrass. The aforementioned place did not get back to me for about a month so I kept ringing up and emailing. They said in the end that it had been because they'd used new computers and lost internet files. If that was the case, then they still left it to me to resolve, and spent 2 weeks not responding to my latest emails!
What ever you do, don't be afraid to harrass. The aforementioned place did not get back to me for about a month so I kept ringing up and emailing. They said in the end that it had been because they'd used new computers and lost internet files. If that was the case, then they still left it to me to resolve, and spent 2 weeks not responding to my latest emails!
Thanks a lot for replying.
I'll try my local newspaper. I've already got the letter written. It might be a bit late I realise, but I guess there's no harm in trying!
How is best to send it? Via post or e-mail?
I'll follow up with a call if I don't hear from them soon.
ADVISE- dont e-mail, some may e mail you back, but alot wont, i would advice you too call, becasue at least then they would have to listen to you (but the first time is nervewracking)
gunners r us
ADVISE- dont e-mail, some may e mail you back, but alot wont, i would advice you too call, becasue at least then they would have to listen to you (but the first time is nervewracking)
It's worth emailing first, because a lot of places will want to see your CV. But definately follow up with a call about a week later if you haven't heard anything. It took about three phone calls and two emails before I was offered work experience at my local paper. Maybe they just wanted to see how keen I was!
its wierd becasue all the local newspapers i wrote too didnt reply my e-mail, however all the magazine editors (big ones as well) did reply, all though rejecting me, they said hen i should send my cv and they seemed really nice
so DO give it a go applying to some of the big applications, you never knowwhat they might say
so DO give it a go applying to some of the big applications, you never knowwhat they might say
What a great thread!
The discussion on here has been really helpful to me, especially the advice on work experience placements (although annoyingly most of the publications I’ve applied to have reserved there placements for people already on NCTJ courses). Good work everyone!
My question was concerning the difference between NCTJ courses in terms of what potential employers would look for. For example, the NCTJ can be studied as a part-time 1 year course, a PGDip course (whatever that is), an MA, BA etc and I was wondering if certain types of courses (and certain institutions) were held in higher regard than others within the industry. I’m assuming that as the resultant qualification is the same, it wouldn’t matter where it is from, as the courses deemed worthy of being NCTJ accredited would all be of a similar standard.
Anyone got any ideas?
The discussion on here has been really helpful to me, especially the advice on work experience placements (although annoyingly most of the publications I’ve applied to have reserved there placements for people already on NCTJ courses). Good work everyone!
My question was concerning the difference between NCTJ courses in terms of what potential employers would look for. For example, the NCTJ can be studied as a part-time 1 year course, a PGDip course (whatever that is), an MA, BA etc and I was wondering if certain types of courses (and certain institutions) were held in higher regard than others within the industry. I’m assuming that as the resultant qualification is the same, it wouldn’t matter where it is from, as the courses deemed worthy of being NCTJ accredited would all be of a similar standard.
Anyone got any ideas?
~Sam~
It's worth emailing first, because a lot of places will want to see your CV. But definitely follow up with a call about a week later if you haven't heard anything. It took about three phone calls and two emails before I was offered work experience at my local paper. Maybe they just wanted to see how keen I was!
This is good advice. However, I think the best way to impress is to submit a few article ideas/submit an article when you send your CV. I wrote an article about something that was going on in my area when I first applied to my local paper and it was subsequently published when I went in for the work experience. That was a lovely start to it all and I think it made a good impression.
top lace 
lol
lolages ago i read an article about getting into a career into journalism and how hard it is top companies.
if you type in Stranglehold into the Independent search engine i think you will be able to find; i havent tried yet.
I know it's published on the Sutton Trust website; so you find it there too
if you type in Stranglehold into the Independent search engine i think you will be able to find; i havent tried yet.
I know it's published on the Sutton Trust website; so you find it there too
hermaphrodite
ages ago i read an article about getting into a career into journalism and how hard it is top companies.
if you type in Stranglehold into the Independent search engine i think you will be able to find; i havent tried yet.
I know it's published on the Sutton Trust website; so you find it there too
if you type in Stranglehold into the Independent search engine i think you will be able to find; i havent tried yet.
I know it's published on the Sutton Trust website; so you find it there too
Well thanks but everybody is aware of that on this thread.
Laces
Well thanks but everybody is aware of that on this thread.
I only stumbled across this thread earlier; and i didnt read all 12 pages; so if someone had already posted the artcle, I wasnt aware of it.
Hi there
I plan to take a year or two out before going to University, after I finish my A levels next year. In these two years, seeing as I don't intend to do a Journalism degree at Uni, I am interested in getting some kind of juornalistic qualification - like an NCTJ qualification.
However, I was wondering how much this would cost and which qualification I would need, as I have browsed the website and I am still unsure. Also how long do the qualifications take? I don't really intend to take up the whole of my year out doing the course, if possible, as I'd like to do a bit of travelling.
Thanks in advance
I plan to take a year or two out before going to University, after I finish my A levels next year. In these two years, seeing as I don't intend to do a Journalism degree at Uni, I am interested in getting some kind of juornalistic qualification - like an NCTJ qualification.
However, I was wondering how much this would cost and which qualification I would need, as I have browsed the website and I am still unsure. Also how long do the qualifications take? I don't really intend to take up the whole of my year out doing the course, if possible, as I'd like to do a bit of travelling.
Thanks in advance
i dont know about cost but i have a friend who did a one year journalism course at college, he had just finished his A levels.
Look on the NCTJ website that should give you all the information, and they have contact details there. www.nctj.com
Look on the NCTJ website that should give you all the information, and they have contact details there. www.nctj.com
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