Eleanor L.
About me
| Eleanor L. | |
| Politics | |
| Politics with International Relations | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Derwent | |
| 2017 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Political Reporter | |
| PoliticsHome | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Journalism and publishing | |
| Medium-size business (50-249 employees) | |
| 2019 |
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A day in the life of a Political Reporter in the United Kingdom
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
PoliticsHome is a political news website delivering quality and up-to-date coverage of the Houses of Parliament. It is owned by Dods Plc, which has a number of arms including political monitoring, events and training in addition to media titles such as The House magazine, Civil Service World, Holyrood magazine and Parliament magazine.
PoliticsHome.com receives over a million visitors a month and has over 100,000 followers on Twitter. It is among the most respected political news sources in Westminster.
What do you do?
My role includes producing coverage of the day's events in Westminster, sourcing original stories, compiling daily newsletters, managing social channels and attending events/press briefings. In addition, I also produce video content for social media and feature profiles for sister title The House.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I began my career after graduation in marketing but realised this was not for me. I applied for a Master's in Newspaper Journalism at City University in London, starting in 2018. The course gave me the essential skills I needed for a career in journalism as well as facilitating work experience and contacts.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
It was much more challenging to get a job in journalism than I initially anticipated. But once I had the necessary skills and experience I was able to find a role in the industry.
Describe your most memorable day at work
I started my job as a political reporter in the midst of the 2019 General Election, and was attending campaign events on my second day.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was Music Editor at Nouse for two years, Digital Editor for Hard Magazine for one year and was elected as Welfare Representative on the Derwent College JRCR. My student media experience was invaluable and I still use many of the basic skills I developed there in my role today. Good interpersonal skills and knowledge of digital platforms are also very valuable skills for an aspiring journalist.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Keep contacting people you admire. Apply for roles you think you might not be a fit for. Spend time learning about the industry you are interested in. There will be lots of rejection, but it's worth it in the end.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
I am happy to give advice on further training options in journalism, how to get work experience, and how to build contacts within the media.
Next steps...
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