| I have just returned from three weeks of work experience with three very different news organisations. One, INS News, was a regional news agency. The second was a daily local paper, the Reading Evening Post. The final one was a weekly local paper, the Gainsborough Standard.
I have spent well over six months on work experience over the last few years, ranging from seven days at the local rag to months of volunteering on student papers. It really does prove your determination, passion and resilience, because as any work experience students quickly discovers, there are always lessons to be learned on placement.
In this case, my carefully studied writing style was shredded at INS News Agency, who wanted to spice up the story and not worry too much about unfortunate detail (ages, addresses, dates...). Rather than having the freedom to chase my own stories, I was hampered with mind-numbing press releases at the Evening Post and trusted with nothing more exciting than fundraising marathon runners. I wrote more 100 word News in Brief stories (NIBs) about blood banks and local club minutes than I care to remember.
But at the Standard, things were different. As well as the NIBs, press releases and inevitable tea-making rounds, I interviewed contacts, created my own leads and actually managed to produce some interesting stories without a more experienced journo taking over. I accompanied the photographer, wrote content for the website, and hit the streets to vox pop people.
Perhaps not Earth-moving jobs, but far more satisfying than regurgitating MP surgery times. I was even offerd some freelance work at the end of the placement.
The Gainsborough Standard vindicated media lecturers up and down the country. They all stress the importance of work experience, because it "shows you are really interested" and proves "you want to do it professionally". And they are right. |
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