Write the world – international development and journalism

Do you aspire to be a published journalist?
Are you interested in issues facing the developing world?
Do you want to write about such issues that are often neglected in the media?
Then enter the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition 2013.

How to enter
The competition has two strands.  One is for professional journalists and the other for amateurs including students.  The competition asks you to write a 650-1000 word article about any aspect of global poverty that you think needs more media attention.  Write your article and submit it by Sunday 12 May 2013.  For more information please see the competition website, Twitter and Facebook pages.

What you can win
At first, entries will be shortlisted to 40 and then the 16 best entries (eight amateur and eight professional) will be published online on the Guardian website.  Later the 16 finalists will be flown to Africa orAsia to research a new project.  This research will be published in two special Guardian newspaper supplements after the two winners are announced at a special award ceremony.

How this can help your career
A good record of relevant work experience is essential to getting a career in both journalism and international development.  As a writer, you will need to provide a portfolio of your written work and a portfolio which includes published work will be very highly regarded.  As a development worker, you will need to show your enthusiasm and knowledge of how the sector works and often this involves partnerships with bodies like the media.

Being a part of the research team in a new setting would allow you to enhance  useful skills for the workplace like communication, organisation and flexibility to name a few.

Even if you miss out on the final 16 it is a great way to practise your writing skills for either industry or making an entry shows a keen interest in news and current affairs.  Plus there are also media opportunities on campus you can get involved in.

Find out more about careers as a Newspaper journalist or International development worker and visit Careers in WG3 (Queens’ Building) for more advice.

Job Opportunities for Black and Ethnic Minority Students in the Creative Industry

If you are a black or ethnic minority student looking to embark on a career in the creative industry you may be interested to hear about Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London.

SEO London is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving access into the most competitive professions for students from under-represented ethnic minority backgrounds. Every year they provide hundreds of outstanding undergraduates with direct access to the very best graduate employers and a comprehensive training and networking programme to ensure black and ethnic minority students benefit from the best graduate opportunities.

This year SEO London have teamed up with Creative Access, a charity which aims to provide graduates from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds with access to the creative industries, to offer internships and graduate jobs in publishing, TV, film, radio and theatre production.

Check out the SEO London’s website for a range of roles, from runners to apprentice producers, at a variety of organisations including Harper Collins, ITV, and Stage One.

At the moment the roles listed are for graduates or recent graduates but SEO London will soon be launching internships and work experience placements aimed at first and second year undergraduates. So keep an eye on the website for updates!

If you are selected for an interview with Creative Access partners, SEO London will help you to prepare for it by giving you a mock interview and checking over your CV. If you successfully secure a job you will be provided with a senior creative industry mentor and a comprehensive training programme to ensure the best possible start to your future career.

So what are you waiting for?  Register for job updates and send an updated version of your CV to creativeaccess@seo-london.org now!

Teaching English as a foreign language – find out more…

Whether you have a passion for teaching or want to travel abroad to discover new cultures, teaching English as a foreign language might be the perfect career choice for you. Since fluency in English is the main essential requirement for the job, why not think about kick-starting your career in an original way to really stand out from the crowd?

What Is It?
Teaching English means a bit more than just classroom experience. It involves a particular methodology designed for and targeted at a specific audience. If the plethora of acronyms in teaching confuses you, here’s a helpful guide:

• ELT – English Language Teaching; a widely-used teacher-centred term describing the overall teaching practice and methodology
• TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language; refers to teaching adults or children whose first language is not English but who choose to learn it for various purposes
• TESOL – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; often involves the same thing as TEFL but also describes teaching English to non-English speakers living in an English-speaking country
• TESL – Teaching English as a Second Language; teaching in countries where English has the official status of a second language. The term TEAL (Teaching English as an Additional Language) can also be used in this context.
• ESP – English for Specific Purposes, such as for business, tourism, the banking sector etc.
• EAP – English for Academic Purposes; refers to academic teaching for university study. Many such courses are run by the British Council.

Why Do It?
Teaching English abroad is a fantastic way to get the firsthand teaching experience necessary for a career in education, while the accreditations you will obtain can add to your CV and maximize your chances of getting a job.

Even if you don’t want to become a teacher, teaching English abroad can be extremely useful regardless of your career plans. You can gain valuable transferable skills such as project management or learning a new language, as well as work experience to get your foot in the door of the tough job market.

Before You Start
While the main requirement is proficiency in both written and spoken English, you might need to have additional qualifications depending on what you’re interested in. Think about who and where you would like to teach, whether you want a long-term engagement or just a summer placement, and what sort of skills you would like to develop. Also consider the financial aspects, e.g. paid work or volunteering, or the living costs and employment legislation of you chosen country.

Training
Once you’ve decided what you want to do, start looking at the relevant requirements and courses available for teaching English abroad. Here are some options:

• TEFL courses – offered by TEFL England, these courses vary from a basic 20-hour initial introduction to a complex 130-hour course preparing you for all aspects of teaching.
• CELT – Certificate in English Language Teaching, a 120-130 hour course validated by either University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations or Trinity College London. It is one of the most popular options for teaching English abroad.
• CELTA – Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults offered by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations at more than 280 centres worldwide. Very useful for teaching English overseas.
• certTESOL – Certificate for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages provided by Trinity College London, another principal training course of a minimum 130 hours on a weekly basis.
• TKT – Teaching Knowledge Test by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. Refers to teaching English to speakers of other languages and it is generally more accessible than CELTA.
• certTEFL – Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, aimed mainly at teachers whose first language is not English. This course is offered by International House.
• DELTA – The Cambridge Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults aimed at experienced English language teachers.
• DipTESOL – The Trinity College London equivalent for the experienced English teachers diploma.

Although different companies expect different qualifications, most employers tend to favour courses of a minimum 100 hours ELT/TESOL input, especially for people looking for long-term commitments.

If you’re interested in short-term work or want less intensive training, look into distance learning, an option offered by some TESOL/TEFL centres. Though such courses are generally shorter and cheaper than others, they are not as widely recognized as longer courses. For more information about the types of courses available, see i-to-i TEFL Courses or English Language Centre (CIC).

What Next?
After completing a training course, you can start looking for jobs and work on your application. TEFL England provides a free job placement scheme for people enrolled on TEFL courses for vacancies across the globe, which is useful for finding both long-term and short-term opportunities. The British Council is also running its own recruitment scheme for TEFL teachers. Visit their website for more details on the programme, and on TEFL in general.

You can also have a look at the Prospects website for more information about the teaching industry, as well as for a list of vacancy sources.

We Can Help!
Whether you’re confused about choosing the right course or need help with your application, our team of Careers Consultants can offer you guidance and support with your career. Just give us a call on 020 7882 8533 or drop by our office in room WG3 in the Queen’s Building to book an appointment or look through the resources in our Information room.

Raluca – Maria Chereji
2^nd Year French and Politics student

Do you want to work in the media: journalism, TV or radio?

If that is your career ambition then you will be expected to have a good amount of work experience whilst you are still a student.  The great news is that QM offers you loads of ways to get involved. Here are a range of opportunities:

Journalism

• QMessenger, the newspaper (current editor: Caz Parra and next year’s editor: Sean Richardson, people should email editor@qmessenger.co.uk)
• CUB, the magazine (current editor: Tom Stevenson and next year’s editor: Anna Matheson, people should email editor@cubmagazine.co.uk)
• London Student – email editor@london-student.net
• The Angle – email babs.williams@newturn.org.uk
• Elephant – email matthew@teekay.me
• Zine Mary – the guy who does this is called Robert Pritchard but I don’t have an email for him
• QMSci – email editor@qmsci.com
• QMessenger.co.uk, website (current editor: Alex Penn and next year’s editor: not yet decided, people should email editor@qmediaonline.co.uk).

TV/Radio

• Quest, the radio station (current station manager: Maria Sowter and next year’s station manager: Chris Smith, people should email maria@questradio.co.uk)
• QMTV, television station (current station manager: N/A and next year’s station manager: Ozzy Amir, people should email drama@qm-tv.co.uk).

And if nothing here floats your boat then why not set something up! Schools often have retention funds that don’t get spent, there are theWestfieldand Prospect funds as well as other sources of external funding.

Abi Sharma

What to do after an arts or humanities degree…

Simple equation:
Spring has sprung + summer will follow = where next after graduation?

Nowhere are brains buzzing more busily than in Arts and Humanities departments.

Question 1
What CAN an arts and humanities graduates do?

Solution
Pretty much anything from A – Y: Accountancy to Youth Work.  Z for Zoology is one of the few options not available.

Given this range of possibilities, first stop for the baffled, bothered and bewildered is an online career interest inventory:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk → Jobs and Work → What jobs would suit me?
or
www.targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report

 But beware….
-    If computer says “Nooo” by generating some unlikely ideas, it is merely working with data that you, dear reader, have supplied.  Bland responses produce bland results.

-   These are IT programs, not oracles. They churn out information.  Choosing your future is down to you.

Question 2
Do you really, really know?

Solution
Naturally, no perceptive and astute QM student would dismiss potential careers because they have listened to ill-founded myths.  As if. Don’t believe that, for instance, all English students go into editing; librarianship is for losers; the heritage sector is home to historians.

Find out the facts, rather than sticking with the stereotypes and broaden your options. If you want a snapshot of what you can do go to: http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/humanities.htm

For a (metaphorical) slide show of opportunities, ask in the Careers Centre for a sneak peek at “What Can I Do With An Arts Degree?”  published by Trotman in 2009 and also available as an e book.

Let’s end with another equation : Research + Reflection = Result.

The legwork starts here.

Gill Sharp
Careers Consultant
QM Careers

Script writing opportunities

A good place to start looking for script writing work experience is on campus!

1. Get involved in clubs and societies where you can produce marketing and promotional material or work on the society website where you post about events and activities.

2. Apart from clubs and societies, the Students’ Union has publications such as the weekly newspaper QMessenger and fortnightly arts and culture magazine CUB which you could write for.

3. Some schools and departments publish regular newsletters featuring a student section. You could talk to your department and see if they have any opportunities for you to write for them.

When researching script writing opportunities off-campus, try approaching TV and radio stations, film councils and theatres for example.

Find out from local or regional theatres and arts centres if they run initiatives for new writers.

You could check the credits of TV shows and films and note the writers’ names. You could follow them on LinkedIn which would be a great way to network in the industry. You never know, it may even result in securing a job opportunity.  Other useful resources include:

• In the BBC Writers Room you can send your work, search for opportunities, gain writing tips and much more. You can also follow them on twitter
• Skillset is a website for the creative industries. Here you can find out more about relevant courses, careers, funding and more
• The Scriptwriting in the UK blog contains useful tips on the sector, articles, downloads and services to get scripts checked
• The Arvon Foundation runs short courses on script writing
• ScreenWriters’ Friend is a guide to writing scripts and screenplays for film. It also contains links to useful sites, articles resources and information about agents
• The Script Factory is a filmmakers’ organisation that supports new screenwriting talent. They offer training, events, script feedback and more
• The Writers’ Guild of Great Britian supports writers across media
• The Guardian Careers hosted a question and answer session about routes into screenwriting
• The Prospects ‘Writer’ role profile to find out more about the skills and activities involved in being a writer
• Also try these twitter hashtags which may contain relevant information or networking opportunities: #scriptchat and #writersfestival.

Careers events: a springboard to your future

It was going to a Careers ‘speed meet’ evening last year, organised for students in the English and Drama department, that really motivated me to start volunteering. The speakers at the event, all Queen Mary alumni who had studied English, not only had jobs in teaching, publishing and journalism, but also in broader fields often less associated with English Literature such as radio, television and museum work. Having always had an interest in museums, it had never occurred to me – until I had spoken first-hand to a representative of the Victoria & Albert Museum at the event – that an English student such as myself could go into museum work, that this was a possible career destination at all.

Almost all the speakers had started out either as volunteers or interns at the companies they represented, showing just how valuable volunteering can be in the long term. Given the opportunity at the event to ask the speakers for advice in a pretty informal, laid-back environment, I learned of some great volunteering opportunities available in the arts field. Consequently, I went about starting volunteer work in museums; by visiting museums and speaking to them in person, sending a lot of e-mails with attached CVs and covering letters, and filling in application forms. Before I knew it, I had started volunteering at three very different but great London museums: the Freud Museum; Keats House; and, more recently, the Tate Modern. Volunteering has not only enabled me to try out various dimensions of potential museum careers – my responsibilities differ at each setting – but also to contribute to something I have always personally enjoyed. Additionally, I have met people in the arts field and even established some crucial contacts along the way. There’s also more to put on my CV – always a good thing when you’re a third year student!

I would even go as far as saying that, within the short space of a year, my whole outlook has changed; I’m currently applying for a Masters at an American university to read Museum Studies of which, though I have no previous academic knowledge, I have gained vital practical experience thanks to volunteering. In a year’s time, I could be studying something entirely new to me, in a place I’ve never even been to. A challenge, maybe, but one I am increasingly excited about. And, one which may not have even happened at all had I not attended that event last year!

Chloe Pantazi, 3rd Year English student

Are you an English or Drama student or interested in the arts?

If the answer is yes, then read on!!

If you are an English or Drama student and are unsure of what to do after you graduate this summer then come along next Tues 25th May to the Career Training Day for QM English and Drama students.

Workshops cover job options, job hunting, job applications and interviews – for details and how to sign up see www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/events

For anyone looking into working in the arts/creative sector then these two events for students at any stage in your degree/masters are well worth attending:
16 June – Careers in Arts Adminstration (www.careers.lon.ac.uk/arts)
One day course off-campus covering working in theatres, museums, galleries and arts centres, with speakers from these areas telling you all that you need to know!
29-30 June – Futurising (www.futurising.org)
Two day opportunities festival for students and graduates who want to work in the creative industry.

Don’t miss out on these fantastic opportunities  – book your place now!