It's not always an easy path to land your dream job and I should know because it's taken me more than two years to get such an opportunity.
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We're often told that if you go to university, you'll land a job almost instantaneously. That all your hard work, efforts and good grades will work towards landing your dream job, but when you're in an over-saturated industry this isn't always the case.
In my case, I came to the media game a little late. I had spent five years at university chasing a career in education when I realised that my passion did not lie there. I went back to university, got myself a Masters degree and naively thought that I would stand out above the rest and get that job straight off the bat.
That was in March 2016. I didn't start this job, as a journalist with the Southern Highland News until January 2019.
When my editor was hiring for this position, one of her priorities was my work history. I may not have had a lot of journalism experience but what I did have was something far more valuable. Internships and volunteering experience.
When I first started my degree in 2016, the first thing I sought to do was get an internship. You might not get paid, you might have to get coffee, you might spend a lot of time watching and learning, but the experience you get from that is invaluable. I spent three months at my first internship where I learnt how to hone my skills, I then spent seven months at a magazine, giving my time to learning and networking.
In 2018 after realising that getting a job would be a lot harder than I first thought, I volunteered at my local soccer club as the club secretary. A role that I still hold. Through that, I started interviewing players from the local NPL3 club, posting videos on my LinkedIn account and attaching links to my CV.
My hard work paid off. I finally got my dream job, and that's all thanks to internships and volunteering.
Why is my story important? Because sometimes you need to roll up your sleeves, swallow your pride and work for free. The slow burn is worth it. Eventually, you will land that dream job - you just need to work hard to get it and not give up.
And the best place to start is by volunteering your time to get ahead.
Our Southern Highland News team recently said goodbye to an intern who is in her final year of uni. Not only did she learn how the newsroom works, but she got a head start on her portfolio with by-lines and front pages to top up her resume.
If you're wondering whether it's worth interning and volunteering your time, the answer is yes. Nothing is more valuable than giving up your time to get ahead and your future employer would agree. The experience you gain and the commitment you show to achieving your dream job speaks volumes to a prospective employer.