Hello all.

Well, I had my first day at one on of my new placements today, at a PR agency in Newcastle.

I would definitely recommend getting some work experience in a small team, (this particular company employs 7 people) as you really do get stuck in with some real tasks, not just the obligatory making coffee and sorting post. The whole company works from the same office, so I’m getting a really good overview of what’s going on and can actually have a conversation with anyone in the room.

There is always the danger that once you arrive at your placement company, they will shove you in a corner and leave you to your own devices, but once again I am lucky enough to find myself in a really sound team who all do their best to explain how things work and keep me busy with a variety of tasks.

They have even asked me to write a press release about how the company are proud to take on undergraduates for work placements with the possibility of a fulltime job offer at the end. This can only be a good sign considering all the pessimism about graduate jobs in the media at the moment!

So, all is well today. I think it’s important that work experience is mutually beneficial. You should feel like you are really gaining something from the experience as well as being able to make a real difference to how the company functions.

I feel this all sounds too serious. What I haven’t mentioned is the very first thing I did was attempt to hang my coat up, however I managed to snap the hook off the wall. Oops.

If you want something go and get it!

Oh dear... I seem to have been in some kind of online hibernation. I’m sure this happens to the best of bloggers right?

In my defence, unfortunately 2009 hasn’t dealt me the best of cards so far and my brain is taking a while to readjust. But, on the plus side, a big life changing slap in the face can be just what you need to focus all your energies onto bigger and better things. And let me say, on the career front there have been a number of new developments.

I have now left you hanging for a good few weeks about how the interview in London went, and you may now breathe a sigh of relief as it went very well. I have bagged myself a 3 week PR placement in the Easter hols, vv exciting. Although I am a tad concerned about becoming one of the rush-hour underground sardines. Eek.

Also, thanks to all the publicity about the lack of graduate jobs (and my general keenness) I have also secured myself two further PR placements which will bulk out the old CV even more.

Work experience can be a fantastic pathway to becoming a fully fledged paid member of the team. It gives the employer a sort of “free trail” of how you contribute to their company. So treat every day as an extended job interview, and don’t give them a reason to let you go!

Note to self: Don’t eat a big bag of minstrels in one sitting.

So, my first post of 2009. I’m feeling positive… (but I spose it’s not even been 2 weeks.)

I know I quite often harp on about advice I’ve heard in various places on here, but it’s only because I actually think these people are talking sense and that it deserves to be shared.

At another recent enthralling careers event, we were advised to think about what we enjoy outside of uni and jobs etc, and see it was possible to somehow combine that with career aspirations. It makes sense seeing as we seem to have to spend more and more hours of our lives working nowadays.

Those that know me have probably noticed that I have developed a minor obsession with musical theatre, and if I lived in London I could see myself spending my last few pounds on a show rather than a meal. Anyway, I did a bit of poking around online and basically found my dream job (other than being a West End leading lady,) a PR agency that specialises in theatre and entertainment. Feeling rather excited, I dropped them an email asking if they ever take on students or had any advice for an aspiring PR like myself.

Within a matter of seconds the director had replied saying :

Hi,

Yes, we are always looking to offer people work experience, What time of year would you be available? And for how long? As you know, we are based in central London.

Regards,

Is it just me or was that a bit too easy??

I’ve always been a little bit scared of London, but it looks like I’m actually taking my first plunge into the cut-throat world of the media capital… and I’m actually quite excited.

Interview in a couple of weeks- I’ll keep you posted.

First and foremost- Merry Christmas one and all!

Now, back to the meaty stuff…

I have been advised recently that one of the shrewdest moves I can make in order to further my career prospects is to join this mystifying website known as “Twitter”. I wasn’t sure if this was some kind a multi-player game, a website for the “twits” of the world to congregate, or just another Facebook-esque social networking site. Apparently it is a “free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time” (Whatever that means?)

Despite all my doubts, I went ahead and created my profile. I only knew one other person who had Twitter so I clicked on his face and decided to “follow” him. A matter of moments later I was informed that he was following me too. Great. Now what?

Unlike Facebook, apparently Twitter is not just for keeping up to date with gossip about your friends, acquaintances, and people you went to primary school with and never spoke to. Twitter allows you to create a network of like-minded people who continually update their answer that ever insightful question- “what are you doing?” Or they may link you to their blogs which you can then comment on, thus adding your voice to a potentially global conversation. (And I’m pretty sure I’m yet to discover all the other wonderful things it can do.)

If you decide to jump on the Twitter bandwagon, you may find that you are suddenly bombarded with jargon that makes absolutely no sense, such as “tweet” and “re-tweet” and “tinyurl”. And although I still don’t really understand what any of these terms mean, even I can still just about navigate my way round the major functions.

So maybe you’re thinking this sounds like a total and utter waste of time, and I must admit that thought has crossed my mind too. The other thought that crosses my mind however is the enormous potential of the beast that is Twitter to help me be involved in a global network of movers and shakers. Even Stephen Fry is getting in on the action (I should know as I am one of his many thousands of followers.)

Please feel free to follow me and my insightful updates, and join in the conversation!

http://twitter.com/JHardacre1