Journalism & Public Relations:your future career?

Beth WhittakerViva Communicationswww.viva-communications.co.uk

It’s all me, me, me…

Started straight from school…

Trained ‘on the job’ by the newspaper… block release college course covering newspaper law, public administration… 100 wpm shorthand

Qualified at 20…

Moved from weekly newspapers…

to evening (daily) newspapers…

The Citizen…

Western Daily Press…

Then… ‘headhunted’ by Harrison Cowley PR

• Got married, had children• Went freelance/self employed• Set up my business Viva Communications Ltd• Working with my husband –

in the same office!

What I love about what I do…

• Something different every day, working on several different projects at once

• Making a difference to charities, community groups and organisations

• Helping small businesses communicate more effectively• Writing – press releases, website copy, information• Working closely with other creative people –

photographers, website designers, graphic designers and printers

• Being my own boss!

NATIONAL media: Telegraph, Times Educational Supplement, Guardian, Independent, BBC Radio 4, BBC TV Countryfile … and local

Journalism

• Journalism careers:– Broadcast: TV and radio– Magazines– Newspapers– Photography/photo journalism– Sports – Sub-editing & page design– Freelancing– Online

Public relations

http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/policy-resources/about-pr

Chartered Institute of Public Relations

Helpful…

• Nosey/inquisitive• Confident • Gets involved/good organiser• Good English – grammar, spelling• Great vocabulary• Happy to talk to anyone… • Creative, full of ideas • Passionate about a cause?• Hard worker… self starter• Happy to ‘start at the bottom’ and learn

Test out your writing skills

WRITE A BLOG?… stuff you’re passionate about, interested in… fashion, sport, politics, film, music, money (!)

www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/mar/15/how-to-blog-free-book

Some ideas…

• Follow journalists/writers on social media/blogs & engage…

• Look up public relations firms – engage on social media…

• Work experience…internships• At uni/college – get involved in student news• DIY short film/audio/vox pops – report on

local issues?

Useful websitesCheck out jobs/internships & what qualifications, experience and skills they are looking for:

• Journalism– www.journalism.co.uk/media-reporter-jobs/s64/– http://jobs.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/– http://jobs.bloomberg.com/content/intern/– www.gorkanajobs.co.uk/jobs/journalist/intern/– www.nctj.com/careers/trainee-vacancies– Local newspapers/radio/TV

• PR– www.ciprjobs.co.uk/– Local PR/marketing/advertising agencies

Routes…

Straight from school? Distance learning? Degree? • National Careers Service:

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk• National Council for the Training of Journalists:

www.nctj.com/ • Chartered Institute of Public Relations:• www.cipr.co.uk/content/careers-cpd/careers-

pr

Questions?

Anybody? Hello?

Beth Whittaker - @bw58 on Twitterwww.facebook.com/PRViva